This is an unusually quiet period here at Syntagma, helped by the English weather, which thinks it’s mid-summer.

Meanwhile, Thord is working hard on our new network magazine, Moneyizor, from his Swedish castle, amid the snows of the North Lands — and between watching the world snooker championships on TV. He’s busy forging our newest design, which should be unveiled next week. Mark it in your diary.

As we have now got the office in some order, after building work and new computers, I thought I would regale you with some pics taken on my morning walk. I know, I’m too good to you!

The Morning Walk has taken on added significance since we’ve been looking for a replacement for Syntagma Towers. Regular readers will know that we were beaten to the punch on Rougemont Castle, which was sold to a property company, by Charlie Falconer of dubious provenance.

However, my early morning trek of around five miles takes in some of the most historic sites in East Devon, so should provide possible substitutes. Not this next building though :

For it is Exeter Cathedral, and even I can’t bring myself to covet it, given its present owner (touches forelock).

Apart from the castle and the cathedral, the route takes me through our Farmers’ Market (pictured) :

and through some very ancient buildings and byways. I’ll show you Parliament Street at a later date. Astonishingly, it’s only 3 feet wide. Don’t believe me? Wait and see. Who says size zero is a modern phenomenon?

The route also takes me into the most spectacular development in Devon — the new shopping and chill-out zone at Princesshay. Most of it is still being built, but the bits that are open for business have attracted some upmarket clients, including a genuine Spanish tapas bar (which takes me back to the seven years I spent in Andalucia) a Trattoria and French coffee shop. Whatever happened to Anglo-Saxon England?

I’ll show you some pics of Princesshay tomorrow.

My route then circles round the historic centre and rises up and out of the city back to Syntagma Towers, from whose heights you can see America (I jest), and which makes the Leaning Tower of Pisa seem an upright sort of edifice.

One final glimpse then of Rougemont Castle and thoughts of what might have been :

Ah, the impregnability of the place!