Category Archives: Featured Devon

Iddesleigh and the War Horse Story

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Iddesleigh and the War Horse Story

Iddesleigh is one of those delightful little cob and thatch villages that lies hidden amongst the rolling hills of the West Devon countryside.

It’s not somewhere that you just stumble across, and even in this modern age where everywhere is near somewhere, thanks to the ever-increasing ability of motorists to seek out the most obscure places, it still takes a bit of finding – but it’s worth the effort.

The home of less than 200 people, Iddesleigh has a church and a pub but not much else, and were it not for a nearby farm I don’t suppose too many people would bother to seek it out at all.

Between 1830 and 1836 Parsonage Farm was the home of the Reverend ‘Jack’ Russell, the curate of St James’ Church. He was the first breeder of the terriers to which he gave his name, but this isn’t the reason why people come to take a look around the farm. They come here to find out more about another animal – Joey the War Horse.

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Originally posted 2018-11-10 09:15:16.

Buckland-in-the-Moor

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Buckland-in-the-Moor

This picturesque village with a population of less than a hundred, lies in a secluded valley under Buckland Beacon, just a few miles north-west of Ashburton.

A drive through the narrow lanes will bring you to a cluster of thatched cottages and an unusual church.

St Peter’s is a simple 12th c church probably built over an earlier Saxon one and still retains some Norman features, but what makes it unusual is the clock which was only installed in 1930.

Commissioned by the owner of the Buckland Estate, William Whitley, the clock was dedicated to his mother, Elizabeth, who had died the previous year.’, but instead of using numerals he replaced them with letters that spell “My Dear Mother”. If you take a closer look at my picture of the clock you’ll see that it was almost A past E when I was here.

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Originally posted 2018-05-07 17:38:02.

Bigbury Bay

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Bigbury Bay

Bigbury Bay is a broad stretch of South Devon coastline between Bolt Tail (not to be confused with Bolt Head near Salcombe) and Stoke Point. Generally speaking, it’s more rugged than Start Bay, but there are still some fine sandy beaches, especially around the mouths of the Rivers Avon and Erme, both of which start out on High Dartmoor.

There are a few small areas of habitation dotted around the bay, but on the whole it’s a very unspoilt part of the coast, with Burgh Island being its most prominent feature. Inland, the scenery is typical of the South Hams countryside with rolling hills interspersed with small villages.

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Originally posted 2021-12-10 18:20:03.

Salcombe

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Salcombe

In my opening page on the South Hams, I described the area as one of the most affluent parts of Devon, and there’s nowhere more affluent than the area around Salcombe.

In some ways, Salcombe is like a more upmarket version of Dartmouth, and just like Dartmouth, the town sits alongside a stretch of water just before it reaches the sea. In this instance though, it’s not a river, but a ria, officially known as the Kingsbridge Estuary, but sometimes called the Salcombe Estuary.

Other similarities with Dartmouth include a safe haven for boating enthusiasts, unspoilt countryside and a beautiful coastline. The two pictures below show some of the coastline on either side of the estuary.

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Originally posted 2021-11-01 10:15:58.

Cockington – A Walk in the Park

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Cockington - A Walk in the Park

Anyone who has read my previous blog about Cockington Village will already be aware that there’s more to Cockington than just a few thatched cottages and a pub, and so today I want you to slip your trainers on, and come with me for a walk in the park.

In this context ‘park’ means Country Park, which in the UK refers to a recreational area which I think of as a half-way house between an urban park and the open countryside.

The idea was conceived in the 1960s to encourage people in urban areas to get up off the sofa and out into the fresh air without having to head off into the sticks and trample all over farmers’ fields.

The Country Park at Cockington, like others throughout the country, was initially set up with central government funding through the Countryside Commission, but surprise surprise, the baton has since been passed over to the local council to foot the bill for the upkeep and provide free access to all.

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Originally posted 2021-10-16 06:00:48.

Top 10 Places to see in Torbay

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Top 10 Places to see in Torbay

This post is a list of my recommended places to go in Torbay. Like any Top 10 list, it’s subjective, and everybody’s list will be different. Having lived here for more than twenty-five years, I’ve covered all these places in my blogs on Torbay, and have provided links to them for a more in-depth look at what’s on offer at each place.

If there are any places that you think I should have included, and maybe some that you think I shouldn’t have, please let me know. Places are constantly changing for one reason or another, and it’s not easy to keep abreast of everything.

The list that I’ve compiled runs in a descending order that coincides with my preferences, but I wouldn’t take too much notice of that, as everyone’s opinion will vary. Having said that, the places on this list should find favour with most people. I hope you agree, and don’t forget to send me a comment on what you think.

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Originally posted 2021-07-09 10:43:12.