Another long haul home

Everything was almost back to normal today after our little jaunt up north. I walked Mirinda to the station and, to get things properly back to normal, I then took a bus to Frensham to pick up the poodles.

As usual they were overjoyed to see me and then we started the long march home. The weather was kind – not too hot with many bursts of sunshine. We didn’t see a lot of people at Frensham Little Pond. Two and a dog, to be exact. Very unusual. Still, the poodles didn’t mind. They also didn’t mind the pigs who were very vocal and smelly today.

Of course, the Barley Mow at Tilford was closed when we reached it (at 11:30) so we sat on the cricket green for a mud-walk rest where we watched a bit of truck ballet between these two removalists lorries. For obvious reasons, I couldn’t resist a photo.

I’m not sure why but they did a sort of back and forth manoeuvre before one of them pulled forward and a load of men went to the back of it and started moving a load of blankets and a set of ramps around. It was all very mysterious. We sat and watched for about half an hour before heading over the bridge for our next section. We spotted a chap with a camera snapping away at the river and bridge but didn’t think anything about it.

When we reached the horrible bit of the walk, where we walk along a rather nasty road, Carmen asked if we could go and visit Waverley Abbey, since we were so close. I wasn’t aware of her love of the ecclesiastical but was more than happy to oblige. We were quite close, after all.

So, instead of taking the right up to Mother Ludlam’s cave, we turned left and walked into the Waverley Abbey carpark. There to greet us was the chap who had been photographing the river at Tilford. He smiled at us and asked me if there was an old church nearby. Apparently a chap had told him there was. I pointed behind him.

“There’s the first Cistercian Abbey in England just over there. It was built in 1128 so I guess that’s pretty old. It’s a ruin now though, thanks to Henry VIII.“
“That’s fine. I wanted to take some photographs,” he explained. “Is it ok if I park my car here?“
“That’s the carpark, so I’m sure it’s fine.“

We left him to unpack his photographic equipment and strolled down the path by the river towards the ruins.

The Abbey always looks lovely but it really shone today, when the sun put in an appearance. It’s so peaceful that you understand straight away why those long ago monks decided to stop walking from France and started building their monastery.

We had a jolly good wander around, making sure to satisfy Carmen’s curiosity, before heading back to the track. We stopped for a second to snap a picture of Waverley house (which isn’t open to the public).

The rest of the walk home dragged on, foot after foot, inch after inch, until we finally spotted the 6 Bells and took the alley towards the park. It was a very tired twosome who walked through the door. Day-z, of course, was still full of beans and had to do a quick run down the path to make sure it was still there. I have no idea how she can walk six miles then still have the energy for this. But she does. Carmen just collapsed and remained that way for the duration of the day…and night.

Here they are, stopping by the river before Tilford, looking like fuzzy felt figures of fun. They’re off for a haircut tomorrow and will look VERY different!

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Our Hereford photographs are on Flicker. They are here.