Sidmouth is a lovely town with a pretty wall along the beach which we walked along after parking near the sea front. Walking we saw some people flying kites and the kids were tempted to buy some. I did promise to help fund this, but not if they bought things at the first stall they came to. Along the walk, they saw hair braiding, finger spinners and many other things that fascinated them. They climbed on some rocks which had been arranged as groynes and my son was ecstatic as not only was he able to climb, but his sister could not keep up with him (she was not wearing the right shoes for this task, having left them in the car). We had a poetry recital and a delightful lunch before buying kites (the first one that my son bought had to be exchanged as it had not enough struts) but before lunch, we tried the kites. My son bought the cheapest one there and my daughter bought a more expensive one using some of her own money in addition to what I had paid them both. On the beach, I failed to get the kites up, but a kind man came over to help us and got my sons kite up. However, that of my daughter was a lot more challenging. It's tail was too heavy for the wind, and despite numerous attempts, and a fall from a height for me, we were not able to get it airborne properly.
But then, after lunch, it was a trip home, and after a rest, a journey to Axminster to eat at the River Cottage Canteen. Sadly this meal was not up to the standards of lunch nor our expectations. But at least we have been there to say we did not enjoy it as much as we had hoped, rather than always wondering what it would have been like.
