PSF: Weymouth V Torquay 10th July 2010

Many thanks for your excellent Weymouth report Nick it has brought the thread to life. I know that bus you went on all too well and curse it when I have to do (not too often) the only call I have in Bridport as after doing it I hit the coast road a bit later and often get stuck behind it. I bet it’s a wonderful bus ride to go on and on the top deck the views really must be special.

I imagine from Beer it goes along to Seaton? I was surprised to learn the bus even goes to Beer, like you said it’s a very narrow road down into Beer but its well worth it as Beer is a charming little place. But then I should not be too surprised as First double-deckers are used to get to Dartmouth from Plymouth along the coastal villages of the South Hams and they really do cause some major traffic problems in the summer months.

In true TFF fashion this thread is about to go wildly off topic

It’s a good many years since I have been to Beer and was only going there to take Carol to the Pecorama Gardens and Beer Heights Light Railway in Seaton a place I had been to once many years before. All train modellers will know, “Peco” is a company that specialises in train modelling and Pecorama is their shop window and the model exhibition will enthral anyone, plus there is the small scale train ride and the gardens to walk around.

On our way into Beer I saw signs for the Beer Quarry Caves and said to Carol we might as well go and take the caves in as well while we are here. I was expecting it to be caves much like Kents Cavern but was soon to learn they were something else completely.

I think I got my first clue as I made my way to the entrance and was greeted by two old ladies and it became clear it was not going to be anything like Kent’s Cavern at all as there was just a hut at the entrance to pay at and nothing else at all.

For those who don’t know, Beer Quarry Caves is a vast complex of man-made caverns created by centuries of quarrying Beer Stone. Originally worked by the Romans, it supplied stone for 24 cathedrals including Exeter and St Pauls. Beer stone is ideal for fine detail carvings, but hardens when exposed to the air. A small museum is housed within the Roman section of the caves containing pieces of carved Beer stone, tools, ancient documents and photographs.

We did get to have a guide to ourselves as we were the only ones there and to be honest I found it rather boring and the only highlight was being able to see some of the bats that live in the caves.

It could be made into something more special with some imagination and good props etc, that might then give to a much better feeling of what it would have been like to have had to work in there. It was clear from what I did learn that it was very hard work indeed and life for people back then really must have been so hard and it does make to think about just how lucky we are to be living in these times.

I can’t promise you I will ever do a grounds review of the Beer football ground Nick, but I can promise I will be doing a grounds review special in three weeks time of the Weston Super Mare ground.

Last week while at one of my customers, Weston Super Mare Fasteners, a man brought some sticky stuff to stick some things together with, up to the counter. He was asked if he wanted it booked to the football club and so I took my chance to ask him if I could gain entrance to the ground during the day, explaining my reasons for wanting to do so,

He said he was there every single day and told me what I would need to do and asked if I could do it after the 20th of this month as then the pitch will be all marked out as I believe they will be entertaining Exeter City in a pre season friendly.

I’m on holiday next week and will be taking Carol to some places she has not been too before and ones she really wants to go to and as it will only cost me time to do in when I call at Weston Super Mare on a Monday and Thursday morning when I'm at work, I will wait and do it the week after my holiday.

Wot, no "Carol Shot" of your good lady taking a covert penalty at Woodspring Stadium? ;D

No but there will be some from places like Bath and so many other places

If you know all the places I really should see and not miss, I would really appreciate if you could write them down before the end of the week and send me the details in a PM

Thanks

Dave

I dare you two to cycle up Brassknocker Hill, once on the route of the Tour de France.

It's ruddy scary in a car!