Monday 18 March 2013

The romance of the Juliet Cave

In Torquay, at Oddicombe, the sun was shining and the sea was blue, flat calm, and very cold: 5.8 degrees C.  We set off to explore the Juliet Cave, so-called because you climb up a ledge and into an 'upstairs' cave with pool of white pebbles, with a 'balcony' and 'window' overlooking a channel below. As we approached the mouth of the cave the water swirled up and down the gorgeous, muscular  pink and white limestone that is found on this bit of the coast.  Some of the swimming party had not visited the cave before and their cries of wonder echoed around the cave, which really is the most magical place.  We stood on the balcony, looking down on the slice of churning water below, and wondered whether Romeo might swim up the gulley to see us.  Mark then led us a little further along the shore to another cave, with a hole in the ceiling through which he climbed back up into the outside world.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I like the line up pic next to the 'Beach Closed' sign...you rebels you

Sophie said...

ha ha well spotted ;)

Dartmoor swimmer said...

The water was 8.4C at Fairy Cove at lunchtime but I've not been all the way into Juliet Cave so I think all-in-all you had the better deal.

Sophie said...

I thought of you as we swam past the Gentlemen's Bathing Place....

Dartmoor swimmer said...

Makes me smile every time.
And I bought the last copy of your book from Torbay Bookshop as a (50th, shhh!) birthday present for a friend, another all year swimmer.