Totnes Therapy

This weekend, I planned a trip to Totnes to ensure that I didn't mentally nose dive like the beginning of May.  As I was in Plymouth on Friday seeing my team, my mini-holiday started with drinks with a dear friend sitting in the sun overlooking Plymouth Sound.  He was amused as his granddaughter was sending him jokes from her new joke book, and the one she sent Friday evening was "how do you make a pirate cross?" (answer at end of the blog). He was very excited when HMS DIAMOND came past as he had been at its inauguration.

I then took the train to Totnes, checked into my AirBnB and had supper at the wonderful Tamarind Tree.

On Saturday my treat was a Round Robin with the Dartmouth Steam Railway and Riverboat company.  I set off in Totnes and had a wonderful cruise down the Dart.  I do so need to get on the water at times and the pilot's commentary was hilarious!  I'd found a map in advance so used this to check our route as we headed south.

It was so lovely!

As we neared Dartmouth we saw the Britannia Royal Navy College Dartmouth, and then and Dartmouth itself.

I managed to coincide with Dartmouth's music festival so, once I'd found a Ruth-scrummy lunch of frittata and salad, sat and listened to live jazz in the sun reading the Guardian.  Not too shabby at all.

I was also fascinated by the Dartmouth to Kingswear car ferry.   I hadn't realised that the ferry is propelled by tugs.  What amazing skill to drive a boat that pushes a ferry - hats off to those pilots.

My Round Robin was a river boat to Dartmouth, then a foot ferry to Kingswear, steam train to Paignton and bus to Totnes.  This was the ferry to Kingswear (another boat - how exciting!).

When I got to Kingswear I found old ground, as I'd passed by here on the South West Coast Path.  

However, last time I walked out of here - so taking the train was a treat. I'd never been on this line before and there was lots of nostalgia with the old train compartments. I fully expected Poirot to stroll past at one stage.

We arrived in Paignton and any nostalgia swiftly vanished.  I wandered around briefly, tried to find a benchmark, then waited for the bus.  This turned out to be an open topped bus - how exciting! I sat at the back as we trundled our way through beautiful South Hams back to Totnes.

Walking up from the bus stop through Totnes gave me a chance to enjoy the wonderful architecture.  Apparently, Totnes has the highest percentage of listed buildings in any town in the UK, and I can see why.

Supper was at Ben's Wine and Tapas bar which was super lovely but, yet another business succumbing to high bills and lack of staff availability - I caught it on its last night.

On Sunday I found an amazing egg/spinach fest breakfast at the wonderful Lighthouse Cafe then made my way home via Exeter St Davids.  A really lovely weekend, very salad filled (which makes me realise that's all I need to eat in life!) and, no doubt, very much helped by the sun. I am also grateful for those friends and family who make an effort to keep in touch with me - I appreciate you!

By the way, answer is "irate".  Go on, you did at least smile a bit...