We've made another trip back to Herefordshire - just for 3 nights this time. We went on the Thursday and came back on the Sunday.
Timothy on the journey there.
This is the Whittington Tump which you can see as you leave the motorway at Worcester South and for me a sign I am nearly back!
In the afternoon we did the usual click and collect at Leominster.
The weather forecast was suggesting that Friday would probably be the only dry day so it seemed wise to go out. We wanted to stay local as we wanted to be able to get back quickly to watch the continuation of the Andy Murray match. I suggested Ledwyche Meadows at Burford House as D wasn't with us when we walked there last time.
Burford House and pools
Then we hit a slight problem there was a sign saying you now have to pay at the nursery shop rather than just leaving a voluntary donation. This provoked somewhat of an argument as D and I wanted to pay what was really a reasonable admission price for such lovely gardens and meadow but B argued we might not have long there if it appeared the Murray match was starting and it wasn't worth it!
Well B won the argument so we had a quick look round the nurseries
This scabious was covered in Small Tortoiseshells
I suggested we should try and find the Tenbury Community Orchard which I was sure was about a mile away opposite a layby as I had seen a sign when we turned round there once after missing the entrance to Burford House.
Well all we could find was this orchard which was not the community one I don't think. The day was really not turning out how I planned and to crown it all it was very hot!
So back to Tenbury Wells. We stopped off at Tesco as B wanted to buy something and I had the brain wave of walking to Tenbury Tump.
There is a public footpath to the tump and gosh I struggled to get over the stile I really hadn't realised how bad my knees had become.It wasn't getting over the stile that was the problem but stepping up onto it :( I have never had problems with stiles before!
Anyway, it was good to get closer to Castle Tump which is an early Norman motte castle and causeway 150 metres west of Teme Bridge. It is one of several constructed along the River Teme to control crossing places. It is 25 metres in diameter, 3.6 metres high and has no ditch. There is a legend that King Caractacus who fought the Roman expansion of Britain was buried here. As I believe he ended his life in exile in Italy I think that is well and truly a myth! But these old legends can be so charming.
So back to Tenbury Wells - there was still no sign of the match starting so we went a wander up the High Street in search of icecream.
Burdock growing by the River Teme
With all these fish in the river no wonder we have seen Kingfishers on the River Teme!
This is Teme House which was built in 1837 as the work house for the Tenbury Poor Law which comprised of 19 parishes. The system ended in 1929 and from 1937 until 2001 the building was used as Town Council Offices.
Bridge over the River Teme
We bought ice creams here and then it was a rush back for the tennis.
Hatfield
The Octopus Tree
The Herefordshire Oak
The Constable Tree
We took a bee box that I found in the garage at home. Its now in a pot on a stake and I'll take a photo next visit.
Hollyhocks are flowering better than last year.
I've long wanted to grow Teasels but I am not sure if it will flower in the first year.
Meadow Grasshopper I think.
We watched and listened to bats several nights and I suspect a different species appeared on the final night.
Saturday was rainy so we only ventured as far as B and Q in Leominster to buy a terracotta pot and wooden post for the Bug house. I also treated myself to a pot of mini alliums.
Sunday the final day as we were going home in the evening we went to a Flower Festival at Kingsland Church - a new church for me and I'll write about about that in the next two posts.
I hope everyone is staying safe and well.
Photos taken by me with the Panasonic Lumix FZ330 and those marked *D were taken by my son with the Canon SX50HS bridge camera. (I don't particularly rate my photos but if anyone wishes to use one I would be grateful for an email first - many thanks)
Lovely! I do prefer the single flowered Hollyhocks to the double variety!
ReplyDeleteI’m going to miss the tennis today…I’ve really enjoyed it this year!
There certainly are some lovely towns around there, aren't there? I'm afraid I would probably end up quite broke.
ReplyDeleteYour Hollyhock is a beautiful colour. I don't think I've seen one that colour before.
It's a good job you opted for watching the Murray match as sadly he didn't stay in long did he?
You're going to have a fine collection of trees at the end of the season. will you be doing another comparison? post on them. You could always do one on each tree now. Oh, I'm full of bright ideas for other people's blogs, aren't I Caroline? Interesting how the Tenbury Tump has become your landmark. I will always remember the old Smith's crisps factory. as my marker for arriving in Swansea.
Treasure is waving at Timothy.
Sal - Thanks so much. I think the single probably better for pollinators. Yes I will miss it too. The final yesterday was superb. Really impressed with the talent of Alcarez though a shame about Murray going out so early.
ReplyDeleteRustic Pumpkin - Thanks so much. I have to admit I spend quite a lot when we go places sometimes!
OH thinks the hollyhock looks a slightly different colour to last year.
It was very sad about Andy Murray - I so admire him trying to come back after such major surgery. Wish he could have just gone a little further.
Godo thinking re tree post at the end of the year :)
I have loads of markers on that journey once we leave the M5 - the old stunted chestnut, the dragon tree, St Leonard's, certain churches :)
I used to watch Tennis with mum when I was younger, but don't like to inflict it on Keith, as he isn't a tennis fan.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like you had a nice potter around at Tenbury anyway.
I always know when we're getting near home when we see the big squares of fir trees planted by the Army on the Eppynt.
Bovey Belle - Thanks so much. Luckily my son and I both love tennnis and OH will watch too so its not a problem here.
ReplyDeleteNice to hear of other people's features that show they are nearly home :)
Lovely post, with so much of interest. Tenbury Wells looks interesting and the flowers around your caravan are lovely especially the Hollyhock which is a lovely colour. Glad you got back in time for the tennis. I use to watch avidly each year but for the last few years have really not been bothered. I sat down again this year and watched some of the matches at Queens and Wimbledon and really enjoyed the game again. It's good to see some new young players coming through. Oh dear, about the struggle with the stile, I too find some of them difficult- especially getting down them for some reason - good to get to the top of the castle tump:)
ReplyDeleteRosie - Thanks so much. I do rather like Tenbury Wells - a lot to offer there. I don't watch as much tennis as I used to when I used to watch all the time for the 2 weeks. Interest has waned since AM got injured and I don't like Djokovic at all but Alcarez certainly looks one to watch in the future. So this year I watched the AM match and then some of the Alcarez games and the final which was superb.
ReplyDeleteI love the chalkboard that if you read it badly (or as quickly as I did) suggests that dogs are welcome in the garden and can read the menu. This I have to see ;-)
ReplyDeleteThe Wessex Reiver Thanks so much - lol re: the reading dogs :)
ReplyDeleteIt is a shame you couldn't enjoy the day exactly as you wanted to.
ReplyDeleteI am terrible with (some) styles, I am alright climbing up but scrambling over and getting my footing right on the other side is often problematic for me.
CherryPie - Thanks so much. To be honest it is enough to be there rather than here at home!
ReplyDeleteI got over the one side ok but on the other side the step up was high. SO embarrassing a man walking past looked really concerned and said can I help you? are you ok? Ii felt like crockety old woman!!! Which at 70 I suppose I am! Mentally I am still 25! :)