A Spring drive south through Somerset and Devonshire to Seaton.

During a fine afternoon in the last week in April I took a leisurely drive down the A358 to Seaton in Devonshire.  On the way I passed through Chard and Axminster.  Chard was unusually quiet, but Axminster seemed even more subdued than usual, its town centre ever more deserted every time I pass through.

Looking down High Street and Fore Street in Chard, Somerset on a quiet Spring afternoon.

I find it strange that Axminster town centre is so quiet, with many empty premises.  When one considers the amount of housebuilding that has gone on around the town over recent years, the shops, restaurants and bars ought to be thriving!

The centre of Axminster in Devonshire on a quiet Spring afternoon this year.

Driving on through the gently undulating countryside I passed by Musbury which rests below the ancient hillfort of the same name, crossed over the A3052 and took the road which follows the River Axe down to Axmouth and into Seaton.

Seaton was quiet with plenty of room to park on the seafront - which I did.  Hardly any people were on the beach, and very few were walking along the seafront.

The seafront at Seaton in Devonshire on a quiet Spring afternoon this year. One seagull, one car and one pedestrian!

I walked as far west as was practicable before retracing my steps.  It seems that the Hook and Parrot pub is to be redeveloped into apartments and named The Lookout.  The advert on the former public house suggests it will be rebuilt with gable ends facing the sea, reassuringly in keeping with its neighbouring buildings.  It will not look so out of place as the carbuncle – known as Seaton Beach Apartments – on the seafront further east.

The Hook and Parrot public house in Seaton, Devonshire closed for redevelopment.

The Hook and Parrot reincarnated as The Lookout.

I continued east along the seafront then turned left into Trevelyan Road and then right to cross over the bridge to Axmouth Harbour.  Walking along the harbour side I reached The Prow which sits atop the old World War Two artillery emplacement. It is a convenient spot to enjoy the views across the harbour entrance and out over Seaton Bay.  Those WW2 gunners certainly had an excellent field of fire!

The view from The Prow, Axmouth Harbour entrance in Devonshire.

A small fishing boat just outside the harbour entrance was attracting lots of seagulls. Inside the harbour a couple of people were throwing something into the water for their dog to fetch which did not seem very sensible – I certainly would not have done such a thing.

A fishing boat surrounded by seagulls at Seaton in Devonshire.

Axmouth Harbour in Devonshire.

Walking back over the bridge I stopped to take some photos of the yachts and pleasure craft at their sheltered moorings.  The clear blue sky and lush green of the grounds of Haven Cliff House made a pleasing picture.  Seaton and the Axe Valley were very well fortified during WW2.  Two pill-boxes can be seen in the grounds of Haven Cliff House, one at the clifftop and another beside the drive up to the house.

Axmouth Harbour in Devonshire on a Spring afternoon this year.  Note the World War Two pill-box on the cliff edge above and to the left of the houses.

On my journey home I stopped in a lay-by just south of Axminster.  The hedgerow beside it is usually too high to see over, but it had been trimmed enough to allow me to take some photos.  The fields, trees, thatched cottages and rolling hills beyond made a pleasant scene.

A view of the Devonshire countryside south of Axminster.

I drove on again through Axminster, still very quiet, and headed north for Somerset and home.