Tropical Devon

Who’d have thought?!  Tropical weather in Devon!  Even breakfast and dinner out in the garden!  The weather did break on the third day here, but it was in fact, most welcome to get a refreshing breeze and shower or two of rain.

Not before a sweltering day at the Eden Project.  Somewhere we’ve known about for years but never had the chance to experience.  What an amazing place!  To think, only 20 years ago it was an old clay pit!  Now look at it - 

We were very fortunate because the walk to the top of the Tropical Dome was open - once the temperature reaches 40 deg its closed off - it was only 37 when we were there - and hour later it was closed!  We were able to take advantage of a narrow window of opportunity by arriving early, just at opening time before the sun was too high, but Phew, it was steamy!

Such a fascinating place to go.  It changes each season, and they are constantly renewing and refreshing their plants.

What a contrast the next day though.  Cloudy, a few light showers too.  But it didnt stop our outing to Dartmore.  We visited a Bronze Age settlement, and bumped into some wild ponies.

Then tried our hand at Dartmore Letterboxing!

We found 3!  Well ... must admit we were pointed in the right direction by Julie and Terry!

Nearby is pretty little Widdecombe - famed for the Widdecombe Fair song.  I didn’t realise there was actually a real village called Widdecombe that really does have an annual Fair!

And to finish off our final full day here: dinner overlooking the Teign.  It was the evening of the Blood Moon - the Lunar Eclipse, which was mostly blocked by clouds.  We did catch a glimpse of it later, but the clouds this evening did make for a pretty evening sunset anyway.