Branscombe and the beauty of Devon

If you were to ask a holiday maker about what they would imagine to be the idlic English village and coastline. The village of Branscombe in Devon really would be it.

Beautiful, charming and quaint with an absolutely stunning coastal paths and seaside towns nearby it really is the perfect place to relax and get away from the stress of the working world.

After receiving an invitation to go camping I leapt on the chance to escape for some much needed relaxation. And after setting up on a near by camping site I was soon enjoying the fresh air and rolling hills of Devon.

I spent the first day just relaxing, drinking and chatting with friends, it was the next day when we decided to explore along the dramatic and steep coastal path that I got to experience a bit more of the sun, sea and stunning beaches that makes Devon such a special place.

Miles and miles of dramatic coast line, dappled forests and beautiful towns just begging to be explored where just some of the things I experienced on the walk we took that day. And waiting at the end was the wonderful town of Beer, with its charming shops just begging to be explored and its long awaited beer garden where we restored our energy with drinks and delicious food (all rounded out by a live band).

The next day the rain was coming down thick and fast but as it was my last night we decided to treat ourselves by wandering down mist covered lanes to a wonderfully old fashion tea house where we had cake, tea and scones. It was a wonderful send off especially as I had really enjoyed the lovely misty countryside on the way down.

As I was given a lift to the station I lay back in my seat and let the train stream through the countryside and carry me back from the beauty of Devon to my home.

Devon part 2: Steam trains, Dartmoor and The Wistman's Woods

I got up early the next day having organised to spend the day visiting Dartmoor and the myth shrouded Wistman's Woods. However my friend had a surprise in store and instead of the moors we ended up visiting Buckfastleigh train station where a magical steam train awaited.

We got chatting to one of the conductors who filled us in on some of the background behind the workings of the train and the training of its operators. Apparently to get to the position of train driver takes years of training and commitment, having to work your way up from basic menial tasks, to shoveling coal, to finally being able to take on the role of train driver.

After leaving the charming train behind us we arrived to a typical English welcome of persistent wet drizzle as we set out to explore the moors. Now Dartmoor is a place filled with myths and legends. It is the setting for Sherlock Holmes' investigation in Hound of the Baskervilles, its the site of numerous folklore legends (a scorch mark in a pub nearby is meant to be a site where the devil placed his tankard as he rode towards his destination). And the moors themselves are filled with mysterious stories and sightings of the unexplained.

The moors were beautiful, desolate and windswept, filled with subtle colour and covered in a mist that had seeped over the land and had seemed to find its way into its very pores. The best was kept for last though as we came to the Wistman's Woods. An ancient oak woodland sunk into the heart of the moors.

Hobbled by the stoney ground and bend and shriveled by the harsh conditions that the trees had grown upon this miniature forest had seemingly grown out of some dark fairy tale. And indeed The Devil's Hound as this wood is otherwise known was said to be the haunt of witches, fairies and devils.

We spend a while there amoungst the stones and the woodlands, soaking up the atmosphere before we decided that we were soaked enough ourselves.

After heading back to the car we had one final lunch at another of Devon's charming pubs before my friends saw me to the train station. As the train pulled away I relaxed, having been thoroughly enchanted by this magical place.

Devon: The wild and beautiful

 I had an invite from a friend to visit her over the Christmas holidays and so I decided to take her up on it and headed out to sunny old Devon.

The south of England is a beautiful place to visit, full as it is of sweeping coastline, desolate moors, pristine woodland and quaint pubs to relax in with drink in hand.

After a long and slightly delayed journey I arrived in Totnes and spent the night relaxing, listening to music, catching up and having drinks with my friend and her partner before heading to bed.

In the morning she took me down to a paddy where she kept her horses and together we went for a ride. It was my first horse riding and I have to say after I got over my initial nerves from getting on a horse for the first time I began to really enjoy myself. In between ducking and dodging past holly and persuading/pleading with my horse to occasionally slow down we managed to complete the ride successfully.

Afterwards I took the chance to explore the local woods behind the stables and after scrabbling through the tree ended up getting some great shoots of the setting sun through the trees.

We got some food at a cozy local pub before heading over to a friends house to have a night of hilarity playing board games and drinking wine. I went to bed that night in high spirits with the promise of the Dartmoor moors on the horizon tomorrow.