Spring is in the air!
Looking for blue skies!
With the Christmas decorations all packed away, we’re consoling ourselves by eating the last of the mince pies and Christmas biscuits, having first blown the winter blues away by walking in and around Welcombe…
There’s nothing like a glimpse of the sea and a bracing breeze to help lift your spirits, and if there’s a spot of blue sky too, then the thought that spring is coming and the days are lengthening doesn’t seem so much of a leap of faith!
Walking to Welcombe Mouth 
Welcombe Mouth waterfall 
Welcombe Mouth beach looking South 
Welcombe Mouth beach looking North 
Westward Ho! sea pool 
Westward Ho! beach
Hot, sunny, summer weather has definitely arrived in Devon this week…
After a scorching weekend, where we’ve been truly grateful to be able to dip in the sea for a cooling swim, the weather looks set to continue for at least the next few days. How lucky for our current guests who get to stroll to Welcombe Mouth for a dip and make full use of the deckchairs, hammock and outside furniture at the Granary to relax!
The veggie patch and ‘green shed’ (a cross between a greenhouse and shed created from the remnants of a falling down shed) are looking abundant with veg and everything appears to double in size each day at the moment.
Green shed (tomatoes and chillis in abundance) 
Veggie patch
Meanwhile, we’ve been out and about in Bude whilst doing our weekly food shop, and sadly having to give up our winter let beach hut for summer visitors (it’ll be ours again come October).
Bude Harbour 
Bude to Widemouth path 
Bude Harbour 
Bude coast looking south 
Bude Sea Pool
So nice to welcome guests again…
And see people finally able to enjoy a holiday, discovering this beautiful part of Devon. The bluebells are performing their magic of making the hedgerows and wooded valleys look worthy of the Chelsea Flower show and announcing that spring is truly here, even if the weather isn’t too sure.
The pubs, restaurants and attractions are starting to open and everyone is looking forward to greeting guests. We’ve taken advantage of this to take a few local trips out too….
Ilfracombe harbour 
Croyde beach 
Boscastle harbour 
Boscastle 
St Enodoc Church, Trebetherick 
John Betjeman’s grave,
St Enodoc Church
‘Verity’ statue by Damien Hirst,
Ilfracombe
Boscastle.
Looking forward to welcoming guests…
The daffodils have passed but the primroses are still out and about. The yellow spring period is passing, and the bluebells are dazzling in their abundance. Spring hedgerows in Welcombe are a glorious array of colour when they arrive. We’ve been doing lots of pruning and potting and have had more than a few battles with the brambles, so hopefully the Granary will be looking it’s best to greet our first post lockdown guests…
Bluebells line the roads, 
and carpet the valleys. 
A carpet of wildflowers. 
The ferns are starting to uncurl. 
Primroses and bluebells, it must be spring! 
The flowering gorse is so yellow, so bright!
Well, that was Christmas!
What a strange Christmas it was, as we all attempted to hold onto some sort of normality with our traditional rituals but without the most important part, the presence of our extended family!
With tiers and lockdowns coming and going, we seemed to spend as much time commiserating with guests having to cancel as we did welcoming them. Let’s hope things will be starting to improve by the spring…
Fortunately for us, we just have to walk out of the door to appreciate how lucky we are to live in such an outstandingly beautiful area. We hope we’ll be able to share it with others soon.
Homemade Christmas wreath. 
An icy wind even manages to freeze the rocks at Welcombe Mouth 
Sunrise over the Granary 
Not snow, just some very impressive hailstones!
Autumn is on it’s way…
Which just means the scenery here becomes even more dramatic!
Amazing hedgerows 
Even the lanes look autumnal 
And the sunsets (as ever) are beautiful, just earlier… 
And although we may be overrun with apples, that’s always a good excuse to make lots of blackberry and apple crumbles, who can resist those?
Holiday season well and truly underway!
We’ve had some lovely guests staying with us this season and enjoying what the local area has to offer. Our vegetable garden is in full swing providing us with a bounty of potatoes, courgettes and broad beans so we’re having an enjoyably busy time hosting and harvesting!
Welcombe Mouth 
To the veg… 
This little squash has a way to go yet!
What lovely guests!
Our first guests since lockdown, and they really enjoyed their stay in this beautiful part of North Devon. Here’s their review…
”Beautiful place in a great little village. We enjoyed walking down to the beach in the evening and watching the sunset, sitting in the local pub beer garden and watching the birds from the little patio with our dinner in the evenings. Perfect few days away!”
Rachel
17 Jul – 20 Jul 2020
The sun is out and we’re about to host again!
Looking forward to imminently hosting our first guests since lockdown!
