The past week hasn’t involved as many projects, but we did get a trip out to Bigbury-on-Sea with the requisite walk over to Burgh Island. The post title is a little esoteric, but read on if you wish to be enlightened.

We’ve made it to September and the days of 30 degree heat are over (for this year at least). Suddenly, working on projects inside the house has become a lot more bearable and the plants outside aren’t on the cusp of expiring in the drought. The hot weather did accelerate the growth of the garden though, and we’ve been enjoying courgettes, peas and salad leaves from the raised beds. Even the tomatoes have done well this year despite my slow re-potting.

There are no real updates with the office project this week. I did a bit of sanding and brushed down the walls in preparation for painting, but I haven’t had the time to get it done. Once they’re painted, the shelving and wood work for the stair bulkhead can be finished, and it will start to look like a normal room once again. I am still deciding whether I want to stick with my black glass desktop or move to a wooden desk to fit in better with the new decor. If I do go down the wooden desk route, it will likely be a worktop set on two units instead of a specific piece of furniture.

Bigbury-on-Sea

The highlight of the week was our trip to Bigbury-on-Sea, a stunning beachside village which is connected to Burgh island via a causeway which is accessible during low tide. When the tide is in there’s an altogether different mode of transport – the sea tractor. A sea tractor is essentially a large cart on monster truck wheels with an engine in the middle. It’s as preposterous as it sounds, but it has served Burgh island since the 1930s. We didn’t get a go on the sea tractor as the tide was out, but it was an impressive looking beast.

Burgh island is home to an Art Deco hotel, and the Pilchard Inn which dates back to 1336. The Inn serves some great food, but be prepared to shell out substantially for rather insubstantial portions. I had monkfish goujons which were delicious but would’ve put a dent in a savings account.

The island is worth a visit for a walk around to see spectacular views and it’s unsurprising that it inspired “Evil Under the Sun”, a story which Agatha Christie wrote while staying in the hotel. The 2001 adaptation of Evil Under the Sun starring David Suchet as Poirot was filmed on the island, so getting to visit the film set was also a fun experience. We managed a swim in the sea which was less of a harrowing experience than I initially expected. Speaking of harrowing, have a look at the room prices for the hotel.