Going tourist in Totnes

This weekend we got off our bottoms and did something (aside from working, volunteering and playing the sims that is) we went to Totnes. Let me just get this out of the way first, I want to live there. There are basically three types of shops in Totnes, ones with green in the title, ones with cake in the window and ones with shiny, shiny things.

We started our day by hopping off the bus. Well it started before then but that was mostly us arguing over weather or not we should take out coats. We found the nearest place to get a chocolate croissant and ate them Vire Island. From there we could covet the gorgeous waterfront properties, wish I had a canoe with me and spot a few birds.

Then onward and upwards for the shopping trip/exploration First up was a crystal shop. This one was distinguished amongst the others in Totness by having both lovely jewellery, pretty polished stones and fantastic specimens that made the geologist in me weep. I couldn’t leave without smokey quartz, blue goldstone and fluorite bracelets or this picture of their wonderful tumble polished gem display.

Up and up, coming next to a health food shop that was actually a supermarket. Jesus Christ they had Sheese. On our way back we bought some of the vegan supplies I’d only read about. With any luck we should be cooking with them soon.

Next we miraculously popped up a side street and found a gallery open day. There where some excellent sea scapes and a photography project by Christine Sweetman. Tralling trough some of the other galleries we found delights like embroidered pictures of sugar skulls (beautiful although very clearly Jenny Heart inspired) in massive matching frames and a woman who embroiders over water colours to create wonderful local scenes. All of the art was far too expensive for me though.

After that we rampart walked it up to the church yard and found this adorable window and drooled at the beautiful front of the guild hall (which will be open for tourists in two weeks!) Then it was time to attempt to follow signs for the castle, pay our two pound fifties and walk up.

Totnes castle is an example of an old Mote and Bailey castle (that is a man made hill with a wooden castle on top) where the old wooden structure was replaced with stone. You can now see some of the foundations, and an impressive circle of stone. Oh and wonderful, wonderful views.

We continued up for craft supplies, drooling over fabric, wool and bears and a new diablo string for Stephen. Although there are vegetarian cafes in Totnes the meues didn’t seem that appetising to Stephen so we went to The Green Café which had signs advertising it’s greeniosity attached to everything from the recycled tables to the lights. The service was slow and friendly and the food was cheap and lovely, I got the vegetarian breakfast, Stephen went with the baked potato with cheese (duh).

After brief stops for fudge and sheese we stepped onto the bus and returned to Torquay. It was raining.