If I could talk to the animals...

David and I both set the alarms on our phones to wake us at 8.30 this morning and when both alarms went off we jumped a mile, promptly turned them off and fell back into a deep sleep.  This led to a later start than we'd planned but what the heck, he still got his hour at the driving range so was happy.

We all left the Barn at the same time,  Alan off on an adventure with Jordan and Ally (it was a magical mystery tour apparently so we had no idea where they were headed) and we headed to Croyde where David had discovered there was a very nice pub called The Thatch and thought it would be just the place for  lunch.

Rather than go the main road, we went by country road.  What an adventure.  Like Cornwall, they like to line their single track country roads with high hedges so you feel as though you are driving through a maze.  We went round one bend to find a VW van reversing towards us at high speed so we also reversed till we found our way back to a passing place and pulled in.  We assumed there was a tractor coming and that's why he was reversing but he got out the van to apologise and explained a 'bit" had fallen off his van!

We carried on this exciting road for what seemed like many miles till it eventually took us into the the lovely little village of Croyde where we came nose first to a double decker bus.  We had to pull into a car park to let it pass.  Goodness knows where it was going or how it was going to get there.

Eventually we found The Thatch and it was every bit as lovely as we thought it would be.  

It was almost 3pm and we were both starving but resisted anything too heavy and had the most delicious goat's cheese, beetroot and orange salad.  Afterwards we gave into temptation and had a Devonshire cream tea (well David had coffee) but were prepared for the gargantuan proportions of the scones (photo in extras.)  We ploughed manfully on though and I can tell you, they were absolutely delicious!

Afterwards we went for a drive to Saunton sands but it was too hot to go on the beach.  We drove back up the hill and stopped to take in the stunning view from the top.  Sat there for a while as there was a lovely breeze from the sea so it didn't feel quite so hot.

Came back to the Barn via Woolacombe and went to visit our neighbours, the Alpacas. 

Simon and kate who own the Barn, have a farm nearby and have a herd of Alpacas but they keep two of them in the field adjacent to the Barn.  We took some chopped up apple for them.  Only one of them was interested, her blonde friend gave us a quick glance then decided the clump of grass she was eating was more interesting than us.  

David made an instant friend and as you can see from the extras, she also laughed at his jokes.  It's the first time I have been so close to an Alpaca an they are so cute but so strange.  Like a giraffe's head and neck stuck on a donkey's body!  This pair have recently had their fleeces sheared and were displaying knit one, purl one necks.  At least that what it looked like to me!  :-))

Alan and crew didn't get back till 10.30pm having had a brilliant day (see extra)  which included visiting a dinosaur farm (??) a pub and the beach.  He is having a brilliant holiday and I am so happy for him.  It's the least he deserves after being so ill on our last holiday to France in 2015.