Who would have thought that you could catch a two-storey tractor to take you across a causeway to an historical island?

Day 29: Travelling from Beer to Challaborough to stay with Dave’s cousins, Andy and Gill. After arriving we had a short walk along Challaborough Beach.

That evening Gill made us a Pimms. I don’t think I’ve ever had one before but I have fond memories of my mother enjoying a Pimms and I still have a favourite glass that was her ‘Pimms glass’

Day 30: The tide times were perfect to take the tractor to Burgh (Burr) Island.

When we arrived at Bigbury-On-Sea the ‘meeting of the waters’ at the causeway was very evident as the tide was on the turn.

This phenomenon is caused by the tide swirling around the island to meet at the causeway.

While waiting for our tractor transport we wandered along the beach …

… and learned a little about the Burgh Island Hotel , a renowned Art Deco hotel and the setting for Agatha Christie’s ‘Evil Under the Sun’. It is quite exclusive and only available to hotel guests.

And then it was our turn …

Although we couldn’t go to the ‘posh’ hotel we did go to The Pilchard Inn, which was dated 1336. That’s 450 years before Australia was settled by the English! Unfortunately it wasn’t open so it was back on the tractor to the mainland.

Andy & Gill had booked us in to another old inn at Ringmore for lunch so the next stage of today’s adventure begins with our drive around the narrow, hilly coastal roads, a lovely walk to the inn Journey’s End, and a delicious meal as an extended celebration of Gill’s recent birthday.

The inn has a history dating back to the Battle of Modbury and is where soldiers came to drink their 2 pints of ale allowance. The front room of this old pub was the armoury where they deposited their rifles on the way in.

What a fantastic couple of days we’ve had here with Andy & Gill. It’s been a fun filled, relaxing, adventurous, wet at times get together and another wonderful memory to carry home with us.

We have a few days rest now before the next leg of our journey which will take us to Wales, Scotland and Ireland before it’s time to head back to Australia. We are not quite half way through our trip and we’ve packed so much in it feels like months, not days, since we arrived.

Yes, we’ve been busy! Have I enjoyed it? You betcha 😄