I went out for a walk with my camera about 9:30 this morning. I walked down the drive and through the woods to the side, then walked along the footpath to Longcross to find the entrance that we would use to the Tarka Trail. This is alongside the A386, which is a busy road, so we won’t be riding along it. I timed it when I walked back to the cottage and it was about 25 minute walk back to cottage. The walk up the driveway was hard work; Devon hills are serious.
The view of Hallsannery is impressive as you approach the house. It was build in the 1840s, so it is Victorian, although to a Georgian style. The cottage that we are staying in is just around the back of the main house in part of the coach house. I’m guessing the garage in the middle of the coach house is where the coach would have been stored.
It was a much slower day today, with us taking it easy following the long journey. We went out to Bideford just before lunch and had a bit of a wander around some of the shops. I guess Bideford isn’t one of those places that opens much on Sundays. We found a few restaurants, but they weren’t open. We found one that was open, but didn’t take credit or debit cards, I can’t see that business model working. Then we found the White Hart Inn, where we all had the roast beef lunch. This was a really good meal; the meat was excellent flavour and really tender, fresh horseradish sauce topped it off for me. Before we ate we watched a herring gull catching a small crab and later while crossing the Bideford Long Bridge, (a 13th century bridge spanning the River Torridge,) we saw a curlew feeding. Another first for me.
Tonight, while standing at the back door, we saw bats flying around the trees and over the courtyard. Strange how silent they are.