A trip to Tinside

I can't believe I've lived in Devon all this time and never visited Tinside Lido in Plymouth. It is spectacular in its Deco elegance and its sheer scale. On a rocky outcrop projecting into the Sound, it feels like being on an ocean liner. It's a glorious place to swim and a wonderful place to spend the afternoon. With its sunbathing terraces, there is something for everyone. And this year, entry is free. (it's probably the first and last year it will be free). All along the foreshore near the Lido are the remains of concrete steps and smaller tidal pools; the fact that most of them have gone to rack and ruin, and some have been blocked off by the council, is very sad.

Laps through the Lakes

Ok, it's not Devon, but I just have to share the joys of my recent trip to the Lake District. Number one highlight: Tongue Pot near the Roman Castle of Hardknott, and also various pools around it. Picture the scene: crystal clear waters over pale pebbles, framed by waterfalls; an enchanted atmosphere, it felt as though we were bathing in a secret fairy place. The visibility underwater was amazing. (I know I'm waxing rather lyrical but it really was very romantic). A total contrast was Small Water - which Wainwright says is Lakeland's most beautiful tarn - in the gloom and rain. Here I felt a glorious isolation in murky depths. And finally Coniston - serene and silky. We swam off a stark wooden jetty and picnicked on a promontory overlooking Wildcat Island. Needless to say I am now re-reading Swallows and Amazons and am loving every word.

Brilliant Burgh

The annual Burgh Island Race is totally wonderful, organised by the hotel simply for the fun of it. They generously lay everything on for free for the participants, including a scrumptious barbeque afterwards. This year we had a lovely sunny evening, although there was a strong wind and swell. The chatelaine of the hotel, Deborah, oversaw the start of the race from the sea tractor (as you do), and the first part of the swim was tough going. We had to put our heads down and plough into the head wind and chop. Once we'd got round the back of the island though, the wind was a help, not a hindrance. Huge thanks to the Burgh Island Hotel for such a fabulous event.

Swimming in the mire

A mire may not be all it seems, particularly on Dartmoor. We tramped through the damp and drizzle, heading towards the blue spot - Leftlake Mire - that we'd identified on the map. Far from being an unpleasant sticky bog, it was beautiful. A vast pool, rather dark and desolate and cold. We swam across the great expanse, and looked back to see an arch silhouetted against the sky; quarrying used to go on here. We then attempted a bit of, er, synchronised swimming; an experience bizarrely enhanced by the appearance of our limbs in the water; it looked as though we'd all been a bit overenthusiastic with the fake tan.

Swimming the ruins

Hallsands is a ruined village right down near Start Point; it was swept away after shingle was dredged along the coast nearby to build the dockyard in Plymouth. All that remains is the shells of the buildings. It isn't accessible by foot, so we swam there. It was beautiful. The sea was clear and calm; we swam along from North Hallsands and soon the ruins were looming above us, on a great platform of rock. It must have been a tough old life living there and it was a moving experience looking up at the buildings. There is some wonderful old film of the last inhabitants by British Pathe which you can see online here.

Dartmoor delights

We set off along the Dart on high mushroom alert, after a reliable source tipped me off that Chanterelles were in evidence. Well indeed they were. This, on top of an unexpected Penny Bun find a few weeks ago, way earlier than normal, leads me to hope we might have a good fungi season. Anyway, Chanterelles safely gathered, we made our way to one of the most charming swimming spots on the Dart. There's a huge cliff down which someone has helpfully erected a metal ladder...you climb down to a massive rock platform, ideal for jumping off. After our long sweaty walk, this was the perfect thing to do.

Fun at Froward

We set off to explore a section of the coastpath we'd never visited before, between Kingswear and Brixham. It was an idyllic English summer's day; at the top of the headland the corn swayed like water as we walked through the fields. We got to the edge near Froward Point and found the most stunning craggy cliffs with turquoise water below. The sea was calm and we leapt in off the rocks. The water was so clear, I swear I could see plankton...we definitely saw crabs and a starfish below. There were channels and even intriguing rocky islands to explore, with masses of noisy seabirds including cormorants, shags and terns.

Swimming to the pub

...is a great idea. I started off at Cellars Beach at the mouth of the Yealm estuary, and swam up river with the tide. It was a fairly rough old day with a strong wind and a notable absence of sun, but it was a glorious and exhilarating experience nevetheless. A changeable journey from the rocky, choppy grey sea at the start, to the deep green yacht-packed river as I got further up. As I swam up the creek towards the pub, it got shallower and shallower, and the mud was deep, thick and silky. I tried to walk but quickly started to sink. The only thing was to pull myself out over the mud on my stomach, like some primeval creature evolving milllions of years ago from the murky depths. I made sure to do this round the corner from the Ship Inn, so as to emerge with a smidgeon of dignity.

Cracking Crab Shack

You know how when you're travelling along the French coast, little restaurants selling delicious crustacea are two a penny? Yet here, in our island nation, it's nigh impossible to find a place that serves up simply done seafood. Well today I found such a place. Rob, a fisherman in Teignmouth, had told me last winter about his plan to start a restaurant on the town's back beach. It opened at Easter and today we went to check it out. Bingo! I am absolutely raving about this place! We had oysters, the sweetest crab, as well as prawns and wickedly delicious fries on the side. You can also have great seafood platters. Everything was presented beautifully and the service was charming. We sat outside, watching the gulls and cormorants as well as all manner of passing craft. It's called the Crab Shack but sadly I can't provide a link as they don't have a website yet.

Swimming with seals (part 2)

Swimming with a seal sounds all very lovely but in reality it isn't. ..I think it's something to do with the sheer size of it and the fact it can swim up under you and take you by surprise. I was in Brixham, swimming between Fishcombe and Churston Coves. It is beautiful there. Crystal clear water, and I swam over the most ethereal eel grass beds, which are home to sea horses (but none were visible). I was happily absorbed in my watery world, watching fishes etc, when I noticed a dog in the water. I then did a classic Tom and Jerry style double take when I realised it was a seal...and made a beeline for the nearest rocks. I cowered there pathetically for a while before realising I would have to be brave otherwise I'd spend the rest of the day there. I made my way back, clinging to the shore all the way. Thanks to the girls in the lovely Cove Cafe at Fishcombe for looking after my stuff.