An impromptu drive across misty Exmoor today to Barnstaple. It always rains when we visit Barnstaple, and today was no exception. En route, we drove through dense mist, the road carpeted with the glorious gold of fallen beech leaves.
We went via Countisbury Hill that leads precipitously down to Lynmouth and Lynton.
Very hilly.
The first time I made this journey, in August 2011, with friend Shelagh from Toronto, it was sunny and very hot, and the brakes began to feel mushy as we arrived in Lynmouth, so much so that I worried about not being able to stop, and careering into the sea wall.
Today, it was hard to recall ever having had hot weather; the rain seems endless.
On the way home, we stopped for supper at the 13th Century inn here.
In 1907 it looked like this. Tonight it looked warm and inviting, with its ancient fireplace, glowing logs and good home cooking.
I had steak and ale pie; The Gardener had penne pasta with butterbeans in a creamy/pesto sauce - so much more interesting than it sounded.
When we emerged, the mist had cleared and some of the millions of stars so clearly visible on Exmoor were just beginning to show.
We're never short of weather round these parts....
6 comments:
What a trip! The scenery, the road, the FOOD! I would've sat between the two of you, happily forking from each plate. :-P
I love that inn. It is late and my eyes are a little tired. Does that fireplace vent directly out? Straight out, no chimney?
No, June, the chimney is huge, and according to the young man stacking logs in the grate, catches on one side and smokes the place out when the wind is in the wrong direction! Impossible to capture the look of the enormous fireplace in such poor light, but there was a bread oven at the back, a hearth raised by at least two feet, and enough room in there to stand four or five people!
Many years ago we were walking and camping in this neck of the woods. We were on the bus one day when the hills proved too much and it broke down. It was like something from an Ealing comedy. I don't think we actually sung hymns, but it feels looking back that we might well have done!
Fantastic scenery. It's not a part of the coast we've explored yet. But will now!
Beautiful scenery, even in the mist. Lovely pub and food, lucky you.
Egads, I've been away too long! What a great post... and your descriptions of the meals have me drooling on my keyboard over here. Bad weather is the best excuse for single malt scotch and a hot meal. BRING IT ON! 8-)
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