Shamwari CL, Axminster

 Friday 4th August 2023

    Site is lovely but a little difficult getting in the gate as you have to pull over to the opposite side of the road otherwise you run the risk of scraping the edge of the van on the gate post.  Once in we were welcomed by Carol who gave us an information pack and food waste bucket.

    The site is mown grass and level with views over the valley.  Electric meter, not that we used any as we were testing out a new battery.  Carol also mentioned that if we ever needed electricity, she pointed out the one that still had credit on it.  There's also a dog walking section for those with dogs and this made a nice little after-dinner walk through the newly planted orchard.

    It was a long journey down from Wiltshire due to traffic & road works so we for went a cuppa and then went straight to the cider and lager.  Then we started to relax…. trouble was Mike was suffering with his hip.  He thinks it is only muscular so hopefully will ease off soon.

Saturday 

    Sunny and overcast to start with.  We were expecting rain all day so we weren't disappointed.  We headed towards Forde Abbey but on the way realised the house wasn't open on Saturdays so ended up going to Chard.  It has a long main street with the usual shops but some of the buildings are very old. We found a café up a side street for a coffee.  It also so sold art, although this was very expensive. We were asked to pay by cash if we could as being a small business they are charged for card transactions. We managed to scrape enough together.  We're getting to the stage where we don't carry cash.  More's the pity.

    A quick look around then back to the car.  By this time, the sun had come out and I had to take my coat off.  We had been expecting rain and wind!

    On our way back, we stopped at the farm shop in Tytherleigh and bought some Passionfruit Curd and Marmalade with spiced Rum.  Both were very nice. Then we walked the short distance to the Trading Post which has a very eclectic mix of items.  It's very extensive with rooms off rooms and outside sheds &

garages.  We spent some time looking around and I ended up buying a record - Yessongs, which I had when I was younger (although I can't remember much of the music - just hope it's not a waste of money).

    Back at the caravan and a cuppa then get ready to go out.

    The taxi picked us up at 5.30 by which time the wind had picked up quite dramatically with Storm Antoni. I did look a sight waiting by the road side with my hood pulled up but it kept my hair from flying all over the place.

    Our meal at the Tytherleigh Arms was something else!  We were very well looked after and the staff couldn't do enough for you.  They bought out an amuse bouche too which we'd never had before but it was gorgeous.

    I had a mixed summer vegetable starter and Mike had pork belly.  Then for mains, I had stone-cooked Bass and Mike had steak.  Both were exceptional!  We both had the cheese board after along with a glass of port.  Five different but local cheeses. Again exceptional.  It was an expensive meal but worth every penny and it doesn't hurt to push the boat out now and again.

Sunday

    The wind had died down quite a bit which was a relief - and the sun was shining! So we decided to go the Forde Abbey as it was open. We took a roundabout way to get there but was saw parts of Somerset (or Devon) we hadn't seen before. 

The gardens at Forde Abbey are lovely, so colourful and plentiful and the lawns are very well kept. We were able to get around the whole grounds so they weren't extensive but they did include 3 ponds, bog area and manicured flower beds too and an arboretum. At 12.30 the fountain spray to life and grew to an impressive height, said to be higher than Nelsons Column in London.

We went to the café after that but must say we weren't impressed. We had a vegan sausage roll and a meat sausage roll.  Both were like warm but we couldn't tell which was which. They weren't very appetising. 

    We looked around the House and Chapel after that.  In the chapel, there is a poppy from the Tower of London collection from 2014 in memory of some family members who fell in WW1.

    The House was interesting in as far as old houses are interesting but it felt tired and in need of a little TLC.

    We were going to look around the grave yard at Chideock after that as Mike had found out that some of his ancestors came from around here but we were too tired so headed back to the caravan. 

    Cup o' tea sat outside in the sun - lovely.  I did some embroidery - my latest choice of something to do in the caravan this time - then dinner and a restful evening.

Monday

    We had to ensure we got up quite quickly as the owner offered to see us out of the site as the road and their gate is on a bend and could cause difficulty getting out. Carol times it so it's mid-morning when the rush hour's over.  A breakfast and a clean before hitching up then a thank you to Carol.  She is a lovely lady.  She saw us out with on problems. We took the coast road back (didn't fancy the problems on A303) and caught glimpses of the sea - we really must stay by the sea next time.