Seats - NOT amateur radio

When my dad retired, he got a job with the National Trust running a job creation scheme maintaining the coast paths near where he lived in South Devon. When he died (1987) they put up 2 seats in his honour. They are still well used today! On each there is a small plaque which I expect few read. Nonetheless, it is a fitting memorial for all his hard work. He loved this area in the South Hams of Devon and so do I.

Looking west - NOT amateur radio

This is a view looking west from the coastal path in South Devon looking towards Cornwall in the evening. It threatened rain which didn't come. Today we are expecting lots of rain. Mind you, this is Devon "where it rains 6 days out of 7". This is how I remember it! So far, we have been lucky with good weather every day. Today was the exception with heavy rain all day. The rest of the week looks better.

Devon - NOT amateur radio

I am spending a week in South Devon, were I was brought up. The coast is stunningly beautiful. The weather has been good so far, so a coastal path walk each evening has been possible. I know I posted a very similar view a few days ago, but thought readers might enjoy it again too. Where we are staying is just a short walk from this point.

Home - NOT amateur radio

My family has been in this area for centuries. It s humbling to think my ancestors looked on much the same view in the reign of Henry VI in the 1400s.

Flete House - NOT amateur radio

In the years after WW2, Flete House, Devon was a nursing home. It is where I was born. These days it has been converted into expensive flats. In theory, I could buy one and die where I was born.

The film "Sense and Sensibility" was filmed, in part, on the Flete estate. In the days when it was a real stately home, it was owned by the Mildmays. The River Erme is one of the most beautiful in Devon. The Flete estate borders the Erme.

See https://www.audleyretirement.co.uk/our-villages/flete-house-retirement-village-modbury-devon

Where I come from - NOT amateur radio

My ancestors come from South Devon. Many still live near here. I have a continuous genealogy back to the mid-1500s and one of my ancestors owned a piece of land near here in 1428. It is good to think of them enjoying this all those years ago. The cycle of life goes on.

South Hams - NOT amateur radio

Until I went to university I was brought up in the South Hams of Devon where my family have been for centuries (definitely) and probably for millennia. I expect we were Stone Age farmers on Dartmoor thousands of years ago and we fished these waters long, long ago, probably when the coastline was quite different. The picture shows Bolt Tail  in the far distance from Thurlestone.

South Devon - NOT amateur radio

Many years ago I came from, and was brought up in, South Devon. The picture shows where our family lived for hundreds of years. The earliest record I have is 1428, although I am sure we've ancestors in this part of the world going back thousands of years. Very humbling.

Soar Mill Cove, Devon - NOT amateur radio

This photo was taken 4 years ago in South Devon, UK where I was born.  The cliff walk from Hope Cove to Salcombe is perhaps one of the most beautiful in the world, although I am biased!

South Hams trains again - NOT amateur radio

Once again, after many years, Kingsbridge in Devon has trains again. The light railway is again running along the side of the water delighting children and adults alike. I wish them all the best.

See https://www.facebook.com/kdlr.co.uk/ .

Beginnings - NOT amateur radio

Flete House, where I was born. Always impresses! Actually it was a nursing home after WW2 for many years. Now posh flats. I like to say I was born in a stately home - well I was! If I bought one of the flats I could die where I was born.

Home? - NOT amateur radio

Soar Mill Cove, Devon

This is near where I come from in South Devon, UK. For several years my dad was running a job creation scheme maintaining the coastal path near here. He has 2 seats in his memory. This was probably his favorite spot on Earth.  It is a wonderful spot. I managed to see it again earlier this year.

There is a fabulous coastal walk from Hope Cove to Salcombe running through here. Cornwall is visible in the far distance beyond Rame Head.

No longer in Devon - NOT amateur radio

We are on the way home, having left Devon this morning. It was a very good break and I enjoyed being back in my home county after a break of three years because of my stroke. I was surprised that I was able to do most things that I enjoy.

Salcombe - NOT amateur radio

Salcombe - I used to live in Coronation Rd which is central in this shot

This morning we went for a walk at Snapes Point, overlooking Salcombe (where I used to live as a child) and the Kingsbridge Estuary.

Kingsbridge Estuary, S. Devon

This is our last full day in Devon. I have been pleasantly surprised that I have been able to do so much. We'll be back.

Bolt Tail - NOT amateur radio

Our holiday continues.

This is the view looking west from Bolt Tail in South Devon, UK. On the RHS is Burgh Island. We dodged showers! Real April weather in mid May.  Bolt Tail was once a promontory fort thousands of years ago. It would be wonderful to have seen the view back then - few settlements, the coast would have been further out, etc..

See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Promontory_fort .

The walk from Bolt Tail to Bolt Head along this coast is spectacular. We parked on Bolberry Down.

Quiet day - NOT amateur radio

Our Devon holiday continues. Often we hit bad weather, but so far we've been lucky with lots of sun. Today we are doing some washing, going into Kingsbridge for some shopping, and going around to my brothers for tea.

Ivor Dewdney pasties and local strawberries

Tomorrow we plan another walk along the cliffs and eating out at the Sloop Inn in nearby Bantham. We have eaten here before, but when we called for a coffee one winter's morning on a walk with my brother we were turned away. At the time I could not believe how stupid they could be to turn away easy business ...and on the door it said they were open!! Of course, this was a few years ago and the owners have probably changed hands since then. I was very annoyed at the time, but it was their choice and their loss. All they had to do was give us coffee! Madness. We had a coffee and brandy a few miles further on.

I have been pleasantly surprised just how much I can still do despite my handicaps.  As I said yesterday, I am learning to adjust to the "me" I am now. It is far from the end.

Bolberry Down - NOT amateur radio

Yesterday, we went for a walk on Bolberry Down. 

It was from here that I worked a station in France (160km) with my handheld 10mW 2m Fredbox many years ago and South Africa with 1W pep on 10m. It is a lovely spot for a walk.

Evening stroll - NOT amateur radio

We are lucky that where we are staying is very near the coast. This evening we did a short stroll and got these views. Southernmost Devon really is the best place, although I am a bit biased!

Summer bird migrants returning - NOT amateur radio

The wheatears have started arriving back in Devon and soon it will be martins and swallows. The long winter will soon be behind us.

See http://www.devonbirds.org/news/bird_news/devon_bird_sightings .

The image below is not on this site but at the link below. It will be removed if a problem.
http://www.devonbirds.org/images/library/dbn/public/stoke_point_male_wheatear_10617_0.jpg.

Wheatear in Devon

Kingsbridge, Devon passageways - NOT amateur radio

I spent about 10 years living in Kingsbridge, Devon. It has some famous "backways".  I see this paper, of interest to those who know this Devon town, was written by the local U3A (University of the Third Age) group.

See http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache%3ArQmow_WwQ5wJ%3Au3asites.org.uk%2Ffiles%2Fk%2Fkingsbridgeestuary%2Fdocs%2Fkingsbridgepassageways.pdf+&cd=25&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=uk