We had a day off between pet sits so stopped for a night in Taunton on August 23rd (about 3.5 hrs southwest of London). We checked out the town after dinner where we found a war memorial (expected) and a person walking around on stilts (unexpected). 😲
We found a very beautiful cafe the next morning (Cornish Bakery) before heading back out on the road. ☕️
We decided to head south to the coastal town of Sidmouth. It was a bank holiday weekend and one of the last weekends of the summer, so we expected a crowd. 🎉
Sidmouth lies at the mouth of the River Sid ... and is on the Jurassic Coast, a World Heritage Site. The red-coloured rock indicates the arid conditions of the Triassic geological period.
The wide esplanade has been a prominent feature since Regency times. A series of storms in the early 1990s washed away much of the shingle beach protecting the masonry. A set of artificial rock islands was constructed to protect the sea front, and tons of pebbles were trucked in to replace the beach.
There was a regatta while we were there - sailing and rowing. ⛵️
Community mini golf course. ⛳️
Community grass tennis courts with the parish church tower in the background. 🎾
Castle remains along the west end of the promenade. Close up of the Triassic pebble beds which make up the bottom of these cliffs. ⛫
It was a very nice day on the English Channel coast but we had some dogs to meet so we headed north to Pylle in Somerset. 🚙
