Henrikdoc

The Globe in Chagford is definitely worth a stay if you are ever over this way. The Honeysuckle room was dreamy.

A leisurely breakfast was had listening to the bells of the 15th century church of St Michael the Archangel opposite.

This is the church where Mary Whiddon was shot as she emerged out after her wedding ceremony – by a jilted admirer.

(Ref: https://www.legendarydartmoor.co.uk/2016/03/25/mary_whiddon/)

Chagford on a Sunday morning…busy

Onwards…across Chagford Bridge , past the local swimming pool, dug out by hand in 1934 by local people.

(I’ve always wondered about digging my own swim lane in the back garden but the faff then of filtering the waste and providing other sanitation such as chlorination etc is the ONLY THING that has stopped me….honest)

..and we saw a Heron… well strictly speaking, Carol saw the Heron, and I glimpsed it flying away…by the time I had done my usual, ‘ must get the camera out, where is it?’ I would never have got a job working for David Attenborough on set.

Past a sculpture ‘Granite Song’ by the ‘internationally renowned sculptor and visual artist Peter Randall-Page’(Ref: Sue Vicaars, 2019)

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Some interesting stuff on his web page….

I digress, again.

Two moors way signs were in abundance (all day)

We realised that you probably don’t really need the signs on the Moor as it is either up or down or along, and you need a compass and map and good eyesight in the first place on the Moor, whereas with lanes and fields and hedges, you need a lot more signs and directional guidance.

Which brings me on to eyesight. Having had a bit of a ‘do’ with one contact lens this morning (it wouldn’t sit right…those of you who wear these things know what I mean), I still favour them over normal glasses on these long walks. Being very myopic (short sighted), everything through my normal glasses is a bit, well actually a lot, smaller than in real life. So when we meet, I am seeing a teeny tiny version of you 🤣🤣. I exaggerate. Anyway, with contacts everything is ‘normal size’ and the vistas around me are more expansive and glorious than ever.

The trouble is… I have to put reading glasses on to see the map book and path book better (and no, that is not why I suggest the wrong route on the very very rare occasion that it happens)….

Makes me look a bit like Mr Magoo, doesn’t it?

Into the Castle Drogo Estate, which naturally led to the questions,

Q. What makes a castle a castle?

In its simplest terms, the definition of a castle accepted amongst academics is “a private fortified residence(Ref :Coulson, Charles (2003). Castles in Medieval Society: Fortresses in England, France, and Ireland in the Central Middle Ages. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press)

…so strictly speaking it is not really a castle but a stately home (See National Trust website)…

But it does have an amazing Gorge in its grounds.

And then we got to Drewsteignton…

And a cup of tea..or two each

…In the Drewe Arms, once run by the oldest licensee in the country, Mable Mudge, who retired at the age of 99 in 1994. The pub became a village owned pub in 2023 after 600 people bought a share in it. It is now run by volunteers and a few staff. We had to leave quickly as the Sunday Roast Dinners looked to die for … and would have meant a taxi ride afterwards!

The Holy Trinity church dating from the 16th Century is also worth visiting …it has named tapestry kneeling stools. Maybe something to bring back into fashion in Winchester?….🧐🤣

…then the dull weather became damp…

WARNING – Views of Devon in the damp about to appear.

… a natural sculpture

A woodland bivouac for fairies…😆

A good spot for lunch … and airing the walking appendages (#feet)

…dampness turned to delight…slowly

We passed St Andrew’s church in Hittisleigh, whose parish once provided the poorest church income in Devon- allegedly.

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And then 2.5 km of lane surrounded by high hedges through which the occasional gap showed the mist clearing and the sun coming out. Carol started striding out with fresh vigour (not sure what was actually in that chicken wrap she had for lunch 🤷🏼‍♂️).

The peace and quiet of the countryside was only interrupted by the 3 pm National emergency call on the mobile phones. Carol’s was 1 minute behind Henrik’s….and then Henrik’s went off again 10 minutes later! “It’s because they knew you wouldn’t respond first time….maybe they’ve sent it twice to all the men!” … followed by fits of laughter from the non male part of the walking party.

Rude.

…oh, and a lot of other cackling and squawking from a few others nearby…

..and then the sun really came out

….And we could appreciate the red soil of this part of Devon, apparently due to iron oxides present in the sandstones of the area that were formed 290-206 Million years ago ? !

…the badgers also like the red soil…

…past Paschoe House, a luxury hotel since 2017…why were we not booked into this for the night? (Note to self- Must have a word with the tour planner for next time).

…and then we had to wait for the Milking traffic to pass.

…nous sommes arrivee pour centre nuit. 17:45 hrs.

Homemade supper tonight…add water to packet risotto, fruit for dessert, chocolate and biscuits for after dessert.

Yum yum.