I was constantly checking the weather forecast days before (you never know with the typically unpredictable British weather) but it was looking good: sunshine all weekend. This made it all the more exciting and I began daydreaming about sitting on the beach at Shaldon. The countdown began and by Friday I was packed and ready to go. The anticipation was high as we drove along the winding roads of South Devon, fast approaching Sea Sentry. Even in the dark we spotted the iconic building straight away with the bright summer moon acting as a spotlight.
As we parked we eagerly walked down the hill with bags in tow, Teignmouth across the water looked magical as the lights twinkled in their reflection on the water. We rushed up the steps to the main door, once inside we couldn't believe how spacious this tiny building was. It was immediately clear how much thought had been put into the design and luxury had definitely been in mind when adding all the extra touches. The kitchen had everything you could imagine needing, I think it may have been more quipped than our own kitchen!
By this point it was rather late so it was time for bed and I have to say, Sea Sentry has one of the comfiest beds ever. The light switches saying ‘good night’ and ‘welcome’ were certainly a novelty - like something off George Clarke´s Amazing Spaces.
We had a leisurely morning enjoying breakfast whilst watching the goings on along the river; wading fishermen, boats and dog walkers, everything was going on and the views were simply stunning as the sun shone down on the clear waters. It was time to head out for the day to Teignmouth. We decided to walk through Shaldon across the bridge as it was such a nice day. As we walked through Shaldon we popped into a few little independent shops and picked up a pastry from the lovely bakery which had queues out the door (certainly worth the wait!).
We walked through Teignmouth and stopped for an ice cream before heading off along the beach front on the coast path, where the views out to sea were simply stunning. With the wind in our hair we strolled along parallel to the railway and returned walking along the beach with a dip in the sea. It was great to walk along a flat coast path, a stark contrast to the extremely hilly cliff paths of Cornwall. I picked up some beautiful shells for my jewellery making. As we headed back towards Teignmouth (it was the first week of the summer holidays), the beach was starting to resemble a can of sardines, in typical British seaside town tradition. With this, it was time to catch the ferry back across to Shaldon for a relaxing afternoon.
We enjoyed the little trip across to Shaldon, which was all the more exciting knowing the iconic little sugar cube-like building across the water was where we were going. As we returned I picked up my towel and book to sit on the beach in the late afternoon sun. After Tom had a nap and I decided I’d been in the sun for long enough, it was time to open a bottle of wine and sit out in the garden. It was so relaxing to sit and watch people walk by and just listen to the sound of the sea. We saw lots of people slow down and look at Sea Sentry with intrigue and one person even stopped to find out more!
The restaurants were filling up, so we decided to order an Indian takeaway to avoid the crowds, which was definitely a great idea. We had the best spot in Shaldon and the sun shone until we’d finished our meal. It was perfect and we agreed we never wanted to leave.
On Sunday morning it was time to pack up and leave. The weather obviously knew it and it was a miserable day with drizzle setting in. Even then the views were beautiful; we sat on the sofa for the last time enjoying a cup of tea before setting off.
Everyone we’ve told about Sea Sentry wants to stay and I couldn’t recommend it enough – the perfect coastal retreat!
