Summer in Devon - Bourton-on-the-water

 I slept in until past eight, as did Ian, who’s turn it was to do Misty. So I rolled over and laid in some more.  It was a little chilly with drizzle so we both put trousers on before having the last of the porridge for breakfast. We are down to the bare basics now. Our plan was to take the hail and ride bus, no 801, from outside the site at 12.20, have a look round Bourton, eat, maybe a walk, and get the 5.10 bus back. Best laid plans and all that. 

At the bus stop

It started well with the bus arriving in good time, so we hopped on and soon arrived in the town. It. Was. Heaving. Made Woolacombe look quiet. I have never seen so many people on tiny bridges. Loads of Americans, Chinese, Japanese visitors too. It’s obviously a stop on the standard Cotswolds tour. We had a walk around and Misty found a nice Ford for a drink and a paddle.

Misty paddle

Busy bridge

Coffee

As we passed the bus stop I checked up on the bus times. Mmm. The timetable said no bus at 5.10 on Saturday. Not what our timetable from the campsite said. No problem. We went in to the tourist information. Yes, there is a bus at 5.10. Fine. No way to check on the bus website though as Bourton, being the centre of population density, has no internet. We decided to take a bit of a walk into the countryside before eating, and check up on that. Ah. The bus company website says no bus at 5.10 on a Saturday. Never mind. There is one at 3.40. We have time to eat and get that. But wait! It’s not that easy. The 3.40 bus 801 is different to all the other bus 801s. It goes a completely different way! So we got up the OS map, checked which bus stop was the nearest point to the campsite, and planned to walk. We had planned on a walk anyway and this would be around three miles, so perfect. 

The bus being much earlier than planned we only had time for a fish and chip takeaway, which was very nice. 

Fish and chips

The bus arrived in good time, and after an interesting trip around all the small towns in the Cotswolds, our friendly driver dropped us off on a main road in the middle of nowhere and sped away. Think Cary Grant in North by Norhwest. The village of Hazelton was signposted three quarters of a mile, so we set off down a country lane. It’s a tiny village full of enormous houses, obviously lots of rich people live here. We then crossed a couple of lovely fields full of birds and butterfly’s, plus a startled hare, until we reached our old friend Salperton. We passed by salperton hall, the place to stay if you want to go shooting or play polo apparently, and into the village. A small village full of huge houses. After that we knew our way and were soon back at Dame Shirley with a well deserved cold beer.

Salperton Hall

Lovely fields

Our new resolution is to check the bus times on the company website before we set off! Nevertheless we had a lovely walk anyway, although the weather turned pretty warm and I was wearing jeans. 

After the beer we cleared out the cubicle and both had a shower. We haven’t used it since our very first trip, having no need, but it is pretty good. We turn off the water while rubbing shampoo in etc and just use the shower to rinse, but it’s hot and powerful. By then it had turned chilly again so I found some athletics on telly, then we watched an Annika and turned in. Sadly our last night in Dame Shirley (for at least two weeks!). 

I have no worries about not having a toilet block, although a couple of days without is enough, but the Bourton on the water camping and Motorhome club site is too isolated. You can’t really walk anywhere, (except salperton) or cycle anywhere due to the very busy main road. It has no pavement or even a verge, so you would get squished immediately. I won’t be too sorry if I never return to Bourton on the water either, although a sunny Saturday in July was probably the wrong time. The walks over the fields in and around Salperton were very lovely though. We did enjoy those.

As for our Summer in Devon trip, it’s been amazing. We seem to have fitted in so much, while finding time to relax and chill loads as well. I loved wells the city,  and my favourite campsite would have to be Watermouth Bay. Amazing walks and scenery, plus eateries nearby. Next big trip is up to Glasgow in July.

OS Watch

A stroll around Bourton

A horse ride over the fields

Neighbour watch

Our friends across the way have decided to move on on Monday, as this site does not have a toilet block! They are very nice though and have a lovely daschund, who Misty is very friendly with, and an evil daschund, who she is not.