We left home about 10am wondering if the fireworks will actually take place this evening as it was pouring down with rain and actually quite cold. On the way down the rain eased and by the time we got to Devon it had actually stopped raining. We stopped for our picnic lunch after a couple of hours but as it was still overcast we just stopped at a service station rather than look for somewhere with a great view. We had planed to visit Saltram on the way down which is just outside Plymouth and when we arrived about 2.30 the sun was trying to come out but it seemed really busy although I think that most of the people were actually walking round the grounds as the house didn’t seem busy at all. Before going into the house we went to the tea rooms in the hope of getting a cream tea which in this part of the world you can get in the afternoon! Once we finished this which had possibly the thickest clotted cream we have had we went into the house. Saltram house was extended in 1743 for the Parker family to reflect their high status, all that is left of the original Tudor house seems to be the kitchen which is separate from the house as the previous kitchen had caught fire and burnt the house down! The house was given to the National Trust to manage in the 1970’s when it was given to the Inland Revenue as payment for taxes, because of this it has a lot of the original fixtures and fittings. The National Trust is currently undertaking a major restoration Which is being done in situ which means that we could stand and watch them work on the carpet which they are adding a new backing to. By the time we finished walking round the house and gardens it was about 4.30 so we set off for the hotel to have a relax before heading up to the fireworks this evening.
