A DAY IN SIDMOUTH, DEVON.

Last week Sue and I decided to go just along the coast to the seaside town of Sidmouth. The day we picked was a little dull with occasional sunny spells, at least it was in Teignmouth when we left. Sidmouth is a place I had been to many times during my Taxi driving days, especially as i had a regular "School run" there. Would you believe the local education authorities spend a fortune on sending children the 30 miles or so in a Taxi to school that far away. I used to pick up at least 5 sometimes 6 children and take them on a school run that went from Teignmouth, to Exeter (2), then Topsham, then Budleigh Salterton, then Exmouth and finally Sidmouth. That run three times a week !!!. Anyway I digress, so although I had been to Sidmouth lots of times not to look around the place. So the sea front area is quite nice with a big promenade. Perhaps i should say at this point that, it was to be fair, March when we visited, so, no deck chairs, crowds etc. My first view was of a pebbley beach (not keen) although I'm told there is sand lower down on the ebb tide. We parked up and walked a little way into the town, this appeared quite spread out though. So a quick cuppa in one of the few open Cafe's then a stroll along the Prom.
I must apologise here for the length of this blog but I'm fed up with trying to sort just 7 to 10 photos out of maybe 30, to put on here, so gone with all these this time.
Please click on any picture to enlarge it.
Below, as soon as we walked back to the sea front, down came the mist, hence not brilliant photo's. we took this looking along the prom to where we parked our car.
This picture , below, was taken looking along toward the nice end of the beach and cliff walk.
This one is looking along (at the next level) at the same house as the previous picture. This level is the same as the one you would arrive at if you parked in the car park along this end.
This was one (below) was taken looking back at the position the Second picture was taken from.
The view below is one at the entrance to the lovely sea front walled"Connaught gardens"
These Gardens are really pretty and well kept, i would think brilliant with summer flowers.The gardens themselves contain loads of lovely seating areas (some with sea views) and views of pretty flower beds. It reminds you of "olde worlde" Castle gardens with lots of little steps and rooms.
Below, one of those little sets of stairs and rooms.
Below, again a seating area, in summer some of these area's are used for plays and dancers such as "Morris Dancers".
Another litttle Arch and pretty pathway. In here you never know what will be around the next corner.
Below, yet another room and seating area, this one with "raised flower beds" and lawns.
The same area as in the previous picture, taken looking in the opposite direction.
This arch way is one of three entrances to the Courtyard in the previous picture.
Below is of the pretty little Cafe that is open virtually all year. This cafe/Restaurant is on two floors with views from up top right across the gardens, also views out onto "Jacobs Ladder" and beach.
Below, More views of the Cafe and walled gardens, here with just a peep out onto "Jacobs Ladder".
If you want to climb to the garden level you can do so via these real "olde worlde" fortess style steps leading from beach level. This picture so reminds me of a Castle or Keep.
Again below looking up at more steps to the "Connaught "walled gardens, notice the "Ice cream parlour"on the left.
This picture below is of the wooden "Jacobs Ladder" steps to the beach. This beach is around a mile long and is known locally as "Jacobs Ladder" beach. It is again very pebbley with sand showing at mid tide, these pebbles are actually protected by law and it is an offence to remove them. At mid to low water there are plenty of rock pools to keep everyone happy.Also here there are Disabled area's, deck chairs and a shop/ toilets.Also for much of the year this beach is Dog friendly.
This picture shows the walk along the bottom of the cliffs (below the gardens) to "Jacobs" beach.
This is a shelter on the previously mentioned wall, its cut back around 6 feet into the cliff and is decorated with shells and stones. A good shelter if the rains comes in quickly.
Oops below, this picture should have been put a couple back but crept in here.It shows the walk back to the main promanade from "Jacobs beach".
All in all a very nice day out. Would I visit again?, yes probably to see those gardens in full colour. To stay I think not, can imagine it being very busy in the Summer season. I can see the appeal it could have for families though, marks out of 10 probably 7 to 7.5.

Joke of the day.

Men should memorize it! Every woman knows that there are days in the month when all a man has to do is open his mouth and he takes his life in his hands! This is a handy guide that should be as common as a driver's license in the wallet of every husband, boyfriend, co-worker or significant other! DANGEROUS SAFER SAFEST ULTRA SAFE What's for dinner? Can I help you with dinner? Where would you like to go for dinner? Here, have some wine. Are you wearing that? Wow, you sure look good in brown! WOW! Look at you! Here, have some wine What are you so worked up about? Could we be overreacting? Here's my paycheck. Here, have some wine.. Should you be eating that? You know, there are a lot of apples left. Can I get you a piece of chocolate with that? Here, have some wine. What did you DO all day? I hope you didn't over-do it today. I've always loved you in that robe! Here, have some wine Thirteen Things PMS Stands For: 1. Pass My Shotgun 2. Psychotic Mood Shift 3. Perpetual Munching Spree 4. Puffy Mid-Section 5. People Make me Sick 6. Provide Me with Sweets 7. Pardon My Sobbing 8. Pimples May Surface 9. Pass My Sweat pants 10. Pissy Mood Syndrome 11. Plainly; Men Suck 12. Pack My Stuff and my favorite one : 13. Potential Murder Suspect

---

Burrator Reservoir.

Last Sunday started off lovely and sunny so of course a car ride to Devon's Dartmoor was again on the cards. This time we decided to go up on a different route to our usual. We left Teignmouth through Newton Abbot on to the A38 Plymouth rd. Instead of turning off at our usual Buckfastleigh turn (famous for its Abbey and Monks) we went on to the Ivybridge turn, then across the moor. After visiting one or two Tors we ended up at Sheepstor which is very close to the Burator reservoir. After strolling the bottom of the Tor and making a cuppa, we decided to go to the reservoir, i hadn't been there for more than 12 years. This blog is a mainly a picture one, so the first is as we got out of the car on arrival.
This was taken looking down from the top of the Dam.
Below, these trees are right opposite the small car park, i love the texture of the Moss everywhere.
Again from the Dam wall, with Dartmoor hills behind.
Again these Trees (sorry) are just so lovely, below.
We jumped into the car and started off on the road that circles completely the Reservoir. Just a few hunded yards into the Journey is this very pretty Waterfall. Please click on any image to enlarge it.
A further half a mile on we found this clearing with a clear path one side and the ruins of this building on the other.
Below, this board (enlarge it) tells of the demise of "Longstone Manor"around the late 1800s when this Reservoir and Dam were started.
Below, whats left of the Manor house, a lot of the stone was removed but luckily some was saved in these remains. If these are not cared for soon it will be unrecognisable which would be a shame.
More of the remains, imagine if the house was rebuilt right here as close to the waters edge, what a desirable house that would be.
Below, A full circle, now almost back to where we came from. I have just checked these pictures after coming back to this post (it was saved) and discover 2 pictures missing, how on earth am i going to put those in?. Annoying thing was that one picture of the back of the Dam was in my opinion the best one !!! b***er b***er.
Oh well i knew i shouldn't have started a post so late, i always get problems.

Joke of the day.
Again folks i have decided to forgo the joke of the day as, I have just heard the sad news that one of my very good Australian blogging buddies has passed away.
So Gwen, all my love R I P.

A REAL QUICKY !!!!.

Todays blog is the first I have done for a few days now.Perhaps because I feel blogging stale, I'm really not sure.I do know that I dont look forward to posting like I did a while ago. It may be the lack of interesting things happening to blog about during the long Winter days, is the problem.I think you really have to be motivated into blogging, which at the moment I'm not. Also after over two years blogging I still have my trusty band of readers (bless them) but very little in the way of new readers or more to the fact, commentors. Maybe this should tell me something, just maybe my blog does not appeal to a wide enough set of readers. All this has put serious doubts in my mind about carrying on blogging, over the next week or two I will give it some serious thought.
So to todays blog. Over the last few weeks Sue and I have been struggling to get the Video part of our "Finepix" camera and also our phone to record us a couple of decent Video's. To no avail I'm afraid, although the "Finepix A700" is a great little camera for stills. So last week we were shopping when we saw this tiny little Video Camera being demonstrated, after watching we decided this could be just what we were looking for. I then went into another shop and saw this advertised for £75.00 BP. After a little haggling we came out with this camera , the Flip-Video-Ultra-Camcorder-60-Minutes in Black (look it up), with a USB connecting lead for £71.00 BP. I cannot praise it enough, its just so simple to use and has fair picture quality too. See for your selves below, The first Video was taken in our "Local" the Kings Arms, it was taken to test how it coped with low light levels, as you can see it did well!!!.
Although the group are no budding "Beatles" etc, they did provide some reasonable
entertainment.



Not thinking straight again, have put these the wrong way to how i planned them, Bu***r.This next Video is of our latest aquisition the "Raclet Quickstop" folding camper. I joined several takes together to make these shortish clips. To get the Camper erected to this level took Sue and I exactly 4 mins 20 seconds. It also has underskirts and beds plus a full Awning, (not fitted).

Finally this Video was taken as five seperate short clips then made into a Video (so were the others). This Camera has built into it a mode for editing the film and joining it into a full video. No memory cards etc, its internal memory gives 60 mins full Video time. This is first part of the town centre, then out onto the Sea front, showing the Pier, finally showing the award winning park and Childrens play area.

Joke of the day

A husband wrote the following letter for his wife and left it on the dining-room table:

To My Dear Wife,

You will surely understand that I have certain needs that you, being 54 years' old, can no longer satisfy.

I am very happy with you and I value you as a good wife. Therefore, after reading this letter, I hope that you will not wrongly interpret the fact that I will be spending the evening with my 18-year-old secretary at the Comfort Inn Hotel. Please don't be upset - I shall return home before midnight.

With love from Your loving husband.

When the man came home late that night, he found the following letter on the dining-room table:

To My Dear Husband,

I received your letter and thank you for your honesty.

I would like to remind you that you too are 54 years' old. As you know, I am a maths teacher at our local college and I have to inform you that while you're at the Comfort Inn, I will be at the Hotel Fiesta with Eric, one of my students. He is very virile and, like your secretary, he is 18 years' old. As you too have a good knowledge of maths, you will understand that we are in the same situation - although with one small difference: 18 goes into 54 a lot more times than 54 goes into 18.

So it'll be well after midnight before I get home.

With love from Your loving wife.

__________________________________________