We hopped aboard a morning train from Barnstaple to Exeter, and dropped our luggage at our final lodging for the trip, the Raffles Guest House, conveniently located near the city center.

Exeter was a very  wealthy town in the Middle Ages from the wool trade and many structures still date from this time, although a lot was destroyed during WWII.  One interesting feature that was not affected is a network of underground water supply tunnels built to carry fresh water into the city.  These are now visitable in small groups for those not affected by claustrophobia!  The passages certainly made an unusual way to start a city tour.

After lunch at a friendly crepe stand, we took a more traditional (“Red Coat”) walking tour above ground to learn more about medieval Exeter.  Besides a number of fine half-timbered buildings and the famous Exeter Cathedral, we saw the excavated remains of the first stone bridge built in the area.  It is contemporaneous with the original London bridge and was similarly garnished with shops and buildings when in use.  

Post-tour, we stopped for tea along the quay, where we saw white swans and a hand-powered ferry.  The sun finally made an appearance, making the scene quite pleasant indeed. Afterwards we split up, with one group going to Marks and Sparks (bigger than the one in Barnstaple) while Nick made a self-guided circuit of the city walls.

Our final stop was a highly-recommended pub called the Rusty Bike, right around the corner from our B&B.  The food was delicious; Rowan was a champion eater of shell-on prawns, but Nick was the only one to enjoy the “scrumpy” cider (a local specialty with an unusual nose).