England 2014

Following the few days in London it was good to move on from the crowds but little did we expect there were difficulties ahead, not so much the crowds, although it was holiday season, but we hoped the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow had drawn many away.  It was trying to navigate the narrow roads and tracks around southwest England.  We took a train out of London to Portsmouth where we picked up a rental car.  Why Portsmouth you may ask. The motivation for the trip was to attend the the World Equestrian Games in Caen, France and Portsmouth was to be our crossing point by ferry to Caen, therefore we would return the car to the starting point in Portsmouth.

While in Portsmouth booking our ferry it was an opportunity to seek out and have a look at the sailing ship Victory of Lord Nelson fame.  Raymond's great grandfather had served on the ship prior to emigrating to New Zealand.

It was a good opportunity to connect with a little bit of history and family connection.

Of course a pub had to use the name.

Our first to head west to the Devon-Cornwall area.  Kath's Grandmother had emigrated from Cornwall and was anxious to see what the landscape was like.

First stop for a few nights was a B&B East Raddon Farm at Lewtrenchard, Okehampton. The Crocker family were tenant farmers and also owned some land of their own that was part of a very old settlement with a lot of history as all seem to have.

The photo above taken beside this 13th century church where a service was just ending when we arrived.  Half a dozen parishioners and as many dogs.  The Minister commented it was a record for dogs at a service.  He kindly took the above photo for us.

The Minister at the door of the church.

The view of the district from the high ground of the church built on a basalt rock outcrop.

Some of the Raddon Farm well fed stock.

While this signpost is clear we did become misplaced on the way and Sylvia had to meet us and lead the way.
Not all signposting is to this standard, more later.

An Agricultural show was on nearby so we though we should check it out.  Not quite what we have come to expect in NZ with just a few local entries in each class.

However the general quality of farming appears to be very good with good quality stock and pastures on the whole.

  We found the small village of Charlestown on the south coast, near St Austell. This former habour master's office stood on the pier.  It could be rented by the day.

A sailing ship was in port at the time.  Along the wharf appear to be storage bunkers used to store possibly lime or coal for discharge onto small coastal ships for distribution to other ports in earlier days before roads were well developed.

A closer view of the houses seen above the wharf in the photo above.

Gardens added to the picturesque  scene in the village.

Even this seagull had a regal heir about it and sat on this railing post beside the path only feet from us.

There was a mix of well tended farmland not far west of the Dartmoor to...

...interesting old stone fences with mature trees and ...

...natural woodland, an area that appeared to have been de-stocked and was being allowed to revert to whatever.

There were compact villages, this one in a gully with the railway running across a viaduct seen in the photo below.

The stone viaduct referred to above.  The station nearby had be converted to a B&B.

Each village seemed to have its link to history and a restored village centre which provided a chance to stretch the legs but the question - how do we get out of here.

Perhaps this way, under the railway viaduct shown above.

 Out into the open space of Dartmoor which would not be complete without seeing the hardy ponies and sheep, all properly accounted for.

From here we moved on to Exmoor in north Devon.