With a bit of trepidation, I boarded a train this morning for a brief visit with a friend who has a cottage in Lyme Regis. Though I am a seasoned traveler and managed to navigate my way 'round Tokyo and environs with no qualms, I have heard horror stories about the English transportation system. Trains never departing on time. Trains breaking down. Patrons missing connections. Trains that are dirty. You know, that kind of thing. I'm happy to report that I made it to Lyme Regis on time and without incident. I made sure to catch an early commuter train out of Harrogate to Leeds rail station. In Leeds I caught a direct train on the Virgin Line to Exeter (closest station to Lyme Regis). The Virgin train was clean, comfy and, thankfully, not very crowded. I had a good book to read (The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold) and the 5 and a half hours ride went very quickly.
Heather met me at Exeter St. David's station and, since we were in Exeter, we decided to have lunch there and then make a visit to Exeter Cathedral. At lunch we split a prawn sandwich and an order of scones with Devonshire clotted cream. I was surprised at how different the scones in Devon taste compared to those in Yorkshire. I prefer Yorkshire scones, but the clotted cream was oh so yummy. After lunch we breezed through Exeter cathedral, managing to hook up with a free tour.
We took the scenic route back to Heather's cottage in Lyme Regis, passing through Honiston, a village with scads of antique markets, and making a brief stop in Topsham. We visited an antique market in Topsham and I was pleased to see that many of the items fit my budget (this is rarely so in the pricey antique shops in Harrogate) and I picked up a nice toast rack made of pewter for 6 pounds 50 pence.
It was late afternoon when we finally arrived at Heather's cottage in Lyme Regis. It was quite a snug fit but very cozy and charming. We walked into town and I admired the houses along the shore and the view from the Cobb, a stone structure that creates an artificial harbor for Lyme Regis. I learned that Lyme has been an inspiration and provided a setting for at least two authors. Jane Austen was a one-time visitor and set part of one of her novels in Lyme Regis. John Fowles lived in Lyme Regis for many years, was the curator of the local history museum and set his novel, The French Lieutenant's Woman, in Lyme Regis. The movie was also filmed here.
Heather met me at Exeter St. David's station and, since we were in Exeter, we decided to have lunch there and then make a visit to Exeter Cathedral. At lunch we split a prawn sandwich and an order of scones with Devonshire clotted cream. I was surprised at how different the scones in Devon taste compared to those in Yorkshire. I prefer Yorkshire scones, but the clotted cream was oh so yummy. After lunch we breezed through Exeter cathedral, managing to hook up with a free tour.
We took the scenic route back to Heather's cottage in Lyme Regis, passing through Honiston, a village with scads of antique markets, and making a brief stop in Topsham. We visited an antique market in Topsham and I was pleased to see that many of the items fit my budget (this is rarely so in the pricey antique shops in Harrogate) and I picked up a nice toast rack made of pewter for 6 pounds 50 pence.
It was late afternoon when we finally arrived at Heather's cottage in Lyme Regis. It was quite a snug fit but very cozy and charming. We walked into town and I admired the houses along the shore and the view from the Cobb, a stone structure that creates an artificial harbor for Lyme Regis. I learned that Lyme has been an inspiration and provided a setting for at least two authors. Jane Austen was a one-time visitor and set part of one of her novels in Lyme Regis. John Fowles lived in Lyme Regis for many years, was the curator of the local history museum and set his novel, The French Lieutenant's Woman, in Lyme Regis. The movie was also filmed here.
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