Pathfinders.......... — Steve Chivers Photography

Noun, Pathfinder: plural, Pathfinders - Meaning; a person who goes ahead and shows others a new path or way.

What do I mean by Pathfinders? Well we are people who have lived the majority of our lives outside of our country of birth. Our friends are often of a similar ilk and together we tend to spend our free time traveling and searching out new and interesting places.

Also Pathfinders tend to have no problem with traveling large distances to meet up for lunch, dinner or to spend a few days exploring a foreign location. Such is the case with our dear friends Rachel and Jon.

For those of you who regularly follow my blogs you will know that we spent a couple of weeks touring Texas and Louisiana with Jon and Rachel last year. Well, we received a call that they would be in the U.K. for a few days and so Mrs. C put plans in place for them to come stay with us in Plymouth, so that we could repay some of their generous hospitality and to introduce them to what the South West of England has to offer.

As always Mrs. C can organize everything… except the weather and a visit to Plymouth normally requires a wardrobe that covers all four seasons. The great thing is that Rachel and Jon are up for everything and anything and are totally adaptable so we had no worries.

We decided to split the visit into a day in Plymouth itself and then, a day up on Dartmoor, both to include some culinary activities.

As with all new guests we decided to start proceedings with my usual photowalk route around the Barbican and up on to the Hoe.

Given that Jon and Rachel are already residents of the “New World”, British but now living full-time in the U.S.A, we decided to start out at the Mayflower Steps, where the original Pilgrim Fathers left Plymouth for a life in the “New World”: the original Pathfinders!

Then it was up past the Admiral Mcbride Pub (no we didn’t stop for a beer and a crab sandwich although perhaps we should have!) and up to the start of Plymouth Hoe, where the old canons still guard the approach to The Cattewater and Sutton Harbour.

We took a stroll to Pier One, a regular coffee haunt for us and for an hour we sat in the sun, (yes I really did say sun) sipping our coffees and catching up with all our respective news.

Then as the sun departed and angry clouds rolled in from the English Channel we walked up on to the Hoe to experience the full vista.

Smeaton’s Tower from a different perspective.

Plymouth is a military town and all the armed forces are well represented. Plymouth Hoe has many tributes to our brave servicemen who sacrificed their lives so that others may remain safe from tyranny (particularly relevant in today’s torrid times). One of Jon’s family was actually an original RAF Pathfinder and so this memorial was very poignant for him.

We then made our way back across the park and down through the cobbled backstreets of the Barbican for a lunch-break. We had intended a quick sandwich and a coffee but ended up with a selection of tapas and a bottle of red. Of course we did!

The trees still with their winter coat as we head off back to the Barbican.

Back-allies of The Barbican - If they could talk these streets could surely tell some stories.

The Clippy and Coffe & Donuts - A regular stop-off for the bikers.

After our delicious calorific interlude we headed off along Southside Street as we had booked a tour of the Plymouth Gin Distillery (also known as the Black Friars Distillery).

Established in 1793, it is the oldest operating distillery in Britain.

Built in 1431, the distillery is located on what was once a Dominican Order monastery and rumour has it that the original Pilgrim Fathers stayed there while the Mayflower was in the harbour for repairs, before finally setting off to North America. I think I would have needed more than a few navy-strength gins to make that journey back in the 1600’s.

From 1793 the building was remodelled and extended as a gin distillery and was owned by the Coates family until 2004.

6284 Litres of the old Plymouth marching juice.

Since 2005 the Brand “Plymouth Gin” has been owned by the Scandinavian V&S Group (makers of Absolute Vodka) which in turn was later acquired by Pernod-Ricard. This is still an active distillery and indeed, every bottle of Plymouth Gin comes from a single Still from within this distillery.

Our charming tour guide, Kirsty, took us through the entire distillation process, which we didn’t realize includes a number of botanicals; juniper berries, lemon and orange peel, coriander, orris root and angelica.

Of course whilst interested in the process, we Pathfinders actually believe that the proof (100% proof and 57% alcohol by volume) is in the tasting. Kirsty provided us with small shots of neat Gin, Fruit Cup and Sloe Gin and told us that we only needed to sip it and inhale and that there was no requirement to drink it all! We Pathfinders always adopt a zero tolerance to waste, do not believe in spitting and so it was cheers for Chivers and down the hatch in one.

Navy Strength - 100% proof so If its good enough to light gunpowder………

The deal is done as Jon and Rachel purchase some provisions to take back to the “New World”.

After the tour we were taken to the Refectory Bar where we were treated to some “real-world tasting”. My initial tipple was a Sloe gin, poured lovingly over ice and mixed with a lemon tonic and some form of vegetation. That was okay for a warm-up and quenched the thirst before moving on to a house Martini. By now our party was cooking on gas and very much into the swing of things.

Time for some serious tasting at The Refectory Bar.

Fortunately we only had to stagger about ten yards to the neighbouring Barbican Kitchen restaurant where we enjoyed a rather delicious meal. I know it definitely was delicious, I am just having trouble remembering what exactly we ate! I do remember capturing this image of the Plymouth Barbican on the way home. Thank goodness for the Leica Q and its autofocus.

Day two involved a trip across Dartmoor to the market town of Tavistock. The weather had taken a turn for the worse (yes that is possible in the south west), the driving wind meant that the rain was practically horizontal and the mist was somewhat impairing our supposed scenic drive across the moor.

On arrival in Tavistock we did what all Pathfinders would do in such circumstances, found a coffee shop and had a bacon sandwich. Yes I know we had a lunch planned but we were introducing Jon and Rachel to our family tradition that whilst on holiday, everyone must have one portion of pork product per day in whatever format.

Tavistock is ideal for a rainy day. After coffee we headed for the Pannier Market which had something for everyone. Rachel and I were on the hunt for new hats, Kate was off to the craft shop to buy some crochet accessories and Jon was being a hipster and remembering the 1970’s (they say if you can remember the seventies you weren’t there!) and was looking at second hand records. For those under the age of 20, vinyl records allowed music to be heard through the use of an ancient form of electrical device called a “record player”.

Of course, there is no accounting for style and I think you will agree that my new hat definitely set the tone for the day. I know it is stylish because wherever I went people could not help but admire it…..I think!

Then it was off to the Cornish Arms for a calorific experience. Our favourite restaurant so I do not even have to look at the menu. I always start with the lamb raviolo (complete food orgasm) followed by loin of venison. I have simplified my menu choices but all come with accompanying items and sauces that are a sensation for the taste buds.

We had an absolutely charming waitress who was very proud of her body art and allowed me to capture her and her dragon tattoo in action.

Crystal - a.k.a. “The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo”.

As we drove back to Plymouth all were very much in their respective happy places. Regrettably Jon and Rachel had to depart the next morning as they were about to travel to southern Spain. You see, a true Pathfinder never stays in the same place for very long.

All I can say is that we had an absolutely wonderful couple of days and both Jon and Rachel really are kindred spirits. We all agreed that a joint adventure is very much in order. So it’s up to the planners, Mrs C and Rachel to come up with the locations whilst Jon and I peruse the wine list.

As I finish this blog it’s a beautiful day here in Plymouth and my thoughts are now turning to our upcoming Andalucian adventure with my brother and his wife. More of that in my next blog.

Meantime, stay well, stay safe and may I wish all you photographers good light!

Warmest regards from Plymouth U.K.