Terrafirma Travels

It's Flying Scotsman day!! Alarm went off at 0630 - mistake! Got up 0730. Lovely shower, v new block, design is 9/10. Good old CAMC, reliable sites.  Into Wareham, lots of space in Quay park. N idly looked up tides over a coffee in the Quirky Cafe in West St and realised the van had its first tidal gate! The car park will probably flood at HW in 2 hours time. Meanwhile L hit the vintage clothing shop and charities. N found a lovely Crew winter shirt in Margaret Green Foundation, where his mum and dad volunteered at the animal sanctuary some 40 years ago. Just like his mum before him, N walked in and put his hand straight on a perfect item. Drove to Norden and left van for the day. Got the 1200 shuttle service (regular steam train) into Swanage, watched from vantage point above station for Flying Scotsman arrival. Wandered into Swanage centre for lunch, came across the Beach Brunch with views across the Bay. Had delicious Chef's Skillet (chorizo hash) and Green smoothie. V filli...

 Left Plymouth on a fine morning heading fir Studland. We varied our usual stop halfway, this time heading for a place called Teas and Creams. When we left the A35 to find it, we were groaning to see very narrow lanes, and worst of all, a large Road Closed sign.  Nic decided to press on regardless. We were in luck. The road closure was a few metres past the cafe, which was a delightful spot with lovely waitresses, a gorgeous view and mouth-watering food.  On our way again, we stopped briefly to change drivers so Nic could drive the last leg into Studland, a drive he remembers fondly from childhood.  Into the NT car park at Studland, close to his family's old beach hut, and we changed for swimming.  It was a brief 8 minutes swim,  about 14° C and not windy. It was invigorating, slightly cooler than Plymouth. We trooped back to the van to change and tried to avoid getting fine sand all over the place. Off to the NT cafe for much needed hot pasties. We walked ...

Amazingly straightforward journey home. 6 hrs inc 2 pee stops at Hilton and Taunton Deane and a decent brunch stop at Gloucester.  The heating is on, the washing machine is whirring, and all is right with the world. 

Late up. Breakfast, then off to Quarry Bank Mill. We have been there before, but this 18th century National Trust mill is extraordinary, set in a deep forested valley not far from Manchester. We did 6k steps around the extensive grounds. Saw a large fluffy heron on a lake and a weir which fed the mill stream when the looms were water powered. We encountered endless dogs and children - for once the majority of visitors were not as old as us. After the walk we had coffee in the cafe and L whizzed around the mill, watching and filming one of the looms in action, and one of the cotton spinning machines too. She was especially interested in the mill office, a perfect example of a Victorian office.  Finally we had a walk around the garden and on the path back to the carpark we saw an NT employee in a field of English Longhorn cattle. He was scratching the back of an enormous bull with giant horns and everything else (!) to scale. The bull was drooling with contentment. When the worker wa...

The Forecast was rain and gales so we planned a day in. After the usual-for-Gatley slow getting up, we walked to the Coop for Guardian, milk and alcohol - the stuff of life. L had a poetry zoom, N wrote a first draft of episode 1 of The Discussion Group, then it was lunchtime. Barney really enjoyed having us both here all day - the feeding on demand functioned well. The afternoon disappeared with reading and resting. We cooked in again because we've had enough of eating out for a while. Then Strictly and two episodes of The Reluctant Vampire with Lenny Rush (he carried it). The cat sleeps soundly beside us, now we've stopped sitting in his favourite space. 

Today we got up late, had a slow breakfast and packed a lunch to take with us. We drove to Lyme, a very large NT estate which we have visited before. L had forgotten our previous visit until we arrived. It was a drizzly wet day. No photos because we had been there before! The house was pretty wonderful, huge 18th c pile, and there were v few people in it, plus some new signboards in each room that were v effective and easy to read. However we whizzed around it and drove home for lunch after all. Later L went off on a trip to the nearby John Lewis for some bowls, cutlery and pillow protectors.  Dinner was tuna we had bought at Preston market and then it was time for Traitors again, watched with Barney on the sofa.