Monday 18 April

​This morning I (Ray) happened to get a shower cubicle with a fixed shower fitting. Whoever thought this would be a suitable arrangement should  be lightly tortured and then have their Caravan Club membership revoked. I'm presuming it was set for Mr. Average so it just pointed steamy water at my eyes, rather than, for example what's left of my hair. The icing on this particular cake was that unhindered by my grubby pink flesh it directed the water neatly under the shower curtain and into the drying area, where my shoes started cheerfully bobbing around in the surf. I tried taking the shower off of the wall but couldn't coordinate the shower gel as well so I ended up liberally spraying the cubicle, my clean clothes and the person two cubicles down. 

Anyway, 10 lively minutes later, with freshly polished eyes and soapy hair I emerged in a mood sufficiently improved to traipse gaily to the twee shop on site and purchase some fresh eggs for breakfast and a walking map of the area while Mrs Canham continued her ablutions unhindered by such trivialities. 

Armed with the great walking map (an extract of the OS map centred on the site we're staying at) we took the green lanes for 4 undulating miles into Totnes. These lanes are unsuitable for all but the most robust of 4X4 motor vehicles - the sort you can hose down inside and out - not the type used to drive precious Jeremiah and Rupert 1/2 a mile to school. Anyhow the walk turned out to be a marvellous experience in lanes so eroded by the passage of countless feet, human and animal, that they carve through fields in their own private moss strewn gullies, at times up to 3 feet deep. Fleet Mill marked the halfway point and from there we ascended steadily into the bungalow fringed estates of Bridgetown before descending at an alarming rate into Totnes itself. 

Totnes sits on the river from which the town centre rises up in a refreshing parade of independent shops, including rather a lot of butchers for some reason.  We ambled around the town for a while, had a peek in the church and amused ourselves as one does by window shopping and generally getting in the way of people with better things to do, pausing only to purchase salad to accompany our vegetarian scotch eggs. 

Today's mention in despatches goes to The Green Cafe in Totnes which sold us our scotch eggs. They have a box of knitting needles and wool so that you can knit a square towards blankets for an African orphanage while you sup your tea and you can donate to a scheme to help local people who are homeless. Its all done without preachiness and by cheerful and friendly staff. An honourable 2nd place goes to the drivers of Totnes who seemed to be unfailingly polite, waving people across roads where in other places they'd pretend they didn't see you. 

Refreshed and rejuvinated by Totnes and its air of responsibility and politness we retraced our steps along the green lanes and back to Mavis. The only downside is that after all the exertion and general muddiness we have to face the showers again. 

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