The Ale Trail: The Otter river estuary at “Budleigh Salterton... the B3178 to Exmouth.

It was a nice sunny day as we set out for the beach at Budleigh which is situated at the mouth of the River Otter. Sir Walter Raleigh was born not far from here...  Originally the town was named Salteron because of a once a thriving salt industry... the salt was harvested in large salt pans placed at the mouth of the River Otter and then transported to local towns and villages along the river Otter by packhorse and other means and was  a cottage industry operated by monks of the priory of Otterton (Otter Town?).  Legend says the priory originally was built on the present site of church of St. Michael that you will easily find in Otterton today. That makes sense for the priory was associated then with Mont St. Michael situated right across the English channel on the shores of Normandy from about 1087... this place was the principal property of that French monastic order in England for centuries. For more about that click on the link at the and of this posting.  I wish I had more time, perhaps another day, to go there to look for the “certain to find“ nearby ale house of long ago.

Today Budleigh Salterton is one of those English “bring the whole family, kids and dog” beach resorts for the everyday common folk said to be of the middle and working class. Visit in the off season for in high season there will be no parking, high prices, and roads are simply jammed day after day all day with heavy traffic... for those drivers with clogged arteries... your asking for a stroke ignoring this advice.  

From there we drove the road that starts at Budleigh Salterton Seaside, the B3178, also known as Exmouth Road... glorious sunshine and why is it on the days we are driving between point “A” to point “B” this time of year there’s the sunshine...at least for this part of the south... coastal England... now if you are heading to the north you will not be this lucky for it’s rains up there everyday until August when they then will have 3 or 4 days of continuous sunshine.  I know... been there.... done it!  Point “B” by the way is in Devon... Stickelpath, South Zeal and Okehampton!  Yesssss!

If one drives drive west of Exeter and then south towards Torquay you soon will be on holiday on the shores of what is fondly referred to by the British of today as the “English Rivera.” 

Tor in the German spoken today means "Tower;" here in Devon it means an outcropping of a rock formation.... that is to say... a prominent rock or pile of rocks on a hill, of which in the moors throughout Devonshire, we find many.

Back to driving through these small coastal villages it's easy to see there's no Industrial development, hence if your looking for a job down here you will be waiting on customers or making your money off the tourists, and this time of year it's really quiet once you get away from the beaches.

People walk from Budleigh to Exmouth in summer or cycle, or sail... after all this is holiday and weekend break country.  What I did find interesting is west over in the River Exe estuary they fish for salmon and raise US Pacific West Coast Oysters; this whole area is also an internationally famous wildlife habitat.

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So as I was drifting off in thought... watching pedestrians outside with the kids on there way to market... old people hand in hand strolling at their leisure... my mind drifted off to the Ales last night that got away... a man can only drink so much ale in one setting... and this in fact turned out to be a theme of this trip... so many Ales and so little time.

And yes, I have been known on occasion to savor a dram... or two... only after a good ale... or two

Places:

The English Rivera: http://www.englishrivierageopark.org.uk/
Budleigh Salterton: http://www.budleighsalterton.org/
The Priory of Otterton: Click Here

The Ales that Got Away: 

Hook Norton Brewery Double Stout http://www.hooknortonbrewery.co.uk , “where progress is measured in Pints” brewed at the Hook Norton brewery, Hook Norton, Oxon, OX15 SNY, UK  the flavour not unlike a building that had just burned down , Alc 4.8% Vol, this beer is brewed to a recipe 100 years old, burnt buildings must have been a flavourful occasion, I must say, strong, tasty, not unlike a porter... as they say on the bottle, “a joy to taste” savour the black malt which enriches the colour and teases the palette.  Dark Chocolate flavours, highly recommended. 

Adnams “Broadside” http://adnams.co.uk/beer/the-beers/adnams-broadside-a-premium-bitter-like-no-other
brewed to commemorate the battle of Sole Bay, the fierce battle fought against the Dutch Republic in 1672... off the Suffolk Coast. the English fleet was moored in Southwold with Admiral Edward Montague and most of his sailors drinking in local Ale Houses when they were called to action.  Broadside uses East Anglian malted barley and only one hop variety “First Gold”  this dark ruby red beer is full of fruitcake flavours and is great savoured with some strong cheddar cheese...  6.3% Vol 

Skinners “Betty Stogs” http://www.skinnersbrewery.com/ :: the 2008 Camra champion best bitter of Great Britain  The cornish session beer, light hop aroma with underlying malt.  |Easy Drinking copper ale with a superb balance of citris hops, bitterness, Cornish malt and wheat,  Legend holds... Betty Stogs was a native of west Cornwall. She was unkempt and lazy, could never mend her stockings, couldn't knit or cook and liked a drop of ale. Her child was taken from her by the 'small people', washed in the morning dew and returned. The shock of which turned Betty into a reformed character. Betty Stogs won the Champion Best Bitter & Supreme Champion at the malting Beer Festival at Newton Abbott in 1999. ABV 4.0 %

Barley Wine... Gold Label from Whitbread a very strong special beer:  INBEV UK LTD LUTON LU1 3LS  Like its close relations old ales and winter warmers it is a beer to be savoured. A dark, ruby red or chestnut coloured, full-bodied, rich and fruity beer to be sipped with great relish, preferably in front of a roaring log fire while the winter weather does its worst outside. The biggest-selling Barley Wine for years was Whitbread’s 10.9% Gold Label. Expect massive sweet malt and ripe fruit of the pear drop, orange and lemon type, with darker fruits, chocolate and coffee if darker malts are used. Hop rates are generous and produce bitterness and peppery, grassy and floral notes.

Jennings Sneck Lifter strong ale pure lake district 5.8 % www.jenningsbrewery.co.uk, took that one with me on the road for fortification later when not near a pub or Ale.

Next Posting:  Okehampton, Stickelpath, South Zeal... and of course we go to the golf course