My Early Years

A Memory of Bellever.

When I think of Devon, and in particularly Bellever I think of home.
I lived in Bellever from the age of 4 to 13, after moving with my family (dad Denis, mum Gracie, sisters Cyndy, Alison and Elaine, and brothers Bill and Steve). The thing I enjoyed most was swimming in the river, and going for walks on the moors and through the woods. In the summer my family used to spend every Sunday by the river. It's where my dad taught me to swim, I can remember saying to him "look I'm swimming" but secretly having my hands on the bottom. Our extended families used to come for visits. and we would pack a picnic and go whortleberry picking, up on Bellever Tor, and my mum and aunts would make pies and jam with the fruit. I can also remember going into bluebell wood with my sisters and brothers to pick bluebells and primroses for our mum.
We all enjoyed the snow, I think the main reason was that we used to get sent home from school in case we got snowed in.
I remember the Shellabears who used to run the farm, many times we used to go and watch Chris milking the cows and and maybe feed the new calfs that were in the barn, I can also remember eating the cow pellets, yuk!!!
We didn't even mind the walking to the shop or church in Postbridge. (well I don't think I did).
In the early times of living there the postman used to come on horseback.
One of the best places to go was the youth hostel, Mr Martin used to run it. You always used to see him walking around in his shorts, I'm sure he wore them even in the winter. I used to go to the youth hostel for my mars bars and the big log fire. They also used to do trips to the pantomime. I was so excited when I was old enough to go for the first time. 4 years I fulfilled one of my dreams, to stay at the youth hostel.
I have brought my children back to the village on several occasions, but they thought there was nothing to do, but thats because they're townies.

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