Downhill Racing - Bransecombe and Sidmouth

The Old Bakery

We drove down the narrow lanes to Branscome, following the 899 bus.  The service runs 3 times a day and connects all the pretty villages on this part of the Devon Coast.  The top car park was tiny and full, so we proceeded to the beach car park. There was plenty of room, and another different type of payment.  This is "pay on exit", which is really better.

The old parts of the village are well spaced out and run by the National Trust.  Long time readers will know that my expectations at National Trust places are rarely met.  That was the case here too.  The Forge is just a shop with a small display.  The Old Bakery is just a shop.  The mill is on bypass and not running.  Although each place is lovely to see, they could do so much more.

We first walked to The Forge, then across the road and a bit further along, the Old Bakery, where we had a light lunch.  Then onto the Church and the Mill.

Bransecombe church is another one with an octogon on top.  The church was open, but not the tower, so we took a look inside.  Not so much stain glass, but a nice church.

The long walk back down hill took its toll, and I was limping a little by the time we returned to the car. 

 

 

 

Then we drove to Sidmouth and walked along the sea front.  A lovely place, with many people enjoying the warm weather.  There was another downhill 'run' from the Manor Road car park to the sea front,  In the late afternoon we are between lunch and dinner.  Most of the cafés are shut, and the evening economy is not yet underway, so it was fish & chips again (shame!)

 

 

Blickling Estate

We visited Blickling Estate with the Billericay and District Resident's Association (BDRA).  The coach took about 3 hours to get there and a similar amount of time coming back.  Such a distance is not really a viable day trip in a car, because I would be exhausted by the drive and not enjoy the place we were visiting.  It is a National Trust property, so we knew what to expect. 

We were met and greeted by a member of staff (volunteer?), who gave us guide sheets with a gold sticker to identify us as the coach party. After this, we ate our lunch and got a cup of tea from the outside café.  15p extra for a take-away cup and a discount for a re-usable (bring your own) cup. The cups are good quality, but there is no way they cost more than a couple of pence each. I appreciate what they are trying to do, but that price is too much.  

The into the house:

The grand entrance staircase was not always here, but was moved from another location by one of the former owners.

In the ceiling above the staircase is the Boleyn Bull.  A sign that the Boleyn family live here at one time.

Oriental artefacts fill the house.  One room is particularly impressive, with had painted Chinese wall paper.

This tapestry has a 3D element, and is shown under a special light in a darkened room.  It is on an angled table so that it can be easily seen, but not easily photographed.  The picture doesn't do it justice.  It will soon be wrapped back up and put in storage for 5 years.

The stained-glass window above the main stairs was once given to a church, but has now been returned. it is visible from the corridor opposite the tapestry.

The final picture to show here is the Peter the Great room.  Russian influence is also important in this house.

There are many other treasures and a lot of work is done by the National Trust to look after them and restore them.  There are displays about the work.  

Outside, the grounds are lovely, and the walled garden is ready for planting in most places.  Some plants are already in, and others are perennials and are always there.

There is also a museum dedicated to the air force troops who were billeted there in WWII.  They flew bombers from Oulton Airfield and made important contributions to the war effort.

A very good day out.

Flatford Mill (16 May)

	A possible relative?
	Access to the island is only available on the guided tour
	A timber framed wattle and daub house, one of the best examples in England, it is painted as it would have been when it was built.
	A tree stump along the river
	The view from the river bank looking inland.

We arrived just after lunchtime and were welcomed to the National Trust property by a very friendly lady who gave us all the information we needed.  We wandered down hill to the old village and were greeted by a tour guide.  The tour is extra, but well worth it as you will see things that are not open to the public.  We took our Labrador, who wasn't best pleased standing around listening to the guide, but we were interested in what he had to say.  There was much more he could have said, as he really restricted himself to Constable.  I would like to have heard a bit more about life at the time he was painting.
After the tour we took a late lunch, almost everything was gone, so there was very little choice and we were HUNGRY.  It would have been better if the tearoom staff were a little friendlier and more helpful.  She could easily have told us where to sit with the dog, rather than moving us as we got settled.  There is apparently indoor seating for visitors with dogs, but it was a lovely day and we sat outside.
After eating, we walked along the river for half an hour and then back again. 
It was a lovely, peaceful afternoon.
All in all, this is like a lot of National Trust places we visit.  It's good, but could be so much better.  More information, better guidance, easier ways to access the information (no audio guide available here, for example).

Swanage Day 4 - Brownsea Island

Brownsea Island is a large island in Poole harbour.  It is mostly owned by the National Trust, although the church is still the property of the Church of England and the castle is leased by the John Lewis Partnership.  The promised rain had arrived at the predicted time and had washed much of the tree sap off the car, but the windows were still filthy.  Since the rain had stopped, the day was beginning to warm, and it felt strange using the scraper to get the film of sap and rain off the windows. We drove to Sandbanks and parked on the side of the road a little short of the toll booth.  For foot passengers, the toll is £1 and is only charged coming in the other direction.  So we boarded the chain ferry and experienced the incredibly loud noise it makes close up. At the other side, it is a 1-minute walk to the toll booth for the Brownsea Island ferry, so we soon had our tickets and were aboard the second ferry for the day.  Eight minutes later we were on Brownsea. The name relates to the shape of the Island, with 'sea' being a recent change to the ending to distinguish it from other names in the locality.

Being a NT property, no dogs are allowed, so this is the main thing we could not have done had Brody been with us.  Once again, I was struck (put off) by the NT business model.  The entry price is £6.00, but they ask for £6.60 as the gift-aided price, and then ask you to gift aid it.  So I pay 10% more and the government contributes.  Yes, I know the theory, but my tax does not work like that, my gift aid allowance is estimated, and as my giving is at a reasonable level this one transaction will not figure in the calculation.

To calm me down we stopped for tea in the café, it also served as a better way of waiting for the guided tour which was not due to start for a while.  The guide did a great job, and then we were left on our own to explore.  We decided to lunch first, so back to the café.  Lunch was good, NT cafés usually serve good food in my experience.

Next it was out to the woods on a red squirrel hunt.  We saw lots of red squirrels. I have lots of pictures, mostly of blurred black/red tails, which is the most noticeable part, I haven't checked yet to see if there are any really good ones, though I doubt it  - they just don't stay still long enough.    There is a healthy population on Brownsea because there are no: grey squirrels, foxes, cats or dogs.

Brownsea has had many uses over the last couple of centuries, at one point houses were built for clay miners, and they were later used by daffodil farmers.  They are at the opposite end of the island to the ferry terminal (quay side) so as Jo's knee is hurting we split up.  What a disappointment.  The houses were demolished in controlled explosions in the 1960s (when the NT took over) - because they were deemed to be unsafe.  Heritage destroyed by those entrusted to save it.  Now they get really excited about a galvanized toilet liner!

After tea and cake, we made our way back to the hotel, then after a short break headed into town for our last-night meal.  Swanage has many places that look interesting and inviting.  The one I had seen a couple of times was closed, so we wandered round a bit and found Tawneys. It hadn't been on the list, from the outside it is rather drab, and looks empty - usually a sign that it is not popular.  The menu looked good, though, and we didn't want to turn around and walk any further.  Inside the table-tops are supported on old sowing machines - treadles still in place and working, there is modern art on the walls and sofas at the back for the 'wine bar' area.  The food however is excellent, and so is the service - we both enjoyed our meal.

The walk back to the hotel was the first we had done in the dark.  Swanage has lights put up along the same lines as other seaside towns (e.g. Southend), but here they are not switched on.  It was a lovely still, warm evening and the walk back was very pleasant, with the sound of the sea and the contrasting blackness to the shops and street lights.  Too early still for the 'night-life' to have got going.