Following up 2018’s Create Summer Away Day to the south of France was never going to be easy, but starting with a four hour coach journey leaving Richmond at 7am was a good way to lower expectations! We arrived at Westward Ho! to a brisk wind and a thoroughly grey sky, the red flags on the beach did not inspire optimism!
However, as we know there’s no problem which can’t be solved by a couple of drinks, so we sought the shelter of the local pub and enjoyed our picnic in the shadow of the beer garden as the sky cleared and the temperature rose and, with a little encouragement a small, brave, contingent took to the waves.
The afternoon brought seaside walks, trips to the arcade and a journey back to our home the night – the 16 bedroom mansion (with four kitchens) in the hills above the seafront. There we played games, BBQ’d, spent the night by the fire pit telling ghost stories and made a real effort to dent our supplies!
And for the few without sore heads for the 4 1/2 hour journey home in the morning, we were treated to a delightful bit of local trivia as our driver gave us a guided tour of Bideford. Truly enlightening.