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| Torquay 7 Miles |
SHALDON in DEVON
Of all the places in the UK
that I’ve visited, my favourite has to be Shaldon.
That small Devon
village is set on the tidal river Teign - pronounced Teen - just as it joins
the sea at Teignmouth – which is pronounced Tin, so I was informed by the
sunburnt boy who helps to ferry a small boat from one side of the river to the
other, as people have been doing for hundreds of years
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| Teignmouth to Shaldon Ferry |
Whether the journey is long or
short depends on the state of the tide.
But in either case it is always atmospheric; open to the weather and
wonderful to be amongst the mass of other small boats that use the river.
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| Dogs travel Free |
There is no pomp and
circumstance. Simply go down the beach from
either side; walk the narrow plank with a helping hand from the boy and choose
your seat, then take stock of the characters and the dogs that share the
experience with you.
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| Comparing their catch. |
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| Waiting for the tide. |
Shaldon village consists of
wonderful, picturesque houses; some dating as far back as 1620.
It has a village green where the
game of Bowls has been played for centuries; gardens that offer tantalising
glimpses of the sea and public house signs like The Ferryboat and The
Clipper.
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| Rain or shine, the Game goes on. |
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| View from a Private Garden |
With a Post Office and a small
shop; a primary school and a bus service as well as a Botanical Garden and a
small Zoo it must be a very desirable place to live but perhaps we’d need to
win the Lottery first.
