8/4 (Tuesday) – Okehampton, Lydford, Tavistock Devon

Sad day today.  First thing this morning we took Jim and Phyllis to the train station for their trip back to London.  They are staying the night in London and then flying back to the USA the tomorrow.  We will miss traveling with them.  They are awesome travel companions.

From the train station we headed off to central Cornwall and Devon for a chance to see more of the countryside and the sights.  First stop was Okehampton in Devon where we visited the Dartmoor museum that was filled with old farming and house goods, then on to the ruins of Okehampton Castle, the largest castle in Devon and built shortly after the Norman Conquest. 

There weren’t too many restaurants in downtown so we ended up at an Indian restaurant.  Great food.

Then it was on to Lydford, a pretty little village...

 that had an old castle and an old church.  We stopped for pictures but didn’t tour either. 

Then it was on to the Lydford Gorge for a nature walk.  The narrow valley with a lovely small stream...

a very narrow gorge that included the Devil’s Cauldron (catch basin with lots of water dropping into it)...

 and a waterfall. 

The gorge was heavily forested with lots of trees, ferns and moss…a nice change from all the city sights.

We stopped briefly in the town of Tavistock, a World Heritage Site, and walked some of the picturesque city streets...

and visited the lovely church, St. Eustachius. 

By then it was getting late so we headed off back to St. Mawes for dinner.