“A memory made alone abides in isolation; such is love that is never shared. Fill your life with shared memories and love, and in the end you will have lived.”
― Lynda I Fisher

For our 2020 summer vacation, we had a lot of places that we planned to visit which included Exeter. We had a 10 day trip planned out and the plan was to travel from London to Cornwall whilst stopping at various cities along the way.

I really wanted to show René the places and experiences that helped shaped me into who I am today.

Right after, we left Bath, we headed for Exeter. Here’s my little background detail about Exeter; Exeter  is my university town and the University of Exeter is where I did my postgraduate studies. So it was nostalgic coming back to a town that was home to me for 18 months.

ARRIVING THE CITY

From Bath, it took us roughly 2 hours to get to Exeter. When we got to Exeter, we lodge at a hotel called the Jury’s Inn. We booked the hotel  for two nights as we had planned to stay in Exeter for just two nights. Although the hotel was remarkable, we did not make use of some of the hotel facilities as it was during the COVID 19 pandemic. And we had less interactions with other occupants as advised.

Our first day in Exeter, we had to stay indoors for most part of the morning  due to the heavy downpour that morning. When the rain subsided, we had a late breakfast at an “All you can eat breakfast place Brodys ” . So, this place opened after I had left Exeter and a few years back, I visited a friend and she took me to Brodys.

This All you can eat breakfast place is very American in its style and I could not believe that for just £7.95, you can have unlimited breakfast! I might say that there is a catch….. you are only allowed to be there for 1 hour.  So, if you’re hungry guys and ever in Exeter, check them out! René was mesmerized by the fact that they offer unlimited food so he stuffed himself and could barely walk afterwards! I did warn him but like they say, we learn from our  mistakes, right?!

Thereafter, I took René to see the city center. As with the City of Bath, Exeter began as a Roman  town with 2000 years of history crammed into its city center. Since, the city of Exeter is a city in Devon on the River Exe, I am very certain that’s where Exeter got its name from.

INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT THE CITY

The City  of Exeter is a town where old and new architectural designs converge. In 1787, the New Theatre was built to replace the Exeter Theatre in Waterbeer Street. It was built  by Richard Hughes in what  was then the new development of Bedford Circus.

The theatre became renown with the successful production of The Merchant of Venice with Edmund Keane in 1811. Then disaster struck in 1820. The first of what would be three theatre fires in Exeter destroyed the building when a gas-light chandelier, high in the root, set fire to the rafters. Soon after, the theatre royal was built on the site of the New Theatre.

We further went on to view other historic buildings. The most iconic building for me in Exeter is the Exeter Cathedral. René was mesmerized at the beauty of this historic building. It is a building that has stayed constant for centuries. The interior of the Exeter Cathedral is like a forest of stones. The Cathedral has the longest  medieval stone roof ever built. Do you know that one of the most notable Bishop of the Cathedral; Walker Brenscombe was once a royal clerk before he was ordained a priest on 10th March 1258? I like to think that would have been a huge growth for Walter Brenscombe since he already had experience in the royal service.

After seeing the Cathedral, we went for a walk along the River Exe. Further research shows that the river gave the name of Exeter and many other settlements along its course. It is worthy of note that the river fueled Exeter’s growth and relative importance in medieval times.

nostalGic moments

Moving forward, we went to the University for more sight-seeing. While we were touring the University of Exeter, I showed my husband places where I had lunch and tea during our breaks between lectures. And where we all sat to chat and talk about where we would like to see ourselves in the future .

These memories were those I wanted to share with René. I was glad that he took it as seriously as it was to me and really tried to experience those moments with me as I shared my joyful and frustrating moments at university. It was a joy walking these streets at night and listening to the music in cafes and bars around us. Also, seeing with him, how the city has changed since my time at Exeter all those years ago was a delight.

My time at the university were fond memories –  taking my husband back to see my lecture halls; where I had lunch almost every day; where I got my groceries; the places I sat and laughed with uni friends – all these memories made the trip worth embarking on.

Our second day was easy as I took him to the other part of the city, the urban side –  Quayside. Quayside has a very different vibe of Exeter. It is more chic and modern with flats and restaurants scattered around the quay. The quay is also a significant part of Exeter’s culture. The quay features evidence of the city’s wool-processing and export business. Which, by the 18th century, had made Exeter the country’s third most important trade centre.

While at the quayside of Exeter, make sure to look out for the stately 17th-century red-brick Customs House (complete with cannons) and the gabled 18th-century Wharfinger’s House, home to the man who collected the wharfing fees. Here are some other activities you can do at the quayside.

Rene and I just had a very quiet one sitting outside a restaurant with a few glasses of wine for me and beers for him on a sunny afternoon in Exeter. We enjoyed watching people get on with life, as the pace of life here is nothing compared to London, it was a delight to experience this with the locals.

There were kids kayaking and canoeing by the lake as we catch and chatting away.

DEPArTURE

After touring the city to our fill, we left Exeter in the afternoon of the 28^th heading to Cornwall. It was a sunny day and the traffic wasn’t too bad leaving the city. Exeter might be a small town but certainly rich in culture and incredible people. A memorable trip for us!

If you’re ever planning a trip to this part of England, you can access Exeter by train or car –

By Train

From London it’s  roughly 2 hours from Paddington Station.

By  Car

This is again roughly 4 hours on the M4 or M5 from London.

I hope you have enjoyed reading this post as much as I enjoyed writing it – don’t forget  to follow us on social media !

Much Love,

C x