Thursday, October 11, 2012


The last of the Break

 
We decide to wander NE and find the Windwhistle Inn at Chard as we had eaten very well there last June.  En route we drove gingerly through a flooded area and as we didn’t stop once we were through, I determined to take a photo on the way back.  Amazingly on our return a couple of hours later, it had virtually dried up.  The Windwhistle Inn didn’t let us down (the same name as the cottage)
 
We stopped at a rare village shop somewhere north of Hawkchurch and bought a few goodies including some delicious nutty bread.  I had asked for sliced – for the toaster
and felt a bit chastened when the nice man said they never stocked sliced. After tasting the bread we knew what he was talking about.  These shops are worth their weight in gold and long may they continue.

 The area around Chard and Crewkerne was our stamping ground when we were house hunting in the early eighties.
We loved the area, despite – even then – the very busy roads – especially in the holiday season, but the houses, although there were some fantastic gardens, were not to our taste – with no flow to them. 

 Another day we drove to Broadwindsor –but there was nowhere to park and the Inn didn’t grab us.  We briefly drove into a sort of craft fair but that didn’t appeal either.  Off we tootled to Beamster and that looked very inviting but by the time I spotted somewhere to park we had over shot.  I began to despair but MTL remembered we had passed a sign on the right saying Stoke Abbott lunch at the New Inn.
 
We back tracked – found the turning and embarked on narrow lanes which seemed to go on for ever.  We have done this a number of times only to find that the Inn at the end is now defunct or closed for lunch!  This time we were lucky – a lovely spot, an Inn with a buzz and a super lunch.  The drive back was full of delightful views and glimpses of the coast.  At one point we stopped so I could take a photo of a small hill and noticed – tucked behind the stile a woman sitting on the ground and frantically trying to comfort her dog – a greyhound who was having some sort of crise de nerfs.  I didn’t want to disturb them so took a quick shot and left.  Maybe the sign on the gate had upset him.

 
All too soon it was time to go home so we cleaned, packed and ate at our local The Old Inn.  Certainly this was one of the cottages we would happily revisit in spite of finding ourselves on a strange road coming home.  Our orienteering skills seem to have gone to pot somewhat.

 
Photos below.

16 comments:

Ms Scarlet said...

Indeed, a beautiful area. Maybe the greyhound got nervous at the sight of a car, which is what my old dog used to do - he used to shake and cower, even if the road was some distance away.
Sx

Pat said...

Scarlet: they had a car parked. I'm sure it had something to do with the stile/gate. I know it sounds daft but there were notices which could seem threatening to a dog - actually addressed to dogs. I can't make the notice bigger unfortunately.

Unknown said...

Sounds like a loely day out!

angryparsnip said...

This time I looked at the photos and then read your post before commenting like I always seem to do.
What lovely photos as usual and even though it is right on he road the New Stroke Abbott looks lovely enough to live in.
Living in Tucson the first thing I think of when I look at all the beautiful ivy growing up the wall is how many scorpions and other critters are living in there. When you live in the desert you think of these things.

cheers, parsnip

angryparsnip said...

Pat, I just clicked on the poor upset doggie photo and saw that one click makes it bigger and another click can make that bigger again.
That doesn't work on all blog photos, mine, but it worked on yours today and I read the sign clearly. Maybe he was scared by a cow ?

cheers, parsnip

Unknown said...

My dear lady, road signs for dogs indeed. I suggest that you and your young man had revisited one of those funny hand rolled ciggie moments from the swinging 60s and imagined the whole thing. These trips down memory lane really must cease at once.

Was this hysterical dog wearing a top hat and sipping champagne from a tall glass by any chance?

Please do not fill Scarlets head with such tales, you know how gullible these copper tops can be at times.

Pat said...

Parsnip: actually the New Inn is in the back of beyond so it is a lane rather than a road and quite a surprise to find so many people eating.
Re ivy - I learned not to delve in undergrowth whilst in Australia.
I used to be able to embiggen photos(I love that expression) by a click , but seem to have lost the power. Par for the course these days:)
If you have the chance perhaps you could translate the notices. I've forgotten what they said.

Chef: you would be surprised how little I saw of the sixties. Small boys can be very time consuming. As for Scarlet I'm never quite sure which of us is the most gullible.

Unknown said...

Ahhh now Pat, so modest. Tis your beautiful self now that has her photo taken with those funny Beatle boys from Liverpool so. A rose between so many thorns for sure.

Pat said...

Chef: that Blarney stone again.

mapstew said...

He's such a rogue that Chef! There's hardly any stone left in Blarney! :¬)

xxx

lom said...

So now do you feel all rested and ready for Christmas?

Pat said...

Map:what with the pair of you:)

LOM: you have a sadistic streak. Did you know that?

Anonymous said...

LOM always did! that's why I like her!

Pat said...

roseneath: I'll get my own back when I discover her Achilles heel:)

LL Cool Joe said...

"an Inn with a buzz and a super lunch." You can't get more perfect than that can you? And in a beautiful setting, what more could you ask for? Sounds great!

Pat said...

Joey: pretty rare too in this neck of the woods.