After a cooked breakfast and a chat with the motel lady, we were off to Port Isaac. It was still showering, unfortunately. Port Isaac is probably best known these days as the backdrop for the filming of the Doc Martin TV series. It’s a picturesque fishing village, like St Ives, on the Atlantic Coast of Cornwall. The port was originally constructed during the reign of Henry VIII. During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, the port handled cargoes such as coal, wood, stone, ores, limestone, salt, pottery and heavy goods which were conveyed down its narrow streets. Fishermen still work from the Platt, landing their daily catch of fish, crab and lobsters.
 |
| Port Isaac - Tide's out!! |
We had a pleasant morning wandering the streets and identifying buildings that were used in the TV series. Apparently, we only missed the filming of the 5th series by a few weeks. Had a chat with the lady who runs the shop used in the series as the Chemist Shop, had a coffee (and gluten-free scone) at the ‘Cup Cake’ and bought crab (for lunch) and some fish (for a later time) before heading off.
 |
| Doc Martin's House |
Had lunch near Trelights and then headed for home across Dartmoor. We called into Travistock to catch the end of their market. The Pannier Market has been held here since 1105 when, by Royal Charter of King Henry I, the monks of Tavistock (Tavistock Abbey constructed in AD 961) were granted permission to hold the markets. Tavistock also has a rich history in tin and textile. In 1305 Tavistock was one of four stannary towns where tin was stamped and weighed. This whole area of Devon and Cornwall has an amazing tin history. There are chimneys from disused smelters everywhere.
From Tavistock, we were in the moor itself. Our first view of the tors (granite-topped hills) and lots of yellow gorse and purple heather (very pretty). Quite a lot of black-faced sheep, Dartmoor ponies and woolly highland cattle (we didn’t expect to see them down here).
 |
| Clapper Bridge at Postbridge |
Its slabs are over four metres long, two metres wide and weigh over eight tons each, making the bridge passable to a small cart. It was first recorded in 1380 and was built to facilitate the transportation of Dartmoor tin by pack horses to the stannary in Tavistock.
There is certainly a lot to see on the moor and we will need to return.
There is certainly a lot to see on the moor and we will need to return.
