Start Bay 1st to 22nd of August.

Well it may seem strange to be returning to Start Bay CC site so soon, but Zoe needs a holiday and this is where she decided she wanted to go!

This was also our first run in our nice new 63 plate Freelander 2, which we had collected three days before!

Our nice new to us 63  plate Freelander2 with our caravan.
As well as Lizzie sat in the sun!

On Saturday the 1st of August we left home at lunch time and headed on our normal cross country route to the M5 at Taunton. We left late to avoid the horrific holiday traffic on the motorway. This time we had decided to stay at Steamer Quay caravan site in Totnes overnight. We pulled on to the site at about 4.00 and found a pitch.The sum awning was soon up. This is a non electric site so the fridge and water were fired up on gas.
We went into Totnes in the evening for dinner at the Royal Seven Stars Hotel. I have to say it was very good albeit a trifle pricey!  As we do not eat out too often though we felt we could justify it!

The Royal Seven Stars Hotel, Totnes.  A place well worth visiting!
(image courtesy of Google)

In the morning we left the site at 11.00 to head to Start Bay CC site. As it was a Sunday the roads were very clear so we had a trouble free run into the site. We opted for Pitch 25, which is a grass one on the middle level.

We took our time setting up as we were going to be here for three weeks. The weather was very good and we were able to sit out in the hot sun!

Monday was hot so we had a lazy day in the sun.
We then spent the rest of the week going around the area, visiting Bee Sands, Burgh Island and South Milton  Sands.

Burgh Island

Everywhere was very busy with tourists. On one of our trips out it took us over an hour to get as far as Kingsbridge, normally a 15 minute run, as we were following a bus and a large lorry and kept meeting buses and lorries coming the other way. We also met caravanners and motorhomers who could not reverse, as well as people who thought there vehicle was 3 feet wider than it actually was!
We  also visited Modbury CC Site, as this could be a possible future destination for us!

Amy, Tony, Izzy and Freddie were all staying in Paignton, so on Sunday we drove over to see them. We then brought the two children back with us to stay the night as they wanted to stay in Nanny and Pop's caravan.  They stayed with us until Monday lunch time when they were collected by Ami and Tony. I have to say that they were as good as gold!

Freddie surveying the Caravan!

As they left Zoe and Emily turned up for a week, so we got their tent up behind the caravan!
Tuesday saw James, Jade and Jack turn up, as they had decided that they wanted a break as well.  So another tent went up the other side of the caravan! Horror of horrors I had brought the wrong tent, so we had to just put half of it up! Wardens were not over happy about us having two tents up, but as it was only for 4 nights we got away with it!
On Wednesday, Jade, James and Jack went to stay in a hotel in Brixham for one night, and Emily and Zoe went to stay with Ami and co!
Everybody returned the following night, and Jade and co slept in the caravan as it was so wet!
Salcombe was the venue for lunch on Friday, at the Fort!  Very good it was as well!

Salcombe Harbour
I know there are lot of pictures of Salcombe on here,
but it really is a magic place to visit

It was Zoe's birthday on the Saturday, so Emily and her went to Torquay for the night! We had booked them a hotel, and they were going to hit the night life.
James, Jade and Jack finally left on the Sunday morning, and Zoe and Emily returned!
We felt it was like living on a railway station with all the coming and going.
As would soon be my birthday we went to The Fort for dinner on Sunday evening, with Zoe being the chauffeur.

Even if you are 19,you are never too old to go crabbing

Zoe and Emily went home on Monday and life returned to normal.   The tents came down and we had a good clear up.
Thursday was my 65th birthday, so we went into the Meeting Room in Kingsbridge. It had changed owners but was still very good!  We were going to use the bus, but as it was rather wet we drove in!

Friday was still a tad damp. Angela and Alan Feltham came down from Teignmouth to see us!  For more years than I care to admit I worked with Angela!  She moved on from St Johns, but often used to come in to school in one of her new roles.  A considerable time was taken catching up!  We had lunch at the Church Inn, Stokenham, and it was pretty good. They left at about 4.00pm as they were flying to France early the following day  It really was so good to see them. Next time we will drive to Teignmouth to see them!

Saturday was a leisurely clear up day.  Good job we cleared up and took the awning down as the Sunday was wet.

We said farewell to our neighbours!  You get to know people round you quite well on caravan sites if they are there for more than a week!  As soon as the Dartmouth bound bus passed the site, we left and had a good run through to Totnes.  The motorway was awful, so we came off at Wellington and took a leisurely cross country drive home!

Thoroughly enjoyed the time at Start Bay, even though it was so busy for the middle week!

PS.  Sorry there are  so few photographs, but I managed to break 2 cameras!

Nights to date 121