Highway to Meldon and Lydford

We headed off to Meldon Reservoir bright and early this morning - the reason? you might ask... Sally-Ann and Mike said it was important that we walk on Dartmoor before we leave! It wasn't until the afternoon I realised that we had been walking on Dartmoor all week and they had conned me LOL!

It was a beautiful and crisp day. We needed our hats, gloves and scarves, but it was so worth it. Having taken in the view for a while, we headed on towards Lydford to find somewhere to have some lunch.

The Highwayman, is somewhere that Sally-Ann and Mike had been to on one of the MX-5 drives that we had not been able to attend, and it was worth a visit, as it was so unique.

The front porch is painted as a carriage, and as you opened the doors, it is all decked out as the inside of a carriage, with red leather seats and straps to stop the carriage from toppling you over. Through another door and you are into the most strange and wonderful world.

White witches, fairies and goblins would be most welcome in this rambling Inn. Everywhere you turn you can find another annex to the room, each with a different function for example a wishing well room!

The ceilings are low and the rooms dark, as you would expect in such an old building. There are little fairy and goblin ornaments everywhere, and the landlady is such a lovely lady, and somehow goes perfectly with the pub, if that makes sense! Once again the dogs were welcomed inside and given a little treat each for being good boys!


Even the outside of the building wants to draw you into it's story

At the foot of one of the drainpipes you can find a tiny carved mouse with a welcome mat at the door of his home

before coming onto the car park, where there is a crooked little house for children to play in

A sight to behold, and certainly worth a visit, and a prawn sandwich in the bar while you explore!

Once our bellies were full, we continued on to Lydford Gorge

and much, much more walking.

Dartmoor is such an intriguing place to visit. The countryside is incredible, and the gorges and waterfalls draw you in so that you shut your mind the the outside world and just enjoy the nature that is surrounding you.

Some of the pathways required you to hold onto the railing so that the drop on the other side of you didn't take you with it,

but the dogs held no fear, and sniffed and cocked their legs to their hearts content, until Fred came across this bridge with a metal grating for the floor and the rushing water of the Devils Cauldron below us

his little ears went down, and he squatted his tummy as close to the grating as possible as he crept across

We finished this section of the Gorge and stopped off to get some Devonshire cream teas, and then drove on up to the far end of the gorge, where Paul walked down to the White Lady falls, while the rest of us stayed in the car, as we were worn out

He was so glad that he had made the walk, but as he arrived back at the car, he was somewhat red in the face with the effort of the climb back up!

Another day was now over, and tomorrow was to be a quiet day, as our caravan awning was to come down, in readiness for the drive home on Saturday.