A much needed break

With a”heatwave” hitting the UK last weekend, and Bournemouth being the beach destination of choice for many around the country, I was given the amazing opportunity to travel west and head to North Devon for some much needed rest and recuperation away from the crowds.

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Although grey and overcast for much of the weekend, it was hot and muggy, and regular swims were absolutely necessary. We began the weekend with an early morning swim in the choppy ocean, followed by a lovely warm day in the little village of Appledore, drinking coffee, eating ice cream, and exploring the little shops on the side streets. The majority of people were wearing masks when indoors, however it was not consistent, and it was hard to know if either locals and tourists were taking the Covid situation seriously. I was pleasantly surprised by the lack of huge crowds, although the traffic on the motorways suggested that perhaps we were simply lucky in our location, and that the tourists were gathered elsewhere along the coast .

We were lucky enough to spend the following day in Clovelly, a quaint village build around a steep harbour, owned by one singular man, John Rous, whose family has had the village since 1738. While the history is fascinating, the harbour itself is beautiful and provided us with a calm yet cold swim, and delicious cheesy chips in the beating sun. Just what the doctor ordered.

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Back in Bournemouth, the temperatures are still in the high 20’s with a beating sun and hot clammy nights, meaning trips into the air conditioned office during the day, and saving exercise for after sunset. I’m holding out for the end of the summer holidays when children return to school and more people return to work. I need a break, and might finally allow myself some time off work when the beaches are less busy.

I sound like a stuck record, but I am tired of people’s recklessness in the eye of the storm. This week signaled the first Covid cases in New Zealand in over 100 days, and the country has returned to the early stage of lockdown, leaving me slightly less optimistic about any real change here in the UK. For now I’ll keep staying home when possible, wearing a mask, and sanitising my hands every ten minutes.