Howard at the helm - proud new owner!!

‘Billy’ my 16 foot clinker built estuary launch made in the Exmouth based Camperdown Terrace Boat sheds belonging to Geoff Holman in 1949 is sold…………after lovingly restoring her to her former glory over several years and loads of fun trips up the river to The Turf Locks, The Anchor and Ship at Cockwood and more frequently to The Globe Inn at Lympstone I have sold her on to a chum called Howard from S.Wales.

‘Billy’ at her Camperdown Terrace Creek Mooring

‘Billy’ had been a commercial fishing launch used by a chap called Larry since first commissioned and he regularly fished off the Exe towards Straight Point one way and Teignmouth the other, netting and hand-lining for a living over several decades. When he died his nephew Paul took her on and I bought her from Paul about 4 years ago. I had loads of fun on her and although she was my first boat and I was very proud of her I wasn’t able to use her as much as she deserved and felt obliged to allow others to keep an eye on her all too often. When she was inadvertently scuppered on her moorings one day when the obliging chum forgot to replace the bung in after draining the rain water and sea water ingress (she’s an old boat and they all take up a little water through the decking planks) and she was forlornly left with the tide up to her gunnel’s and little else showing………..then I knew it was time to sell her on.

I sold her with sadness and natural regret…………she was my first boat and I was very proud to have owned her and to had a lot of fun for a few years restoring her………..no matter, she now belongs to a good friend of mine and no doubt we’ll both take her out fishing together now and again and spin dits, drink beer and maybe even catch the odd Sea Bass and mackerel or two………..hope so!!

Every boat owner should have a good looking crew!!

‘Before’ and ‘After’ - Ian’s trusty Fergie T20’s at the Bridford Tractor Rally and Beer Festival

Chugging down the road all of a mile and a half to the Dunsford Straight on the first of my 2 antique exhibits was a ‘Boys Joy’ - with trailer in rear to house the trusty bike to get me too and fro over the W/E I hit top  ‘comfortable’ speed of about 15mph as I approached the muddy but drying rapidly site entrance………………..traffic wardens aplenty I bounded in and took up station in the second field with about 30 other far smarter agricultural tractors and similar engines ranging from 1905 to the more modern 1960’s I suppose.

I pedaled back via the Beer Tent and my first sippers of the day looking for the Secretary in order to book in and register my 2 x trusty charges………..and then went back home to collect the other and returned………bike in the link box this time on Fergie 2.

This was the second Bridford Rally and building on last years show, the organisers are to be congratulated on another excellent event…………although still sufficiently damp underfoot for the Steam Engines to remain on their trailers sadly and despite a glorious warm dry and sunny Sunday there they remained because at 65tons dead weight they simply wouldn’t do anything but churn up the field wherever they went and their modern trailers would invariably get stuck whilst manoeuvring in and out of the site entrance on the damper Friday afternoon.

The Beer Tent run by The Bridford Inn team was magic………….20 odd real ales to sample, locals propping up the bar and many a long tale was spun across the Weekend.

I met up with a Teign Valley Pedal Basher called Father on the Sunday afternoon and we regaled in stories of yesteryear when he was working the land and used to drive the likes of my T20 for real ploughing and earning a living from the soil………..he’s a great character and he and his wife Mudsie have sampled many a drop of Scrumpy Cider at my place over the years pulling in at various Cycle Cider  Gatherings.

It’s always a fun day out at these events and this years Bridford Vintage Tractor Rally and Beer Festival was no exception - roll on next year!!

Ian and a Teign Valley Pedal Basher called ‘Father’ line up with Fergie T2O’s at the Rally

Jane Simants - with ‘Henrietta’ (hung temporarily on loo door!!)

Jane Simants an extraordinarily gifted local artist and her husband Geoff delivered the second highly acclaimed and very popular nude life drawing titled ‘Henrietta’ to Orchard Barn B&B recently……..Ian Corner the new owner is absolutely delighted with his recent purchase…………. designed to add beauty, art and culture in The Snug and as company for ‘Anna’ bought at Jane’s 2007 exhibition.

Jand and Geoff Simmants- with ‘Henrietta’

Jane exhibited her latest works of art at the Devon Open Studios using Eastern Hill Farm as her venue………she held a private preview for selected friends and family the day before opening to the general public and I was fortunate enough to be invited to take wine and nibbles with a select number. Like everyone else present at this event, I was immediately taken by Jane’s talent and artistic eye for detail and beauty………..she exhibited a large number of drawings, pictures and illustrations depicting her broad array of skills and talents.

I spotted ‘Henrietta’ straight away once I entered the workshop half of her exhibition and mindful of the short period of time I had in hand, I even declined to listen to John the owner delivering a fascinating account of how he built the barn with his own oak from the farm…..in favour of appreciating with joy what is now my second Life Study adorning my Snug wall.

Jane is a gifted artist and I commend her work to you all…………and look forward to her next exhibition in 2009!!

Jane with ‘Anna’ in front of The Snug fire

Blaster (left) with Broken Man and Flossie - coffee stop at Megavissie Harbour

Jack Smith as Tour Manager and Ian Glendinning as Route Master (ably assisted by Flossie as Shep’) pulled off yet another brilliant Cornish Cycle Tour last week………….known as the Cornish Millionaires Cycle Tour (only because we all stayed in hotels and dined in luxury rather than penny pinch and cut corners) this tour started with a grand late Breakfast at Jack&Mary’s at Bovey Tracy and a gathering of the 21 cyclists.

Day 1 took the troop to Tavistock via Chagford, Whiddon Down and lunch near Brentor Church, ending at The Bedford Hotel where we dined in the Trafalgar Suite in style with one enormous table fit for a Ladies Night in the Officers Mess…………Jack as Master of Ceremonies led the entertainments, sing-songs, jokes and anecdotes with aplomb and set the scene for an hilarious evening.

Wifi (left) and Trucker after luncheon Day 1 (Tuna on Brown!!)

Day 2 and we crossed from Devon to Cornwall and after an untold number of never ending hills we all fell into the Old Ferry Inn at Fowey for several Riojas and Tribute Ales…………….dits a-plenty and many a sing-song later and we then took the ‘furry’ across to The Ship Inn with a split party and dined at The Harbour Lights. Top Table took wine as usual with the riff-raff and MofC excelled himself as usual with Charles’s (Wifi) solo going down a treat!!

Crossie (you normally see him with Union Jack at Twickenham) and Twiggie take a break

 Day 3 took us to Falmouth via lunch at Dobwalls where Cornish Earlies were the favourite dish of the Hat-Rack Day…….following tea we took another ‘furry’ across to The Rope House where Jack spun his now infamous ‘Take me back to the first roundabout’ joke…..Dinner was at a local restaurant known as ‘Two Short’ which looked after us well. Wifi took The White van for a gay old spin with all the luggage and a magic carpet following an Achilles heal problem!!

Day 4 took us to St Ives via lunch at another Ship Inn at Portloe and a memorable pici stop at Godrieve Lighthouse overlooking the Hayle Sands………..and straight down to the Sloop Inn for a few end of day wets, a short dip in the harbour followed by settling into the Chy-An-Albany Hotel for another fun evenings entertainment.

Wallie (Miss UK’s better looking other half!!) with Godrevie Lighthouse in the background

Day 5 took most of us to Mousehole for lunch and The Tinners Arms at Zennor for a beer before the final CTP on Blasters balcony and the well choreographed dance after dinner where Jack excelled himself once again with his footwork and jiving skills aplenty.

The Trusham Bus with bikes!!

Having checked out on the Sunday morning we loaded 13 bikes onto The Trusham Bus and 8 of us returned after a fantastic break………..198 miles all up and so many jokes and laughs and fun moments. Brilliant - I’ve signed up to next years Tour already. Our thanks to Jack and Ian G in particular.

Debbie at Charlestown in Cornwall

During her stay at Orchard Barn Debbie took a trip down to Cornwall and did a double visit to both Charlestown with the Tall Ships in the Harbour and also the Eden Project. It’s only an hour and 5 mins in the car between Orchard Barn and the Eden Project and a lovely drive down the A30 across Bodmin Moor.

She had a lovely day in the sunshine and having never been to either location thoroughly enjoyed them both ..especially as it was sunny for once!!

Other guests staying that W/E were Sarah and Julian from Woodbridge in Suffolk……….old friends en route to stay with family in the West Country and braking their journey with me. I was treated to a delightful sups at the Drew Arms in Drewsteignton……..always a great pleasure to go there and their Otter Ale 4.5% is spot on too!!

Simon and Julian in the garden at Orchard Barn

Julian on The Famous Stepping Stones

Maria from Romania (left) and her 2 Chech friends both called Martina admire the local Alpaca’s en route to Mortonhampstead Carnival on Dartmoor

Whilst the short ride was mostly uphill we were overtaken by 4 different John-o-Groats to Lands-end parties of clearly much fitter cyclists…………….anyway, whilst dwelling a pause to catch our breath and to admire the local Alpaca’s I took this pic for fun.

We then got to The White Horse for a couple of well deserved pints of Otter Ale and I left the girls to tour around thereafter as I pedaled back to greet new guests. The pub was welcoming and in walked 4 Statue Players in their silver spray finery all gagging for a pint………….but were willing to pose for the camera nonetheless!!

Maria celebrated her 32 Birthday with a BBQ and some 9 friends from the Dunsford Mill complex and a lovely elderly lady she met whilst lost walking in the local woods shortly after arriving………and a jolly time was had by all as we sampled her Romanian dips and delicacies which accompanied the grilled bean-feast. She’s off back to Barcelona tomorrow after a wonderful stay having toured many of Dartmoor’s beauty spots both on foot and by bike and sampled many an ale in the local pubs. She’s been a fun guest and a pleasure to have at Orchard Barn.

Mortonhampstead Carnival Silver Statues pose at The White Horse Inn

Leigh Ricketts from Telford cycles from Lands End to John O Groats

Taking the approved route, Leigh Ricketts cycling on his own and raising money for Cancer Research booked into Orchard Barn B&B at Dunsford on night two of the daunting and challenging ride from England’s Toe to Tip…………following advise from the planning web to stay at Dunsford after crossing Dartmoor on Day 2 of the 14 Day ride Leigh wrote to me several months ago at the early stages of his route planning and booked in.

It was a tough second day and the wind whilst behind him was none the less unsettling as it blew him about as he cycled round and dodged the sheep, cattle and ponies on the moorland roads across the wilds of Dartmoor. he arrived knackered at 4pm after some 55 odd miles that day and was welcomed with a hot shower followed by tea and later on chocolate cake with Ian and other guests sat at the kitchen island.

After catching up with e-mails and home calls, update on Olympic progress on the TV and a lengthy chat, a sound nights sleep and a 9am hearty breakfast with another fun couple staying, Leigh set off at 1000 am the next day for day 3 and heading for Street in Somerset.