Visit to Devon

Thursday

So, the Thursday after Easter Monday we packed the car and headed down to Devon for a very overdue visit.  We hadn't been looking forward to the trip, thinking it would be very very long and dull, but we were pleasantly surprised.  We were only 2 counties off driving the whole length of England and it really didn't take that long, made us realise just how small a country this is.

We set off at 9 to miss all the commuting traffic on the motorways and arrived at our halfway point in Worcester at 11.30.  We had found a country park just off the motorway which has an adventure playground a very good cafe and woodland trails.  The weather wasn't great, but we didn't really mind and made the best of it.  After a 2 hour break we got back in the car and headed to Crapstone. It took another 2.5 hours.  Believably or not, Tom didn't sleep a wink.  We were playing a spotting game - spot the Asda truck, spot the Land Rover, spot the digger on the trailer etc etc.  Tom loved playing it, he kept changing the rules so he could win all the time, but that didn't matter, he was happy, so we were happy.  It really didn't feel like we had been flogging on the roads all day when we arrived in Crapstone.

Tom was happy to arrive though - he stayed up until around 8.30 playing - that's very late for him, but you couldn't blame him, he had been couped up in a car for a long time AND he was at Granma and Pop Pop's.  It was obvious that he couldn't remember the house so he had the whole of it to re-explore.

Friday

Train Driver

Tucking into lunch

Matt stayed in Crapstone to work, so Tom and I went out to play with Granma and Pop Pop.  They took us to the park and ride and then we rode on the top deck of a Double Decker into Plymouth (very exciting stuff). We then walked along the coast road stopping at various places on the way - including a park and a cafe by the sea for lunch.  It was a really lovely day - Tom was on good form and I think Granma and Pop Pop enjoyed themselves.  We didn't get back until late afternoon.

Saturday

Saturday dawned bright, it was a beautiful day with a slight hint of warmth.  As we had worn out the grandparents yesterday - Matt and I took Tom out by ourselves.  We headed over to Wembury which is on the coast and has rocks and a little beach to explore.  However, when we got there we noticed on the map there was a little pedestrian ferry not too far away which could potentially take us to a pub for lunch.  So we armed Tom with his stick and headed that way.

Country boy paddling 

As I said, it really was a beautiful day, not a cloud in the sky AND we didn't wear our coats for the whole day which was a first for the year.  We enjoyed the coastal path, watching the view change as we went along.  We then found a sign to the ferry and decided to risk it and hope it was working - it was.  Fantastic, the ferry man waited for us and then took us to Newton Ferrers where there was a pub.  This is a very monied area - the houses were huge and very expensive looking.  The village had a sleepy, French feeling to it - lots of white washed cottages and not very many people around.  We found the pub and decided to sit outside as it was so lovely.  It was at this point that Tom discovered some cuts on his wrist.  He fell over as we went down the hill to the ferry.  At the time he was fine, but as soon as he found the cuts that was it - he went all sulky and moody.  In the end I bought some 'magic cream' from the co-op to rub in and some special sweeties for good boys which seemed to do the trick.

A rare photo of the three of us

Once finished at the pub we walked back towards the ferry along the coastal path (there was an option to walk around the bay  to Noss Mayo but we felt the walk was just that little bit too far for Tom).  We walked past some absolutely beautiful cottages.  The very nice ferry man saw us and ferried us back across the inlet to our original coastal path and we strolled back to the car.  Such a beautiful day and believe it or not, we all got a suntan.  Didn't get home until very late afternoon with a very sleepy boy in the back.

Sunday

Stalking tigers

After watching the film 'We Bought A Zoo' and discovering it was based on a zoo in Devon we decided we had to go and see the real thing.  This we did on Sunday.  The weather wasn't particularly nice - cold, misty and damp, but that doesn't really matter when you are in a zoo.  It wasn't particularly big but there were plenty of big cats, which is always a bonus with us.  There were 3 tiger siblings in one enclosure who were up and playing - think we watched them for a good half hour or so.  Also Soverign the Jaguar was good value too - he's the one who is always trying to escape and you could see him checking out any possible escape routes.  There were also 2 bears: Hayley and Fudge who were up and playing around.

Tom took it all in and enjoyed himself.  We retreated for lunch at the cafe - to get warm as well as for lunch - it really was a horrible day.  We then did one last circuit of the cats before heading back to Crapstone across the moor.  Tom fell asleep immediately - it's been a busy couple of days for him.

Sunday evening Matt and I had a Japanese meal out by ourselves (first time in ages).  We booked (just in case) and found we were the only people in the restaurant - typical!  Oh well the food was very good - we were in heaven - although in his excitement, Matt booked us a table in the Japanese room - so by the end of the evening we were crippled!!!  Unfortunately when we got home, we found that Tom had been up a number of times.  Poor Dad had been up and down the stairs to sort him out.  He's never done that before, but of course he is understanding more and more these days and probably got worried about us being out.  He was fine when we got back, but I felt bad for Mum and Dad.

Monday

Running through the yard

Smiling boy

Monday, Mum and Dad wanted to play with Tom again, so we left Matt at home working and drove down to Plymouth and the old naval yard - Royal William Yard which is being gentrified.  We went to their favourite coffee shop - Seco.  Tom once again was well behaved and sat nicely between his two grandparents whilst he worked his way through a Thomas activity book.  We then went for a walk around the yard - it has a River Cottage Restaurant, about to have a Wagamamas, and a number of posh boutique shops (the sort that I am always afraid of entering).  Then back to Crapstone for lunch.  Tom and I then ran some errands for Mum in the afternoon - which included a 2 hour sleep in the car for Tom! (Not sure that was on the list)

Tuesday
Our last day in Devon.  We left Mum and Dad at home again and decided to check out the newly opened Tamar Trails just the other side of Tavistock. This is an area with loads of walks around the hills, taking in the industrial past of the area - arsenic mining etc.  Once again it wasn't great weather, but it was nice to be outside and stretching our legs.  There was a go-ape type thing there which looked really really good - Tom will have to wait another 10 years before he can have a go.  We walked to a point and then returned to the start and the cafe for lunch.  Lunch was good when we got it - but the girls working there really didn't have the first idea on how to run a cafe - I switched right back into my contract catering mode again.  Anyhow, we didn't starve and the food was good when we got it.  We then went for another stroll - said hello to some horses before heading back to Crapstone.

Guess what was for dinner tonight: take away curry - Tom was very happy - and put a mountain of it away.

Wednesday
We returned back home.  We did the exact reversed of our inward journey, stopping off at the country park in Worcester and it took us exactly the same amount of time - couldn't have asked for better.  One vaguely interesting thing that happened on the way back was when I was driving.  I was in the outside lane and a car came up behind me - he was too close to me so at the first chance I pulled over to let him pass - I didn't think too much of it as it does happen from time to time - I prefer to get out of the way of these drivers as soon as possible as they are an accident waiting to happen.  As I pulled over an unmarked police car put on his lights and siren and pulled him over.  I had a smug grin on my face and saw it as pay back for the road rage I suffered a couple of weeks ago - it's nice to know the police are out there checking for bad driving on the motorway.

Thanks Granma and Pop Pop for looking after us so well, we really enjoyed ourselves.