Saying Goodbye to Saunton and the Animals

We visited Saunton Beach on Thursday morning and then returned to the house to feed and say goodbye to all the animals. Meredith was particularly sad leaving the tortoiseshell cat behind.

Lynton and Lynmouth

On Tuesday, we went to Lynton and took the Cliff Railway down to Lynmouth. It is reputedly the steepest railway in the world and uses water ballast to drive the carriages on their cable. 700 gallons are available to load at the top of the incline and eject at the bottom. We walked along to one of the beaches on the opposite side of the Bay where few other tourists ventured. The final visit was to Valley of the Rocks

Saunton Sands as the Rain Clears

On monday, the morning rain cleared at lunch giving a dry but still cloudy afternoon rendering amazing reflections on the wet sand

Saunton Sands in Rain and Sun

On Sunday, having fed the animals that we are looking after for week (24 sheep, 3 goats, some Hens, a duck  and 2 cats), we went to nearby Braunton for tea and then for a walk on Saunton sands. It had been raining all day and there were still showers around which gave great backdrops for the Kite surfers etc. 

Beaumaris Castle and Church

We spent the last day in Beaumaris exploring the Castle and Church.

Beaumaris Castle was the last of Edward I’s massive building programme in North Wales but he never got round to finishing it as his finances were needed elsewhere in Scotland. It would have been twice the height! Technically perfect and constructed according to an ingenious ‘walls within walls’ plan, Beaumaris Castle was a 13th-century innovation and has been a World Heritage Site since 1986.

St Mary and St Nicholas Church. The handsome 14th-century church in Beaumaris was erected shortly after Edward I built the castle, to serve the castle garrison and the people of Beaumaris town. The oldest parts of the church are the nave and aisles, and the west tower, all of which date to the 14th century. The alabaster tomb of William Bulkeley (d. 1490) with his wife Elin, is impressive as are the wooden carvings on the misericords.

Beaumaris I. Cruise Around Puffin Island

Beaumaris Pier is functional rather than decorative with lots  of railings where crab fishing and Jellyfish spotting can take place . The cruise took us along the shore past the Penmon Quarry with its deserted buildings to the Penmon Lighthouse with its cottages with their tall chimneys (very reminiscent of the Happisburgh, Suffolk, buildings). We then did a circuit of Puffin Island which lived up to its name though most Puffins have already left to spend the winter on the North Atlantic. We also got close to several Grey Seals.