I then decided to go to Appledore because I thought that Instow, having a beach, would be busy. So I drove to Appledore and found a parking space immediately at the end of a line of parked cars. Having a disabled badge means I can park most places so I did!!!!
I saw this sign opposite where I was sitting - hmmm that's something I could maybe try???? NOT
So I leant against the railing to see what everyone was up to down the slipway....
There were people catching crabs and also people waiting for the ferry to go across the river to Instow.
Yep it was certainly a day for families to do things together. There was one father and son having a great time catching some crabs and putting them in the bucket, then I realised the kid had strolled off leaving dad having a great time on his own.......
I looked across at Instow and saw this.........
Hardly any cars and not many people on the beach - I could have gone there and sat on the sand - oh well never mind......
I then noticed that the lifeboat was coming in bringing in a crippled yacht - obviously the yacht needed help to get back to the marina. I'm so glad we have these volunteer lifeboatmen.......
Then I decided to move along towards West Appledore to get better views. Did I mention some idiot decided to park up close to my rear end??? It's been some years since I had to get myself out of a tight parking space so it was with a bit of trepidation that I started doing the forwards, backwards, forwards, backwards etc movement. I got out!!!!!!! and all cars are still in the same condition!!!! Someone did mention that bumpers on cars are there for the very thing - to bump into, but I didn't use them.
I drove along the quayside and went into the huge carpark that's been built at the end. It used to be water, but they've built outwards and have now got lots of places for the cars to stay, also buses and coaches to park, which alleviates the crush on the quayside.
It's a lovely view up the river towards Barnstaple. Appledore sits on the very joining of two rivers. The one between Instow and Appledore where I was earlier is the River Torridge and it goes down to Bideford, the one above is the River Taw which comes from Barnstaple...... both rivers then go to the sea meeting at the bar........
There's a really tiny stony beach at the end of the carpark and the beginning of Irsha Street, you might remember I told you about this street, which is so tiny and most of the houses are all painted different colours..............
These are the back gardens of some of the houses in Irsha Street facing the rivers...... can you imagine having that view every day?
This is Appledore Church where I actually got married.............. and where my dad is interred in the graveyard.........
This used to be my old school where I attended for only 6 months or so when we first moved to Devon from Wales. I think it's being renovated and changed into a couple of houses........
This playing area in the carpark is exactly where it used to be when I was young, in fact that swingset is in the same place it was in 1973 where I used to take Mandi and Tony when they were toddlers............
You can see Mandi on the left sitting waiting for me to push here, and I'm on the right pushing Tony in his swing - it was quite exhausting having two kids roughly the same age and wanting to be pushed at the same time.
Well now I'm back home - the windows are still wide open and I'm hoping a breath of wind will find its way into the house. I wait in hope...........
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