Plans went slightly awry

 May 10th

Just lately, the news has been all about Hepatitis C and the infected blood transfusions in the 70s and 80s. Didn't think any more about it until this morning when I suddenly remembered that Easter 1984, I was trodden on by a horse as it tried to jump a gate. My friend Pat and I were looking forward to going for a ride, and it was my job to get both horses out of the field. A third was left behind, and my closing the gate on him mad him very excitable. Not wanting to be left behind, it tried leaping over the gate. The gate collapsed, I went flying, had to let go of the two horse's lead ropes and that bloody horse's hoof landed right onto my abdomen. I got up straight away, called to my friend Pat to help me get all the horses back, and luckily saw them cantering along the road into an open field. That gate was slammed shut, and it was only then that I suddenly started to feel unwell. No mobile phones in those days, so all Pat could do was to drive the car back to the house, where Ian and Keith were keeping an eye on the children.

So the reason I'm telling you all this is I ended up being rushed to hospital with blues and twos blaring, ending up at The Leicester Royal. Unbeknown by me (I was pretty well out of it by now) I deteriorated rather rapidly and an emergency laparotomy was performed. Turned out the hoof had trapped my bowel on part of my spine and a big tear had appeared. I was in intensive care for quite a while, and it took a very long time before I was back to my usual self. So my worry was, did I get a blood transfusion during the op. Phoning the doctor this morning for access to my records, I was told the hospital where the operation was performed was the only place I could inquire but in those days, there were no digital records so quite likely after 10 years, the records may be gone. All I can do is to phone the Royal and find out. Once I know, I'll put my findings on the blog.

This morning then, best laid plans, well it went a bit wrong for us from the start. Ian had sat for over an hour last night, scrutinising the Historic Homes book, as well as NT and English Heritage. It was all planned, go to Cadhay today, stop overnight at a wild camping spot nearby and tomorrow do Downes House, both were in the direction of Exeter. First, though, we had to leave the farm. The road (or should I call it a dirt track with more potholes than smooth surface?) was quite long and as a corner was rounded, there in front of us was a front loader. It was obvious what he was doing, filling potholes and then smoothing them out. With no passing place, all we could do was wait until he had finished the task, that took quite a while!

 

Following the sat nav directions, we reached the A35. From there, it was about a 40-minute run to Cadhay House. Pulling up to the gates, a no entry, private road, made us wonder if the place was open. On the gate post was a sign. Oh, for heaven’s sake...it didn't open until 2.30 this afternoon! Well, we were not going to hang around for 3 hours, so plan B was put into action. Head for tomorrow's destination, today!

Lunch was had in a lay by on the A30, a phone call was made  to Downes House to see if we could get on the tour. We had a positive response and, on enquiry about motorhome parking, said the owner would have to be asked first. Within 10 minutes the owner of the property, Henry Parker, said he would personally make room. Wow, now that's what I call a result. 

So this place will probably not be a well known to some, but General Sir Redvers Buller, GCB, GCMG, VC,  was famous for winning a VC in the Zulu War of 1879 and relieving Ladysmith from the Boers in 1900. To read the history click HERE

When I saw these beasts arrive near the lovely manicured lawns, well, I did a double take. But worry not, as the lawn and field were divided by a ha-ha.

We arrived by 13.30, had a walk around the house and our guide met us outside the house at 14.15. Only us and one other couple were on the tour so we got to see much more than if there had been a crowd. An hour later and very impressed with the Bullar story and the house which was immaculately presented (which, by the way, is still home to Henry Parker, so no photography allowed) we left for Down St Mary where we hoped to stop overnight. The first place we tried was just a car park but judging by all the trees and those cars underneath covered in droppings, we decided against. The next stop was 5 minutes along a lane where a large lay-by was mentioned in the Park4Night App. Hmm, not ideal, so we tried to book into a CC site, the only one anywhere near this area. It was a no because their fields were still waterlogged, and we would be in danger of getting bogged. So the lay-by it was then.

 Lay bys have been used by us in the past and what we found was the local car drivers beeping at silly times in the morning in annoyance. I can't say I blame them, I expect some vans and motorhomers have left a mess.  Needs must, though, so it will be what it will be.

And wildlife

 

Highest powered fountain in England

 Oh dear, for the last 24 hours, a nasty smell has come from the bathroom. Ian suspected a leaky cassette so last night he pulled it out of its housing and discovered it had indeed been leaking. So armed with rubber gloves, disinfectant and plenty of water, set too with the cleaning. This did mean another trip back to that caravan place for a seal replacement. 

Out of this site and we turned right. Gosh the lane was still narrow but many more passing places to stop if required and boy did we need them this morning. School run maybe? All and sundry was out and about today! Made in unscathed to Charmouth caravans and one cassette seal was purchased. That will have to be fitted sooner rather than later.

Forde Abbey was our next destination. A magnificent Abbey which was a former Cistercian monastery dating back to the early 12th century. During the mid 17th century, it was converted to a family home. Another Historic House, we could show our membership cards and get free entry.

 

 

 First, though, the fountain was due to be turned on at 12,30 pm. The Roper family installed the Centenary Fountain in 2005 to commemorate the centenary of their ownership of Forde Abbey. At 160 feet in height, it is claimed to be the highest powered fountain in England.

What a sight, and we chose the right spot to stand and watch. All those in direct line of fire from the spray, were seen leaving rather rapidly.

Before heading inside the abbey, we treated ourselves to lunch. Ham and cheese, (Ian) and tuna melt Paninis (me) and really scrumptious too. Inside the Abbey no photography allowed, but there was one place we could take a photo and that was the cloister.

The gardens have to be seen to fully appreciate the work that has gone into it. Plenty of colour, finally, couldn't fault the variety of planting. This place was not to be hurried, and a good 4 hours were spent walking the grounds. The heat of the day had us finding seats more often than not, and how wonderful to feel the warmth of the sun at last.

 

 

We decided to go back to the West Lea Farm to overnight. It did mean doing the lanes again, but now we found a better route to it, much more relaxed about getting there 

I knew we should have put longitude and latitude into the sat nav!

 A tad windy this morning, but it wasn't the rocking of MB that woke me. It happened to be Ian and a crow! I woke with a start well before 6 to find Ian towering above me and climbing onto the bed. Blimey...what could he be up to? 😉Turns out he was desperate to open the roof skylight to chase off a crow as he could hear it pecking away at what he presumed to be,  was the solar panel cables! .

 We would be leaving this morning for Charmouth, a gas supplier had been found at a Charmouth Caravans roughly 20 odd miles away. The quote of £32.50 for a 6kg container was the cheapest we had found in these parts. There was to be a bonus of this detour off the main road, about a mile further along the road was Charmouth Beach and a place full of fossils. It was part of the Jurassic Coast, so we abandoned any idea of going to see Forde Abbey, another HH property, at Chard until tomorrow. 

There was a huge car park, and no mention of not accommodating motorhomes. There were still issues with trying to pay, though. Every time he tried to use the 'parking over the phone' app, it timed out. He just wasn't quick enough! Hmm, appears I don't really need to search for fossils at all. I have one very close at hand! 😂 Anyway, he raided my purse and found the pound coins especially saved for washing machines on sites. 6 of my precious pound coins were fed to the machine!

So we walked along the beach. This was a mixture of wet sand, mud and pebbles, more pebbles than sand and not being as sure-footed as I once was, stuck to the wet sand. To find fossils, though, it was necessary to get to the cliff edge and search among the fallen mud and rocks. But first the rock pools beckoned and so glad this was our first port of call because I found my first ammonite. More appeared the further along the rock pools we went, all embedded in the stone surrounding the pools and none I could actually pick up. But I was ecstatic (that doesn't take much) fossils at last. I found out later these were called Beef Rock Ammonites.

 

The rocks and pebbles were every bit as scary as I had thought. Gingerly I placed my feet and only once did I have to save myself as one of the larger rocks rolled from under me. We must have spent a further hour looking, one child aged about 10 gave a yell and in her hand was a small rock with a perfectly formed ammonite in it. Was I envious???? Anyway, I congratulated her on her find and continued in the hope that I too would find something like that too. I picked up a broken piece of trilobite and one broken Belemnite, but nothing as good as that girls.

 mm

Belemnite

Ian found something, a stopper from ancient pottery perhaps?

kk

The cliff face was made up of layer upon layer of soft mud, silt and clay built up over many millions of years. These are classified as 'Sedimentary Rocks', as they are made up of billions of tiny particles of sediment that have been turned to stone by millions of years of pressure from the layers above. (taken from:- https://charmouth.org/chcc/cliffs/)

 

And surely this is a mammouth tooth (much imagination is needed 😉

A small fossil museum and centre was upstairs. We really should have gone in there first because everything one needed to know about finding fossils was in there. What sort of rocks to look out for and hidden signs that a fossil was in them. Still, we didn't, so more fool us!

Having spent nearly 4 hours, it was time to head off to the site booked for tonight. Place called West Lea Farm in Beaminster. So the post code was put into the sat nav, route set and found it was only a few miles from Charmouth. 

OMG, how many times have folk told us not to follow the sat nav if the road chosen is narrow! Well, we did follow the directions and I didn't think a lane could get any narrower. At one point the wing mirrors had to be put in, and then we only just made it. God help us or anyone coming the opposite way. After a very fraught 30 minutes, Ian decided to stop and put coordinates in instead. This showed we were very close and had missed the turning somewhere along the lane. Turning was impossible, so all we could do was continue. The lane became one of potholes and water, and part of it had grass growing down the middle. Eventually, after almost back tracking by taking left turns, eventually we reached the farm! That was a scary ride, Ian was very quiet, he said he was concentrating but the relieved laugh as we arrived said it all.

 

Hidden potholes!

kk

This is a lovely place, very quiet apart from the Cockerel..argggg..nooooo.....a small brook runs alongside our pitch, and already I have seen something large and brown swooping low over the ground (couldn't identify it but definitely bigger than a Buzzard) and a small wren sang out on a broken tree trunk, greeting. us as we arrived.

 Oh blast...that brown bird, well I now know it to be a blooming Canada Goose, and here was me getting all excited about seeing another species of Raptor.

Parking problems, water gardens and High Angle Battery.

 We ran out of gas last night! It was only two weeks ago that we changed the last cylinder. Very strange that it had not lasted longer, but there again, some very cold nights meant the heating was fired up ever so often. So we need to find another supplier, and that has not been easy around here. All the numbers Ian phoned either has gone out of business or wasn't gas suppliers at all. When we leave here tomorrow, it's to Somerset we go so hoping to find a supplier on route.

Portland Bill with its lighthouse was what we wanted to see today. Two car parks side by side, one designated for cars and the other motorhomes and coaches. Nice to see that at least one attraction caters for the larger vehicle. Anyway, Ian tried to pay the charge on line, only wanted two hours, but payment was declined. The message, you must go up to the next tariff. Blimey, that meant paying nearly £7 for three hours. For car owners, the payment went up in hours, so why not motorhomes? Seems what I read about Dorset not welcoming motorhomes are true! 

We left feeling very let down, said sod it, we won't be coming back to Portland again! Ian found a place on the outskirts of Weymouth, Bennetts Water Gardens, which looked inviting, especially on a day like today. For the first time since we left FS, no coats were worn. In fact, at 18 degrees, it was positively hot! Our faith was somewhat restored in motorhome parking at this place. Only a very small car park, the owner came out and allowed us to park right at the end where the only car we blocked was her own. 

Several lakes and ponds full of water lily plants, but unfortunately only two open flowers were seen. 

  

 

It didn't detract from the enjoyment of the place and I can imagine in a week or two, the colourful display of those lilies would be impressive. 

 

Trying to get rid of the blanket weed, a never ending job.

After a couple of hours just enjoying the tranquillity, and a trip to the café for coffee, we decided to go back to New Ground car park, Close by the Verne Prison was the Verne High Angle Battery and because of the rain yesterday, we gave it a miss. It was within walking distance from the car park, so walking shoes went on, sun hat and sunscreen (first dollop this year) and walked the quarter of a mile to the battery.

The history is highlighted above in blue but a short explanation,

The High Angle Battery is a derelict fort built in 1892 on the Isle of Portland in Dorset, England. It is Grade II Listed. The battery is situated in the Verne area, close to the Verne Citadel (HM Prison The Verne), Fancy's Family Farm (on site of ex-Portland Rotor Radar Station) and Nicodemus Knob. 

Having explored the tunnels, I nearly went flying when in the dark, I tripped over the rails (Ian had the torch but did he wait for me?) He soon returned full of remorse, I made sure he didn't stray far from that moment on. 

 

Leaving the battery, our walk continued along scrub land and paths leading us toward the cliffs. No path could be seen going down to the sea, which actually pleased me no end. The thought of going down to the beach and then having to come back up filled me with dread. Even Ian agreed it would be foolish to try.

It might not look it, but Ian is standing at the edge of a very long drop!

 Today 8000 steps was shown on the Fitbit. First time since leaving FS, although I did leave the watch off for a few days because of a nasty insect bite to my wrist, so I may have walked just as far when in Portsmouth.

And wildlife today,