Family holiday in Welcombe Mouth, Devon

Cornwall / Devon is a wonderful part of the UK. Amongst many others of course!. This holiday was to be with Matthew and Vicki plus their gorgeous son Adam. Welcombe was our destination - just inside Devon but right on the border with Cornwall.

Not far along the road from our holiday let was Welcombe Mouth Bay with its lovely waterfall crashing over the edge and running to the sea. Very picturesque! We had some lovely walks just from here.

Looking up the beach to the waterfall.

A good example of the rock strata further along the beach.

Another lovely spot not far away - Hartland Point .....

... this had a bigger waterfall called Wayefalls, and (below) a nearby camping spot - stunning!

If you are in this part of the world, you have to visit Clovelly. It has a harbour and is a tourist attraction notable for its steep pedestrianised cobbled main street, donkeys and views over the Bristol Channel. At the 2011 census, the parish population was 443, which was 50 fewer than ten years previously, according to Wikipedia.

Why would you leave your boat here? 

A storm appeared to be brewing as we walked along the side of the harbour. 

From the end of the sea wall, looking back to the steep incline which characterises this gorgeous village. 

He might have had difficulty walking, but he was going to get his picture. 

Looking back down the hill of Clovelly as we trudged back to the car. 

One of the last places we visited, on the Friday, was the beautiful coastline of Morwenstow.

The eccentric, and reputedly opium-smoking, Reverend Robert Stephen Hawker (or Parson Hawker as he was known to his parishioners) lived here in the mid 1800s. Besides his normal clerical duties, he is renowned for having penned various stirring hymns and for keeping a watchful eye over ships travelling through these dangerous waters from the wooden hut he fashioned from driftwood. Hawker's Hut still perches precariously at the edge of one of the tallest cliffs in the area and is now owned by the National Trust - it is in fact their smallest property. Many a drowned sailor lies in an unmarked grave here, having been dragged up from the shore and given a Christian burial. 

In September 1842 the Caledonia was homeward bound from Odessa, and called in at Falmouth to bury a crewman who had died of wounds suffered during a knife fight in Constantinople. The Caledonia then sailed for Gloucester to unload her cargo of wheat.

As she departed Falmouth a north-westerly gale was raging. At about 1 am on the morning of 8 September the ship's lookout saw waves breaking to leeward on Sharpnose Point, near Morwenstow, Cornwall.

Her captain, Stevenson Peter, shortened sail and tried to stand clear of the shore, but the ship refused to come up and soon hit the rocks at Sharpnose Point. As they hit, the captain ordered the crew to climb into the rigging, but the mast collapsed, throwing them into the sea where they all died. The sole survivor was Edward Le Dain from Jersey who managed to get ashore where a farmer discovered him at dawn. He was taken to the local Rectory where the Reverend Robert Stephen Hawker ensured that he was cared for and nursed back to health. 

The bodies of the other crewmen eventually washed up on the beach and were buried in Morwenstow Churchyard. For some 162 years the white, carved pitch-pine figurehead of the brig was preserved in the churchyard as the headstone of the ship's captain and crew. During that time it was subjected to occasional minor repairs and countless layers of white paint. In 2004 it was found that the passage of time and the often harsh Atlantic weather had taken their toll, so it was removed for a prolonged drying out process, followed by scientific paint analysis and a major restoration. To fund this work, an appeal called The Caledonia Conservation Fund was launched by Morwenstow Parochial Church Council. The decision was made to mount the restored figurehead within the Church, and to create a more weather-resilient replica as the grave marker for the shipwrecked sailors. A service of dedication for the newly installed figurehead and grave marker was held at Morwenstow Parish Church on Sunday, 7 September 2008—the 166th anniversary of the tragedy. It was preceded by a brief act of commemoration held at the top cliff overlooking the shipwreck site, with a piper leading the way across the fields to the Church. The large congregation included nine descendants of Edward Le Dain (the lone survivor), two descendants of seaman Alexander Kent (one of the victims), several Hawker descendants, enthusiasts and scholars, and many local people and holidaymakers. 

The original figurehead from the `Caledonia` is now on the wall in the church

Morwenstow church where Reverend Robert Stephen Hawker kept watch over his `flock`.

On the cliff face just below this spot is Hawker's hut where `Parson Hawker` kept a watchful eye over ships travelling through these dangerous waters

It was a bit misty when we arrived along the coast by Morwenstow. It is a beautiful coastline to walk along or to just stand and stare. 

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Ingleton, Jervaulx Abbey and Ribblehead Viaduct

A mixture of images from more of our Dales exploration starting with a visit to a ruined abbey. Yorkshire certainly has its fair share of these! 

Jervaulx Abbey is the country's largest privately owned Cistercian Abbey, most others being in the hands of English Heritage or National Trust. It is situated in East Witton near the city of Ripon, was one of the great Cistercian abbeys of Yorkshire, England, dedicated to St. Mary in 1156. It is a Grade I listed building. 

At the height of its prosperity the abbey owned half of the valley and was renowned for breeding horses, a tradition that remains in Middleham to the present day. It was also the original home of Wensleydale cheese. In 1279 Abbot Philip of Jervaulx was murdered by 

one of his monks. His successor, Abbot Thomas, was initially accused of the crime, but a jury later determined that he was not to blame, and another monk fled under outlawry. 

Like many of the 900 or so religious building in Henry VIII time, it declined dramatically, as the state reclaimed some of the fabulous wealth the Church had amassed.

The Ribblehead Viaduct or Batty Moss Viaduct carries the Settle–Carlisle Railway across Batty Moss in the Ribble Valley at Ribblehead, in North Yorkshire, England. The viaduct, built by the Midland Railway, is 28 miles north-west of Skipton and 26 miles south-east of Kendal. It is a Grade II* listed structure. It is made up of twenty-four arches of 45 feet (14 m) span, with foundations 25 feet (7.6 m) deep. You just have to take the photo!

And another image this time with a train crossing!

So onto a walk around Ingleton Waterfalls Trail.The Ingleton waterfalls walk in the Yorkshire Dales is one of the most spectacular waterfall and woodland walks in the UK - according to the hardcore walkers! 

The walk is easy to follow and passes Pecca Falls, Hollybush Spout, Thornton Force, Beezley Falls, Rival Falls, Baxen Ghyll Gorge and Snow Falls. The trail leads through ancient oak woodland and typical Yorkshire Dales scenery via these stunning waterfalls and other geological features

Malham Limestone pavement, on the top of Malham Cove. It was as well that we returned here to get a more extensive range of images, because this is an amazing area. See here for our later visit and better images.

Arncliffe village stocks, renovated / rebuilt in 2003. These stocks were built to comply with the law of 1490 requiring every village to have a set of stocks in which those who missed church would be placed to reflect on the error of their ways.

This is a wonderful part of the UK and I can see why people return time and time again. No doubt we will return.

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Richmond, Mukka Meadows and The Buttertubs

On the way to our holiday cottage in Marrick, we stopped at Richmond where we visited the castle and toured the town before doing some shopping. Richmond Castle is the best-preserved example of an early Norman castle in England apparently. Probably begun in the 1070s by Alan Rufus, who had fought at the Battle of Hastings, it was expanded in the 12th century by his great-nephew Conan, who built the keep. By 1540 the castle was derelict, but it later became a popular tourist destination. During the First World War it was used as a prison for conscientious objectors, including the Richmond Sixteen.

Who? - The Richmond Sixteen were a group of "absolutist" British conscientious objectors during the First World War. Conscripted into the British Army in 1916, they refused to undertake even non-combatant military duties. Brought together at Richmond Castle, Yorkshire, most not knowing each other previously, they were transported to France, where they were court-martialled and formally sentenced to be executed by firing squad, but this sentence was immediately commuted to ten years' penal servitude. They were released in 1919.

The view down toward the river from the castle

Looking from the castle toward the town of Richmond

Arriving in Marrick, we found the cottage easily enough, although it was off the beaten track. It was very cosy. This being the view across the garden to the Dales beyond.

Loved these walls just down the road from the cottage.

The washing has to go somewhere to dry! Not ours, I would add.

So, one of the first places we planned to visit was the famous Muker Meadows, which we visited twice in fact, on Sunday, and again on Thursday. 

These meadows are very famous with people coming many miles to see them - well deserved too.

Great sign on a wall near the village pub!

What about this for a narrow bridge?

The Tan Hill Inn is the highest inn in the British Isles at 1,732 feet (528 m) above sea level.

The building dates to the 17th century, and during the 18th century was used as a hostelry by workers digging coal pits, which is reflected in its earlier name, The Kings Pit. It is unusual for its isolation, but it was previously surrounded by miners' cottages. After the closure of the last mine in 1929, and demolition of the associated cottages in the early 1930s, the pub remained open due to the patronage of local farmers and the development of the motor car.

From 1974, boundary changes moved it into County Durham, but this was reviewed in 1987 after much protest, and it reverted to within the Yorkshire boundary. In 1995, the Tan Hill Inn became the first public house in the UK to be granted a licence to hold weddings and civil ceremonies, after new laws were established to allow couples to marry in places other than churches or register offices.

A pretty Dales village nestled in the countryside.

The Dales are certainly a beautiful part of the world. Stone walls and rolling countryside with little villages dotted here and there.

Another place which took our fancy was the Buttertubs which have been formed by water continually running over the rocks. Onto Hawes and a quick visit to the Wensleydale cheese experience. (We will go back here to do the full tour). 

The Buttertubs are a group of fluted limestone potholes, just off the roadside near the summit of the Buttertubs Pass. Why are they called that?

One theory holds that the Buttertubs were so named because travellers over the pass used to lower butter churns down them to keep produce cool while travelling to market, though it is possible that the fluted potholes were just called Buttertubs because they simply look like - er - buttertubs.. 

A stop at Aysgarth Falls proved a bit disappointing as there was very little water flowing through. However, a pleasant place to stop for a while.

Another quaint place we stopped at was Grassington (above) - I loved the cobbled streets!

While wandering the streets we came across this sand sculpture, which I believe was to be part of a competition. Pretty amazing I thought.

View across the beautiful Dales

The oldest sweet shop or candy store in the world. It is the aptly named "Oldest Sweet Shop in England", situated in Pateley Bridge in Yorkshire, UK. It first opened its doors in 1827 and has sold sweets continuously right up to the present day. It also occupies a building dating back to 1661. And yes, that is Rosey - but no sweets!

Foster Back Water Mill. 

Near by, we came across this distinctive water wheel, previously Foster Beck Water Mill. Now disused, it was an old water mill. Once housing a popular pub and nightclub, the old hemp mill has now been converted in to a residential development.

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