Devon & Cornwall - Day 1

Believe it or not, it was snowing a little in the morning and remained bitterly cold throughout the day. It was also predominantly dull but there was some very pleasant if short-lived sunshine in Okehampton in the afternoon. I went to see my Mum before we started our travels and we left Lee on Solent at the intended time. The machines at Rownhams were rather generous – a profit on this occasion of £134. Roadchef could do better with their services and the poorly maintained Rownhams has nothing to recommend it other than what are known in Las Vegas as ‘loose slots’. The state of the car park surface is shameful.


The drive along the south coast is not a fast route and certainly not at my elderly pace but we had no need to stop at Bridport and continued to Exeter. The dismal airport there with a terminal which is little more than a shelter with a coffee shop, is rarely good for photographs but today I braved a biting wind to get a shot of a Titan 737. A short hop to Exeter services allowed us to use M&S Food for lunch which, as I have previously posted, is about the best bet on the motorways these days.

My main objective of the day was Meldon Quarry near Okehampton where, strangely, there are stored some Southern Region emus, important examples of slam door stock which is very under-represented in preservation. They were clearly visible but difficult to photograph through overhanging trees. I really need to study more closely the focusing options in my camera manual. I was courteously accommodated in a safe position but, obviously, cannot wander around a working quarry and its plant. I have my hi-vis coat which has already paid for itself but could not summon up a hard-hat or steel-capped shoes. Nevertheless I was pleased with what I had seen.

Awkwardly located roadworks at Pipers Pool meant a circuitous route to my brother in law’s farm of which I saw rather little as Greg drove and I slept. I felt the cold could very much restrict our weekend activities but we shall see day by day.