Let it snow

As I write, the snow is falling and Ashburton is eerily quiet. No cars, just the muffled squeaks of boots on snow, and the shouts of children playing. There are snowball fights in the middle of the main street which is usually clogged with cars. It's rather lovely.

New Year's Splash

Well a lot more than a splash actually. A gorgeous swim at Hope Cove, from Outer to Inner Hope, bathed in intense afternoon sunshine that at times was blinding. We met outside the Hope and Anchor pub, where there was a large crowd watching Morris dancers; a lovely congenial atmosphere, perfect for christening the New Year. We ran down the beach at Outer Hope, and waded in...the water wasn't cold and the swimming was fairly easy, though it was a little choppy round the rocks. We swam past the Old Priest and over Barney Bank (the former a rocky finger pointing out to sea, the latter a reef) heading south towards Inner Hope. It was so calm and clear we could swim at a leisurely pace, chatting and enjoying the scenery.

Boxing Day swim

The sausage and sprout sandwiches were packed, the parsnip soup was safely in the flask, and we were ready to set off for Mothecombe for a festive swim. The sun was shining and it felt great to be out. There were hugs and kisses as we rendez-voused in the car park; we then headed down to Coastguards Beach. We'd been hoping it might be calm in the estuary, for a contemplative high tide swim, but no such luck. Large waves pushed us around all the time and then a big black cloud came along and rained all over us. Coming out we noticed some new graffiti on the wartime pillbox; at first I thought it was exhorting us to "Meditate" but closer inspection this turned out not to be the case. The only disappointment of the day? The sausage and sprout sandwiches. We won't be making those again.

Historic bathing

Despite the cold, I felt in strong need of immersion, so set off for Anstey's Cove in Torquay, where the water is usually flat calm and where, it is said, Agatha Christie used to swim. The afternoon sun glowed over the fairytale pinnacles at Long Quarry Point; this promontary is home to Devonian limestone which is around 400 million years old. I slipped off the rocks into the water and was immediately drawn out of the humdrum and into the seascape.

Father Christmas is here

Every year Santa brings his sleigh to Ashburton, with generous sponsorship from the local Rotary Club. On Saturday mornings he brings Christmas cheer to the shoppers, and in the evenings he travels round the town broadcasting carols.

Pants come to Ashburton

The latest addition to Ashburton's retail offering is a lingerie shop, in an enviable position next to the public toilets and the bus stop. It comes hot on the heels of the tattoo parlour which opened a few months ago. Are we moving away from the antiques and chintz?

Bountiful Bellever

Not much swimming to report recently due to lurgy. At the least the rain has now stopped and it feels properly like winter. We went to Bellever Forest, in the middle of Dartmoor, to gather greenery for festive festooning. It was cold up there but the sun, gleaming through the trees, was glorious.

Angry river

They say the Dart claims a life every year. Well it claimed a life this weekend - that of a canoeist. He was trapped between his canoe and a tree on one of the most inaccessible sections of the river, below Mel Tor. The Dartmoor Rescue Team had to walk for hours, climbing down into the gorge, to bring him out on a stretcher. Today the river was still boiling with rage.

Swimming through fairyland

Tor Bay has always been a place where ships shelter. Today, despite all the gales, it was serenely calm, and there was a magical sense of otherworldliness, a paused dimension, as we entered the water. We swam from Elberry Cove to Broadsands, past a series of crinkly, pointed rock formations that looked as though they should be home to mythical creatures. My very knowledgeable friend Sue tells me they are the fossilised remains of corals which grew here 360 million years ago, when the sea was shallow and tropical. There were caves and little inlets and channels to swim through. It felt like another kingdom.

Let's go fly a kite

A big storm has been rampaging through Devon. Roofs off, fallen trees etc. Perfect conditions for kite flying. We headed for Bonehill Rocks on Dartmoor. The kite was alive. Here, there and everywhere it went; at one point I nearly got decapitated as it zoomed down in a kamikaze nose dive.