Baydon Farm, Aldbourne near Marlborough

Baydon Hill Farm, Aldbourne.  

Saturday 15th November

    This trip is our last for this year and we were joined by Carol and John, Maria and Adrian and Josey and Bob with their dogs, Ginny and George, Peggy and finally Dexter.

    Baydon Hill Farm is a working farm and we were sited close to the cow shed so could see them feeding, being cleaned out and new straw put in.  It was quite an eye opener realising how hard a farmers life is.  They were very quiet though so obviously contented.

    When we arrived we sat out in our coats enjoying a drink and a few biscuits and enjoying the rolling hill views which were lovely.  However, we watched the low cloud come in until we couldn't see the distance and it looked like the land ended not far from us.  It was quite spectacular the way the cloud came in.  There was a small amount of rain but nothing to really speak of.  Eventually the time came for the rugby to start so Maria and Adrian, Josey and Bob took a walk down to the village to watch it in the Blue Boar pub.  The rest of us went down and joined them later once the rugby was close to finishing.          On the way down, we spotted a forge and the blacksmith was working in it so we went over to have a look and say hello.  John, having driven down, ended up in the wrong pub!  We later met up with him when we changed pubs.

    The pub was brilliant.  So old and seemingly unaltered from days of old.  During the war an American unit was billeted in Aldbourne with the soldiers frequenting this pub and the Officers the other pub in the village, The Crown.  The Blue Boar was also the setting for part of the TV film Band of Brothers.

    After the rugby had finished, we all moved to the Crown for our meal.  This pub had also been used in a Dr Who episode or series.  This was a larger pub and also a hotel.  We were given a table in a side room.  Just as well as we did make quite a noise with our laughter.

    The food was good, although Mike and I could have done with a few more pieces of meat in our stroganoff but it was tasty.  After eating we played a game of true or false which was a laugh.  That night, there was also a singer and although we stayed until 10pm we didn't think much of her singing.  I cadged a lift with John in the car back up the hill while poor Mike hiked.  He hadn't realised there was room in the car for him.

Sunday 16th November

    We'd previously arranged that we would all pitch in for breakfast so Mike cooked some sausages, Adrian cooked bacon and black pudding and Josey prepared rolls then we all donned our coats and had breakfast al fresco and it was very fresco!  Overnight it seemed the temperature had dropped and we got quite cold sat out chatting.

    Maria, Adrian, Josey and Bob returned home today, while the rest of us had arranged to stay another night.  Carol John and I decided to go to the village to have a look around in the daylight while Mike wanted to look at the water system to find why our water was sputtering coming out of the taps.

    The village is quaint but apart from the two pubs and the forge, which also had a cafe, there was little else.  The church seems to be rather large for a small village.  We didn't venture inside as we had Ginny and George with us.  We did, however, have a cup of tea and cake at the Forge cafe, and very nice it was too!

    I decided to walk back up the hill rather than cadge a lift this time.  I’m having a hip replacement very soon so walking is a little problematical but the fresh air was wonderful.  I did have a rest once back on site and in a very warm Daisy.

    After dinner, it was over to Carol and Johns caravan for chat and games.  We played the True or False game that Carol took to the pub yesterday.  It was fun to do but once we'd gone through the whole pack we could remember most of the answers.  Carol will have to play it with other people - she will certainly have the upper hand.

Monday 17th November

    Slow start to the morning and after breakfast Carol and John came over for coffee (they'd run out anyway so were glad of the arrangement).  The weekend has to end sometime so eventually they, and us, prepared to leave the site and return home.  They left before us so hopefully John took a more direct route home.  We called in at Pewsey on the way to off load quite a bit of needle felting wool to the craft shop at Pewsey as Karen had given me some glass she didn't want.  Fair exchange although she said there was much more wool equivalent to the glass.  Maybe if I feel a burning need to do any more I can go and get some wool from her.