A Grand Day Out: The Quilters Visit Dingle Dell
July 2025
On Monday, a mooch of quilters came to Dingle Dell for their end-of-term gathering — and what a day it was.
The ladies are part of the From a Distance quilt group, a quietly brilliant circle of skilled makers who meet weekly to share stories, hone their craft, and support one another in the gentle art of quilting. Many are retired professionals, all are thoughtful, kind, and attentive — the sort who notice a perfectly finished seam or a clever binding detail, and who still believe in doing things properly.
It’s fair to say that quilters rarely travel alone. A mooch — usually two or three at a time — is often found frequenting fabric and haberdashery shops, discussing stitches, admiring technique, and quietly encouraging one another. It’s the most affectionate collective noun we know, and it suits this group perfectly.
For the past three years, Dingle Dell has regularly featured in Claire’s weekly updates to the group. So when it came time to choose a location for their summer social, Claire extended the most Dingle Dell of invitations: a grand unveiling, a bring-and-share lunch, a dip in the sea, and a full Devon cream tea — all served with care, nostalgia, and proper china.
I had the honour of being Jeeves for the day (and washer-upper too), and I can report that the scone protocol was split cleanly down the middle: half Devon (cream first), half Cornish (jam first), and not a single word of rivalry between them. Just quiet enjoyment, as it should be. Each to their own, just make sure you enjoy it.
After lunch, we hosted a tasting session of my homemade experimental ice creams — the sort we keep stashed in the freezer for guests:
Blackcurrant & Amaretto Ripple
Ginger Ice Cream
Rhubarb & Custard — a layered combination of full cream custard ice cream and sharp rhubarb sorbet
Coffee Ice Cream — rich, smooth, and quietly indulgent
A retro tribute to the Orange Maid lolly — thoughtfully included for those avoiding indulgent dairy
The flavours change throughout the year — sometimes inspired by the seasons, sometimes by whatever happens to be in the kitchen. If something sounds possible, I’ll usually try it. And when it works, we make sure there’s a tub or two in the Dingle Dell freezer, ready for guests to discover.
There was a walk on the beach, a sea dip for the brave, and plenty of laughter. Afternoon tea followed — served, as always, on the nostalgic Beryl Wood Ware green china that’s become a Dingle Dell trademark.
Days like this are what Dingle Dell is for.
If we’re not let, and you’re planning a birthday, reunion, or just a special day with friends or family, Dingle Dell might be the perfect beach base. We’ve got two parking spaces and everything you need for a proper day out by the sea.
This isn’t a holiday apartment in the modern sense. It’s not grey minimalism with a keycode and a laminated rulebook. Dingle Dell is unashamedly nostalgic. It’s 1960s beach holidays — buckets and spades, full tummies, sandy toes, and proper time together. The kind that doesn’t need posting online to be real.
Dingle Dell is different. And we think that’s a good thing.
So if you'd like to plan your own Dingle Dell day out, just give Claire a call.
We don’t do flashy.
We do it properly.
And we do it well.