Final day in Herefordshire. After breakfast and checking out of The Gables we spent an hour or so having a final look round Weobley.
I popped in the Green Bean Shop and stocked up on Ecover Cream Cleaner (unbelievably, I can't buy this locally!).
A long discussion followed on what to do for the rest of the day, D wanted to go to Puzzlewood in the Forest of Dean and I was keen on Hay-on-Wye (am reading Magus of Hay by Phil Rickman at the moment!) but B didn't want to drive further from home. My suggestion of Hereford Cathedral did not go down well :( At this stage I was starting to see that B was on the verge of suggesting driving straight home especially as E seemed to have had enough of holidays so to keep D and E happy I suggested the Small Breed Farm Park and Owl Centre, near Kington.
There was a superb variety of owls on display in the Owl Centre although I have to admit I am never very happy to see wild birds in captivity but at least it gives children the chance to learn about such species and perhaps get interested in their conservation.
This is Numpy, a Milky Eagle Owl
Then a look round the Small Breeds area
Miniature Horse
Angora Goat
Miniature Zebu - the smallest breed of cattle in the world.
We drove through more of the villages on the Black and White Village Trail - sorry no pictures as we didn't stop. I lost count of the number of interesting churches we passed which I would have loved to explore!
I did persuade B to take a detour and visit the Eardisley or Great Oak (I think it may be the only tree in England to have its own signpost!). Unfortunately, there was nowhere to park safely so B dropped me off for a few minutes while he drove up the lane and back.
The tree has a girth of 9 metres, 17 centimetres indicating it is about 900 years old. The tree has become "stag-headed" and the trunk is hollow. A forest in the area was recorded in the Domesday Book (1086) and perhaps this tree is the last survivor of this wood. It was a landmark on maps dated 1650. I gave it a hug and spent a moment thinking about all the history it has witnessed.
Just round the corner from the tree this lovely cottage was for sale - what a beautiful place to live :)
It was a really lovely short break and I would have no hesitation in recommending the Gables if you ever need a bed and breakfast in the area. The tea-rooms there are also excellent as D and I had soup and welsh cakes there last year.
The Gables Tea Room
This is the Heron's Cross Jug I bought :) It was very difficult to make a decision as I was very tempted by one with butterflies and another with bees. In fact, I could easily have bought half a dozen!
We stopped off at Monklands Cheese Dairy on the way home to stock up on Hereford Black Butter which is delicious and something else I can't buy locally.
*D (photos taken by D with the Canon SX50)
