Around and about

There had been a lot of rain overnight, but while it was still overcast, it had dried up by the time we rose from bed. We rarely sleep well on our first night away, probably because we eat later, and, of course, there is a new bed to which we must become accustomed. It was no surprise, therefore, that I was up and about at 6:30.

We met up for breakfast at 9:00 and lingered over the tea, the toast, and breakfast itself. We then headed down into town where Jane and Trevor split off for their shopping and Di and I got on with ours. Though they are not meant to be open on Mondays, we saw that The Art Den was occupied. We took the opportunity to pop in. It turns out that our frame may arrive Tuesday or Wednesday, in which case we could take the picture home with us. I left my phone number so that they can call to let us know. We also lingered in a card shop (Cards@83) which had a fairly eclectic selection of cards for all occasions. We left clutching a pile of cards. Our next stop was Gliddons, the cook shop. They sell all sorts of cooking utensils and paraphernalia and is a “must-visit" shop for every trip to Sidmouth. My objective for this trip was to get some new sieves. Finally, we raided Fields, the department store.

We made our way back to the hotel where we grabbed a drink in the lounge before our next adventure. Diane and Jane headed back into town for an afternoon shopping. Trevor and I put on our walking boots, and headed out for a walk. We headed west from the hotel, passing the Connaught Gardens and continuing up Peak Hill.

Though it wasn't far, horizontally, it was a challenging climb. As we walked, we had to stop a couple of times to catch our breath, but we could always use the view as an excuse. Looking east, of course, revealed Sidmouth nestling in the valley.

Looking west, we could see the cliffs below us and across Ladram Bay. The views were wonderful, and when we reached the top (184 metres), we took a couple of minutes to rest before turning back.

There was a light shower as we walked back down the hill. It wasn't enough to warrant a diversion for shelter, or even to don a hat.

We walked through the Connaught Gardens, along the Millennium Walkway, and then continued along the Esplanade, all the way to the red cliffs at the eastern limit of town.

As we walked, the light showers and afternoon sun put on a display. The rainbow was really quite vivid.

Eventually, we turned back to the hotel and settled in the lounge with a beer while we discussed the migration of data and photos from Trevor's old phone to a new device.

The girls eventually joined us for a pot of tea before we returned to our rooms to get ready for dinner. Last night's choice for both of us was the Braised Feather Blade of Beef, which was sensational.

After dinner, we sat and chatted in the lounge for a while, before headed back to our rooms. It had been another lovely day