Those cheap train fares are too good to miss. It's likely to be showery so today's a good day to be warm inside a GWR carriage, or pub near to the destination station. So the plan is: take the bus to Plymouth Station, catch the first sensible train out, somewhere!

Oh, that's better, first night we've not frozen our derrieres off. Let's hope the weather is improving. Boring stuff to start with. Our journey since Exeter has been marvelously exempt of decent food shops. Even Lynton didn't have much, certainly not a decent butcher or baker open when we walked

Funny how things change. Just a couple of days ago we were thinking of cutting this trip short because of the cold. Today we extend our stay on this site by another 3 days, until the weekend. Riverside campsite in Plymouth did indeed have spaces, so here we are. Liz

The holiday is reprieved (for now) - Riverside campsite in Plymouth has spaces. Oh, and it's the weekend. This means another CAMRA heritage pub, The Drew Arms in Drewsteigton is open at lunchtime (evening only most of the week). Not only that but it is smack next to the National

Well, landlord Andy was true to his word and we were chauffered the few miles to Umberleigh station in his Subaru, with him cursing the (probably tourist) driver in getting doing a mere 40mph on this 60-limit road. Mind you I'm not sure if I'd have been much better, this

No fixed plan apart from to avoid the cold and wet/hail. So a slow morning getting off-site. Liz manages to snap the pair of dippers on the river, and bidding the warden farewell she informs me that otters have also been spotted. Sadly not by us though. Meander across

It's warm here! In bed that is, it's freezing outside. So we don't get out of bed until 11! To be fair we were asleep until gone 10. We may not have walked far yesterday but it was hard work. Skulked around in the van doing craft things whilst the

Well, the weather's turned. Let's face it, it was cold and 'orrible yesterday, today is just colder and 'orribler (and haily). Have been introduced to God's timpani section during the night where the hail beat upon the van with a syncopation to make Buddy Rich envious, it set the mood

A pair of dippers flash past the van door. How's that for a start to the day! Pay the warden and get the local info - although we have the walk into town sussed after last night's pub visit and going into town is a must - we want to

Travelling day. The bus goes out past the pub to Chagford. We check the map and there's no obvious route in the maze of twisty white roads. Fearing getting sucked in to an ever narrowing eel-tap, we opt for going in the opposite direction, back towards Exeter. Liz, once again,

So, thanks to the pub we can leave the van and catch the bus into Exeter. First question "Where's the bus stop?". It's a narrow road but in front of the house opposite the pub (the nice thatch I photographed yesterday) it widens slightly. "Yes, that's the place" we are

Day 1 is driving day. Or, since this is England, driving for a bit, sitting in a traffic jam for a bit, repeated. Still not too bad. An 11:15 start, closest we've been to our "I want to be on the road by 11" yet. 112 miles, over an