An Outing For A Picnic By The Grand Western Canal With My Granddaughter

A Memory of Tiverton.

Our granddaughter Anna Norfolk stays with us each Tuesday and Friday starting with breakfast and we try to keep her entertained with things to do around our home town of Tiverton. One recent February day felt like the first day of Spring so we planned an outing while making her favourite breakfast of fishfingers and tomatoes and toast.

We planned a sunny walk with her pushchair near the river view shown in this picture but first she wanted to play football in our lounge! Then we prepared Grandma and Grandad’s picnic. We got the “55 bus” from Tesco Express to West Exe then took Anna for a run around Heathcoats Factory shop with Grandma to choose material to make a pushchair blanket.  From there we walked to Country Babies shop to ask about nappies! Its all go with a 22 month old toddler!

We gazed down at the ducks from West Exe bridge - its a really beautiful view southwards down the River Exe. From there it was a pushchair ride past the dolls house shop (slowly !) to Tiverton Library. We returned all her books and then had some story time in the library's children's section. From there its a short walk to buy a sausage roll and juice for her picnic at nearby Marks and Sparks.  After getting these final ingredients for our picnic we walked over the road to the bus station and looked round the Tourist Information Centre while waiting for our “352 bus” to Tidcombe.  Anna had some giggles with other passengers!  The Tidcombe bus driver let us get off right by the entrance to the Grand Western Canal so it was easy to start our walk and picnic by the canal. We chose a bench in the sun right by the water's edge and enjoyed watching the ducks and swans and moorhens. Its not far from the view above. Anna laughed at the ducks and swans as they take off and land making huge splashes.

We had a pushchair ride back to the Blundells Road roundabout where she dozed off in the pushchair - so Grandma pushed her home and transferred her to the cot for an afternoon nap while Grandad shopped in Tesco and carried it all home! Anna slept much of the afternoon in her cot while Grandma & Grandad flaked out truly knackered in comfortable armchairs having had a lovely outing in Tiverton. A memorable day!