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| WHOOPS! |
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| AMAZING BUCKFAST ABBEY |
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| INSIDE BUCKFAST ABBEY |
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| HAMPSHIRE WALKING GROUP |
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| TREE NYMPH |
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| TREE MONSTER |
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| HAMPSHIRE WALKING GROUP ON SHARP TOR |
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| THIS ONE MUST HAVE JUMPED OVER THE FENCE |
The week didn't start that well. I gave the car some cosmetic surgery by scraping the passenger side doors against a post. Sadly, the procedure was unsuccessful as it didn't improve the car's looks. On the positive side, the car is still fully functional and safe to drive, and the chances of anyone wanting to steal it had diminished somewhat.
Anyway, having got over that little trauma, on Thursday (the day before Good Friday) Rubi and I headed down to Buckfastleigh to join other members of the Hampshire Walking Group who were gathering there for an Easter long-weekend of walking. Many were staying at 'Churchill's Farm', the local campsite, and Rubi assumed we would be camping there too. As a surprise, however, I had booked our first night at Northgate House, a superb hotel located in the grounds of Buckfast Abbey.
We arrived just after 10.00am, giving us time to look around the Abbey before the first group walk at 1.00pm. The Abbey is suburb, and the story of it having been built on the foundations of an earlier one by 6 monks who dedicated 30 years of their lives to the task is incredible, especially when only one had any previous building experience.
At around midday we strolled down to Buckfastleigh village centre where we joined the other walkers at The Globe Inn. The walk itself was a little over 8 miles and took as alongside the River Dart before heading West to Holne. Our return route followed a part of the Dartmoor Way, which was coincidental because this was the long distance path which we were planning to commence on Saturday. I'll explain more about that in the next post. Anyway, after a shower and supper (the latter prepared and eaten in Buckfastleigh village car park) we rejoined the walking group in the Globe.
The following day, after enjoying Buckfast Abbey's excellent breakfast, we paid our bill and drove to a car park at New Bridge, just north of Holne, to join another group walk of nearly 10 miles. The route followed the River Dart north as far as Dartmeet, then looped back across Yartor Down and Sharp Tor before returning to the car park via the Two Moors Way.
On our second night we car-camped at Churchill's Farm. Richard, one of our fellow walkers, invited us and another walker, Fiona, to join him for a barbecue, which was definitely a superior option to spending the evening in the local pub. Richard's generous G&T's provided excellent lubrication for the evening's conversation.
In the morning we arose in time to bid farewell to our friends as they departed for their third day of walking. We, however, had our own plans.
