Autumn in North Devon

Our October visit to Parkham coincided with that of Storm Callum so we were faced with some very strong winds and heavy rains.  Luckily the local builder had been able to make a temporary repair to a leaking roof in the preceding week and to date we have had no problems.  The plan is to implement the full repair next spring /summer when the conditions are better.
Despite the rain we still managed to get out and about without being soaked in the lulls between the showers and, when Sunday arrived, it was a beautiful day.

We decided to visit Morwenstow again, somewhere we had not been for several years.  It looks a fair way on the map but is only a 30 minute journey from Parkham into North Cornwall.  We parked by the beautiful church, parts of which date back to the 12th Century.

The church is most famous for  its links with the 19th century cleric, poet and eccentric, the Rev. R. S. Hawker, Vicar from 1834 to 1875.  Hawker was a deeply compassionate person and carried the bodies of shipwrecked sailors up the steep cliffs to give them a Christian burial.  The figurehead of the ship Caledonia, which foundered in September 1842, marks the grave in the churchyard of five of the nine-man crew.  In fact the original figurehead is now protected in the church and there is a replica outside.  Perhaps I am showing my age but it does remind me of the characters in Captain Pugwash!

A highlight of our visit was our first opportunity to drink in the newly restored Bell.  Although we had a guided tour of the pub a month previous it was very different to see the pub populated with locals on a busy Friday evening.  The atmosphere of the 'old Bell' was back and Rachel and Mike fully deserve thanks and support for the effort they have had to put in to get the pub open again over many months. On another occasion we sampled the food for the first time in almost 2 years.

It had been some months since we had visited one of our favourite places, RHS Rosemoor  but this time we were able to make it and see the wonderful autumnal colours.  Many of the roses were in full bloom with a second flowering, unusual for the middle of October.  In the greenhouse there was a display of the gathered pumpkins and squashes.

The weather improved towards the end of our stay and we were able to enjoy more coastal walks.  We often end up in Appledore at Market St Kitchen tearooms - the view across towards Instow from the quay was as calm as we have ever seen it.

We enjoyed celebrating the 'retirement' of friends from their holiday cottage business at Northway -  it was visits to Northway going back over the past thirteen years that cemented our love affair with North Devon.  It was sad to visit to the cottage complex with no holidaymakers around but great to be with friends as they begin a new chapter of their life. The paddocks where the petting goats, rabbits and chickens lived were now empty but sadly no home has been found for the two ponies used for conservation grazing. We are asking around our friends in the Midlands and in Parkham to see if they have space - do contact me  if you know anyone who might be interested!

We were sad to be leaving Parkham on another sunny morning but the good weather should give the opportunity to catch up with gardening back in the Midlands before the cold weather forecast for the end of the week arrives.

John Savage  http://northdevonadventure.blogspot.com/