4 day trip to Ashton Keynes, and Arkel 32l Dolphin panniers

After the summer I felt ready for another bike trip. I decided I'd pick a base not too far from home, particularly as I wanted to use my Stanforth, and not take the train and my Brompton, and I somehow landed on Ashton Keynes, in the Cotswold Water Park, as a base. It would be ideal, as it was close enough to home to be able to relax and enjoy the journey there, but it was far enough away to enable me to explore new places.

I found a lovely tiny Airbnb house, with everything I needed, including easy access into the house with my bike. I find it very convenient to have my bike indoors, as I like being able to pack and unpack without having to go outside to a garage or whatever. 

I won't write in great detail - I'll just describe the best bits of the trip, and then I'll go on to review the Arkel panniers. I went on Tuesday September 29th, and came home on Friday October 2nd. I still haven't got a camera, so the only photos are of the panniers (sorry!). Apart from that I have only words to describe the trip! But after all, in days gone by that was all you had, apart from illustrations, and I wouldn't be any good at those....actually I have got one photo for you - the bike loaded ready for off -

DAY 1:

ROUTE: I set off from home at 8.35 (5 minutes behind schedule!!) then to Uffington, Longcot, Shrivenham, Sevenhampton, Supermarine Road, to Kingsdown Lane (Swindon), Ermin Street, Blunsdon St Andrew, Tadpole Lane, Hayes Knoll, Chelworth, Waterhay, Ashton Keynes, then to South Cerney and back to Ashton Keynes.

WEATHER: Grey and misty start, then sunny and warm. A short shower in the afternoon.

WEARING: Fjall Raven Vardag trousers - as mentioned in previous post, I love these for cycling in. I bought a second pair in the summer.

I had always wondered why Supermarine Road was so-called, so click on the link in the Route if you're interested! It's something to do with Spitfires - see below for my visit to the auctioneers Dominic Winters.

What was nice about the journey there was that I basically knew the way, until I got to the north-east outskirts of Swindon, and there, as usual, I got a bit lost. I blame Husband!! the reason being that in the hour or so before I left he found a nice quiet off road route for me to take across the top of Swindon, but although I thought I had memorised it I would have preferred to have jotted it all down, but didn't have time. I didn't actually go far wrong though, and after asking a couple of people, was soon on the right road north out of Swindon. Part of it takes you over the Swindon and Cricklade railway, and up through Hayes Knoll along a part of Route 45 which is closed to vehicles. 

I had a lovely stop at Waterhay, where I had diverted off route following a sign to a church. It turned out to be just the chancel of a church, the rest of the building having been taken down and rebuilt elsewhere. I thought it seemed familiar, and then realized that one of my favourite Youtubers, Wiltshire Man, had done a video about it. After looking inside, I came out to see that another cyclist had appeared by the bench where I was planning to sit and eat my lunch, and we got chatting. He said he had never seen anyone else there before! He had come from north of Bristol, was also planning to eat his lunch there, and had cycled with Wiltshire Man! We sat and put the world to rights, as you do, and then I left him to finish his lunch in peace.

I found my house in Ashton Keynes, about 2 pm, but as I couldn't go in until 4 pm I went off to Cotswold Outdoor a few miles away in South Cerney, to have a look round. I forgot that there they have lots of apple trees (must have been an orchard once) and I could have foraged some, but on my return to Ashton Keynes I found a box of free ones outside somebody's house and took some of those instead. They were delicious, and I got some the next day too. I went to the village shop and got some food, though this time I had come better prepared and had brought more with me. See that black bag on the back of the bike? That is an insulated lunch bag that I'd bought for £1 in a charity shop, and I filled it with essentials. It fits perfectly in the basket, which I got for 50p at a local jumble trail! I actually love this basket! When I stop I now have somewhere to just put something down temporarily, like gloves, or a water bottle, while I get something out of my panniers. I have lost gloves in the past from putting them on the back rack and then cycling off without putting them on again. With the basket they will stay put. It's just a small thing but it has made a big difference. 

Miles: 38

DAY 2:

ROUTE: South Cerney, Upper Up (I love that name!) Shorncote, Somerford Keynes, Lower Moor, Minety, Upper Minety, Oaksey, Poole Keynes, Neigh Bridge Country Park, the Spine Road and south to Ashton Keynes.

Today was even warmer, and I wore slightly cooler trousers (Peter Storm zip-offs) which I could roll up. I think I have mastered the art of taking the right garments with me on these trips, and the right amount. Husband is always very concerned that I haven't packed something he thinks I'll need, but I have yet to miss out something really essential. I do feel like Mr Bean, when I am packing, who cut the handle off his toothbrush leaving only a little bit of it. I have a plastic toothbrush container but I don't take it because it's rather bulky - instead I put the brush head - yes, only the brush head - in a tiny plastic bag. If I were to use a bag big enough for the whole brush that would be more weight! Obvs, as they say!

My plan today was to call on a friend who works at the auctioneers Dominic Winters in South Cerney, and then go off exploring various villages. She showed me all round the various departments. I do like old stuff...... and I was particularly interested in some centuries-old fabrics they had, and also books equally old. They even had the fusilage from a Spitfire in the foyer, awaiting auction.

Then it was off to explore the villages. My aim was to make for a cafe in a nature reserve overlooking one of the lakes. I'd looked it up - Lower Moor Farm - and found the route, which included a lovely narrow lane, through Shorncote. Strange how when I got there I couldn't find any trace of a nature reserve or cafe.... Ah, I was in fact at Lower Moor (I should have looked at the map more carefully and then I'd have realized there was no lake there!) and not Lower Moor Farm (not far away). But no matter, because I then cycled on to Minety and found that the lovely village shop had some delicious edibles and did coffee too - and it was a very reasonable coffee too, especially for under £2! There was a table and benches outside on a small green. Perfick! 

I cycled on through Upper Minety (looked in the church, and got water) Oaksey and Poole Keynes, and back down to Ashton Keynes. One of the good things about this area is it is fairly flat. Sometimes it's just nice not to have to cycle up hills....   

Miles: 19

DAY 3:

ROUTE: Up to the Spine Road and east, then Route 45 (railway path, then road) to Siddington, Cirencester, then back out to Siddington, Upper Siddington, south on a "Quiet Lane", east to South Cerney, south to Wickwater Farm, Ashton Keynes.

The one bad thing about the house, which was otherwise lovely, was that the bed was probably the worst I have ever slept in, being ridiculously soft. I slept very badly. This morning as it was once again a misty chilly start I had a short walk, before coming back and cooking bacon and egg for breakfast. Then it was off to Cirencester, again following NCN Route 45 up the railway path. This path is very narrow in places, hardly room for two people to pass, and has quite a rough surface. It can get quite tiring riding on it - unless you are on a mountain bike perhaps. 

I always find that once you get into a town, NCN route signs are much harder to find, and they are ridiculously small, and that was the case here. However, I found my way in, and out again later, with some help from local people. 

I passed a group of loud youths, at least one of whom was drinking; another seemed to be showing off his bike and I was inclined to think he might well have nicked it. Another later joined them, proudly showing off a scooter, and again I wondered the same. A man passed me and said 

"Welcome to broken Britain!" 

One of the things on this trip that makes me think Britain is indeed a bit broken was the horrendous amount of litter on the roadsides, even in this wealthy Cotswold area. It makes me ashamed to be British. We had a trip to Austria in September to visit Eldest Son and family, and there was virtually no litter. And all the toilets were clean!

On the way back, I stopped at the Co-op in South Cerney, and as I was consulting my OS map outside the shop, a tradesman walked past, and with a broad grin said -

"I haven't seen anybody use a map for years!" to which I replied - 

"I love maps!"

I do like real paper maps. I got into a lovely conversation once in Cricklade, because I had spread out my map on a wall, and a lady stopped and asked me if I was lost. We ended up walking some way together, and she even invited me back to her house for a cup of tea, but as it was getting late in the day I had to refuse. I wouldn't have had that interaction if I'd just been gazing at a smartphone.

On the way home I stopped at Twitcher's Gate to have a drink, and a twitch at the lake there.....i.e. do a bit of bird watching.

After cooking myself a meal, I then cleared up as much as I possibly could, so that in the morning there would be very little to do before setting off home.

Miles: 15

DAY 4:

ROUTE: Waterhay, Chelworth, Hayes Knoll, then Route 45 down the west side of Swindon, continuing through Old Town and Coate, out via Moor Leaze to Horpit, road then bridleway to Bourton, Shrivenham, Longcot, Uffington, home.

Good weather again - chilly, misty start but sunny before long.

After an even worse night's sleep, I set off at 8 am for home. This time, on entering Swindon, I wanted to find the part of Route 45 that goes down the west side of  the town, riding first on cycle paths alongside the roads, and then again following an old railway line. I used to hate Swindon, but I'll say one thing for it and that is that it's full of cycle paths, many of which have been there for as long as we have lived in the area - over 40 years. It's actually got a lot of green areas too.  In the past I would have avoided crossing any large town on a bike, but Swindon is excellent for getting about on a bike. Admittedly they can take a bit of finding sometimes, even with the aid of the Swindon cycle map (a street map as well helps) but still - they are there!

Again the surface on the old railway line was quite rough. I was glad to come across a nice pub called The Tawny Owl, on the north west side, right on the route, which was open and serving breakfast.  So once again  I enjoyed sitting eating outside in the sun, this time with a bacon and egg bap, and coffee. Not bad for £9.50. After a couple of mistakes, including going round in a circle and finding myself back at the pub, I did indeed manage to find my way down to the southern edge of Swindon, and out onto the familiar roads home. I made the most of my last day by stopping in a bus shelter at Bourton to make coffee on my stove. I also got two books in their phone box library, water in their church, and had a nice chat to a lady who was decorating a bench with her crocheted vegetables, for harvest festival. Husband met me about 7 miles from home and we cycled home together.

Miles: 33

What was really lovely about this trip was that I enjoyed every minute of it - there were no serious navigational errors, no long unexpected hills, no downpours.  I didn't have to travel too far from home, which meant I could take things easy, relax and each day's ride, but I still saw plenty of places new to me. I think it was actually my most enjoyable trip ever! I would highly recommend the area for a cycling holiday.

THE PANNIERS: Arkel 32 litre Dolphin (16 litres per pannier)

Earlier in the year I looked at my faithful old (at least 30 years) Karrimor panniers (shown in the photo at the top) and decided that I would retire them. Funnily enough I originally bought them in the Outlet Centre in Swindon, in the days when I knew nothing about panniers, but thought they looked pretty good, and they were reduced. They actually aren't quite big enough for main panniers on a tour (I suspect they might really be front panniers)  and also I had realized that roll top ones are easier to see into and remove things from. In the past I have twice bought Ortlieb panniers (front ones and rear ones) and sold them both times. In retrospect I should have kept the front ones (14.5 litres) and used them on the back, but they still wouldn't have been big enough for a tour. The big ones I found were really too big (20 litres per pannier) for my needs and also just didn't sit right on my bike - I don't know why but they just seemed to flop away from the bike. 

A few years ago I bought these Carradice Carradura panniers, and did use them on a tour, but I wasn't keen on them. I did an alteration which was an improvement but I wasn't happy with them and wished I hadn't bought them.

So, I needed to get it right after all these mistakes!! The size had to be big enough, but not too big, and I particularly wanted some outside pockets. I don't know how people manage without them!

I would have liked to buy British, and I looked at Restrap ones, and again at Carradice, and some other British makes, but I just couldn't find any that exactly met my requirements. Except with these Arkel ones, which are a Canadian brand, and made in China. I sent off for two designs - the  Arkel T-28 and the Dolphin 32 l, in red. I think that Arkel don't do the red any more, but Spa Cycles still have it, and I quite liked this colour as opposed to the black. Also the red fabric is slightly different to the black (less shiny). I had read a lot of good comments about the T-28s - and I did like the green! - but as I thought that the design seemed a bit weird I knew I should see them before buying. I think Arkel should put up photos of them opened up. Also the 14 litres (per pannier) wasn't quite enough. 

When they arrived I discarded the T-28s pretty much straight away, and later returned them. The design might suit some people's requirements in the way they open up, like a suitcase (I should have taken photos before I sent them back!)  but I didn't like it at all. But I did like the Dolphins, so I kept them.

What is good about them? They are just the right size for me, and they have outside pockets; although the big one on the front can really only take flat things like maps, it is still useful. The side pockets can take a surprising amount. I do like the roll tops - although I loved my Karrimors this way of opening really is so much better for seeing inside, and getting stuff out. The attachment system is such that it is easy enough to put them on and off the bike but not SO easy that an opportunistic thief could just whip them off. Adjusting them to fit my rack was easy, too. 

And I think they look nice on my lovely Stanforth!

One day after I'd been shopping I had some cream in one of them; I stopped for some reason, and put the bike on its stand, but it fell over (the stand - that's a story for another post) and the pannier with the cream in got squashed. I didn't realize until after I got home that the carton of cream had split and the pannier was filled with cream - but not a drop had leaked out of the bag!! I gave it a good wash... 

The knitting basket is there to prop up the panniers!

The hook goes under the bottom of the rack.

Well, that's all for now, folks! I'll probably do a post on the stand.........

Lizzie

Fjall Raven Vardag trousers for cycling, a Brompton handlebar bridge, and a route list attachment

I will keep this post short and to the point, in order to get it finished more quickly than usual! (It takes me ages to write a post.) 

Last year my Husband bought some Fjall Raven trousers, in Cotswold Outdoor. I liked them so much that I wished they did them in a women's fit. However, I decided to try some on, and  they fitted me surprisingly well - just not quite right, so I didn't buy them. However, because I'd liked them so much, and because they had so nearly fit me, I decided to send off for some and try them on again at home. I ordered one pair the same size as I had tried on, and one pair a size smaller. I know from experience that you can buy a garment in a particular size, but then when you try on another one in exactly the same size, it sometimes doesn't fit as well as the first one, or it can fit better. This is exactly what happened - the new pair fitted me perfectly. I paid £130.10, from Alpine Trek. Here is the link to them - Fjall Raven Vardag trousers

I have often wished in the past that I could find a pair of trousers which were good for cycling in but which also looked nice "off" the bike. I have got cycling leggings but I don't really like wearing them any more. They scream "cyclist" a bit too loudly for my liking. I have some Peter Storm zip-off trousers but they don't look very good after lots of washing, and the fit isn't particularly good, though I do like the zip-off option. These Fjall Raven ones are perfect - very comfortable for cycling (and indeed walking) and they don't at all scream "cyclist". Because of the elasticated ankles I don't have to think about tucking my trouser legs into socks, or wearing my homemade trouser straps. And the three zipped pockets are really useful - I especially like the angle of them, and the zips pull up and down smoothly.

As they are currently on offer at less than I paid for them, I might order another pair. However, I see on the Fjall Raven website that they have altered the fit (oh dear....) and Alpine Trek confirmed to me that the ones on their website are this new fit (although something tells me that they might not be right) so I don't know if I'll like them as much. We'll see. [See Edit at the end.]

Brompton handlebar bridge

I wanted to go to the Malvern Quilt Show, earlier this month, and decided to plan a bike trip around it. I booked an Airbnb for 3 nights a few miles from Malvern. (It was excellent!) My original plan was to cycle the 18 miles to Swindon station, get the train to Gloucester, and then cycle the 17 miles to my destination. However, Husband, who is a weather freak owing to being a paraglider, kept telling me how bad the forecast was, so in my head I began to think I'd better be prepared to accept his offer of a lift to Swindon, to make it a bit easier, and I did. Actually in the end the weather was not as bad as I'd expected - it was pretty windy but not wet. Once I'd found my way out of Gloucester - I did go wrong but not too much - it was a straightforward ride, with lots of stops along the way to look at things.

I have been wanting a Brompton handlebar bridge for a long time, not because I have lots of gadgets to fit on the bike, but simply because there is actually very little room at all on the Brompton handlebars to fit any gadget at all.  So before I went I searched the web for one. There were several options, but they were all from abroad and some were expensive, to say the least. Ages ago I had come across this video on how to make your own, so I got Husband to watch it, we bought the materials (from Tool Station) and he made one, and I am very pleased with it! The cost was about £5, with lots of pipe left over. I think he did a really good job - 

Wait and see what is attached to that Garmin mount...

You can't see it very well in this photo but there is just enough clearance not to affect the fold.

Now, the other hack! As I said I don't use many gadgets - I don't even often take my Garmin these days. It's just something else to have to bother with, and take a charger for if staying away from home. Husband wanted to download my route onto my Garmin (he likes doing stuff like that....) but what I like best is to plan the route beforehand at home, using paper maps, google maps and the OS Memory map on the computer. I use cycle.travel. too, and then write a route list. I also print off Cycle.travel's cue sheet for extra back up. If after all that I still get lost, well, I ask a passer-by, which usually works well! In the past, I had put my lists in a waterproof phone cover (dirt cheap from Home Bargains) and tied it to the handlebars, which worked OK but wasn't ideal. So I started thinking about a better way of making something to mount my lists to. I found out that you can buy a "male" spare Garmin mount, and I thought - "What if I could glue that to something stiff and then fix that to a Garmin mount?" So I sent off for one (actually two because they were cheap and I thought a second one might come in handy for if I get another brainwave and think of something else to attach in this way). Meanwhile in Home Bargains..... I bought a dirt cheap phone cover like this. It was nice and sturdy and the size I wanted. Husband cut it roughly to size - I have to say it was very hard material to cut, hence the indeed rough appearance. He then superglued the Garmin male mount to the back of it, left it to set, et voila!

Back of mount

He hacked off the corners in order for me to be able to attach it, and then turn it to lock it in place.

Route list attached, in a plastic bag (part of return journey)

I didn't have to fold the bike on this journey, but if I had had to I would have to put this on after unfolding, as it does interfere with the fold.

I am thoroughly pleased with my two new accessories! And the trousers!

EDIT: Since writing this, I ordered another pair from AlpineTrek, but have not had a good experience with them. It would take too long to explain why, but I ended up being sent a bigger size, which I think was their mistake, but they are not admitting it. Also, I realize now that the ones I already have (bought September 2025) must be this new fit, which would explain why, perhaps, even though they are men's, they fit me so well. I see many men have complained about the new fit. So, if you are male and reading this, be warned, although my husband loves his!

My dad's first postings in WW2 - Teffont Evias and Fovant in Wiltshire.

Recently I re-read my dad's memories of his life, from his birth and upbringing in Southampton in 1919. He got as far as 1966, and one or two bits were added by family later. I looked up the two villages in the title, which are west of Salisbury and not that far from here, and thought I'd like to go and see where he had spent that very early part of the war, and felt a Brompton trip was in order.

Dad's story - 

After leaving school at 14, and having various jobs, Dad trained as a draughtsman with the Ordnance Survey. When war broke out in September 1939 he was not quite 20. He had met my mum not that long before. What follows is his account of that first winter of the war.

"I went later from Southampton to Fort Widley. From there to Teffont Evias near Salisbury. It was winter and we were billeted in bell tents on the vicarage green - the tents had paving stones as a floor - a mattress was filled with straw at the Q.M.'s store and each of us had three blankets. In the morning we broke the ice on the stream nearby and washed and shaved. At the time we found it very hard but more recently, having read of what was happening at the time, there wasn't any alternative - the necessary stores and equipment didn't exist! My khaki overcoat at this time had bone buttons instead of the regulation brass.

Froom Teffont I went to Fovant a few miles away. Here I was billeted with a Mr and Mrs Read, an elderly couple who lived in a thatched cottage. He was a county council employee working on the roads. He was also a preacher at the local chapel I remember him. On Sunday evenings, sitting in his basket chair one side of the fireplace while his wife sat on the other side. On his knees would be the large family bible from which he read aloud. The earth closet of the cottage was at the bottom of the garden facing the river a few feet away. The interior of the timber hut was papered with coloured American comics - I didn't know whether this was intended to make the place draught proof or whether it was considered the only suitable place for such trashy literature.

Other members of my company were billeted in various houses throughout the village. I remember one household had six soldiers. the village hall was taken over for use as a mess room.

We hadn't any technical work to do and we hadn't a parade ground so we did some marching up and down the village street. Afternoons were spent in cross country running. Somehow our days had to be filled.

Later I went back to Teffont [Evias] - this time to be billeted in the Manor house with the parish church in its grounds. I and three others had a small room at the top of the house. We worked in a room on the ground floor using small portable tables as desks. The lorries containing printing equipment were stationed in the grounds of the house."

Later Dad sailed for Cairo, where amongst other things he worked in Tura Caves (blocks of stone had been transported from there to build the pyramids). 

"The caves were enormous caverns which housed a number of drawing offices and vast printing machines for producing the maps. From Tura I went to G.H.Q. in Cairo working on target maps for RAF bombers."

I found this amazing image, and many others, on here . I don't think any of these men are my dad, but he would have worked right there -  

"Tura caves draughtsmen"

From there he went to -

"...Taranto in Italy arriving 31st December 1944. We travelled from there in cattle trucks of the railway. There were so many men in each truck there wasn't much room. It fell to my lot to sleep on the heap of coal which had been provided for the brazier in the centre of the truck. It was bitterly cold especially in the mountains. To let the smoke out of the truck both doors were kept open. When we went through tunnels we were almost asphyxiated."

________________________

So, I found myself an Airbnb in Fovant, which I soon learnt is famous for its "badges", and which I had a good view of from where I stayed. These badges were carved into the chalk hillside by soldiers during WW1.

Image from Wikipedia

Day 1

After being taken to the outskirts of Swindon by Husband, I cycled the 4 miles to the station. I had originally thought I would cycle the 18 miles there, but as the days were getting shorter I knew that that would take a valuable chunk out of the day, which perhaps wasn't a good idea. On the front of the bike I had my Brompton Borough Rolltop bag, and on the back I took a rack bag which has small drop down panniers. This gave me a good amount of space for my 5 days, with a bit to spare. I then caught the 11.05 train to Salisbury, changing at Westbury. I also took a home made cloth drawstring rucksack for walking. 

The journey was straightforward, with unusually kind and helpful railway employees on the train, and at Westbury station. They even had time to crack a joke with me - a small thing but it made such a difference.  I had a chat on the platform with a man about my bike. Bromptons are like babies and dogs - they get you into conversation with complete strangers!

I then took NCN Route 24 out of Salisbury. I had familiarised myself with the route beforehand but it didn't seem like a cycle route at first and I wasn't sure I was going the right way, but eventually I found the blue signs. I stopped en route for coffee at a garden centre, and a call of nature at some surprisingly clean public toilets. At Wilton I was just heading to the church to see if there was a tap, when I spotted two Bromptoneers, a man and his wife, sitting on a bench, so of course I had to go and chat to them! They suggested asking in a local cafe for water, so I did while they watched my bike. I then had to cycle up a big hill out of Wilton - long and quite steep (for me anyway!). I made many stops....

Route 24 was actually quite busy, and not particularly pleasant to ride. Time was ticking on by then and I was flagging slightly, but my spirits were lifted by the lovely shop in Broad Chalke, in an old chapel (also a cafe) where I bought some supplies, though forgot two essentials - butter, and lard for my breakfast. I was annoyed with myself. I cycled on and saw a hedgeline in the distance, going up a hill, and thought - 

"Oh no, is that where I've got to go?". 

Yes it was - another steep and long one, but what goes up must come down, and after several stops again, I sailed down into Fovant, and found that the local shop was very close, so I was able to get my butter and lard! I actually used this shop several times - what a blessing it is for a village to have such a good shop (and Post Office).

I arrived at the Airbnb at 5.30, pretty tired.  It was self contained; much as I love a good B and B this time I wanted to be able to come and go as I pleased. Phone call to Husband, food, washing up (no bowl in the sink! how silly is that!), shower and bed. I should add that after my experience with heart palpitations, on my last bike trip in June, this time I came prepared, with a home made electrolyte mixture, of sea salt, magnesium and potassium. I took some every time I drank water, and was fine. If you're interested, this was the recipe I used  - electrolyte mixture.

About 18 miles - 4 to the station (easy ones!) and another 14 from Salisbury to Fovant (not so easy!)

Day 2

I walked through Fovant,  and came to the chapel which must have been the one the Mr Read, in Dad's account, preached. Sadly it was locked.

I couldn't see a cottage that might have been the one where they lived, and where Dad was billeted. As I walked up the village street, I imagined my dad marching up and down it. Many of the houses would all have been there then. Did he have to look straight ahead, or did he notice these houses as he passed? This was the village hall, which was turned into their mess room. It was a grey and drizzly morning when I took these photos.

Fovant village hall

At the hall, I saw a notice advertising coffee and biscuits for 50p the next day, and thought I must go, as there would be bound to be locals there that might know something about Fovant in the war.

But for now, I walked on, across wet footpaths, to Teffont Evias (rhymes with Elias). It was a lovely walk, going across the lovely River Nadder at Mill Farm -

The footpath had been diverted from where it was on my map, onto the virtually private road that led up from the old mill to the railway, which I crossed. I stopped by an old building to eat and drink, and then walked on up the slight hill, to the road that goes down into Teffont Evias. I had seen photos of the manor house before I came away, but then all of a sudden there it was. I looked down on it from the top of the hill -

Teffont Evias Manor (on the right) and church

Opposite was a beautiful lake - the hill that I walked down is to the left - 

Taken later when it was sunny

Teffont Evias Manor House

This was as close as I could get to the manor, which is now flats. I felt quite tearful as I thought of my dad, as a young man of maybe just 20, sleeping up on that top floor, and working down on the ground floor, and knowing, surely, that he would soon be sent abroad. He would have seen the views I saw. Did he have any free time to walk around the village, as I was doing? Did he notice the apple trees, and the apples that had dropped into the river at the side of the road? I read in a book in the church that a man from Teffont Evias had emigrated to Australia and had taken with him a graft from one of the apple trees in the village, of which I saw many, and had then grown them there, and that they became a very popular apple. I have grown a few apple trees from pips, and so brought home one of these lovely apples to grow a tree from, in memory of my dad.  My only regret is that I got so carried away with looking at the Manor, and inside the church, that I forgot to try to find the "vicarage green" where Dad had first been billeted. Another time perhaps.

Teffont Evias apples

I then decided to walk on to Chilmark, another couple of miles or so away, and famous for its stone. Salisbury cathedral was built from it.  I had read before leaving home that there was a shop there - I had eaten all the food I'd brought with me so hoped to buy some there to refuel me for the walk back. It was  sunny by then, my damp feet were drying out thankfully (my shoes are not waterproof) and it was a lovely walk. However, when I got there I asked the first lady I came across if there was a shop there, and she informed me that there wasn't! And no cafe. She said the pub had recently reopened but she wasn't sure of its opening hours. I was panicking slightly, to put it mildly, that I had at least 5 miles to walk back and I was hungry. I told myself I shouldn't have walked this far without bringing more food. I walked the half mile or so to the pub, and found it shut. I even walked round the back to see if I could see anybody who might supply this traveller with food! No-one. At the bus shelter the timetable showed that there was a bus back to Fovant! Ah, only on Saturdays..... this was Wednesday... And then I have to confess to stealing from the church - I went there for water and noticed the tomatoes in the porch, obviously there for Harvest Festival, but I felt my need was great and that nobody would suffer for me taking one, so I did, and ate it. It was not nice... and I spat it out by a tree. 

By this stage I thought - "I'll just have to start walking back." So I did. I picked, and ate, a couple of apples on the way, and drank plenty of water, and took my electrolyte salt, and made it back with nothing more than aching legs and feet. The sun had come out, and I was pleased to have seen the lake at Teffont Evias in the sunshine (see above photo). A total of about 11 miles.

Day 3

Today was a cycling day. I wanted to visit Tisbury, the largest village in this valley of the River Nadder, but I also wanted to go to the coffee morning in Fovant village hall. I cycled into the village, but being too early for the coffee morning, I went on to the church, where I walked round the Commonwealth War Graves. This is from the Fovant Badges website -

Thousands of men from all parts of Britain and overseas lived for a while in the area, passed on to the Western Front and returned from it. Many never returned but gave their lives on the battlefields in France. Others died of their wounds in the hospital [in the military camp] or from disease. Rows of silent War Graves in Fovant and other nearby churchyards are testimony to their presence.

War Graves in Fovant churchyard

Such a waste of life. I've learnt in recent years that wars are all about making money for somebody.

I cycled back to the village hall and was made very welcome by several ladies and a couple of men. I told them why I was staying in Fovant and one of them read out the above passage of Dad's memories. One long time resident knew of a Mrs Read in the village but didn't know if she was related to the preacher and his wife. They showed me some old drawings of the military camps in Fovant. A lady from Chilmark (the shop closed 20 years ago! How did I get that so wrong?!) highly recommended the food at the nearby Wyndham Arms at Dinton, and one of the men recommended a good place for coffee in Tisbury - Harry's on the Square. 

Then on to Tisbury, taking a lovely circuitous route through the very narrow lanes of Sutton Mandeville, calling in at a farm veg shop which I happened to see a sign to. I didn't really need any veg but I like supporting genuine small farm shops (not so much the supermarket type of farm shop) but bought a shallot anyway! - hoping to meet the farmer and have a chat about the state of farming in Britain today. I did meet him but sadly he wasn't of the chatty variety. 

At Sutton Mandeville I chatted to a couple of clearly serious walkers (you can tell - rucksacks, proper maps...) near the church, and the husband told me that the sundial there in the churchyard was very old (1685). He was carrying around a copy of a page of a book.

"Do you know Pevsner's books?" he asked me.

Yes I did. Not because I've read any but because I spent 4 years working in bookshops and was, and still am, good at remembering titles and authors. Pevsner wrote a series on the buildings of England.

 

1685 sundial. 2023 Brompton.

Tisbury was slightly disappointing somehow, almost giving a run down impression, though the dull weather didn't help. The area down by the church looked worthy of further exploration but I didn't have enough time. I did find two interesting graves - that of Rudyard Kipling's parents. And I too can recommend Harry's on the Square - it looked a bit posh for me, but I'm glad I went in as I had a delicious rarebit with egg and bacon and tomato. I gave the coffee a miss, as although my earlier cup had only been instant and I was feeling the need for a proper one, it was expensive - the price was "3.5". 3.5 what? You may well ask! Why do cafes and restaurants do that these days - not use the pound sign? It really gets my goat. Pretentious if you ask me. I can imagine my dad would have said the same.

Back in Fovant, I had a long look at various bits of information that had been collated about the soldiers from Fovant who were buried there. Also, I purposely had not brought any books with me, thinking that I'd be bound to find a phone box or bus shelter with some free ones in, but unlike round here where there are lots, I didn't see a single one. However, in the church there was a small pile of very dusty and musty-smelling books, and I borrowed one to read (I returned it by post later) - David Kossoff's Book of Witnesses. I remember David Kossoff being on television in the 1970s, reading what I now realize must have been this book. In it he tells the stories of imaginary witnesses to the gospel events. I couldn't put it down. They are amazing stories, and although of course fiction, they really make you stop and think about the events of Jesus' time on earth from others' perspectives.

A mere 12 miles.

Day 4

Today Husband joined me. He was there by 9.15 and we had a good long walk up over the hill where the Badges are, and down again and into Compton Chamberlayne, where again we found more War Graves. We could not believe the quantity of chestnuts on the ground, and brought some home, which I have yet to roast. I have read that it is a good year for them. In the evening we went to the aforesaid Wyndham Arms, and were not disappointed! We don't often go out for meals, or at least not in the evening - my favourite thing is to go out for breakfast. We went for the lasagne which the lady at Fovant had waxed lyrical over, and she was right! Best lasagne I've ever had, with garlic bread and a good bowl of salad. And then the best tiramisu we've ever had! With berries and chocolate ice cream. We were stuffed! 

It was a good end to my few days away, and I'm glad I went and saw these places that my dad had written about. Being that this is November 11th, it's intended as a kind of tribute to him.