Hello Again!
Well, it’s been a fair while since I last updated the Journal, back in March. They’ve been a strange few months for us all I think, one way or another. But the crucial thing is that – some 14 weeks since our last guests checked out – here we are: open again! Hurrah!
The Area Remains Lovely
The lockdown gave Helen and I the opportunity to do some more coastal path walking. It really is a treat to be living so close to the south coast. I have selected a few photos for you to peruse to, I hope, give you a taste. The weather changed from positively dreary, which you can see by the crashing waves of Meadfoot Beach, to barmy summer nights just four weeks later. The other photos were taken walking above the River Dart from Galmpton Creek to Kingswear, passing Greenway House enroute.
Look Behind You!
Not content with walking the coast paths, we’ve also been cycling around south Devon. While were were closed we had the opportunity to cycle the River Exe trail from Dawlish to Exmouth. It’s just a (relatively) short 36 mile round trip, but it’s a decent, enjoyable route. You’d have thought we’d know better but we did make the basic error of putting our packed lunch on a beer table while we secured our bikes. By the time we’d turned around our sandwiches had been stolen by a flock of seagulls. Not our finest moment! And, of course, during the lockdown all the cafes and pubs were closed. The result: rumbling stomachs all the way home.
Meanwhile …
It’s not all been getting out and about. We have been busy with paint brushes, planting, mowing and cutting hedges over the last few weeks. The garden has been a mammoth task – everything’s growing amazingly well. An upside to the lockdown is that we could potter without getting in any guests’ way. And, say it ourselves, the garden is now looking great. We’re looking forward to sharing it again with guests lazing on our terrace.
We Did, So You Don’t Have To!
Now, I doubt whether I could persuade anyone to do this but I`d been told there is a magnificent sunrise on Oddicombe beach – the beach at the bottom of Babbacombe Downs. So, during lockdown, Helen and I set the alarm for 4.45 and drove the five minutes to the beach to take in the sunrise at 5.10. I hope you like the photos. It was a wonderful thing to do, but I both hope and suspect our pictures will the closest you get to a South Devon sunrise while you’re on holiday here!
Safe Pleasure – Boring But Important
As you’d expect, we have written our Covid-19 Policy for guests. You can be sure we’re ‘Good To Go’ and accredited by ‘Visit England’.
We’ve had to introduce some changes of course, not least our wonderful breakfast buffet is no longer! (We are, instead, providing breakfast over two sittings.) And the words we’ve all come to know – social distancing and hand cleansing – apply while you’re on holiday too.
But, crucially, despite these changes we’re aiming to ensure staying with us remains a relaxing, enjoyable experience. We can all both remain safe and have a good holiday.
(If you would like to read the full Policy you can click here – though I’m not sure it makes for great bedtime reading.)
And that’s it for this update. Here’s to a new, positive normality – a normality that includes holidays!
We hope to see you soon.
Peter and Helen.
