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Back In The Boots
  • SQUIRREL TALES
May – Jun 2019

Back In The Boots

England - Italy - France Read more
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  • Trip start
    May 4, 2019
  • SQUIRREL TALESBack In The BootsTraveler
    Hoping for a sunny afternoon so we can bask here

    We've Arrived !!!

    May 5, 2019 in England ⋅ ☁️ 11 °C

    Far too many hours strapped into plane seats and eating from small plastic containers but it's over. An uneventful flight (just the way we like them) followed by necessary queues and inevitable baggage delays before we picked up a hire car and headed out from Heathrow.

    Destination: Eton

    Our plan is to have a couple of quiet days to knock our heads out of 'work mode' and get some much needed sleep. We're staying in a quaint inn which was built in the 1600s and has the expected wonky floors and crooked stairs. We're both exhausted but going to bed at 3.30pm wasn't a valid option. Instead, we stretched our legs around town before settling in for an early dinner and a couple of beers at the bar, which is very conveniently located down 2 flights of wonky stairs from our room.

    Real food went a long way towards boosting our energy levels but the good work unravelled quickly with a second beer so we tackled the stairs before our eyes completely crossed. They didn't seem quite so wonky on the way back up ... blame the beer.    Read more

  • SQUIRREL TALESBack In The BootsTraveler
    On the streets of Windsor
    Eton high streetRowing on the Thames, of courseThe Long Walk, WindsorGlimpses of Windsor Castle at the end of the Long WalkTown Crier announcing the birth of Royal Baby GingerRoyal Lego ... constructed entirely from 1x1 lego bricksOn the streets of WindsorThis is our sort of establishment, especially the less serious1Camera was held straight, building is very crooked

    Moochin' Around

    May 6, 2019 in England ⋅ ☁️ 11 °C

    It was a lazy day recovering from the long flight but don't for a minute think that involved reclining on couches, drinking hot chocolate and/or napping. We hit the streets with map in hand to explore Windsor and Eton ... the smartwatch app says we covered 18.75km, not a couch in sight.

    It was a Bank Holiday today so there were lots of people roaming around pointing cameras at things. Also lots of tv camera crews here in expectation of the arrival of Royal Baby Ginger which coindentally did happen today. We thought we might drop in to say hi and wish them well but they're probably busy.

    We saw lots of 'royal' things, not because we were specifically looking for them as tourists but because so many things have something royal in their name. Royal streets, royal shopping areas, royal parks, royal train stations, royal pubs, royal Lego ... and a legitimate royal castle. We decided to skip the queues and the hours required to shuffle around the inside of the castle but we did sit in St Georges Chapel for a while.

    It was a little chilly today with a nasty arctic feel to the breeze but no wet stuff falling from the sky. Let's hope that contines when our hike starts in 2 days ... we've got everything crossed.    Read more

  • SQUIRREL TALESBack In The BootsTraveler
    1St James the Less, dating back to the 12th century (with later additions)
    Dorney Court, dating back to the 15th centuryHighclere CastleWinchester Cathedral, one of the largest cathedrals in EuropeStreet artist ... or did he just forget his camera ?!?!?Winchester High StreetSalisbury Cathedral, build in the 12th/13th century

    Drive-By Tourists

    May 7, 2019 in England ⋅ ⛅ 11 °C

    This morning we checked out of our accommodation in Eton and started heading towards the launch point for our big walk. We've only got 280km to drive and we've got 2 days to cover the distance but we're on holidays so it will be a slow journey with plenty of "stop & look" moments.

    We were only 10 minutes out of Eton before the first such moment. We stopped in Dorney and looked at the parish church of St James the Less (12th century) and Dorney Court, one of England's best examples of a Tudor manor (15th century).

    Next on the stop & look list was Cliveden Gardens but that was a fizzer. We stopped at the gate, looked at the entrance price and decided that $60 to see a garden, albeit a glorious one, was not the best use of our time or money.

    A very scenic drive through part of the Chiltern Hills AONB (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty) was naturally beautiful and we slowly made our way to Winchester (no ties to the rifle). We diverted for a quick stop & look at Highclere Castle of Downton Abbey fame.

    Our stop & look in Winchester was mainly in the area of the famed cathedral and the high street, where it's worth looking up to see the original facades rather than the ground floor modernisations.

    Back in the car and back on the road, our next stop was Salisbury. We were hoping to get there in time to see (one of) the original copies of the Magna Carta but we had spent too long stopping and looking at other stuff. So we just looked at the outside of the very imposing 13th century cathedral.

    Our last stop & look was Poundbury, the village "built" by Prince Charles. We didn't stop for long and we didn't look at very much before heading to Dorchester for dinner and overnight accommodation.    Read more

  • SQUIRREL TALESBack In The BootsTraveler
    This is the entire village, blink and you'll miss it
    Glimpses of the Dorset CoastWe discovered the camera has a 'dramatic' setting ... this is a very dramatic glimpse of the Dorset CoastBeer high streetHave a beer at the Barrel of Beer in Beer1In BeerYeoford, apparently the middle of nowhere16th century farmhouse accommodation

    The Hard Work Starts Tomorrow

    May 8, 2019 in England ⋅ 🌫 13 °C

    But first we have to finish our road trip to the starting point of our walk. After a scrumptious breakfast we headed generally south(ish) from Dorchester towards the coast through the Dorset AONB ... O for Outstanding 😀 ... and it was. Our morning was filled with impossibly quaint villages and nauseatingly gorgeous scenery. We set the GPS to avoid main roads so most of our route was on lesser roads and narrow country lanes with hedges whizzing past very close to the window. An "oooh, look at that'" moment was revealed at every corner we turned and every gap in the hedge.

    It's impossible to see a town named Beer on the map and not set the GPS to take you there. So to Beer we went, via more lanes and "B" roads, and yes, of course we had a beer in Beer 🍺🍺

    The last leg of our road trip was to Exeter Airport to return the hire car and throw ourselves on the mercy of public transport to reach our ultimate destination.

    Part 1, find the return depot, was achieved after a couple of u-turns because we missed the tiny sign on the fence.

    Part 2, catch a bus from the depot to the train station, was very easy ... there is only one bus so it's virtually impossible to get that wrong.

    Part 3, catch a train to Yeoford, was also easy but a little daunting when the guy selling us the ticket asked "Yeoford, are you sure, you do know it's in the middle of nowhere?" Undaunted by his hesitance, we bought our tickets and then missed the train. The big voice in the loudspeaker said the train was delayed due the track being closed when a WWII bomb was found earlier in the day. So we went to get coffee and the train arrived right on time. Oh well, luckily there was another train later in the day.

    Safely arriving in the middle of nowhere, aka Yeoford, we dragged our bags up the lane to our accommodation in a 16th century farmhouse. A warm welcome, a roaring fire and a cup of tea with choc-chip cookies ... nowhere is a good place to be 😀    Read more

  • SQUIRREL TALESBack In The BootsTraveler
    Leaving Yeoford
    Spring has sprung and the hedges are full of wildflowersParish Church of St Andrew, Hittisleigh ... 14th century originsOn the trailLunch and coffee break at DrewsteigntonBluebells are in flower everywhereOn the trailWhat a view ...Rushford stepping stones1Chagford bridge, built in the 17th century with parapet refuges so foot traffic could avoid being trampled

    Walking - Day 1

    May 9, 2019 in England ⋅ ☀️ 10 °C

    Firstly, the all important stats:
    Today's Route - Yeoford to Chagford
    Distance - 22.5km (excluding random wandering around)
    Beers Earned - Forgot to set the app running, won't make that mistake again

    The first day of a long distance walk is always a bit of an experiment. It takes a couple of attempts to get everything right ... what gets packed at the bottom of the backpack vs what needs to be at the top for easy access, how many layers of clothing are required for the changeable weather, are the boot laces tight enough or have toes gone numb because the laces are too tight. It's been 3 years since our last long distance ramble (far too long) and it took us a couple of hours to get into the rhythm of things again. One of the more interesting challenges was adjusting the backpack straps ... we're not the same shape we were 3 years ago and the pack fits a little differently this trip.

    But, despite these minor dilemmas, it's soooo good to be back in the boots.

    The weather was kind to us today. Lots of very threatening clouds, strong wind and quite cold but no rain to speak of ... just the occasional annoying drop landing right in the middle of the sunglasses lens.

    Our morning started on narrow lanes to get out of Yeoford and join the Two Moors Way a little down the road. It's definitely nicer underfoot to be walking cross-country but even the lanes are pretty here. The hedges are full of wildflowers and the views in the distance are so different to what we're used to at home that walking on the hard surface isn't really a chore.

    And there's so much to see besides the scenery. The guide book for the Two Moors Way contains snippets of info about the hamlets we walk through (or near) and suggests diversions from the trail to see interesting things. We poked our noses into most suggested places so it was quite a long day by the time we arrived in Chagford.

    Despite not setting the app to calculate how many beers we'd earned today we unanimously decided we'd earned at least one each ... and it went down very well after our first day of tramping across the Devon countryside.    Read more

  • SQUIRREL TALESBack In The BootsTraveler
    1On the trail ... quaint villages
    On the trail ... cute fluffy lambsOn the trail ... Mariners' Way, boards to cross boggy bitsOn the trail ... straight through someone's farmBut only if they catch usStanding stone and double stone row on DartmoorMiles and miles and miles of moorsGrimspound ... Bronze Age enclosure + hut circlesPosts erected to stop the Germans from landing on the moor in WWIIDartmoor pony, of course

    Walking - Day 2

    May 10, 2019 in England ⋅ 🌧 10 °C

    Today's Route - Chagford to Widecombe in the Moor
    Distance - 21.8km
    Beers Earned - 6.7 (each !!!)
    Weather - sun, wind, clouds, 5 minutes of hail, 3 minutes of rain

    A lot of variety on today's stretch ... villages, meadows, woods, farms, national park, ancient settlements and monuments, bronze age burial barrows and, of course, miles and miles of moors.

    The first part of our walk was on the Mariners' Way, reputed to have been the long distance route between Dartmouth (on the south coast) and Bideford (110km away on the north coast). Centuries ago, sailors would travel between the two ports when transferring from one ship to sail on another or when looking for work at either of the ports. It was a very pretty walk with nice views, fields full of fluffy lambs and bluebells in flower but we're pretty sure the ancient sailors weren't ooh-ing and ahh-ing at the scenery like we were.

    We crossed the cattle grid into the Dartmoor National Park and followed the instructions in the trail guide ... "leave the road any time after the cattle grid, make your way southwards, avoid the wet ground by the streams". With the moors stretching as far as the eye can see it's a little daunting to just "make your way" but that's what we're here for. There was a trail, of sorts, to follow ... or maybe it was a livestock track ... or just some flat grass ... but the GPS buzzed when it thought we weren't going in the right direction. In some areas deeper into the park there was a definite path so they were the easy bits but others areas were more reliant on the buzzy GPS.

    Unfortunately our buzzy friend didn't help identify the marshy, boggy, slippery, muddy bits that look like terra firma but really aren't. Lots of fun to be had slipping around in those sections.

    According to the literature, prehistoric remains on Dartmoor date back to the late Neolithic and early Bronze Age, including Grimspound which is one of the best preserved Bronze Age enclosures on the moor. The trail guide suggests using ancient remains as way-markers but let's be honest, some of them just look like every other pile of rocks.

    One chap we met on the trail told us to look out for the posts across the top of the next high section of the moor. Barbed wire was strung between the posts in WWII to stop the Germans from landing on the flat expanse.

    Knowing that more rain falls on the moor than in the surrounding low lands, we expected to get a proper drenching as we crossed the top. Instead we watched as the rain clouds skirted around us and dumped hail on the low lands. Our B&B hosts had lit the fire expecting the arrival of 2 wet and bedraggled guests but we arrived dry and chirpy after a great day of walking.    Read more

  • SQUIRREL TALESBack In The BootsTraveler
    Ready for another day in the boots
    1A recent addition to the herdOn the trail ... more pretty villages1Dr Blackall's DriveNew Bridge, which is actually a very old bridgeTwo Moors Way markers are sometimes hard to spot

    Walking - Day 3

    May 11, 2019 in England ⋅ ☀️ 15 °C

    Today's Route - Widecombe in the Moor to Scorriton
    Distance - 15km
    Beers Earned - 4.2
    Weather - gorgeous

    A comparatively short walk in glorious sunshine for most of the day. It was pretty damn chilly when the sun went behind a cloud and the wind sprung up but out of wind was borderline tshirt-worthy.

    The early part of the day was on a trail following a small river ... so pretty with the dappled sunlight through the trees and the sound of the water running beside us.

    More fantastic views as we slowly made our way up to higher ground again but no boggy bits to tackle as the trail followed Dr Blackall's Drive overlooking the Dart Gorge. The good doctor was lord of a local manor (Spitchwick) in the 19th century when it was fashionable to have a carriage drive. He created his very long drive along the contours of the hill so he and his family could enjoy the magnificant views over the Dart River and valley.

    A steep descent from the drive (definitely not the way the carriage would have gone) took us down to follow the Dart River to New Bridge. New does not mean new ... the bridge was built in the 15th century ... but it would have been new at the time.

    Only a short stroll from there into Scorriton to arrive at the pub to claim our beers earned. There was some debate about whether we'd earned pints or half pints ... the app does not advise what size beer is used in the calculations. We've decided we'll just have whatever beer takes our fancy.    Read more

  • SQUIRREL TALESBack In The BootsTraveler
    Crossing the River Mardle
    Enjoying the scenery aka resting on the way up the hillRemains of an ancient settlement ... apparently ... just looks like rocks to us1Track bed of the Zeal Tor TramwayTrack bed of the Redlake Tramway (railway) which we followed for miles ... and miles ...Our feet sighed with relief at the sight of a softer surfaceOur whole bodies sighed with relief at the sight of a pub

    Walking - Day 4

    May 12, 2019 in England ⋅ ☀️ 14 °C

    Today's Route - Scorriton to Ivybridge
    Distance - 22.9km
    Beers Earned - 6.9 hard earned
    Weather - only 13 degrees but tshirt and sunscreen

    This section of the route is described as the most testing with navigation skills required. Navigation was definitely challenging and our buzzy GPS had a field day but the most testing aspect was two-fold. Firstly, over half the walk was on hard surfaces which is always tough on the feet but perhaps more so after spending the 3 previous days in boots. At least having lots to look at and amazing views is a distraction, which was the second part of the problem. For most of the distance the scenery was same, same, same and it became quite boring.

    The first part of today's walk was lovely as we left Scorriton for a slow and steady climb back onto the moors. There wasn't a trail, just a target location somewhere out of sight on the other side of the climb. Buzz, buzz, buzz kept us heading roughly in the right direction. Mr Fit-Body still had plenty of energy to power up the long incline but Ms Office-Body was lagging further and further behind, taking quite a few opportunities to pause and admire the view (also known as having a rest).

    Once we reached the top we passed by Huntingdon Warren, where rabbits were farmed from the mid 13th century until the 1950s, and crossed open country until we reached the River Avon. This is not the same River Avon of Shakespeare fame ... apparently there are quite a few Avons in the UK.

    No wading required to cross the Avon, there's a conveniently placed clapper bridge (19th century) which makes getting to the other side very easy. There was another steady climb on the other side of the river, with lots of scenery admiration on the way, before reaching the Zeal Tor Tramway. The tramway was built in the mid 1800s with wooden rails for horse-drawn trucks to carry peat to the naphtha works.

    It was at this point that the walk slowly deteriorated to a trudge. There is a second tramway which was built in the early 1900s for the clay workings, which seem to be right next to the peat diggings of the previous century. The Redlake Tramway track bed is now part of the Two Moors Way for 10km through the barren and lonely moorland. The surface is flat but hard packed and unforgiving on tired feet. Walking off the track bed is an option in some areas but in others there's a high probability of landing in a knee-deep bog. It was one foot in front of the other until we eventually reached softer ground.

    The soft surface was short lived before we hit another 2km of hard surface into town. Our sore feet took us as far as the first pub to redeem one of our earned beers before our B&B host picked us up.

    Thank goodness tomorrow is a rest day.    Read more

  • SQUIRREL TALESBack In The BootsTraveler

    Rest Day #1

    May 13, 2019 in England ⋅ ☀️ 12 °C

    Today's Route - Nowhere
    Distance - Nuthin'
    Beers Earned - None but we've plenty in the beer bank

    Ahhh, a rest day ... a lazy start, a big breakfast, plenty of coffee and no real plans for the day (other than the necessity of doing laundry). The soles of our tootsies are enjoying being out of boots and on the couch after yesterday's exposure to very hard surfaces.

    Today's lazy day is timely as we are now carrying our first injury. Ms Office-Body smashed her bare foot into an immovable object last night and has possibly broken her pinky toe. It may just be a nasty sprain ... swelling and bruising can be ambiguous. Regardless, the ouch factor is quite high.

    We did venture out during the afternoon via bus to Plymouth for a late lunch, with the injured toe buddy-strapped to its neighbour in a pair of very comfortable shoes. A slow shuffle around the Barbican area, a nice meal, a couple of pics and then straight back to the couch.

    Hoping for a toe recovery miracle overnight before trying to squish it into a hiking boot tomorrow morning. We did bring the hiking poles with us for when the going gets tough for Ms Office-Body on the really steep sections in the later part of the walk ... they might be brought into service sooner than expected as a walking stick.    Read more

  • SQUIRREL TALESBack In The BootsTraveler
    1Wild garlic lining the pathLunch stopDo you get the feeling you're being followed ???Wembury ... the English Channel ... and somewhere over the horizon, France

    Walking - Day 5

    May 14, 2019 in England ⋅ 🌬 14 °C

    Today's Route - Ivybridge to Wembury
    Distance - 24.9km
    Beers Earned - 7.1
    Weather - sunny and windy

    We're back on the hoof feeling refreshed after a rest day. The moors are behind us, our bags are full of clean clothes and we're ready to tackle the next part of the walk. With the injured toe firmly buddy-strapped, fortified by painkillers and supported by hiking poles, we set off to earn some beer.

    Destination: The coast

    Today's route can be summarised in one word ... bucolic

    Green meadows, the sound of farmers literally making hay while the sun shines and lots of cows looking very contented. We skirted villages, meandered down narrow paths, crossed through crop fields, avoided the field with the bulls in it, climbed stiles and basked in the sunshine.

    The ups and downs tested the toe and our stockpile of painkillers is significantly lower than when we started this morning but we made it to our destination without further incident.    Read more

  • SQUIRREL TALESBack In The BootsTraveler
    Find the ferryman at Warrens Point
    Signal for the ferrymanGunrow Signal Station (restored)Hopefully the Signal Officer wasn't distracted by the view1Mr FitBody waiting for Ms OfficeBody to catch upWow !!1Mr FitBody was very excited to spot a path to the beach. Ms OfficeBody called him a rude name.2Burgh Island ... walk across to the Pilchard Inn at low tide, no hope at high tide

    Walking - Day 6

    May 15, 2019 in England ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C

    Today's Route - Wembury to Bigbury-on-Sea
    Distance - approximately 20km (close enough)
    Beers Earned - Some
    Weather - sunny and windy

    Today we joined the South West Coast Path, England's longest waymarked trail. It stretches for 630 miles (1,000+ km) from Minehead in Somerset, along the coasts of Devon and Cornwall, to Poole Harbour in Dorset. We're tackling a measly 52 miles in our next 4 walking days.

    There were 2 rivers to cross on today's route, the first was only a short distance into the walk and the ferry operates seasonally. Lucky for us, it's ferry season but there's no timetable. It operates for a couple of hours in the morning and again in the afternoon so you just arrive at the nominated point and get the attention of the chap in his little boat (aka the ferry). This was easy enough ... there was a board which we dropped to reveal a big white circle. He came to get us when he saw it. All we had to do was close the board again so it was ready for the next person to use.

    The second river was a little trickier ... it's a tidal estuary. If you arrive one hour either side of low tide you can wade across, apparently it's only knee deep but whos knees did they use as the measure ???? Some of us have knees which are closer to the ground than other people !!!

    We didn't have to worry about anyone's knees when we arrived at high tide. Our options were to walk to the nearest bridge (14km, on roads) or arrange a cab to meet us there and drive us around to the other side. No prizes for guessing which option we took but this is why our stats show a distance of approximately 20km. We paused the GPS when we got in the cab and re-started it again when we arrived, with dry knees, on the other side. We should have stopped it completely as our GPS has a dead straight "as the crow flies" line from point A to point B by cab so we've roughly calculated the crow distance and are not claiming it as 'walk distance'. Pity, it would have added a couple of beers to the overall tally.

    Enough about the rivers, we're here for the walk ... and oh my, what a walk. Mile after mile of magnificence. Most of the walk was quiet and isolated but there were a couple of sections with carparks close enough to allow day walkers and their dogs to enjoy the area. Generally we met the dogs on the trail many minutes before the owners came into sight.

    We passed a couple of ruins of signal stations built in the late 1790s to watch for approaching enemy fleets from France. Signal officers would alert neighbouring stations by hoisting semaphore flags up a pole. Assuming the weather was good enough to see the flags, a message would eventually arrive in London faster than by horseback messenger. The flags also warned merchant ships at sea where the French privateers were lurking.

    There were a couple to toe-testing strenuous climbs but wow, the panoramic views were a reward for the effort.

    Another reward was a huge bathtub in our B&B ... leg muscles + soaking in warm water = hiking heaven on earth.
    Ahhhh !!!!!!    Read more

  • SQUIRREL TALESBack In The BootsTraveler
    The River Avon meets the sea ... no, not that Avon
    4The village of Outer HopeEvidence that the warning signs are correct ... the cliff is fragile and unstableA rest stop out of the boot for the injured toe1The view of the trail behind is as good as the view of the trail aheadThe remains of Fort Charles, Salcombe

    Walking - Day 7

    May 16, 2019 in England ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C

    Today's Route - Bigbury-on-Sea to Salcombe
    Distance - 23.3km
    Beers Earned - 7.2
    Weather - sunny, hazy and very windy

    Similar to yesterday, today's walk started with a river crossing. It was only a short stroll from Bigbury-on-Sea before our steps were halted by the River Avon, the same non-Shakespearean Avon that we encountered when walking across the moor last week. On the moor we crossed it via a clapper bridge but here at the mouth of the river we need a ferry.

    Finding the ferry point was easy but attracting the attention of the ferryman, aka a local guy with a tiny boat, wasn't as simple as the last crossing. The instructions in the trail guide stated "wave and yell" ... so we waved and yelled at nobody in particular ... and someone on the other side eventually waved and yelled something back ... and then we looked blankly at each other and wondered what to do next.

    Many minutes later we spotted someone in a little boat about 60m downstream, waving and possibly yelling. So we waved back, no yelling, and trudged in that direction. There were a couple of other walkers also heading towards the boat from the opposite direction ... safety in numbers, if this guy wasn't the ferryman it would be 4 against 1 to commandeer his vessel. Lucky for him, we didn't need to overpower him and force him to take us across the river ... 5 adults and a dog named Biggles safely crossed the Avon. Money changed hands.

    The first part of the walk was a gently undulating cliff top walk against a 25-30km head wind. Luckily the wind was coming across the water so if it was going to blow us off our feet we'd land further inland rather than being blown off the cliff. Other than the wind, it was a straight-forward stroll to our lunch stop at Outer Hope.

    Leaving Hope Cove the trail took us away from civilisation and the gradients became increasingly severe. The afternoon was a visual feast of high cliffs soaring over mostly inaccessible coves. Lots of ups, lots of downs, lots of zigs and an equal number of zags ... it was a very tiring section.

    We arrived in Salcombe and found our B&B, which was at the top of yet another steep hill. Shower, dinner, sleep ... it's a rest day tomorrow.    Read more

  • SQUIRREL TALESBack In The BootsTraveler
    1Oldest sweet shop in Devon (est 1869)We adjourned inside to watch the miserable drizzle2Hmmm ...

    Rest Day #2

    May 17, 2019 in England ⋅ 🌧 13 °C

    Today's Route - Limited to local wandering
    Distance - A very low number
    Beers Earned - Perhaps Beers Consumed would be a more relevant stat
    Weather - cloudy and drizzling

    Salcombe is an interesting town ... full of penthouses, holiday homes and hotels. A rich guy built himself a large holiday house here in the mid 1700s, other well-heeled folk followed his lead and large houses were gradually built at all the best viewpoints on the cliffs and shore. Facilities for visitors were much improved by the removal of the noisy, smelly shipyards in the late 1800s and the town slowly evolved into an exclusive holiday resort. The streets are littered with wealthy retirees driving, and very badly parking, incredibly expensive luxury cars. We were tempted to buy some yatching attire to distract from our lack of plummy upper-class accent.

    Other than being a sophisticated pleasure ground for all the Lord Snooty-Bottoms and their friends, Salcombe is nice place for a rest day. We ambled around, learned about the history of the area and poked our noses into a few places before the drizzle set in. We were forced to seek shelter in the pub with the picture window across the estuary. Such a hardship.    Read more

  • SQUIRREL TALESBack In The BootsTraveler
    Today's route starts on the other side of the estuary
    Goodbye Salcombe (from a privately owned beach)1We have no idea if any of these are rare or not but they were very pretty1This is a Cirl Bunting ... twitchers come from all over the UK to spot this small bundle of feathersStart Point LighthouseStart Bay1The remains of Old Hallsands, over 30 houses lost to the pounding seas'New' Hallsands, still perilously close to the sea (and getting closer)

    Walking - Day 8

    May 18, 2019 in England ⋅ 🌧 14 °C

    Today's Route - Salcombe to Beesands
    Distance - 20.8km
    Beers Earned - 6.3
    Weather - cloudy, no head wind, no rain

    Surprise, we started the day with a river crossing. Well, technically it was an estuary but there was a ferry involved which seems to have become our regular morning tradition. This ferry was very civilised ... no boards, bells, yelling, waving, dancing or smoke signals required. Just stand on the little jetty until the boat arrives as it shuttles back and forth across the water.

    Another lovely walk, the weather was kind to us and the English Channel was calm enough that people were water skiing. The beaches along the first stretch are all privately owned but visitors are allowed provided you follow the various rules. Some allow dogs, some don't allow radios, stay on the path, go home by 4.00pm ... different rules determined by different owners for different beaches.

    This part of the coast is a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest with an abundance of rare flowers and breeding birds ... or so says the signage. We don't know a rare flower from a more common one so we just took pics of the pretty ones. They're so tiny and delicate, none of them bigger than a fingernail. With the help of some local twitchers (bird watchers) we did see a Cirl Bunting, once wide spread across southern England but now only found in this part of Devon.

    Most of the coast here is rugged and undeveloped but the ascents and descents are much more gentle than on previous days. It's easy to imagine the waves crashing onto the rocks during bad weather and there are quite a few ship wrecks in the area. But today all was calm and gentle, barely a ripple by comparison.

    We spent some time at the site of the lost village of Hallsands in Start Bay. Dredging for shingle on the shoreline in the 1890s ultimately led to the sea wall washing away and the beach level dropped by an estimated 7-12ft. Without these barriers against the tide and storms, the original village was washed away by 1917.

    Our walk finished today in the small seafront village of Beesands ... one street, one pub, one B&B, one pair of tired walkers.    Read more

  • SQUIRREL TALESBack In The BootsTraveler
    Fresh water on the left, salt water on the right
    The seaside side of TorcrossDD Sherman swimming tank .... which didn't swimThe lakeside side of TorcrossOur reward for traversing the vertiginous dip ... Blackpool Sands for lunchLunch stopOur last view of the coast, next left turn takes us inland towards Dartmouth1Remains of Dartmouth CastleKingwear, across the harbour from DartmouthSearching for a pub with an open fire ... mission accomplished

    Walking - Day 9

    May 19, 2019 in England ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C

    Today's Route - Beesands to Dartmouth
    Distance - 22.3km
    Beers Earned - 6.2
    Weather - leaky clouds

    It's our last day on the coast path and we were disappointed that there wasn't a ferry crossing this morning. It just didn't feel right ... it was like starting a day without coffee ... or having scones without clotted cream.

    Instead we were presented with a steep up and a sharp down across the headland to reach Torcross, on the edge of Slapton Ley. The Ley is the largest freshwater lake in the south-west and is separated from the sea by a narrow strip of beach and a road. Our walk covered 2.5 totally flat kilometres of the nearly 6km long beach.

    The beach, known as Slapton Sands, is very apparently similar to Utah Beach in Normandy and was used as a practice ground for U.S. troops prior to the WWII Normandy landings. One particular 'rehearsal' exercise (Operation Tiger) resulted in huge loss of life (servicemen, not civilians), partly due to the order to use live ammunition to harden the troops against the sights and sounds of battle.

    There's a recovered DD Sherman 'swimming tank' in Torcross as a tribute to the lost lives. During Operation Tiger the tank disembarked from the landing craft without it's aquatic features properly installed and promptly sank in 65 feet of water. It was found and recovered 40 years later.

    After the flatness of Slapton Sands came a rudely steep zig-zag climb followed by, according to the trail guide, 'several fields which may or may not be filled with cows before traversing a vertiginous dip in the earth's surface'. The fields were not cow-filled when we crossed them but wow, vertiginous was an understatement. It was a traverse that any self respecting mountain goat would avoid ... and it stood between us and lunch. In the absence of a winch there was no option but to clench everything for the descent and flex everything for the reciprocal ascent.

     With our tired bodies sustained by a sandwich from the beach cafe at Blackpool Sands our tired feet took us on some gentle clifftop walking towards the Dart River and our destination, Dartmouth. Unfortunately our good luck with the weather didn't hold and we got caught in a heavy rain shower ... twice.

    Arriving wet and bedraggled, our mission in Dartmouth was to find a pub with an open fire for dinner, a pint and boot drying. With lovely medieval streets and a rich history, Dartmouth is a town worth exploring but not in the rain. We'll take some photos tomorrow.    Read more

  • SQUIRREL TALESBack In The BootsTraveler
    The ferry tug
    Goodbye DartmouthThe rail line is now used by a tourist steam train to GreenwayBritannia Royal Naval College on the hill overlooking DartmouthWe predict a dousing might be in our near futureAway from the coast and definitely rural

    Walking - Day 10

    May 20, 2019 in England ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    Today's Route - Dartmouth to Totnes
    Distance - 14.8km by foot, 6.7km by taxi
    Beers Earned - 4.1 for the part we walked
    Weather - Variable and unpredictable

    It's our last UK walking day and we've chosen a trail that will take us away from the coast and up the valley of the Dart River. Yesterday's rain is history but the forecast is for more heading our way later this afternoon.

    After missing out on a ferry ride yesterday we've made up for it today with 2 crossings of the Dart River. The first was from Dartmouth to Kingswear on a vehicle ferry, where Ms OfficeBody scammed a half price fare from the fellow red-head collecting the money. The ferry was literally a floating pontoon which was pushed/ pulled across the river by a small tug boat.

    There were great views of Dartmouth as we followed the railway line along the opposite side of the river before we crossed the tracks and wandered into the woods ... and then the fields ... and then more woods ... and more fields ... before we arrived at Greenway, which was Agatha Christie's holiday home. The house and land is managed by the National Trust.

    Our second river crossing from Greenway was more in keeping with our previous experiences ... a man in a small boat charging an exorbitant fee for his services. This one was the first we've seen with a rate schedule for dogs as well as humans.

    We landed at Dittisham, an almost-too-quaint-to-be-real village, and decided to push on to Cornworthy for lunch at the pub before the weather closed in. The rural walk to Cornworthy on mostly country lanes was not good for the injured toe. Despite strapping, padding and painkillers it does not like hard surfaces at all.

    We, with grumpy toe, arrived at the pub for lunch to find there was no lunch available. New publicans have re-opened the pub only a couple of days ago but the cooking facilities were still being upgraded and the cupboard was bare. With the sore foot comfortably out of its boot and resting on a cushion, we snacked on rations from our backpacks and washed them down with a pint while we watched the clouds dump their contents outside.

    A quick look at the map confirmed the final few kilometres to Totnes were mostly on lanes and hard surfaces. A quick look at Ms OfficeBody's face confirmed she wasn't very impressed with the idea of squishing her foot back into its boot to subject it to an afternoon of extreme ouch-ness. A quick look outside the window of the pub confirmed there was more rain on the way. A quick look online provided the phone number of the local 'taxi' who would be able to pick us up as soon as he'd finished the school run.

    We were happy to wait and have another pint.    Read more

  • SQUIRREL TALESBack In The BootsTraveler
    1The appropriately named Gothic House
    Totnes High StreetTotnes Castle ... possibly from Norman timesTotnes High Street1An Aussie connection ... Wills, of Burke & Wills fame, was a Totnes boy

    Rest Day #3

    May 21, 2019 in England ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    Have you ever wondered what happened to the hippies after the end of the psychedelic sixties? We have a partial answer ... a lot of them have retired in Totnes. Described as a historical town with a colourful personality, it certainly delivered on both fronts. We had a relaxing post-walk rest day slowly wandering around the town and eating scones (with clotted cream, of course).

    The town dates back to the 10th century and boasts a large number of attractive heritage listed buildings, including Totnes Castle. The castle is described as a excellent example of a classic Norman motte and bailey castle but the stone keep was rebuilt in the early 1300s so we weren't totally convinced that it was a Norman castle. Perhaps "14th century rebuild and refortification of an earlier castle on this site which itself was a rebuild of the original wooden palisade Norman castle on this site" didn't fit on the advertising brochure.

    The high street is lined with eclectic shops with lots of fairtrade sourced and handmade products, organic skincare and vintage clothing. And there were some rather eccentric locals out 'n' about with their yoga mats tucked under their arms. A very laid-back lifestyle can be found in Totnes.    Read more

  • SQUIRREL TALESBack In The BootsTraveler
    1Have they been in business a long time or do they employ nonagenarians ???
    Ms OfficeBody is going to miss this1Stealing the scone crumbsWe've voted this Nicest Thatched Pub EverCross everything that you don't meet traffic coming in the other directionThe gate was open so we drove in for a sticky-beak1The walled garden on the estate of someone else who left their gate openNo idea what this building is but it's very pretty and quaint

    In Transit

    May 22, 2019 in England ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

    The boots have done their duty and now they get some down time. After 10 walking days, 208 kilometres, many beers earned and quite a few redeemed, they're packed in the suitcase and are ready to switch continents.

    We fly out of Bristol Airport tomorrow and we've booked accommodation at Winford for tonight, very handy to get to the airport in the morning. Our only plan for today is a leisurely pootle in that general direction (approximately 150km) with at least one final cream tea on the way.

    Here's a few pics from our day.    Read more

  • SQUIRREL TALESBack In The BootsTraveler
    Outdoor seating at Bristol Airport for plane spotters
    Somewhere over the Alps ... no idea if that's Swiss snow or Italian snowCrossing Venice lagoonIsola di San Michele1Entering Venice by boat1Rialto market2The view from our windowAvoid the tourists and explore Venice when everyone has gone back to their cruise ship

     La Serenissima

    May 23, 2019 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C

    We had a slow, lazy start this morning before dropping off the hire car and getting through flight check-in and bag drop at Bristol Airport. After rummaging in our backpacks and pockets to collect our remaining UK currency we were very pleased to find there was enough left for food and wine before short flight to Italy. Before long our feet were stepping onto the tarmac at Venice Airport.

    Rather than take the waterbus to the city and tackle luggage on public transport, we had arranged for a private water taxi to pick us up ... essentially a man in a boat, we're used to that from the river crossings on our long walk. The boat was much larger and much more expensive than our little ferries but oh, what a way to get to Venice. Ripping across the lagoon at maximum allowable speed, slashing through the wake of other boats, whizzing past the public ferries ... it was just a little James Bond. All that was missing was two cargo ships, a villain and a gorgeous Bond-girl.

    Our apartment is right on the Grand Canal and we were met at the taxi pontoon by a representative from the holiday rental agency. She explained how everything worked but neither of us were really listening ... we were distracted by what we could see out the window.

    Once she left we headed to the closest mercato to get essential supplies ... crusty bread, proscuitto, cheese, olives, wine, etc. And then we wandered out to explore the deserted city. The tourists had left for the day and we had the city to ourselves.    Read more

  • SQUIRREL TALESBack In The BootsTraveler
    Good morning Venice
    1Compulsory tourist moment before the hoardes arriveEntrance to the Arsenale1Libreria Acqua Alta

    Adoriamo Venezia

    May 24, 2019 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C

    Good morning Venice, you're looking lovely this morning.

    It was a perfect day for wandering around, avoiding the areas with the most tourists, getting totally lost in the maze of alleys and canals, sitting outside at a cafe for a long lunch, watching the world go by and just enjoying being in Venice .... so that's what we did 😀Read more

  • SQUIRREL TALESBack In The BootsTraveler
    Glimpses of gardens on the other side of walls
    1Bridge with no side rails for pedestrian safety (the way most bridges used to be built in Venice)Appealing to some tourists ... this is NOT where we had lunch1Previously a theatre, now a supermarket

    Lemmonds On Tour

    May 25, 2019 in Italy ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C

    The hiking Lemmeys and the holidaying Hammonds have joined forces in Venice to become Lemmonds On Tour. The alternative was Hammeys but that option didn't get many votes.

    After a boisterous meeting in Piazza San Marco we immediately got to down to the serious business of drinking coffee and swapping travel tales, followed by the even more serious business of eating lunch at a cafe on a picturesque canal. An leisurely stroll around the Cannaregio district, including the historic Jewish ghetto area, burned off a few of the lunch calories but we topped up with gelati.

    And before we knew it, it was time for dinner. Yay, more food 😀    Read more

  • SQUIRREL TALESBack In The BootsTraveler
    1Good morning Venice from the rooftop platform of our apartment
    A busy intersection1Makes sense ...A lovely spot to linger for lunchJust one of the reasons why Ms OfficeBody would happily stay longer in VeniceCalle Varisco ... Venice's narriowest street (53cm)Cheating !!!!1Good night

    Wandering With Intent

    May 26, 2019 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    Today we decided what things we wanted to see, found them on the map, drew a big circle around them and then set off (after a lazy breakfast) to find them in the real world. We did quite well and didn't get lost too often, which was quite an achievement given the big circles we drew on the map covered most of the details which would have helped with navigation.

    A couple of churches, lovely squares, interesting architecture, a squillion canals and many scoops of gelati ... we covered a lot of ground and saw most all our circled places. We'll get to the rest tomorrow.    Read more

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