Tuesday 3 January 2017

Outing to Topsham

We went to Topsham on the River Exe estuary today with our friends – an outing that had been planned months ago and postponed more than once for various reasons. Today turned out to be a perfect day for our visit – a crisp, bright, sunny winter day – if rather cold! At least the others could keep warm by walking but I was sitting on Betsy, my small buggy, and I got pretty cold despite being well wrapped up! Our walk was split into two halves, divided by lunch.

Topsham is a very pretty and unusual small town, and its chief feature is the numerous Dutch style houses with their pretty gables – built by Dutch merchants in the days when the town was a thriving port. It has been a major centre for fishing and shipbuilding in the past, and there are also many examples of fine Georgian architecture. There are some fascinating shops – but we weren’t there for shopping today, but for exploring some of the more picturesque areas and sharing a lunch out together.

Some waterfront pictures.

02 Bright Sun Over the Exe Estuary

01 Boats on the Exe Estuary

03 Shipwreck on Exe Estuary

14 Boats and Gulls in the Bright Sunlight

20 Fortifications

29 Estuary with New Bridge

55 The Goat Walk

56 Evening Light on the Mud Flats

Some of the gorgeous Dutch houses.

46 Dutch House being Renovated

45 Street of Dutch Houses

13 Roofs and Dutch Gables

Even a garage with a Dutch gable!

47 Dutch Gable Garage

Some other interesting architecture.

18 Wisteria Over a Blue Door

19 White Houses

30 Stone Facade with Interesting Window

33 Shell House

41 Street with Pink Bow-Fronted House

50 House with Unusual Steps

52 Courtyard of White Houses

54 White House with Arched Window

There was one house that particularly intrigued me, and I took several photos of it.

21 Follett Lodge

22 Circular Window in Follett Lodge

23 Linenfold Door in Follett Lodge

A modern house which really fitted in with the general style of the town.

26 Modern House with Interesting Brickwork

Some interesting architectural details that caught my eye.

24 Ineresting Door

25 Ship Weather Vane

35 Tile Topped Wall

37 Ship Over White Door

My hubby and I were intrigued by these sliding shutters.

43 Sliding Shutters

49 Oriel Window

Some of the streets were very narrow and winding, and definitely not designed for modern traffic! We frequently had to find an opening or gateway, in order to let cars pass.

07 Narrow Back Street

32 Winding Street with Pink Houses

38 Narrow Street

Some of the places where we walked, through the town and along the estuary frontage, and the sort of details I always notice!

This photo was taken in the small area of park that included a children’s play area. Beyond the reed bed is the estuary.

28 Reed Bed

44 Arch Into a Garden

17 Courtyard Through a Stone Archway

A very neat and tidy log store.

51 Log Store

Beautiful frosty leaves on the roadside.

27 Frosty Leaves

Grow where you’re planted?

09 Grow Where You're Planted

Pigeons were going in and out of a little hole in the wall with a special place for them to rest their feet. There’s no place like home!

10 Home Sweet Home

Everywhere we looked, people had pretty things in their windows, and of course their Christmas decorations were still up. We saw several Christmas cribs in people’s windows, including this very pretty one made of raffia, including a gorgeous raffia angel!

34 Raffia Crib Set

A knitted Christmas crib.

40 Knitted Crib Set

42 Wooden Crib Set

39 Twisted Bay Tree

A beautiful slate house sign. I love the contours of the slate surface.

53 Slate House Sign

A beautiful, and probably expensive shop. I adore these unusual carved wooden wine racks.

58 Wine Racks in Shop Window

59 Carved Wooden Table in Shop Window

Some lovely old boaty bits, decayed and rusty, speaking of Topsham’s maritime past.

05 Boaty Stuff

Finally, my favourite picture from today, I think.

11 Gulls on the Water's Edge

We had lunch in a lovely pub – a real winter warmer to set us on our way for our afternoon walk. During lunch, I gave our friends the little album I’d made about our woodland walk together back in the summer. They were thrilled. I am so pleased they like it.

I hope this has given you a taste of a pretty and picturesque little town in our local area. We are so privileged to live in an area where there is so much beauty and variety, and to have such lovely friends to share it with!

2 comments:

  1. Lovely photos, Shoshi! I do like day trips as well - much more than going away for an extended period of time! It's nice to sleep in your own bed at the end of the day! Of course your friends loved the album - how would they not when you put your heart and soul in it!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I'm with you two..Day Trips are great. Sometimes say 3 days is better than 3 weeks! I get Homesick!

    ReplyDelete

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