Grey Days and Silver Linings

Where did the summer go? One minute we were open again and greeting old friends in the shop (and also happily meeting many new faces this year, as Dartmouth became one of the hit staycation locations) then the next minute we were closed again :(

Dartmouth doesn't feel quite as apocalyptic as during the first lock down, as there are still a few people around and the odd cafe serving takeaway but after a taste of freedom in summer, life feels a little more grey, with the shorter darker days and no cosy pubs to escape to. But with every cloud there is a silver lining and for us it is the chance to visit old haunts such as the beautiful Lannacombe Beach.

Lannacombe beach, is a beach best visited when no-one else is going to be there. So this Sunday having finished wrapping and packing all our online orders we took the gamble to head there. Since a storm washed more of the road away a few years back, parking has become even more limited than it used to be with now barely space for six cars, so unless you fancy the long drive down there, only to find there is nowhere to park, don’t pick a popular time to visit.

The beach itself changes frequently with sands being swept in and out with the tides and storms. Some days it is a sandy paradise at other times a rock hewn outcrop. This weekend it it was a happy mix of beautiful sand and wonderful rock pools that no matter what time of year we go our kids end up waist deep in them and soaked through.

It is a beach best visited at low or receding tides and if you scramble across the rocks to the right of the beach you will be rewarded with even more secluded coves. From here my crazy wife chose to have a quick swim, something I only do during the peak of summer when I can convince myself the sea has warmed up enough.

There is a wild beauty about Lannacombe and it reminds you that while much of Devon’s coast has a softer landscape than our more rugged Cornish neighbour, there are still parts of our coast that offer that weather beaten landscape. This section of the coast suffers from erosion and over the years we have watched the house above the beach creep ever close to its eventual demise. The second house along from Lannacombe is now also at risk and is the main residence of the musician Kate Bush, allegedly she has been warned to invest in sea defences or lose her house.