Thursday, 18 July 2013

Abbotsbury, Portesham and Hardy's Monument, Dorset

Having left the coast road we are heading Inland to Abbotsbury

the village nestling in  the countryside in the centre of photo











It is late Sunday afternoon and we find this tearoom and the owners are prepared to stay open and serve us.



 The welcome and friendliness was outstanding and I understand that the B & B attached is the same
Wheelwrights dates from the 1500's and was for centuries a wheelwrights workshop


Afterwards we visit the Dansel Gallery which features a superb collection of high quality items from the best of British designer craftsman


I bought one of their small items
a hand crafted wooden vase and tulips



On our way back to the cottage Alan was good enough to stop while I took some photos in Portesham
very good of him as we have visited many places this Sunday afternoon on this our first day



I love these brooks on the side of the road



not forgetting to browse in the church yard


where I come across this ancient grave stone where a church vicar was buried in 1681




Not content to call it a day we pass the lane up to Thomas Hardy's monument. This area is known as Hardy country as there have been 3 well known men by the name of Thomas Hardy.
This monument was errected in 1884 to the memory of
 Vice-Admiral Thomas Masterman Hardy,  flag captain to
 H.M.S. Victory at the Battle of Trafalgar. Amongst other things,  Hardy became famous as it was in his arms that Nelson died, saying the immortal words "Kiss Me Hardy" 
It is early evening now and it is almost too blustery up here to take photos but the views are great and this monument can be seen from miles around in every direction. Even better from the top of the tower when it is open





Well it is definitely time to make our way back to the cottage for 
high tea



Sunday, 14 July 2013

I DID IT AT LAST - amongst other things!

At last I have my bunting up in my quirky corner
I bought the material last Summer
but I am just not a sewer and then with the very cold and wet Spring I just could not get my self motivated to do it.
However with a heatwave for over a week now (90f today) and forecast to last until August it was now or never










Very Patriotic I have to say


Having removed and grassed over one of the old rose beds
it became obvious that this space would be ideal for the main table, out of the way and in the shade most of the day






The weather being so hot we have taken all our meals out here this last week and enjoyed the new vista even though the blossom has all 'gone over' and the lawn is browning up in the heat


The new roses in this old bed are coming up nicely now



A great contrast to the more delicate colours in other beds
I really do want to get on posting holiday pics
but could not wait to show my handiwork





Friday, 12 July 2013

West Bay, Dorset and a Drive along the Coast Road


After a 'chill out' morning Sunday afternoon found us at West Bay
which is part of The Jurassic Coast (I posted on this 2 years ago when we were visiting Beer and Lyme Regis)
This part of the coast is a World Heritage Site and stretches from Exmouth in East Devon to Swanage in East Dorset, a distance of 96 miles. One can walk it's entire length on the South West Coast path.
The highest point is 627 feet.
The coast consists of Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous cliffs, spanning the Mesozoic Era, documenting 180 Million years of geological history.


This particular cliff was featured in the recent TV series Broadchurch. It was for me the best crime series I have ever watched. It concentrated on the psychological affect on the community of the murder of a child whose body was found at the bottom of this cliff. 


It was a cold and very blustery day
so few people on the beach


A bleak looking English Channel



Looking to the other side of the beach


and then back to the car park



where we took the coast road towards Abbotsbury and Chesil Beach, both of which will be well featured in future posts
Thankfully the weather eased over night!




We are looking towards Weymouth and Portland Head in the distance




the other side of which is Durdle Door and I have fond memories of swimming here when my children were young