Large Crabs, Flat Castles and a Smattering of Turbot..
Back to Blightly this year in Devon..
Fact Panel
Details
Trip Date:
June 2010
Transport:
VW Golf, Saab 93
Accommodation:
Shannon House, Townend, Beer
Duration:
Five Days
Cost of Trip Per Person:
£401
Video:
Sony Mini DV
Rating:
Excellent
Members Attending
Beer Trivia
County
Beer
Population:
1400
Known For:
Big Crabs, Turbot, Fishing.
Where is Beer?
Day One: Saturday 19th June
It's a fair trip down to Devon to start the trip. There's two vehicles this year as Stuart needs to leave early later in the trip before the others. A collective stop at the Group's old favourite as in times past, Strensham Service Station for McDonalds Breakfast on the M5. Refreshed, they motored further down to Sedgemoor services on the M5 for another stop for Coffees at Costa Lotta Coffee. The Café is next to the Cashpoint so some unecessary chocolate flapjacks are ordered.
It was a day of exploring today as the Group set Off for Maiden Castle, which is not actually a castle - just where one used to be. Undeterred, the Group nevertheless still enjoyed the experience. Mostly. It was lunch at Steve's Farm shop, well cake actually because the baguettes were off in favour of Sunday Lunch. The Group remembered a big tower thing they visited some years ago and decided to visit once more with the hope of actually going up it this time, having rejected it last time on grounds of the £1 cost. So they arrived at Hardy's Monument..and it was closed so another failure to go up it in 11 years. And so it was a trip down to West Bay for Ice Creams to compensate along with a walk along the harbour.
They arrive at Beer and so collect the keys from Jean Bartlett Agency. At the Booking Office the lady says 'I'm going to swap the telly for you, the other one isn't working'. Mark then interjects 'A 50 inch one please , the 32 inch is much too small..' A first Look at Shannon Cottage, and it's a room each, at least until John arrives later. In tradition, it's on to the Co-op at Seaton for stocking up on food before heading back to the house for a session of DSA.
Naturally the Group then later headed out on the town in Beer to take an evening meal in the Anchor followed by a visit to the Barrel of Beer and then completing the evening in the Dolphin.
Day Two: Sunday 20th June
Since Lyme Regis was nearby the Group visited there for a while, place they were to return to in future years. There was quite a bit of moaning about the choice of car park, and how far it was to walk the distance to the shops etc, before heading back home. Later they embarked outward once more to dine at the Barrel of Beer followed by a walk up the cliffs at Beer. They then quenced their thirsts with a visit to the Anchor followed by three more in the Dolphin. John finally arrives to join the group, making a mockery of his 5-1 odds of actually turning up.
Whilst the Group were in the pub, Mark began talking about his wife's cat. It was out on the window ledge. There was some conversation through the window; "You’re a lazy creature, a selfish absorber of time and attention who's of no use round the house". Chris then interjected "I didn't know the cat could talk". Mark, undaunted at that broadside, continued the conversation; he said the rain began to fall, causing the cat to get wet and uttering a pitiful meow to be let in.."Mummys not here", Mark grinned, before he discovered his wife standing directly behind him!
Day Three: Monday 21st June
An exciting day today. All holiday so far, it was noticed that there was no frying pan available for cookery capers at the house. Chris found it. It was in the herbacious border near the dustbin. Interesting. After breakfast the Group set off to Totnes to catch the South Devon railway to Buckfastleigh. As the train passed through Staverton, the Group were looking for the elusive 'Bugger All' that the man at the station said was there. What larks. Milling around Buckfastleigh after alighting from the train trying to find the town centre, it turned out that the Group had passed it without noticing. Ho hum. The train was caught back to Totnes which passed off uneventfully. A visit to Asda in Newton Abbot to stock up on foodery again was done, the Group didn’t pay the car park fee but got away with it. It was then back to the house for DSA.
Out in the evening again naturally, and off to the Indian which was called The Spice Merchant. All good, then out to the usual Pubs; 1 in the Anchor, half in the Barrell and 2 in the Dolphin completing the evening. It was in the Barell that the following scene was set. The upmarket foodery 'The Barrell on a quiet Mon Evening". Mr & Mrs Pomposity are discussing the merits of the Turbot and Sand eel dish to the waiter. At the bar Chris needs to let out a windbreaker and with 1.5 seconds notice has to make a hastly decision. The door is too far and cover is scarce. He chances on the only available port - Mikes lap and delivers. The world cup vuvuzelas are outdone and Stuart is helpless with laughter. The panicked descicion making was too much. Chris attributes this to a Fawlty Towers interpretation 'OK, give me half a lobster tail and a smattering of turbot'.
Day Four: Tuesday 22nd June
For various reasons Stuart had to bail out of the rest of the trip, so after waving him goodbye the Group go down to Beer waterfront for a swim in wetsuits. A bit of seaweed and a few crabs in the water but swam to 'The Horn' which is a bit like Durdle Door. A nice morning's frolicking about in the sea. it was then back to the House to wash the wetsuits. More excitment was in store however and they then set off to Stuart Line Cruisers in Exmouth.
They duly arrive in Exmouth for a bit to eat by the quayside, they procure sandwiches from the newsagents there. There was a Round Robin trip via boat to Topsham, and back again on the train. This filled a nice afternoon. Back to the house for DSA after followed by a walk to Seaton which was 2 miles or more. The lads wander round Seaton looking for anything open. Turned out there wasn't much.
They did spot a place to eat in the form of the Eyre hotel restaurant. All very nice once more. A walk 2 miles back along the coastal path helped to digest all that food. The last evening was spent then in the usual pubs in Beer. In the Anchor the Group notice a seagull skillfully getting food out of the bin. One of the locals pipes up "the're a pest, I shoot them I do", to which Mark then responds with "Have you got a gun then?". It was also noticed by the Group that mark was wearing a bright yellow hoodie with '657 Rescue Team' motif on it, which invited critique from all sides as to when he was going to partake in rescues off Beer beach. At the end of the evening the Group went in the late bar at the Dolphin and found some weighing scales which Mike said weren't calibrated but they recorded their weights as follows:
Name
Weight
Mic
12st 4lb
Mark
12st 8lb
Chris
12st 10lb
John
14st 10lb
All in all then a good last evening with much fun and frolics in the usual Arrow Group style. Tomorrow would be going home day but not before more fun was to be had..
Day Five: Wednesday 23rd June
So after the last breakfast the Group set off for the Beer Quarry Caves for a dull and uninteresting tour of a hole (according to some Arrow Members-but not this author). The best bit apparently was that it was cold and Mic and John didn’t bring a coat, they brought sunglasses instead which seemed like a logical choice...
Barely able to contain thier delight at the caves experience, they headed back at the house for tidying up and leaving the house. It was on to Sidmouth for lunch at 'The Mocha' restaurant and Hi's and Lows were filmed for the video. They left Sidmouth in short order and they then said goodbye to John at this point as he lived in a different part of the country to the rest. Breaks were taken at Sedgemoor services and Hopwood Park for a bite to eat.
And so another trip came to an end but the southwest beckoned once more, and the Group would venture a little further west to Salcombe for 2011.
Click for Trip 2011