Day Two – Saturday

I did quite a bit for me yesterday, so thought I would take a walk to the Down House Farm for a spot of lunch. On the path towards the farm I came across a couple and we were discussing the weather and the wildlife, I mentioned bees and the chap said ‘don’t mention bees to me’ then I noticed the the swollen eye, yes you got it.. he had been stung on his eye lid! On my departure I said “Bee careful” ooh we did laugh..

Down House Farm is now 300 acres of organic National Trust land and you can see that when you are walking around for it is a haven for wildlife. This organically farmed land is evidence is is tonic for the soul of the bees and butterflies and lots of other plants too.

The hedgerows are alive with life, what ever they are doing its working and what a sight to see. (note to self must take a little book on the birds or plants or as one chap said to me ‘you will always find on a walk that someone knows something’ – so I thought keep taking pictures then I can ask. I came across a blue butterfly or moth it was so pretty, couldn’t help taking loads of photographs.

This farm has been voted as one of “Five of the best places for afternoon tea in Britain” by Elle magazine UK. I decided on Homemade soup followed by scones and clotted cream. I must have been looking at the cake on the table in front of me for too long as they said to me ‘you’ve got Cake Envy!’ The chap had said to his partner ‘you look like a brownie in that shirt’ to which I replied ‘better not put a neck a chief round your neck’ we laughed, what a lovely time I spent there.

I came back and wanted to visit The Furleigh Estate at Salway Ash, Bridport a former dairy farm which is now a productive vineyard and winery. What a lovely afternoon been shown around the estate, the chap who showed the group round was interesting, loved his job and informed us of so many things that go in to successfully growing the vines. My aim is to visit all the English vineyards and there are over 400 so I better get going!

I’ve still got time to go and visit Lyme Regis and Charmouth (plenty of parking). The Fossil museum is run by some very nice volunteers. It was a lovely day with a warm breeze, my kind of weather!

Then on to Lyme Regis.

I was going to drive down on to the seafront but I was led to believe the traffic lights were broken and the queue was getting longer, so decided to leave and come back another day. I noticed the carpark called ‘Charmouth road carpark’ on my right climbing the hill so decided thats where I will park on my return.