Weekend in the West Country

Nearly New Year and finally I get round to posting from September. But at least the photos remind me of warmer sunnier days. So this was a weekend visiting my friends in Bath. I was out Friday night, so I arrived to start the weekend with Saturday lunch in a pub. Just with rather better views than in London.

 The afternoon's entertainment was a visit to Dudmaston Hall. The West country doesn't lack for grand country houses making use of the rolling hills for fine landscaping.

 And even deep into September there were plenty of blooms in the gardens

Sunday brought a trip to Lacock. This is a National Trust property with several layers of interest. To start with there are the remains of the Abbey, which are superbly scenic, especially the cloisters.

The Abbey had at this point a modern art installation to enjoy. This is supposed to have the effect of rippling silk.

The Abbey was adapted to become a fine country house which is well worth a circuit.

 Then there rare the grounds and gardens to enjoy.

 And finally (well ignoring the photography museum sine Fox Talbot pretty much invented the  photographic process at Lacock) there is the village itself, pretty much in tact from Georgian England and so much used for period dramas, notably Downton Abbey. They just have to get the cars out.

Now this is England's only grade one listed pier. As you can see, by Monday the weather had become a little more "moody". This is a Victorian pier that was nearly scrapped altogether, but was instead taken apart, renovated and now is a pleasant tourist attraction, complete with a very decent fish restaurant which we took advantage of for lunch.

And final leg of my West Country tour - Clevedon Court - an attractive old house with a fiercely sloping garden beyond from which one gets lovely views.