travel writer

Good quality family time can be had in Exmouth.

We’re only here for a day but that’s enough to create lasting memories.

A leisurely three course meal at Prezzo in The Strand is an excellent start.

“I love Italian food,” says Heidi (13) as she soaks up the atmosphere. The interior design is tasteful and welcoming. We all enjoy seeing the David Hockney prints adorning the upstairs walls. Our table is downstairs in front of a large window providing views of the street and allowing the welcome sun to warm our backs.

As Henry grows it’s pleasing to see him trying new foods and when he chooses a garlic bread starter I do feel proud of the little man. He wouldn’t have done that a few years ago. He’s quite happy with the children’s menu. His cheese and tomato pizza pleases him and he says that it’s as good as any he has had - and he knows, he likes his pizza. His large Coke also brings a smile of satisfaction to his little face as does his mango and chocolate ice cream dessert. Lucky boy. He gets to go to more restaurants than I did when I was his age. He’s always the one we need to be happy and then we can relax.

I join him and have a garlic bread starter but accompanied with a Prezzo Pale Ale (which Henry tries…), a new line, which is very welcome. It’s a really tasty, refreshing afternoon drink, not too heavy. I could get used to this way of life. This is followed by a delightful spaghetti carbonara with chicken. The portion is just right. Caroline’s chicken Caesar salad is delicious, she tells me, although a little too much for her. The girls’ margherita pizzas are enjoyable – they do like seeing the large pizza oven in the restaurant. The warm chocolate fudge cake and ice cream for dessert is a sure winner for Harriett and me while Caroline prefers an Italian coffee and vanilla ice cream. Heidi is rather partial to her ice cream, too. Finishing off with a latte gives me that much needed kick to explore this port town.

Saying our goodbyes we mooch off, noting the model dinosaurs along the way and head in to Exmouth market in an old building where a variety of independent traders offer everything from sweets to wool, guitars to CDs. We enjoy browsing and from there head for the beach. The sun is still shining but it’s a blustery changeable day and it soon starts to rain but that does not deter the hardened kite surfer we enjoy watching who seemingly loves the conditions. We watch him fly up into the air on a number of occasions and wonder how on earth he copes. It must be freezing up there. We wander off the beach to a nearby park where the children find a trampoline, swings and even a zip wire. Henry then spies a football stuck in a hedge that he enjoys trying to dislodge without any luck. Time passes and we saunter back to our car, which incidentally we park for free on the road side, not too far away from the town centre. But beforehand we visit the Grade II listed Holy Trinity Church built in 1825 and home to a lovely grand piano, which Heidi cannot resist playing.