Windy December in Parkham

Our December visit to Parkham was for just over a week and we were there for the very strong winds brought by Storm Atiyah.  It was good to know that the flat roof had been repaired earlier in the year!  The main roof seems sound although the tiles are due to be replaced in the next year or so. 
The overnight power cut meant that we got up in a cold, dark cottage without a hot drink but happily power was restored before 9:00am.  It did make us appreciate that we rely completely on electricity and, with the vagaries of the supply in Parkham, we should have some back up, even if only to be able to make a cup of tea.

There was still some lovely winter sunshine which we were able to enjoy both at Skern and also in Sidmouth. 

We made the trip to South Devon to visit an elderly relative in a care home celebrating his 100th birthday.  Raymond is quite a character having been captured in Singapore during World War Two and was among prisoners of war who were forced to build the 'death railway' - a 415km railway track to support Japanese troops in the Burma campaign.  He was freed in 1945 after three years in captivity, at the age of 26.  Even before his exploits in Singapore he had escaped from capture by German troops by skiing from Norway into Sweden, despite having never skied before.   After the war Raymond worked for Kraft Foods until he was 85! 

Raymond had clearly enjoyed his birthday celebrations earlier in the week and was a little tired so we stayed for just a short while before exploring the town of Sidmouth and walking along the seafront.

On Saturday morning we went for defibrillator training in the Allardice Hall -  with 2 defibrillators in the village we thought it important to learn how to use them.  The session was excellent, covering not only the defibrillator but also CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) and I would recommend it to all villagers.  It is also the kind of course you need to attend every year or so as a refresher.

When walking around the village we were delighted to see a new donkey foal in the field -  our grandchildren are looking forward to seeing her/him on their next visit to Parkham.

We met up with many of our friends to wish them a Happy Christmas before returning to the Midlands to continue the rounds of Christmas activities with friends and families and will return to the village in early January.  While we are away the final project of the year should be completed in The Granary,  replacing the loose wall tiles in the shower with new shower panels, a job which can only be done when we are not in residence as there is only one, small bathroom.

November in Parkham

It was a slightly shorter visit to Parkham in November in order to fit in with commitments in other parts of the country.  There was still plenty of opportunity to catch  up with friends and, when the weather allowed, to get out walking.

We were very pleased to be in Parkham for 5th November and to have avoided the noisy fireworks back in the Midlands, which make for an unsettling evening when you have pets. The fireworks that can be bought in shops seem to have got much bigger and louder over the years.  When our children were young we always had a firework party and our pets, although shut in the house did not take much notice.  Happily this year in Parkham we did not hear a single firework!

When the weather outside was not very inviting, morning coffee and afternoon tea with friends becomes the order of the day along with the cakes, biscuits and scones that necessarily go with them.

We had several good walks at Skern where there were more over-wintering wading birds.  Other than the easy to spot oyster catchers and occasional curlew I do struggle to identify other species without binoculars and guide book to hand.  It's what comes of spending most of my life inland.  On one occasion I did spot a greenshank but other birds went unidentified.

2 photos looking in different directions along the estuary at Skern

Walking around the village one morning we were surprised to be confronted by a sheep feeding quite happily in a friend's garden. By the time we had tried to alert the farmer whose field backs onto the house the sheep had returned of its volition.  All part of the life in rural Devon!

Progress is being made on building new houses in the village next to the Allardice Hall.  Whilst there is some sadness at seeing a building site where there used to be a field of grazing sheep it must be good for the village to provide new homes for families bringing children to the school, new members to village organisations and new users for village facilities .

We arrived back in the Midlands to some very rainy weather and understand that it has been even worse in Devon so perhaps we got the timing right on this occasion.

Wet, Wet,Wet!

I do try to avoid the very British trait of constantly discussing the weather however, I can only describe our  October visit as Wet, Wet, Wet!  There were a few breaks in the rain and we only got completely drenched on one occasion.  However it was still good to be back in Parkham after the stress of putting our house on the market in the Midlands as we plan a move to be nearer to our children and grandchildren in the North-West.  We do however still plan to spend as much time in Parkham!

To get the most out of our visit we focused on meeting up with friends rather than visiting new places.  The first opportunity to meet up with friends was the village Barn Dance in the Allardice Hall.  No-one taking part in a barn dance can fail to get to know lots of people as the object of many dances is that you dance with every other person on the floor.  All in all, a great evening with excellent live music from a local band and ploughman's supper.

We met up with other friends for coffee, lunch, afternoon tea and supper, but not all on the same day. 

On what looked like being the sunniest morning we headed to Sandymouth, one of our favourite spots and indeed were able to have a breezy beach walk followed by coffee at the beach-side cafe.  There was a large sign saying no dogs in the cafe, which was empty, so we sat at an outside table in the blowy but warm weather.  We were told that in the colder months we would be able to take dogs inside, we shall visit again next month and see if this is the case.

Sandymouth Beach

Looking down on Sandymouth in sunshine!

The final renovation work on The Granary planned for this year was also completed during our stay.  Every year since we bought the cottage I have had to re-treat the wooden decking areas, a job which takes a couple of days.  It then looks great for about 3 months before the damp weather begins to make an  impact   This year we took the plunge and the decking has all been replaced with a composite material made from recycled wood and plastic.  It looks so much better and the only maintenance required is a quick hose down in the spring.

We headed back to the Midlands having very much enjoyed our break from house-selling but keen to find out what progress here had been in finding a buyer in our absence.

Late Summer in North Devon

We took the opportunity to have decorating and other work done on our Midlands home whilst we were in Parkham in early September. The days before we left were spent moving furniture around and generally getting  the house prepared.  When we arrived at The Granary we were ready for a relaxing break.

Some wet weather at the start of the break meant we spent a fair amount of time indoors although we did manage a good walk each day either on the beach or around the village and, for the most part, avoided getting wet.  The weather soon improved and there were some beautiful, clear days.

Everywhere was notably quieter now that the school term had started  and some days we saw only a handful of people when out walking as can be seen on the photos below.

The hedges were full of blackberries and most of our village walks were extended by a session of fruit-picking,  Other berries including honeysuckle and hawthorn and rose hips added colour to the hedges.

We really enjoyed a visit to Rosemoor where the late summer colours were stunning.  Some of the fruit trees had already been picked but those remaining were heavily laden.

In the greenhouse tomatoes had ripened along with a wonderful display of peppers of all sizes and colours ranging from red to violet to yellow and orange.

I had another visit to Clovelly on Sunday morning and enjoyed a walk from the church along Wrinkleberry Lane to enter the village just below the visitor centre.  The weather was perfect with fantastic glimpses of the sea through the rooftops.

We also saw many of our friends in Parkham and it was good to see The Bell busy again on Friday evenings. 

Leaving Parkham we were well refreshed and pleased to find the decorating work completed back in the Midlands so that we could once again begin furniture shifting to put the rooms back into use!

August in Parkham

August temperatures in Parkham did not hit the peaks of July but we still enjoyed some excellent weather with the occasional shower.
Once again we met up with a number of our local friends for meals, coffee etc and caught up with the news of the village.

There were still a few outstanding jobs to complete at The Granary.  With the damp weather that this part of Devon experiences the painted handrail alongside the steps to the front door seems to require a coat of paint every year as does the wooden decking.  In fact after rubbing down and treating the wooden decking every year we have now decided to replace it with a plastic composite which will just require an occasional hosing down, and even better it is made from recycled materials.
In the small garden the lavender which was all grown from cuttings appears to be taking over and will need thinning out properly next year.  Flowering has finished (several weeks ahead of the Midlands) and all the plants have now been dead-headed.

We had family visitors staying with us for three nights.  It was their first visit and it gave us the opportunity to show them some of our favourite spots.  Having visitors makes even us newcomers  see places that we have begun to take for granted in a new light and to appreciate them all the more.  This must be even more so the case for long-term Parkham residents.  Indeed we are often surprised to find that many of our local friends rarely visit some of these very special places on their door-step.  However I am sure the same applies to us back in the Midlands.
We had not visited Clovelly for several years and entering after the 'gates had closed'  meant that the village was quiet and peaceful as we enjoyed a drink outside the Red Lion.

As we are now National Trust members we decided to make use of the free parking at Sandymouth.  On a beautiful sunny morning with the tide out we had a fantastic walk along the wide expanse of sand and then climbed up the cliff path to take some photos.  The visit was topped by an excellent coffee in the beach side cafe.  We shall return, frequently!

Having visitors gave us more opportunities to enjoy local hostelries and coffee shops.  We had an excellent meal at The Bell and enjoyed the spectacular views from the outside terrace at The Pier House in Westward Ho!  A visit to Johns in Instow was also a must after a lovely walk along the beach and Tarka Trail.

July in Parkham

We arrived at Parkham in  mid-July and the first task was to give the front door a fresh coat of paint having repaired the sill on our last visit.  I decided to try out some water-based satin paint rather than using an oil-based gloss.  So much easier to clean up afterwards but will see how well it lasts.

We seem to have a got into a bit of a routine for eating out with friends and visited the Pig on the Hill, Burton Gallery and Market St Kitchen in Appledore.  We had also planned a meal at the Bell but this was postponed until our visit next month.

As we now have a National Trust membership, which we use primarily for dog walking in the grounds of properties and car parking, we decided to visit Arlington Court which is the other side of Barnstaple, heading towards Linton.  We parked our car and walked towards the entrance where we were very disappointed to be told that, as we only had a single membership only one of us could go into the grounds.  This is different to every other NT property we have visited and would have meant paying over £12 for a walk in the grounds.  We decided that we could find other places to walk at no cost and the NT lost out on the coffees and lunch which we planned to buy in the cafe.  We fully appreciate the need for joint membership to enter the properties but think this was a bit out of order, as apparently do other NT members when we looked on the internet.  We will certainly check more carefully next time we plan to visit a new property.  However,  we returned via Fremington Quay and we can definitely recommend the macaroons with the excellent coffee.

One afternoon the tide was well out so we decided to walk down to Bucks Mill.  We never fail to be amazed at the fantastic view which appears as you begin the walk between the cottages down the steep path to the beach.  Down on the beach and there were excellent views across to Hartland Point and to Peppercombe.

The view to Peppercombe

The view to Hartland

We also enjoyed our regular walks around the village including our chats with the very friendly young donkey.

And we always stop to admire the view from this gate on the lane down towards Bocombe. 

We travelled home on what was apparently the hottest July day ever.  As the external temperature rose to 35 degrees we were so pleased to have a car with air-conditioning although the shock when we got out at the services was similar to getting off a plane in Greece.

We venture to South Devon!

We managed to fit a second week-long visit to Parkham at the end of June and again had some lovely weather whilst our friends back in the Midlands experienced  heavy rain.
Our first task on arrival was to complete the decorating begun on our last visit by painting the woodwork in the lounge.  Once completed the lounge was looking much improved and without the constant smell of  damp where water had leaked into the roof insulation.

We took a trip into South Devon to visit a cousin of my late father.  We last spoke to him eighteen months ago when he was living independently but now, at the age of 99 he is in a care home in Sidmouth.   The journey was not that far but seemed to take for ever as our sat-nav took us across the lanes of rural Devon.  After almost 2 hours we arrived at the care home and were very well received and spent an hour reminiscing with the 99 year old as he looked at photographs we showed him.
We then drove in to the town itself for some lunch and were amazed to immediately bump into  a couple of friends from the Midlands who were holidaying in the town.  Whilst  Sidmouth is a pleasant town the journey around Exeter made us realise why we love North Devon so much.
On our return journey we stopped at Castle Drogo which is still undercover for restoration work but this was not a problem as we just wanted a walk in the grounds where there are some magnificent views.

The rest of a our week was spent walking or visiting friends.  We had a very enjoyable afternoon eating a cream tea in our friends' garden in Northway, such a peaceful spot with amazing views of the coast.

By the time we set off home on Thursday a heatwave was forecast for most of the UK and we were pleased to be back before an expected very busy weekend on the roads.

A little decorating and plenty of relaxing

In addition to our usual luggage this trip to Parkham included a few DIY tools not duplicated in the cottage as well as supplies of emulsion paint.  Our plan was to work on the lounge walls and ceiling not decorated since we moved in 5 years ago and damaged in some places by water from the previously leaky roof.  In a small cottage there is nowhere to put furniture when decorating so the option is to be paint around it or to put it in the garden.  With some sunny weather the latter option was the best although visitors to The Bell might have been surprised to see a strange collection of items adorning the patio area.
We did get all the emulsion painting completed and there is now just a small amount of woodwork to paint on our visit later in the month.
The decorating was done over a few days so that we still had the opportunity to get out for walks and see friends each day.
It was also the Beer Festival at The Bell on 1st June so we were able to sample a few of the brews on offer.
I celebrated my birthday whilst at Parkham and one present received was a new bird feeder and planters which fitted well along the garden fence.

On one of our walks we watched a ship being lead by the pilot boat over the bar, through the channels close to Appledore quay then up the Taw estuary towards Yelland.  Back at the cottage by using a shipping app we were able to identify the ship as a dredger.

Longstanding friends were caravaning in Bude and our plan was to visit then for a day, however with a forecast of wet weather we decided that 2 dogs and 4 people in a caravan was a bit much so they came to us.  In fact the weather brightened up and we enjoyed a great lunch at The Pig on the Hill, our first visit despite recommendations from friends and family .  We then walked  along the beach at the Skern before returning to Appledore for a cup of tea at Market St Kitchen, one of our favourite cafes.

We were able to spend a full two weeks in Parkham without family commitments in the MIdlands but decided to leave for Stourbridge before Storm Miguel hit the South West as motorway travelling would be no fun in heavy rain.

A new roof at The Granary

We had been away from Parkham for almost a month when we arrived at the end of April. During that time we had had a family bereavement and funeral so we were looking forward to some much needed rest and relaxation.  However as we drew up we could see scaffolding and builders vehicles, work was underway to replace our leaking flat roof. Whilst this meant that we did not have the peaceful time anticipated, we were delighted to get this job completed. It was also great that we were there to take decisions on the issues which inevitably arise on a job of this nature. When, after just over a week, the job was completed we were very pleased to have chosen a local builder who did an excellent job.  We now have the task of redecorating the room where leaks had caused some damage to the ceiling, a job for our next visit.

As we moved furniture in the lounge to accommodate the roof repairs we found evidence of the previous visitors to The Granary, which included our young grandchildren.  Colouring books under cushions, hair clips etc, I can imagine that holiday cottage owners must get quite a collection.

Not only did the dry weather assist the builders it gave us the opportunity to get out and about and enjoy the beautiful scenery around the village and on the coast. It might be a little repetitive for regular readers but we never fail to be amazed at all this area has to offer whether it be the rolling hills or the fantastic beaches.

The coast at Greencliff

Coastpath at Greencliff

We also saw friends almost every day and managed two meals in The Bell and a lunch at The Burton Gallery. It was our first visit to the café at the Burton and we shall certainly be back again on future visits.

Towards the end of our stay the weather became mixed and once again we set off back to the Midlands in the rain. Before we return later in the month we have a trip up north for our youngest grandchild's christening.  We will also get supplies of paint ready for the re-decoration of the lounge.

A Foreshortened Trip

Another foreshortened trip to Parkham as we had to return after 5 days because of family ill health back in the Midlands.  However, we still managed to pack a fair amount into our 4-5 days in the village.

As well as attending a coffee morning in aid of the village church we were able to watch a range of tractors, old and new heading off on the annual tractor run from the village hall. in aid of a local charity.

We caught up with friends in The Bell which seems to be getting busier every time we visit as business builds back up to pre-fire levels.

The weather was good again and we had some glorious walks on the beach at Instow, Northam and Appledore.

Northam Burrows

Instow from Northam/Greysands

Appledore

Sadly we were unable to complete some of our planned jobs on the cottage.  The decking seems to require re-painting every 12 months, due I think to North Devon's wet weather particular over the winter months and the front door also needs a coat of gloss paint.  The flat roof is due to be replaced with fibreglass in April and we will now leave these jobs until that work has been completed.

Our early return was made harder by the lovely sunshine as we left the village with the hedgerows full of primroses and the first bluebells just coming into flower.

Prior to our visit we were very happy to host for a weekend friends from Parkham on their first visit to Stourbridge.  Having friends to stay always makes you look at your home area with fresh eyes and do things which you would not normally do.

We visited the local town of Bridgnorth the last station on the Severn Valley Railway which runs from Kidderminster.  There was a weekend 'steam' event and we were able to get up close to a number of different  locomotives as they arrived or left for Kidderminster.

I have visited Bridgnorth on many occasions but never been on the funicular cliff railway which runs from High Town to Low Town  http://www.bridgnorthcliffrailway.co.uk/  although we had travelled on the Lynton and Lynmouth Cliff Railway www.cliffrailwaylynton.co.uk last  year. The Bridgnorth railway was much shorter than the Lynton railway and is no longer water-powered however it gave us some great views over the town and the river Severn.

I can now understand more clearly why some Parkham villagers like to read a different perspective on their village in this blog.

Read more at https://northdevonadventure.blogspot.com

An unseasonable February

We returned to the Midlands from Parkham over a week ago and I have just realised I have not yet got down to writing my blog for our visit at the end of February.

We were so lucky to be in Parkham for the unseasonably warm February weather where at times we were able to go around without coats and even sit outside reading on sunny afternoons.  Whilst we knew that there would be worse weather weather to come, it was a very welcome break from the cold dreary weather of January and gave everyone a real boost.

In the hedgerows around the village the snowdrops were joined by daffodils and primroses which we enjoyed on our walks with the dog.

The gardens at RHS Rosemoor were also coming into life again and there was a fantastic display of purple crocuses at the entrance.  Purple crocuses have been planted by Rotary clubs throughout the country to promote the campaign to eradicate polio worldwide.  It now only exists in very small numbers in 3 countries.  We have planted crocuses  here in the Midlands on the verge of the  local ring road, not quite such a picturesque site.

We took advantage of the lovely sunny days and walked in all the  local beaches.  Bucks Mill is our nearest beach but is just pebbles until an hour or so either side of low tide.   There are some beautiful views as you take the path down to the beach and although well surfaced, it is very steep towards the end, but well worth the effort.

The beach at Bucks Mill, close to low tide.

The beach at Instow looked like a summer's day except for the lack of people and Appledore was so peaceful with still water and beautiful reflections from the clouds right across the estuary.

Instow beach

Appledore

After owning The Granary for five years we have become acclimatised to life in this very rural part of England.  For example a short car journey can take much longer than anticipated when a major item of farm machinery is being moved or when sheep are being transferred from one field to another.  Somehow it doesn't seem to matter and we and other motorists sit quite happily waiting whereas, in the Midlands,  there would be  much revving of engines and tooting of horns.  Of course it is not always like this and you come across the occasional van driver who has his deliveries to do.

As we made our journey home we soon got back to reality as Google Maps warned us of major delays with the motorway shut near Weston Super Mare.  We followed Google's instructions and managed to avoid most of the hold up arriving back in the Midlands only 40 minutes later than planned, it could have been much worse!

Snow in Parkham

We had a full cottage for our week in Parkham at the end of January when we were joined by our daughter and son-in-law, eight month old baby and their dog.  With only 2 small bedrooms things were a little tight but all went very smoothly despite the weather, which was not always conducive to outdoor activities.

We did in fact have several sunny days and were able to enjoy walks along the coast path and around the village.  Snow drops were in bloom and daffodils in several places including Instow where we had seen some in  flower before Christmas.

The snow came in the middle of the week and whilst there was only just over an inch it did slow things up for a day or so.  However we took the opportunity to photograph some snowy scenes as we walked around the village.

Having a butcher in the village was extremely useful with 3 meat-eaters in the cottage for a week and we paid several visits to top up our supplies.  Our daughter and husband took the opportunity to make use of babysitters on site and a pub next door to enjoy their first evening meal out for 8 months or more!

The scrabble board came into action most evenings and pleased to say that the older generation more than held their own.

Having a full cottage meant that we returned to the Midlands with a car full with bed linen to wash, travel cot, high chair and buggy but all very worthwhile for the family time we enjoyed together in Parkham.

A Late New Year

We were unable to get down to Parkham for the New Year so we missed out on the New Years Day brunch in the pub again, perhaps we will make it in 2020!
We eventually arrived on 4th January in time to wish many of our friends a Happy New Year. 
On Saturday there was a New Year Tea Party in the Village Hall for all the parishioners.  As we have come to expect in Parkham, there were huge quantities of cake to be consumed and a good attempt was made by those attending.
The Christmas Trees from the pre-Christmas Festival were still up in the church on 6th January, which was Epiphany Sunday but they would be coming down the next day.
After a busy time over Christmas and New Year in the Midlands it was good to be able to relax both in The Granary and on some lovely country and coastal walks.
We have several routes we take around the village and surrounding lanes, one which is around 2 miles takes us past Bocombe Mill.  As we approach Bocombe there are some lovely views across the valley and we were lucky to see a hare crossing the fields, causing sheep to disperse as it ran through the herd.

We also walked on the sand at the Taw/Torridge estuary and whilst the weather was sunny there was a very cold wind, hence the warm coat and brisk walking.

As we set off back to the Midlands we were diverted off the North Devon Link Road at Westleigh (we found out  later that there had sadly been a fatal accident).  Traffic was being diverted through Instow and Fremington but, having been caught in a similar situation a couple of years ago we decided to take the route through Eastleigh along the Old Barnstaple Rd.  It was a very wise decision as apparently, the signed diversion was grid-locked whereas we had a relatively easy journey and reached Barnstaple  and  then home only a few minutes behind our usual schedule.