Had a great time in the Malverns Saturday.
The main purpose of the trip was to catch Young Malvern
Theatre's performance of The
Crucible (remember another memorable performance some
years back when Marion was part of her year groups production at BRIT :) They threw everything + the
kitchen sink at it. Really amazing.
Also walked up an bloomin great hill to St
Anne's Well Cafe only to find it closed for renovation, but they
have opened a temp pop-up cafe :)
After wandering some highways n byeways it t'was market day and also time for pre performance soup n roll :-p
Sunday we cycled from home to the Over Canal Fest. It's the smaller of the canal fests but v cosy. One of our neighbours runs wheelchair accessible river trips n water sports and was taking people up the canal in this little narrow boat.
boys toys :)
There is also a short woodland walk past bee hives, old canal workings and amazing fungi
Finishing at the Docks, where they have a summer 'beach' fest - tons of sand in giant pits for the kids and stalls - and our fav themed Cafe on the Cut:
Gloucester docks seemed busier then usual with tall and small ships being repaired at the dry docks:
Then it was off to Marnhull which lies in the Blackmore Vale of North Dorset. Saxon charters show that Marnhull existed as a village in the 10th century, although the village's site has seen human occupation as early as the Iron Age,and a Roman settlement was established at Ashley Wood in the east of the parish. The village presents a mix of architectural styles, with post-war developments existing alongside properties dating back to Tudor times and earlier. It also lies close to East Stour, one of Marilyns ancestral homes, and her relatives now live in Marnhull. We stayed at the wonderfully atmospheric 16th century Crown Inn, complete with massive open fire, priest hole and converted stables.
Journeying on to old friends Bet n Jim in Shaftsbury, home of Hovis's Gold Hill -
by the side of which is a memorable little museum with free entry - a regular little time capsule -
But returned to some sad news. Uncle Alf, the last of my parents generation of immediate family, had passed away. Alf's passion was driving, in the early 60's he was a driver and driving force behind the successful Team Treadfast that took the team prize in the Scottish RAC rally - he was driving a Saab. Alf was also a prolific model maker and accomplished yachtsman.
