Took the missis to Devon for the weekend we have been before but only in a car.
Normally whenever we go away I am always staggered at the weight and size of her suitcase, so her face was a picture when I told her all she needs has to fit into one pannier, this was roughing it!!!
Ferry was booked and off we went. Boarding the ferry the car deck staff were a bit over zealous. As they strapped down the bike wrenching the handle bars down so tight the bars actually moved.
Aarrggghhh!!!! 
The weather was unsettled, the Ferry arrived in Jersey (where we boarded) from St Malo on its way to Weymouth , when we got into the passanger seating area from the car deck we were met by the ferry staff tending a passed out froggie suffering from sea sickness/0\ it was going to be rough!!
Turned out the first leg to Guernsey was the worst and then the next 3 hours I spent out the back of the boat concentrating on not being sick.
Leaving Weymouth our destination for the night was Exmouth , via Lyme Regis and Budleigh Salterton really pleasant ride and the weather was kind it didn’t rain lovely roads but the traffic was busy coaches and caravan city!!
Exmouth from our hotel window
Met by the hotel manager!!
Next day headed up through Exeter and into Dartmoor. I expected Dartmoor to be just a bleak place but it was fantastic full of beautiful twisty woodland roads then up onto the moor itself.
Looks bleak but the sun did shine
Dartmoor if you’ve not been is full of wild horses and sheep that wander on to the roads so you need to be on your guard, fantastic to be so close to the wild animals. Reminiscent of some St Helier night clubs!!
We headed to a village called Holne that Barbara wanted to visit, some of the roads leading there are gravel I am not so used to riding 2 up loaded up and there were a few bum clenching moments I can tell you.
Holne
Popped out of Dartmoor at Buckfastleigh and skirted round onto Plymouth finally arriving in Fowey.
Fowey is a very quaint Devon town on the Fowey estuary stayed in s strange B&B above a café The Dwelling House B&B initial impressions, I didn’t want to stay it was really olde worldy and quirky, Once we got used to the place it turned out to be pretty magical place. The breakfast was probably the best I have ever experienced really top notch and the couple who run it were fantastic!!
Fowey
Next morning was drizzling had planned to ride around the estuary eventually heading east but noticed a small ferry so we jumped on it across the estuary.
Fowey Ferry
On the other side we rode down really narrow lanes it was wet and fairly miserable and I had missed a few turns almost missed the next and really wished that I had but stopped and locked the wheel over to turn into it but somehow leant the bike over past the point of no return /0\
Bike went down with a thump and Barbara went rolling down the road. Didn’t know what to check first the bike or the misssis! Anyhow Barbara was ok she took it well although hurt her knee but not seriously. Turned the engine off and got the bike up only a small scratch on the engine bars and a huge dent to my pride.
Plymouth Ferry
We carried on across towards Plymouth then onto Salcombe for the night decided to go a little upmarket and stayed in the Marine Hotel which had some stunning views . Hotel itself was I little bit tired but under new management and plans were afoot to renovate.
View from Hotel room
Salcombe is a small town, you can pretty much see everything there in about ½ an hour but a lovely place to chill out.
Next morning left early after a nice breakfast and headed for Torquay. Close to Salcombe is Torcross and Slapton Sands the latter is where the US and British army trained for the D Day landings under live ammo conditions and during these manoeuvres sadly a lot of men lost their lives here. There is a US Sherman tank brought up from the sea bed as a memorial. I don’t know why but I failed to get a picture I think the ride across is so great I just simply forgot.
Next town was Dartmouth, we were short on time so it was fairly irritating to ride through cos it looked like a fantastic place to visit but we jumped on the ferry and carried on Barbara wanted to visit Cockinton village just outside Torquay. With its thatched roofs, clotted cream tea cafes and Shire horse drawn carts it’s very picturesque. We stayed for a cream tea before carrying on.
Dartmouth ferry
This is where I realised trusting the ETA on a GPS is not a great idea we had a ferry to catch at Poole and only just 2 hours to get there normally on a GPS your ETA starts moving against you as the journey progresses. I had 7 min to play with on the GPS as we left Torquay and I knew this would evaporate on any traffic hold ups en route. I ditched the planned coastal route already plotted in and stuck in the fastest time possible. I promised Barbara we would be avoiding motorways and going fast prior to the trip, but I had no choice to gun it to Poole and she wasn’t happy. 90mph down the motorway was not her idea of a fun weekend away . Anyhow cut to the chase we made it to the ferry I am fairly sure we were the last vehicle to check in. about 20 minutes late.
All in all a really nice weekend away and although Barbara’s initiation into biking was almost ruined by the final motorway experience we both had a great time and she is very keen to go again \0/
Normally whenever we go away I am always staggered at the weight and size of her suitcase, so her face was a picture when I told her all she needs has to fit into one pannier, this was roughing it!!!
Ferry was booked and off we went. Boarding the ferry the car deck staff were a bit over zealous. As they strapped down the bike wrenching the handle bars down so tight the bars actually moved.
The weather was unsettled, the Ferry arrived in Jersey (where we boarded) from St Malo on its way to Weymouth , when we got into the passanger seating area from the car deck we were met by the ferry staff tending a passed out froggie suffering from sea sickness/0\ it was going to be rough!!
Turned out the first leg to Guernsey was the worst and then the next 3 hours I spent out the back of the boat concentrating on not being sick.
Leaving Weymouth our destination for the night was Exmouth , via Lyme Regis and Budleigh Salterton really pleasant ride and the weather was kind it didn’t rain lovely roads but the traffic was busy coaches and caravan city!!
Next day headed up through Exeter and into Dartmoor. I expected Dartmoor to be just a bleak place but it was fantastic full of beautiful twisty woodland roads then up onto the moor itself.
Dartmoor if you’ve not been is full of wild horses and sheep that wander on to the roads so you need to be on your guard, fantastic to be so close to the wild animals. Reminiscent of some St Helier night clubs!!
We headed to a village called Holne that Barbara wanted to visit, some of the roads leading there are gravel I am not so used to riding 2 up loaded up and there were a few bum clenching moments I can tell you.
Popped out of Dartmoor at Buckfastleigh and skirted round onto Plymouth finally arriving in Fowey.
Fowey is a very quaint Devon town on the Fowey estuary stayed in s strange B&B above a café The Dwelling House B&B initial impressions, I didn’t want to stay it was really olde worldy and quirky, Once we got used to the place it turned out to be pretty magical place. The breakfast was probably the best I have ever experienced really top notch and the couple who run it were fantastic!!
Next morning was drizzling had planned to ride around the estuary eventually heading east but noticed a small ferry so we jumped on it across the estuary.
On the other side we rode down really narrow lanes it was wet and fairly miserable and I had missed a few turns almost missed the next and really wished that I had but stopped and locked the wheel over to turn into it but somehow leant the bike over past the point of no return /0\
Bike went down with a thump and Barbara went rolling down the road. Didn’t know what to check first the bike or the misssis! Anyhow Barbara was ok she took it well although hurt her knee but not seriously. Turned the engine off and got the bike up only a small scratch on the engine bars and a huge dent to my pride.
We carried on across towards Plymouth then onto Salcombe for the night decided to go a little upmarket and stayed in the Marine Hotel which had some stunning views . Hotel itself was I little bit tired but under new management and plans were afoot to renovate.
Salcombe is a small town, you can pretty much see everything there in about ½ an hour but a lovely place to chill out.
Next morning left early after a nice breakfast and headed for Torquay. Close to Salcombe is Torcross and Slapton Sands the latter is where the US and British army trained for the D Day landings under live ammo conditions and during these manoeuvres sadly a lot of men lost their lives here. There is a US Sherman tank brought up from the sea bed as a memorial. I don’t know why but I failed to get a picture I think the ride across is so great I just simply forgot.
Next town was Dartmouth, we were short on time so it was fairly irritating to ride through cos it looked like a fantastic place to visit but we jumped on the ferry and carried on Barbara wanted to visit Cockinton village just outside Torquay. With its thatched roofs, clotted cream tea cafes and Shire horse drawn carts it’s very picturesque. We stayed for a cream tea before carrying on.
This is where I realised trusting the ETA on a GPS is not a great idea we had a ferry to catch at Poole and only just 2 hours to get there normally on a GPS your ETA starts moving against you as the journey progresses. I had 7 min to play with on the GPS as we left Torquay and I knew this would evaporate on any traffic hold ups en route. I ditched the planned coastal route already plotted in and stuck in the fastest time possible. I promised Barbara we would be avoiding motorways and going fast prior to the trip, but I had no choice to gun it to Poole and she wasn’t happy. 90mph down the motorway was not her idea of a fun weekend away . Anyhow cut to the chase we made it to the ferry I am fairly sure we were the last vehicle to check in. about 20 minutes late.
All in all a really nice weekend away and although Barbara’s initiation into biking was almost ruined by the final motorway experience we both had a great time and she is very keen to go again \0/
Sorry about your off.
When did you go, it doesn't look too white there?
