Slept in today as I think the body was expecting the sun to wake us like at home. Not so. The sky gradually produced the colours of dawn around 7.45am. Had a late breakfast and saddled up to drive down to the village. Continued on to the Dartmouth Castle at the mouth of the Dart River. First constructed on the site during the 1380's and upgraded during the reign of monarch Henry VIII, it is quite small. Apparently a French or Spanish warship was able to sneak past the Castle one night (not surprising given the 7 hrs of winter sunlight) and so a chain was then suspended across the Dart River to stop any future invaders. The cannons, were faced out to sea and could fire up to a 4inch shell. As recently as WWII it was thought the Nazis may invade England at locations like Dartmouth so the Castle saw service as a coastal defence location.
Dartmouth is also famous as the final leaping off point for the Mayflower (the first boatload of free settlers) which then sailed to present day USA. The Mayflower was accompanied by another boat which promptly began leaking off Lands End, Cornwall and returned to land. The Bayards Cove in Dartmouth was the departure point for the Mayflower.
We walked all through the main part of Dartmouth village with many many pubs and restaurants along with a multitude of boutique clothing and home decorating stores. Some buildings are almost 400 years old and still standing.
After lunch, we drove down to Blackpool Sands beach. During summer this apparently has a lifesaver on duty and rents all manner of water sports equipment. Not today it didn't as it was 8C and sands in the name is a slight exaggeration with small 1cm pebbles across the entire surface. Still very pretty and a lovely restaurant and coffee house on the shoreline. Today was the first day in 3 since arriving that we have seen the Sun and blue sky. It you stay for long enough out of the wind, the 10.5C we got up to was quite warm.
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