"Queen of the English Riviera"

Torquay in the county of Devon in Southwest England. This is my birthplace, my hometown......................the place people have asked how could I have left. Some people never leave home, some move across town, perhaps travel to a bigger city, others fly to another coast. I crossed a great ocean expecting to explore for a while and then return to this lovely place...........life throws curves, life changes. Perhaps one never can go home.

Torquay is built on seven hills making the view from Tor Bay especially scenic. The beaches are many and varied, sand, pebbles, rocky. In the pic below, the area by the steps lower left, was my childhood favorite and we headed there after school on early Summer evenings for a swim. The town is known for the flower filled public gardens along the seafront and wooden pier where Agatha Christie would roller skate. She is one of the town's famous people having grown up there. I am not famous by any means!

Across Tor Bay are the towns of Paignton and Brixham and beyond the bay the English Channel.

Like most English seaside towns, Torquay is a now a little worn around the edges and the tourist trade has suffered. People head to the Continent where the beaches of Spain are especially popular with guaranteed sunshine all Summer long.

The natural beauty of Devon is hard to beat though, and beyond the beaches is rolling countryside and moorland so very beautiful.............nothing beats a real 'cream tea' in a cottage garden on Dartmoor!