Agatha Christie's Greenway to the Shores of Exmoor (and Beyond)

We have had a busy couple of days.  Yesterday was Kay's birthday so it was all about her.  She wanted to visit Greenway.  This was the "holiday" home of Agatha Christie and where the Poirot  Dead Man's Folly was filmed.  It is on what is known here as the "English Riviera".  It really is a beautiful piece (30 acres) of property that is on the Exe River.  It was a beautiful day and we enjoyed high tea in the house kitchen.  We walked down to the boathouse which was where the "murder" in the above referenced book was committed.  The magnolia trees, camellias, daffodils, snowdrops, bluebells and many things we didn't know were in bloom.  When touring the house we noticed that she or her husband collected strange things.  Kay wanted to also see a castle on her birthday so the only one on the way was Powdersham and sadly it was closed.  But we could see it or really she got her wish.  It was a lovely day and I think Ms. Kay enjoyed her birthday.  On the way home we drove along the coast so we could see the towns on this side of the bay.  We pass through several seaside villages and loved seeing how different they were from each other.  She wanted to go out for dinner and we couldn't come up with a place that wasn't too far away.  We went to the Thirsty Farmer in the village of Whimple.  It was a happening place.  After we were seated there were no empty tables and it was full and standing room only at the bar.  George again took us on an adventure coming home yet another way....but we made it.  Had to laugh as Charlie was outside when we came back and the police pulled up the drive shortly after we did.  We found out this morning that they were lost.....this really made us laugh.

Kay's birthday photo!

Lawn overlooking the river

Kay sitting at Agatha's Steinway

This is for you Paige!

Closed...bummer
 

Today we decided to explore the north Devon shore.  Charlie and Julia gave us a map and some advice and we took off.   There were lots of beautiful things to see on the way up and we took lots of pictures.  It was hours of one lane roads...it took us way longer that we had thought.  Kay was suffering from the drive but once we were able to get out of the car and move around, she was fine.  We first stopped at a place called Porlock Weir.  Interesting little place where the local Inn had quite the humorous pieces outside...an assortment of gorillas, a sheep and an apparent child head first in a planter...but when we looked inside, it was a very formal setting in the restaurant.  After we walked around and took some photos, we headed back to Porlock.  This is a cute village with a main street and shops so we decided we would have lunch here.  We stopped at Mrs. Jackson's Tea Room and it turned out to be a quaint little place.  The lady that owned it was no longer Mrs. Jackson but was very pleasant and fun to talk.  Kay wanted to walk to the shop down the street that had sweaters for sale and she tried one on but she didn't like it.  The day started out sunny but now the clouds have moved in and as we walk back to the car it has started to rain.  Kay wanted to drive further across the coast to a place called Lynton.  The drive there was an amazing array of the most bazaar topography that we have ever seen.  We kept going up mountains and at one point the ocean was on the right side after a major drop off and on the left was a valley that was so deep we couldn't see the bottom.  It was excessively windy and cold...the photos will explain.   When we left Lynton to head home it was through landscape that more resembled something that you would see on the moon rather that here.  It was eerie and kind of scary for awhile as we didn't even see another car for a long while.  As you can tell, we made it back and George yet again surprised us with a new way to get there.  It has been a long day but wow did we see some amazing things!

Our local Thirsty Farmer Pub

 

This is a working lock system

 

 

Cliffs between Porlock and Lynton

 

Moss covered trees

People surfing at Lynton...brave souls

Moon scape

Rider in training

Pheasant in the moonscape

 I was glad to find out that my family made it home out of the I-85 nightmare even though they missed the concert.  They were safe and that's what matters and Paige made the JV Cheer Team for her first year at Kell next fall...congratulations Lil P!

Kay and I have been here for a week today and have done so many things!  Well done us!