2021 September – Holidays

During September we managed two breaks away from Fairford – we visited Yorkshire and Devon. In Yorkshire we stayed at our usual cottage (Westgate Cottage) and enjoyed our usual and favourite walks. We walked Farndale twice and on the first occasion spent some time watching the deer on the side of the road.

We also walked twice in the Ellerburn Valley near Thornton Le Dale and visited the North Yorks Moors Railway at Grosmont. From there we walked back to Goathland along the line of the original railway.

Although we had done all of the walks before we thoroughly enjoyed the peace, tranquillity and views. On another day we visited Leyburn and then went on to Middleham Castle. The statue is of Richard 3rd who, as Richard, Duke of Gloucester spent his youth at Middleham and it subsequently became one of his royal homes. It has become tradition on our visits to Yorkshire to take the bus from Pickering to Whitby for lunch at The Magpie and then on another day to Malton for a Mexican meal at El Gringo’s. Both meals were as good as ever!

After a week at home we headed to Harford Bridge near Tavistock for a week in a mobile home. We have stayed at Harford Bridge many times and even in the same mobile home. On our way down we visited Annie’s sister Pam and husband Neil for coffee and managed to fill up with fuel as there was a lot of panic buying around the country with long queues and petrol stations out of fuel. The fuel situation remained difficult during our stay in Devon but was beginning to return to normal as we returned home. The weather was not particularly kind and, as Gerry had forgotten the backpack with waterproof trousers and first aid kits etc, we were more careful than ever about where and when we walked. Nevertheless, we enjoyed our walk to the church of St Michael de Rupe at Brentor.

The church was founded in 1130 and is the fourth smallest parish church in the UK and is thought to be the highest working church in England.

On another day we visited Dartmouth, caught the ferry to Kingswear and travelled on the Dartmouth Steam Railway to Paignton.
It was a lovely day out and the weather was kind to us- one downpour but we were able to shelter!

We walked on most days on tried and trusted routes but did spend one morning walking around Burrator reservoir. Although slightly disappointed by the lack of views we did come across a group of Dartmoor ponies.

The weather was such that we decided to curtail our stay in Devon. We had lunch with Pam and Neil at a nearby Farm Shop and restaurant and then drove straight back to Fairford.
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Our two September breaks were enjoyable and, despite the weather in Devon, we had a great time.