The Woodland Cafe, Yurtcamp Devon, Liverton

Well, today is a special day for me: 30 years ago today I watched my father die. It's a milestone, like the year that meant I'd lived longer without him than with him. How to mark and celebrate this time and his memory? Tea and cake, of course - our afternoons out usually ended with tea. But where to go? An old haunt? Or a new venue? New venue won out when I spotted a business card for the Woodland Café in the launderette - you just never know when inspiration will strike, do you? So off I drove via Forches Cross to Gorse Blossom Farm and thence to the café. It was early - 9.30am - and I had the place to myself. I ordered tea and a slice of tiffin and sat outside to enjoy the relative quiet, the trees, birdsong and the inquisitive squirrel hunting for crumbs. And I munched and reminisced until The Time + 30 years had passed and it seemed as though a new phase had begun. With the café lady's permission, I explored the site. None of the yurts appeared to be taken at the time but I could imagine the atmosphere especially in the evening when the fire pits were lit and dusk had set in. There were woodland walks and adventure playgrounds for the children. Overall verdict? Standard cup of tea, stickily sweet wedge of tiffin. They do main meals, so it might make an interesting lunch venue. You won't be passing their door, so it will have to be a special trip - but why not? On a lovely summer day, it's good to be outside - explore the public footpaths nearby - just be. But make the most of every moment. Here's to the next 30 years.