Pippa and I have just come home from 3 days away with Mary in Sandford Orcas and Chris, Jeanette and co in Lower Langford. We had been promising to stay with Mary for ages and as we had accepted her wonderful offer to use her garage to store our stuff from Australia, the opportunity to stay at Badger Cottage presented itself.

After a delayed start on Thursday morning we drove to Sandford Orcas in Dorset. Mary lives in Badger Cottage which is actually on Holway Hill above Sandford Orcas. But it would take an excellent Google map to find it. We did however get there and the 2 days were worth every bit of the country lanes and delayed start.

On arrival Mary plied Pippa and I with yummy soup, cheese and chocolate biscuits which was a sign of things to come. To walk the delicious lunch off we went to 'Cadbury Castle' which is an old hill fort just over the boarder in Somerset. Parking near the new dairy building, we hiked up the side wall of the hill. We briefly stopped to admire the Snowdrops. At the top another brief stop to button up the coats and put on the hoods.

It was blowing hard and the rain was coming in waves. But in a typically English way we carried on regardless. Anouk was doing her usual effort to run around and around. All that is left of the castle is the earthworks. The depressions and rises easily allow a person to identify where the buildings would have been. We skirted the edge keeping on the remains of the wall and stopping to admire the views. Eventually one by one Mary, Pippa and I had to drop off the wall for easier walking and get out of the wind for a while. But never fear we soon got back up on the wall.

On the far side of the castle we were able to look across to Glastonbury Tor and some of the other ancient hill forts and villages. There is even a legend that Cadbury Castle was actually the site of Camelot in Arthurian Legend. I felt the spirit of the Knights of the Round Table for sure. We did all decide they must have been fit to climb these walls wearing armour and carrying spears.

After Cadbury Castle we returned to Badger Cottage for dinner. Mary made the most delicious supper of pasta and we watched some of the Winter Olympics and had a few glasses of wine. A very relaxing night by the fire and then a warm soft bed.

Next morning there was work to be done. It was incredibly windy through the night but sunny in the morning. First we helped clean out Mary's garage to store our stuff from Australia in. There was a contact with a rat that sent Mary clinging to the rafters then a contact with spiders that sent Pippa to join her. But we did well and two loads of rubbish to the tip in Sherborne.

Mary went to visit a friend and Pippa took me on a driving tour of Sherborne. As Sherborne is a particularly old town the builds are fantastic. The Abbey is particularly stunning. We attempted to get to the castle, but due to road works we left it for another day.

After Sherborne it was back to Badger Cottage for lunch of soup, cheese and the remains of the Gu Chocolate pudding. The packet actual says that 10 slices is normal, 8 slices is big and 6 is greedy. We decided the packet was wrong. After lunch another walk, this time up Holway Hill.

Holway Hill is very steep and goes up behind Badger Cottage. The wind had returned and it really was a genuine challenge to climb. But once again the views were spectacular. There was great woodland on the way down which provided some respite from the wind. Then across the foot of the hill and straddling the gate to get out of the paddock and back to Badger Cottage. After the walk we packed and headed off to Lower Langford to visit the Simsons via Cheddar.

We had a quick stop and coffee with Tony and Alice in Cheddar mainly because I forgot my sun glasses from the previous visit a few weeks ago. But it is always nice catching up with the Audsleys. From there to the Simsons.

Chris was late from work but Jeanette, Michael and Eve kept Pippa and I well entertained until the children's bed time. Chris came home and we had a very relaxing and laugh filled supper with Chris and Jeanette. Some brief discussion into the quality of wine you give to people who were honest enough to call you to say your wine order had been left at their house. Chris had to rescue the wine from the children's 'Wendy house'. The neighbours' kids thought all their Christmas' had come at once.

Next morning we walked to the near by fields to attempt to fly some kites. The occasional gust did provide for some flight but it was a bit of a lost cause for the kites and we settled for throwing the ball for Anouk, who regardless of weather will always fetch. This was proven true as we walked back in a rain storm and arrived cold and wet. How very English after a walk.

Now we are back in Culmstock for a few days relaxing. We may go to Barnstable and Clovelly later in the week, but time is catching us up with little more than a week before I leave for Australia.