December 2015 – Putsborough

Following a successful visit to the consultant and a session of chemotherapy a tired, but otherwise fit, Gerry set off with Annie for a week at Putsborough Sands in North Devon.  We stayed in the same apartment as last year and once again our neighbours from Fairford, Glenda and Keith, were in the flat above ours.  We were also (as last year) the only occupants of the block. The view from our apartment was amazing. As well as a small balcony there was even a full length picture window in the main bedroom. The views were fantastic.

Putsborough Beach stretches some 3.5 km to Woolacombe and must be one of the finest anywhere.

In December it certainly was not crowded and as one photo below shows hardly anyone to see.  If you magnify the photo you can make out about 6 people and a couple of dogs. No surfers are visible but surfers visited the Putsborough end of the beach every day and it is clearly a very popular surfing venue.

We enjoyed breakfast in the beach cafe on Saturday morning and then walked along the beach to Woolacombe.  The wind, fortunately, was behind us as it whipped up the sand to create a mini sand storm. In Woolacombe we enjoyed a coffee before heading back into the wind but along the cliff path rather than the beach.  It was bracing!  The four of us enjoyed a day travelling by bus from the local village to Appledore and a day travelling on the train from Barnstaple to Exeter.

I was amazed at the blend of very old buildings with modern in the town centre.  There was also a delightful Christmas market in the cathedral precincts. On another day Annie and I walked to Baggy Point from Croyde and then did another walk along the cliff path towards Woolacombe and returned along the beach to Putsborough.

We thoroughly enjoyed our time in Devon and the company of our friends. The weather was kind to us except for one day but that did not cause any problems.

Thank you Glenda and Keith for your company and thanks also to Glenda and Annie for producing some wonderful meals with seemingly minimal effort.