11:21 AM

Day 16 - Oxford and Bath

Today we met my uncle Eddy for breakfast in a little breakfast Cafe that served a mean bacon and eggs.

After this, we walked down to St Mary's Church Tower. St Mary's has one of the most beautiful spires in England and the baroque design porch around, is very ornate. Braedon, Mum, and I climbed to the top tower.

We found ourselves facing a winding, circular stairway that led to the summit, with only a rope to assist us in our ascent. Braedon, full of enthusiasm, was practically racing to the top, while we struggled to match his pace. Unfortunately, luck wasn't on our side, and we couldn't quite keep up with his energetic climb.

I couldn't help but feel a bit anxious about what awaited us at the summit, so both of us were determined to bridge the gap and catch up with Braedon. We finally got to the top and it the wonderful view across the city in all directions. We walked around the different sides and took heaps of photos to make sure we covered everything. We saw Ian and Eddy way down below and waved.

We then made our way down to the Alice in Wonderland Shop and bought some gorgeous drawings and a few other bits and pieces. I fell in love with this little shop.

We then made our way down again and decided to walk up to Christchurch. Christchurch is a unique institution, one of the largest colleges in the University of Oxford, and the Cathedral Church for the Diocese of Oxford. What we wanted to do was look at the Dining Hall where scenes were filmed from the Harry Potter movies. Of course, it only opened at 2.00pm and we needed to make a move.

We continued along from Oxford, making our way to Bideford in Devon. The trip was uneventful which is strange for British motorway driving, but we did take a detour into Bath. Even though time was a bit tight the attraction of the Roman Baths and its reasonable closeness to the M4 drew us in.

The most difficult part was driving through town to the parking area. We parked and walked to the baths through the winding streets full of summer holidaymakers. After reaching the entrance to the baths there was some confusion about lines outside, whether or not they we actually lining up to go in or just milling around. A Kiwi gentleman in front of us went up to check and discovered that the lines were associated with tour groups, so we made our way to the door and stepped back thousands of years to when the Romans were inhabitants of many British cities and towns.

We took the audio tour and they even supplied a children’s version for BT which was a good initiative. The Roman Baths catered for both men and women (in separate baths) using warm spring water that had bubbled up from the bowels of the earth. It also included a steam and smoke room where you could relax and unwind after a hard day of concurring.

They were all extremely interesting and time got away from us a little. We decided to jump into a cab back to the parking station and got back on the road to Devon. We were about two hours behind our schedule but it was thoroughly worth the visit.

We encountered a little light rain on the way down to Bideford but it didn’t dampen our enthusiasm, Braedon was looking forward to being near the beach and Ian to meeting cousins he had only talked to online prior to coming to the UK this trip. We found our hotel the Village Inn pretty easily due to the assistance provided by the Navman.

We checked in about 6pm and due to the long summer days, there was plenty of light to catch an ocean view from our room. There were only four hotel rooms in the inn so while not many stayed there, the regulars at the pub made up the numbers. We met Graham and Kath for dinner at the inn after a get-to-know-you drink and some discussion we decided to stay at the inn and keep chatting. It was like we had known each other for years. We talked and caught up with years worth of stories and tales. Enjoyed a lovely meal and parted company at about 10pm with the view to meeting at Graham and Kath’s for lunch the next day.

We woke reasonably early and had breakfast at the inn. After we took Braedon to the beach as we had promised the evening before. He had promised Kath he would bring her a crab, but not to cook. With the high tide at 8am, there wasn’t too much beach exposed at 9 a.m. The wind was howling through from the southwest with more than a chill in it! We ventured down the many steps to the beach. A photo opportunity was to catch Braedon scramblling cross the rocks. Unfortunately, no crabs are found in the rock pools.

We decided to spend the rest of the morning in one of the most interesting and picturesque village in Devon called Clovelly.

Once upon a time, nestled along the rugged coast of Devon, in the quaint village of Clovelly, a unique tradition thrived that harked back to a bygone era. Here, donkeys played a vital role in the daily life of the community, a tradition that had endured for centuries.

Clovelly was a place frozen in time, its steep cobblestone streets winding their way down to the picturesque harbor below. These streets were so steep that using regular vehicles was practically impossible. That's where the donkeys came in.

In Clovelly, donkeys are not just animals; they were cherished members of the village. Each donkey had a name and a distinct personality, known and loved by all the villagers. They were small, sturdy creatures, perfectly adapted to the village's unique terrain.

Their primary purpose was to transport goods up and down the village's narrow lanes. Merchants would load their cargo onto donkey-drawn sledges, and the trusty donkeys would navigate the steep, meandering pathways with incredible skill. The clatter of their hooves on the cobblestones and the jingle of their bells became the heartbeat of Clovelly, a soothing and reassuring rhythm that echoed through the village each day.

One of the most beloved donkeys in Clovelly was Benny, known for his friendly nature and his knack for brightening everyone's day with a bray and a nudge. He was a favorite among the children, who would eagerly line up for donkey rides around the village, guided by their trusty four-legged companions.

As time marched forward and modernisation threatened to change the face of Clovelly, the donkeys remained a steadfast symbol of the village's heritage and resilience. Generations of donkeys had served the community, and it was clear that they would continue to do so for generations to come.

Clovelly and its donkeys stand as a living testament to the beauty of tradition and the enduring spirit of a community that held onto its roots. In this charming coastal village, the clop of hooves and the bray of donkeys remained a reminder that some things were worth preserving, even in a rapidly changing world.

Braedon agreed to make some pottery for us and we went down to the basement of the shop where he demonstrated his potting skills and sat at the wheel and crafted a beautiful bowl for us.

After this short interlude, we continued down the spectacular winding cobble paths through the village of Clovelly down to the ocean breakwater, stopping periodically to look through the gift shops. Braedon found a playful kitten outside one of the houses to keep him amused for 5 minutes while the ladies were shopping.

Charlie, is ever willing to carry luggage up from The New Inn to the Visitor Centre car park. There is a small charge for the service. Mostly, the donkeys are left free simply to provide pleasure and enjoyment for the many visitors.

During the summer, the donkeys carry children around their meadow at the top of the village or can be found in the woods during the winter. This is how it's done now.