Devon 2008

Feb 11-15 2008
We're staying for four nights in the Anderton House, an architect designed 1970s house in deepest Devon, now owned by the Landmark Trust. The weather has been unseasonably warm with blue skies and bright sunshine which has meant we have been able to fully enjoy the sensation of 'outside in'. The walls of the living room are floor to ceiling glass and the grass comes right up to the walls giving you a real sense of garden and house being one and the same. From the stout wooden front door which opens on a pivot to the sunny open plan living area and the bathroom 'pods', there is a wow factor about this house.It's all in the details which have obviously been thoroughly researched and well thought out. In fact, it is a 3 bedroomed bungalow but what a place! The views are magnificent, looking across the valley to the sheep dotted on the far hillside.It's a real pleasure to live here, if only for 4 days. I find myself smiling as I discover yet another well thought out detail or notice another interesting juxtaposition of angles.
It wouldn't have mattered if it had poured all week as we have plenty of food and drink, a pub in the village with an amazing menu and lots of reading matter (our own and that supplied by the Landmark Trust). But the sunshine lures us out so we make for Barnstaple, the nearest town and on to Braunton where we spot a good deli/cafe in Caen Street. A good mushroom and dolcelatte tart with salad for me, a giant club sandwich for Anne and sausages and mash for the men. On to the carpark at Croyde where our walk around the curiously named Baggy Point begins. But first we spy a strange building over a fence and stop to take a look. It's the remains of a house by Oliver Hill called 'Cock Rock'- built in the early 20s but destroyed by fire during the Second World War. it's built on a strangely shaped plan but taking advantage of the fantastic views of Croyde Bay.
The surfer boys are all out, stripping off with abandon in the carpark. Personally, I don't think it's THAT warm!
Our walk around the headland of Baggy Point is wonderful, with views of Woolacombe and Morte Point to one side and Croyde Bay to the other. As we return to the carpark we pass a stark white painted modern house that reminds me of Rennie Macintosh houses in Glasgow. It's owned by Gavyn Davies, the former Chair of the BBC and appears on the front cover of one of the books on modern architecture back at Anderton House. Must see some wonderful sunsets from the balconies.
Back in Barnstaple we try to find somewhere to eat that will suit all tastes and pockets. There's five of us, including 17 year old lad who's always hungry! We see a branch of 'Prezzo' the Italian restaurant chain so go inside. The place is absolutely deserted (it is only 5.30pm) but the waiter asks if we have reservations. When we say 'no' he turns us away. Can't believe it. As nothing else we see appeals we drive 6 miles back to Braunton to Squire's Chippy- the poshest fish and chip restaurant you'd ever see. Bright, very clean and excellent fish and chips!

Next day it's bright and sunny again so we're up early and out for a walk before breakfast leaving Owen (the 17yr old) in bed. We just follow the lanes around the house going down, down, down first of all to find ourselves underneath the most remarkable viaduct, Grade II listed, which was on the former Lynton-Barnstaple railway. Later I read of an indomitable lady passenger who joined the driver and his assistant, alongwith her companion in the cab as the train made its way acros the Chelfton viaduct. Must have been quite a squash and goodness knows what their dresses looked like afterwards!
Down, down, down usually is followed by up, up, up and so it was! Up the hill to the village of Stoke Rivers where we saw a linhay being converted into a lovely new house. (A linhay would have sheltered cattle and stored grain). Back along a very muddy farm track where we heard a thrush singing heartily and saw a buzzard being chased off by crows. After brunch we drove to Arlington, a National Trust house which was closed for the winter season but whose grounds were open to walkers although a notice on the gates warned us to keep to paths to avoid spreading some ghastly sounding disease that was affecting oak trees. The walk was another long downhill trail to the river and then up through the woods. The house looked rather gloomy and forbidding with its windows shuttered. Not one of the NT's most attractive properties. After two fairly strenuous walks in one day we felt we'd earned a cream tea. And, after all,you can't be in Devon and not have a cream tea! 'The Corn Dolly' tearoom in South Molton turned out to have the most amazing scones. They were baked in a round and divided into six but each slice probably amounted to two scones in its own right!! Thoroughly sated on cream, jam and scones washed down by excellent tea (the tearoom is a member of the Tea Council) we had a little wander round the small town before returning "home".
Even though we've been having lovely sunny weather, as soon as the sun goes down it gets cold but Anderton House is always wonderfully cozy with its underfloor heating. When the heating was installed in the early 70s electricity was relatively cheap but these days it must cost a fortune to run. Feels good under the bare feet when you get up to visit the loo in the middle of the night!

We had a lazy start to our last full day, content to sit in one of the Eames armchairs, bathed in sunlight and read or just gaze out of the windows. At one point, when I was making a coffee, Anne and Russell spotted a fox running right by the window. We decided to find a pub mentioned in the 'Good Pub Guide' in a small village called Parracombe. The village was at the bottom of a narrow combe with a fast flowing river runnning through it. The pub, "The Fox and Goose", had been a coaching inn and was very unspoilt inside OR stuck in a time warp, whatever your point of view. Again they had a most extensive menu on a blackboard so we all had something good to eat. I chose onion soup and a garlic bread. The soup came with 'crouton' which I expected to be small cubes of fried bread but turned out to half a ciabatta roll covered in melted cheese. The garlic bread was half a baguette covered in cheese and oozing with garlic butter. They obviously cater for ravenous beasts in these parts. Owen and Russell's sausages looked like something Desperate Dan would tackle! Anne had chosen the selection of local cheeses with biscuits which looked really good.
Good local beers on tap and a huge stag's head on the wall hanging directly above a piano which must have been quite unnerving for any pianist!
We needed to walk off the calories so staggered uphill (again!) to the old church of Saint Petrock, now redundant, but open to visitors to admire its 18th century appearance. The old pews rose up towards the back of the church and this was where the musicians would sit.

We had a brief stop at the old station at Woody Bay. In the early days of the Barnstaple and Lynton Railway they tried to develop a resort at Woody Bay complete with Station Hotel and another hotel a couple of miles away by the sea. It never took off. The old station is now HQ for railway enthusiasts who would like to re-open the line and the former Station Hotel is now an impressive private house.
We drove high up on to Exmoor and parked the car and stepped out into an icy wind blowing straight from the Steppes. We found a most amazing walk along the SW coastal path for a mile or so and then turning inland on a narrow path high above the Heddon Valley. Even the sheep must suffer from vertigo up there!
We passed the tiny church at Trentishoe- wonder what their average Sunday turn-out is? Back to the car and then down into the valley for a welcome pot of tea at a beautifully situated hotel. It would have merited some TLC though as its decor was firmly rooted in the 70s- seems to be the theme of the week!

Last night in the Anderton House so Anne and I are entering into the spirit of the thing and dressing in 70s gear. Anne has her dress she wore for her 18th Birthday party in 1975- M & S special- all flowery and long. Mine is borrowed, rather Kimono like in bright green and orange! Russell has valiantly tried to grow a Zapata like moustache but I have to supplement it with eyeliner pencil!
We're having prawn cocktail, chicken (with smoked salmon for the non-meat eaters) and profiteroles, all washed down with Blue Nun- what else!

It's been a great week! We were truly blessed by the weather but we have so enjoyed the Anderton House- great design and attention to detail made the whole experience very special.