Ann, my neighbour/friend, took me to the dentist yesterday for a check-up and when I came out, she suggested we went for a quick run just to see how things are. I was shocked when we went to Westward Ho! - I hadn't been there for many months and the amount of apartment blocks and housing going up is scary. There has to be around 500 new homes going up - and it had been such a quiet little village. Now it's going for broke - cramming in as many apartment blocks as possible - they all have amazing views though of the beach and bay. At the end of the road at the Tors - there is the "haunted house" as nicknamed by the locals.....

It's an amazing house which has just been bought by a local landowner who is changing it into a conference centre but keeping the essence of the house. Should look fantastic when it's finished. Meanwhile someone has a sense of humour and put up some halloween items on the facade.....

It was very amusing to see, and it can only add to it's nickname!!!

We then drove around the village and saw the tide was out and despite the cold and dull weather, it was surprisingly busy. Not only some hardy (aka daft) souls were surfing but others were walking up and down the beach....


The waves weren't very big so I shouldn't think it was very good for surfing...

We then drove around to Instow which is across the bridge in Bideford and opposite Appledore....

Looking back towards Bideford, there was a break in the clouds and the feeble sun tried desperately to get through....

You can just make out the bridge in the distance....

Appledore shipbuilders are on the right and they are constantly busy building as well as repairing large boats/ships.

Here in Instow - the beach was surprisingly empty compared to Westward Ho! - there were only a few people there with their dogs...

I thought we were going to go back home, but nope - Anne was having fun driving her new car and we went up some lanes I'd never been down and it was amazing to see the views from up the top.....

This is overlooking Westward Ho! with the cliffs and coastline in the misty distance...



This is the view over Crow Point which is very close if you have a boat but it's about 20 odd miles by road!!!! I've only been there once and I really must go again. It had been out of bounds to non-military for years, but now we can go there as the marines have left that area....


Sorry the pictures aren't as crisp and clear as they should be, but the weather was so misty and I was leaning against the car window for stability, but Anne had the car engine going which is probably why they are a bit blurred too. I didn't stand a chance with that and the weather!!!!

We'd been out for nearly 3 hours which was really wonderful of her. She doesn't do much photography but she understands how much it means to me. I mean she went to Norway for a 12 day cruise up the fjords and only took about 40 photos!!!!!!!! I'd have taken around 4,000!!! I'd offered my cam-corder so they could take videos of the fjords but they didn't take it - they did wish they had when they got back though! Instead Anne wrote in a diary of everything they saw and did - photos and videos would have helped her there and also she could re-visit those memories whenever she wanted - oh well never mind.

Emily my new friend/cleaner can't come on Friday as her youngest has got a vomitting and diahhorea bug', so I told her to stay away until he's better. I don't have anything here which is THAT urgent. It's more important that she's there for her little 'un. So a lovely quiet day tomorrow and then it's Formula 1, Grand Prix in Mexico on Sunday with the qualifying on Saturday - sounds good to me.

Have a great weekend folks....