Day 9

This morning I took the kids over to a different pool and water park for the morning so that they could have some kid fun while Sandra opted to walk across the hills to a village called Morthoe.

Making things for this evening...

We met up at lunch time so that we could do some “adult” touring of north Devon – see the pattern here?  I little kid-friendly entertainment, a little adult-friendly entertainment.  Keeps us all happy!

We decided to drive up to a place called Combe Martin to look around and maybe take a hike.  However since the little ones were getting grumpy the walk looked out of the question until Sandra offered to stay with them on the beach while Cannon and I hiked up a steep path towards a place called Little Hangman Hill.  Our hike was stunning with amazing views of the cliffs and hills from the top.  It was weird, but it really reminded me of parts of Okinawa.  How can a tropical island in the south Pacific resemble an island in the north Atlantic?

 

 

In Combe Martin

On the hike, yes, it was hot!

Views from our hike

Well, this part didn't look like Okinawa!

Following the directional signs

When we got back into town, the kids showed us all the shrimp they had been catching in the rock pools.

Emmy releasing the stash.

We soon headed back to the caravan so that we could get cleaned up and ready for the moment we’d all been waiting for… an evening watching the sheepdogs of Borough Farm!!!!

Day 8

This gorgeous morning we decided to walk down to the beach in Woolacombe.  You have to understand that the “walks” to places can often take ½ hour or more as the English’s definition of a walkable distance is quite different to the American’s.  And this was no different.  But the walk is so beautiful you just don’t mind.

 

Walking to the beach

 

 

Showing the kids how to climb over the styles

 

The beach

We opted for the smaller beach that was less crowded then the main beach in Woolacombe.  It was just so beautiful with its rock pools and crevices and long expanse of pure sand.  The tides here are immense, sometimes going out ½ mile or more.

 

Some steep stairs to the beach

 

Cannon on a rock

 

 

 

 

 

Isn't this beach amazing?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

London with Bob

 

After spending the morning on the beach and having our picnic, we hiked back up to the caravan to go to the pool.  I was genuinely surprised at how warm the water was!  Of course, I think the fact they heated it and the sun was so warm contributed to this.

 

After a few hours at the pool, we cleaned up to go out to Ilfracombe for dinner.  I was dying for fish and chips so we found a place near to the ocean and enjoyed our scrumptious fish and chips with a view that can’t be beat!

 

Eating our fish and chips!

 

Day 7

Today we were moving on to drive down to Devon in the south of England but first London, Emmy and I passed the morning on the beach for a few hours while Don so kindly took Cannon to an old copper mine called Parys Mountain for the morning.

 

 

 

Don

 

 

 

Devon is on our itinerary for one distinct reason: Mist.  If you know Emmy and London at all, then you’ll know of their obsession with a movie and TV series call “Mist, Sheepdog Tales”.   The story goes as such…

About two years ago we went to an orthodontist appointment on a little used military base on Okinawa called Kinser.  We popped into the library for some books and videos and the two youngest found a movie called “Mist”.  It was about dogs and other animals, which seemed right up their alley.  Well, here began the obsession with border collies.  The Mist series are sweet tales of border collies on a sheep farm in Devon, England.  The dogs have voices and get into predicaments with sheep and ducks and rams and are generally just some cute funny kids videos.

But they love those videos!  So much so that they had life like stuffed animal border collies for Christmas and then when we returned to the States we got a border collie.  And then we found the Borough Farm website and found out that you could actually visit Mist. And then I planned a trip to England.  And then, of course, we just had to visit Mist.  Like you do.

So off we set on Monday for a holiday within a holiday to see this dog and her pals.  Devon was about a 6 hour drive from Anglesey through some of the most stunning countryside you could imagine.  (Unfortunately I have no photos since I was driving and the tight, twisty roads required both of my hands on the steering wheel.)  The kids were not so impressed by the surroundings, but I was ready to stop and tour around and not ever get to Devon.  It’s a good job my aunt Sandra was with us because she made me keep driving.  But let me tell you, one day I’ll get back to Snowdonia and stay in one of those cute B&B’s and eat in one of those 16^th century pubs.  One day…

 

It was late when we finally pulled into Woolacombe in north Devon although because it stays light so late, it’s deceptive.  We were staying in a large caravan park which had pools and water slides and all other family fun to keep the kids entertained.

 

I did finally stop for a picture of the stunning sunset.

 

Day 6

Sunday morning we all drove just down the road to Moelfre for a walk.  My relatives take a lot of hikes and walks and it’s definitely in my blood to hike too.  In fact I’m amazed at how similar I am to my aunts and cousins even though time and distance separates us.  I think it was my cousin Matt who said he couldn’t run from here to the corner, but he could walk the world over and that’s also how I feel.

Breakfast in the caravan

The walk started through town and then wound along the coast, past the lifeboat station and then back through town.  Moelfre is home to the lifeboat that is sent out on rescue missions to aid stranded sailors and there was also a small museum there relaying its history.

Town of Moelfre

The whole gang

After our morning walk, we returned to the caravans so that those who were really into Wimbledon could watch the men’s final and those of us who had no clue about tennis could go to the beach!  Guess which group I was in?

We spent another nice afternoon on the beach meeting border collies, hunting for shrimp, paddling in the pools and of course eating ice cream!

 

 

 

 

 

That evening most everyone had to return to their homes in preparation for work the next day leaving just Sandra, Don and the kids and I to a last night at the caravan.