Monday 14th November   Set off for Shaftesbury about 9.30 which was a bit early as there was still a lot of traffic on the M25.   It improved on the M3 and afterwards.   We had lunch at a Young’s pub The Mitre in Shaftesbury - Soup, burger and frittata.   Visited Gold Hill and took a few pictures in the town, not up to much as it was drizzling.   We bought a Dorset apple cake which was good, but too sweet.

Shaftesbury - very dull light

Church and Town Hall

Matt choosing his lunch

Lambs from inside

Gold Hill (Hovis)

The Gatehouse was very spacious and appealing.   We took some pictures while it was still tidy

M's Bathroom

and his bedroom

Drawing room

Kitchen

Red only

Through the drawing room window

Pulling a face...

Entrance to spiral staircase

Our bedroom

Through the window

The chair covers should be red as the settee at the back

Spiral staircase

Top bedroom

Out buildings

Coach House

Wood Shed

Georgie Porgie?

Front door to the gatehouse

Toadstools

Outer gateway

Suddenly the sun came out!

The Gatehouse

Wolveton House

The Gatehouse

We went to Osmington to see the thatched cottages and George III on his horse on the hillside

The Beehive - Honeymoon cottage used by Constable

Crenulated lean to

Late roses

Panels

Could be whiter, but it is George III and horse

Cat and kit weathervane

Kestrel hovers over the marginal vegetation

Kestrel in a blasted tree

Fisheries Protection Vessel?

We had hoped to have coffee here at the Smugglers' Rest, but it was shut until lunch

Fungus

Picture on the left taken from the cliff path which we abandoned as it was very claggy and PJ upended a couple of times.

Kestrel

Weymouth

Decided to have lunch in Weymouth, walked around the backstreets admiring the Georgian and regency buildings.   Had lunch at the Ship PJ crab bake, M Smoked Haddock mornay and I had a  and steak and ale pie.   All good.     Went to Chesil Beach and Portland Bill excellent light.   Church Ope Cove was not as I remember it, but maybe it used to be plain Ope Cove.

The Golden Lion

Dog bar

We had lunch at the Ship

Chesil pebbles

Dog walking along the crest of the beach

Wyke Regis

Fisherman

Portland

Crow

Cheyne Weare

The pulpit rock

Plaque on lighthouse

Trinity House Memorial

Castle above Ope Cove

Rufus Castle, also known as Bow and Arrow Castle, is a ruined blockhouse overlooking Church Ope Cove on Portland, England.   The castle dates from the late 15th century, possibly on the site of an earlier building - making it Portland's oldest castle.

Could be a bit too flooded...

Wednesday 16^th November

We photographed the Smallest pub at Godmanstone then on to Cerne Abbas to see the Giant and buy firelighters and some local cheese.   (Dorset red cheddar and Blue Vinney.)    PJ looked at the Abbey.   We visited the Hardy Monument .   Had lunch in Abbotsbury at the Illchester Arms.   M had chowder and we had carrot soup with sandwiches.    Checked Mintern gardens, but they were closed, so we went to see the other end of Chesil Beach with the small stones and the Fleet lagoon    Went to Abbotsbury Tropical Gardens then home. 

Holy Trinity Church

Cerne Abbas Giant

Mini bridges over the stream from the road to the houses

Multitude of pipes!

I wonder if it works!

The stocks

The Abbey

Monument to 'Kismet' Hardy

Luncheon reflections

Chesil Beach

Channel wave

Smaller pebbles

Abutilon

Salvias were still flowering

Podophyllum - a bit tatty, but it is November

Nerine

Palm chick?

Camellia

Kalopanax septemlobus

St Catherine's Chapel

14th Century chapel once held a fire beacon that was lit to ward off sailors from the treacherous Chesil beach during storms off the coast and invaders.   It is an ancient link to Abbotsbury's monastery and medieval past

Ginger

Toadstools

Prunus serrula Tibetica

Dried hydrangea flowers

Bridge

Golden maple

Gunnera prepared for winter

Hares

Wicker deer

We had a drink

We lit a fire in the drawing room which reduced the chill a bit...

Pity about the fireguard

Thursday 17^th November   Not such a good day, cold and overcast with some rain, though there were bright spells.   Went into Dorchester and did a couple of the walks.   We visited a dinosaur museum and had lunch at Potter’s Café, unfortunately Peter had a seizure/turn/ went stiff and stared and was not with us for 3 mins, he was sick and came round.   The people in the café were excellent, Matthew talked to the ambulance service who suggested we go to a health centre.   Once there the ambulance was called and we went to the hospital where Peter had tests.   After some hours he was released and we came home to the Gatehouse.   Matthew was brilliant throughout.   Once home we lit the fire.

Thomas Hardy

The walks

This enlarges

Roman Town House

Tiled floor through glass

Nostalgic coffee room

Dorset Martyrs by Elizabeth Frink

Friday 18^th November   We packed up at the Gatehouse and set off home via Sherborne

Upmarket market

Sherborne Boys

We visited the Museum

It was wet and cold so we drove through some very lovely countryside worthy of photographing, but we kept going, having lunch on the way getting home in the afternoon.  

The boys were pleased to see us.