doncaster to weymouth day trip

[paul1609]

just update, we went to Paignton,
looked a bit run down to me, but easy to get around
as someone said earlier, looks like the rain tap been turned on all winter
from Reading to Exeter the rivers and dikes look very high, fields that should be full of oilseed rape have a few odd bits and lots of mud, grass fields with cows or sheep in look wet and damp
looks like food prices up again this year

From a farming point of view oil seed rape is very difficult to grow. If birds can land in the middle of the crop due to a flooded part etc they will very quickly work outwards devastating the field and causing far more damage than the original flood.

 

[AlbertBeale]

Paignton looked "a bit run down" fifty years ago when my parents took me there on holiday! Its main attraction for me nowadays is that it has a steam train service to Dartmouth.

I too don't remember finding it that exciting (in holiday terms) when my parents took me there on holiday over 60 years ago. Apart from one thing - when we were woken up in the middle of the night by all the fire engines rushing to a big fire (somewhere near the station I think). Though I did like the level crossing by the station, I seem to remember.

 

[goatie]

we love Goodrington Beach, in our eyes Paignton was ok, But with Lidl closed & the Steam train not stopping at intermedian stations (used to get on/off at goodrington cheap Priv ticket ) its lost a lot of its charm
looks like its Weston Super on next trip

 

[basfordlad]

Brighton station isn't that far from the sea but it a bit of a hill on the way back up.
Used to do it every day when I was much younger.

And the masses who head for the beach from the train on a warm day

 

[david1212]

just update, we went to Paignton,
looked a bit run down to me, but easy to get around

Paignton looked "a bit run down" fifty years ago when my parents took me there on holiday! Its main attraction for me nowadays is that it has a steam train service to Dartmouth.

I stayed for 10 days last year and to me more run down than 2011. While I have been numerous times since younger than I can remember I can't really recall further back.
Most of the public loos have been now rebuilt or refurbished but operated by Danifo and chargeable.

we love Goodrington Beach, in our eyes Paignton was ok, But with Lidl closed & the Steam train not stopping at intermedian stations (used to get on/off at goodrington cheap Priv ticket ) its lost a lot of its charm

Goodrington IMO is better than Paignton beach to sit for a while plus the railway at the back uphill towards Kingswear so locos working hard.
Lidl going is a nuisance. After Tesco Metro was shrunk to an Express it was my main source of sustenance so scuppered now. At least I know for the future.

looks like its Weston Super on next trip

I don't know when you were last there but again to me more down-at-the-heel every visit. The last time I was there was September 2019.

 

[goatie]

I stayed for 10 days last year and to me more run down than 2011. While I have been numerous times since younger than I can remember I can't really recall further back.
Most of the public loos have been now rebuilt or refurbished but operated by Danifo and chargeable.

Goodrington IMO is better than Paignton beach to sit for a while plus the railway at the back uphill towards Kingswear so locos working hard.
Lidl going is a nuisance. After Tesco Metro was shrunk to an Express it was my main source of sustenance so scuppered now. At least I know for the future.

I don't know when you were last there but again to me more down-at-the-heel every visit. The last time I was there was September 2019.

i ehco your views regards Paignton & Goodrington, never been to weston super, so will be eye opener to us,

 

[david1212]

I should have included in my last post Weston-Super-Mare is known as both Weston-Super-Mud and Weston-Super-Nightmare.
It looks better when the tide is in as the dirty part of the beach north of the pier before Knightstone Causeway is covered.

IMO the best bit of the seafront is beyond Knightstone Causeway where the walkway creates Marine Lake. From there you can walk on to where the Birnbeck Pier is. The pier has been closed as unsafe for many years. While various plans in reality very debatable if it will be restored and even if it is what purpose it would serve.

Unless removed again there is a charge to walk down or sit on the Grand Pier.

Going south from the Grand Pier is the better area of the beach. The Aquarium was closed and carrying on the Tropicana was in use as a play area. It was originally an open air pool with a high diving board.
There was an enclosed areas of pay-to-view sand sculptures. This was in front of a signifiant part of the seafront seating. I read not present in 2020 but don't know for this year.

Do not expect too much of the town centre. There is the Sovereign Centre. Unless taken there will be a big empty unit that was Wilko. The toilets are, or at least were, free. The seafront ones have a charge.
There is Grove Park with the memorial to Jill Dando. However it also has a reputation as a hangout for the local and maybe no so local 'yoofs'.

If you want to buy food to eat sat on the seafront best when you arrive to go to Tesco Superstore opposite the station then go on into the town. Otherwise I can only recall a Spar ( I think, maybe wrong e.g. Co-op ).

 

[goatie]

I should have included in my last post Weston-Super-Mare is known as both Weston-Super-Mud and Weston-Super-Nightmare.
It looks better when the tide is in as the dirty part of the beach north of the pier before Knightstone Causeway is covered.

IMO the best bit of the seafront is beyond Knightstone Causeway where the walkway creates Marine Lake. From there you can walk on to where the Birnbeck Pier is. The pier has been closed as unsafe for many years. While various plans in reality very debatable if it will be restored and even if it is what purpose it would serve.

Unless removed again there is a charge to walk down or sit on the Grand Pier.

Going south from the Grand Pier is the better area of the beach. The Aquarium was closed and carrying on the Tropicana was in use as a play area. It was originally an open air pool with a high diving board.
There was an enclosed areas of pay-to-view sand sculptures. This was in front of a signifiant part of the seafront seating. I read not present in 2020 but don't know for this year.

Do not expect too much of the town centre. There is the Sovereign Centre. Unless taken there will be a big empty unit that was Wilko. The toilets are, or at least were, free. The seafront ones have a charge.
There is Grove Park with the memorial to Jill Dando. However it also has a reputation as a hangout for the local and maybe no so local 'yoofs'.

If you want to buy food to eat sat on the seafront best when you arrive to go to Tesco Superstore opposite the station then go on into the town. Otherwise I can only recall a Spar ( I think, maybe wrong e.g. Co-op ).

once again thanks for the heads up, we have been thinking about moving to south devon, but with the changes to Paignton area Mrs wants to have a feel for other area's did view in North west Devon but those single track roads as soon as you turn off main road did put us off,