1936 On the Continent

country.
    If you start out from London, you leave through Chiswick, Turnham Green, Slough, Reading, and make good time to Devizes.
    D EVIZES lies in the Vale of Pewsey at the end of Savernake Forest. If you find the right place, they’ll give you a Devizes Pie for lunch.
    From Devizes make B ATH —you must visit the Pump Rooms, and see where the buns and the bath chairs come from.
    Continue down over the Mendip Hills through Cheddar Gorge to W ELLS . Cheddar Gorge is impressive, and the valley below is where the original Cheddar Cheeses come from.
    G LASTONBURY has recently been restored—some very interesting work there being sponsored by spiritualists. In contrast Wells is a very human cathedral, with beautiful carvings of naughty boys stealing apples, and monks saying wicked words as they pull the Glastonbury thorn out of their toes.
Somerset
    Somerset is a drowned country, full of dykes, called “rhines.” You may get elvers and eels to eat. The moors (Sedgemoor) are wide flats on which willows aregrown. It is an exquisite country in the spring, a land of silver rain, golden willow catkins, and yellow ducks.
Devon and Cornwall
    Now you must consult your time. If you can, drive north through the Quantock Hills to M INEHEAD , and if you want to try your courage, tackle Porlock Hill, and the beautiful coast road to Lynmouth, and back through Exmoor Forest to Hele, or through South Moulton and Chulmleigh, to E XETER .
    Exeter Cathedral has some fine carving done by French artisans, and the Chapter House and Library are well worth a visit, as also much of the old town.
    Leaving Exeter, go north over Dartmoor, Bodmin Moor, to Bodmin, and after that to Land’s End.
    A word of warning: when walking across the Cornish moors beware of old mine shafts, often left open and unprotected.
    You must walk to settle the clotted cream; for you must have splits and honey and cream and junket, and pilchards.
    Clotted cream is made by a very special process, warming it gently in great panshons over a slow fire. If you do overdo on the cream, Devon cider is a capital antidote and equally good.
    You must find time to read
Westward Ho!
at B IDEFORD , and struggle through the sand on the south shore of Perranporth and find the oldest little English church, for years buried in the drifting sand.
    And there are the islands, L UNDY I SLAND , and beyond Cornwall (over the old lost land of Lyonesse) go to the S CILLY I SLANDS , but don’t if you have an appointment, you may get stranded in those wild parts!
    P ENZANCE is the seaside terminus of the railway, but beyond, Sennen Cove and Mousehole are unspoilt, and from Marazion, St. Michael’s Mount out at sea is like St. Michael’s off the Brittany Coast.
    Visit Lizard Point before returning through Helston, Falmouth and Truro (cathedral). And since you came over the moor, wind back along the coast road through Devon, where you will long to leave the car and walk sometimes. So much worth while can only be reached on foot. Wild headlands and deep golden coombes and smallsandy bathing beaches below steep cliffs over which hang the sea-pink and Mesembryanthemum. Small places like C LOVELLY you can drive to, but to explore the narrow streets where the donkeys go with their panniers of fish you must walk.
    If you can, stop at Buckfastleigh on the southern border of Dartmoor to see the Abbey, just built by the monks themselves.
Dorsetshire
    Now you have a new country before you—Dorset. And if you know your Hudson, you will find your way among the Abbas, Cerne Abbas, and Winterborne Abbas.
    If you like queer places wind down to Portland Bill and bathe cautiously off the Chesil Bank.
    Maiden Castle, just outside Dorchester, is an enormous earthwork they have been excavating recently. It is a wonderful place and you can stay near there or go on to Tolpuddle (of the martyrs), and if you love quaint places drive up the small side roads that take you to Puddletrenthide. (I went there for the name, and stayed for the cider.) Both were worth it.
    When you can tear yourself away from Dorset, drive back across Salisbury Plain and see Stonehenge, and find time to stay in Amesbury, for the stone circles there should be visited on foot.
    Now you may come back to London direct, if you’re in a hurry, but if you have time continue on the next tour, picking it up at Winchester.
    Hotels and Road Houses in towns, or near the routes, mentioned.
    C HIPPING S ODBURY
    Port Cullis
    M ALMESBURY
    The Bell
    The