Last day at The |Grenville Hotel in Bude and the journey towards home firstly via a hotel facing ‘The Barrow Mump’ for lunch and then an overnight stay at a Frome motor Hotel as the Italian dam burst news appalls and the ‘top peoples play’ row deepens
A good night’s sleep as we fall into our routine just in time to leave of course! We awake to our drinks (on time again) and a day even more blustery than yesterday, if that be possible. We are the first down to breakfast and after enjoying our meal I tip the waiter £3. Thought he had made that mistake on the first day, he had tried hard all week to make amends and made a special effort with our guests on Thursday. Up to our room and then, leaving Diana to pack, I looked after the children in the lounge until 9.30am. The old people tolerated the noise and the fun (as we tolerated them) and a few took some pleasure seeing Della tottering about as she learns to walk for the first time. I overhear two scenarios that confirms my belief that this hotel is not best suited to the old-aged parties. In the first, an elderly gentleman has what he thinks is a heart attack on the first floor landing as he staggers upstairs. In the second, another lady fell heavily when walking to the Bude shops. When the nursery opens, I take the girls (and Daniel) to watch some cartoons on the nanny’s video recorder and then step out to buy my paper. To the room and there read the FT until Diana is ready when we pack and close the cases and call the porter up to help us carry them down. I tip the room maid £2, the porter £1 and a further £1 to the nanny, who is sorry to see them leave. We hope there are some more children next week as poor Susie, Debbie’s friend for the holiday, cries as we leave and is inconsolable. Whilst loading, I chat to the manager, tell him we enjoyed our stay and hear his further apology for the morning drinks problem earlier this week – I tell him we were pleased he attended to it and agreed that it is far better to speak out than to harbour grievances. We should return next year when we hope there will be more families and children staying. Off by car and we drive until 11.30am and stop for a snack and drinks at The Oasis. Away again to a nice place where we had lunch at a guesthouse in picturesque scenery about 5 miles west of Glastonbury. The place was named ‘Barrowbridge,’ or something similar, and the most salient feature was a spectacular mound with a derelict church on the top.
The waiter told us it was called the “Mump” and dated back to the age of King Alfred. Later we saw the larger mound and abbey remains at Glastonbury, which is more famous, but less spectacular. On until by 4.30pm we had arrived at Frome and our motel on the hilltop on the outskirts of town. The wind was still howling, which spoilt the view and site, but we checked in to a well-appointed room and unpacked our overnight things. The hotel was picturesque, but rather Gerry-built from modern materials and the floors and walls seemed very hollow and in-substantive. The local fire officer evidently agreed, because the place was adorned with fire stop doors, alarms and very large fire extinguishers. I watched the end of the cricket 55-over cup final and saw David Gower’s Leicestershire beat Graham Gooch’s Essex by a fine batting display and then we got a room service meal for the children before descending to dinner in ‘Marmaduke’s Restaurant.’ Unfortunately Daniel’s cheese cake was bitter and so we had to complain, but the dinner was fine. The place is well sited for views over the Mendips and the setting sun overcame the wind, which dropped for the night. A good meal, well prepared and served. To bed tussling with our conflicting needs for cool air for me (by opening the door and allowing a through draught) and darkness for the baby by keeping it closed. More news today of the horrific dam burst in Italy, where the details become worse with each day’s discoveries of bodies and damage. Also the ‘top peoples’ pay row is growing and putting this government under further pressure. Calmer weather forecast for the rest of the weekend.