October and a Trip Away

 

The photo above is of one of the Dahlias in a display at The Vyne, a National Trust property near Basingstoke at the beginning of last month, on one of our days out.  As it’s autumn places are getting a little quieter and making it easier to get out an about now, so we planned a short break of a couple of nights in Liskeard, north Cornwall and booked a visit to the Lost Gardens of Heligan.  Due to the rain we thought this would be a disaster,  but rebooked the afternoon and the rain eased and there was even some sunshine.

Above is a distant view to Mevagissy and the sea (though it merges into the grey of the sky!)

The Mud Maiden with a all her greenery.

Walking through the Jungle on a boardwalk which surrounds the area and below David and I tackled the rope bridge.  The feeling wasn’t so strange walking across, but felt wobbly for a few seconds after getting of it.

It did turn out to be a really good afternoon, even if the day didn’t start as well as we hoped, isn’t that always the way?

We spent some time in Liskeard town as we had another venue booked to visit on our way home.  It’s only a little town, but with a few interesting shops.  I added to my fabric stash at Painters, which we previously knew as an arts and crafts shop, but there are changes afoot and the business is on the move and only sell fabric and yarn.  Here’s my modest purchases

(Ignore the black fabric, my friend gave me this sheep fabric the week before).  Some green fabric, a bit of purple Kaffe, and (I surprised myself with this) 3 quarters of Tula Pink fabric from different ranges.

We were aware of a few crocheted and knitted items in some shops, like the crochet sausages in the butcher’s shop, or the large key in the shoe repairer’s shop and a knitted bookworm in a bookshop. Until we came to an empty shop on a corner of a street that had crocheted Mandalas in the windows. Here’s just a selection, but there is a lot of reflection.

The display is organised by 3 Bags Full. A local group who organise an annual yarn festival in the town, every October and would have been on the weekend on 17th and 18th.  Along with other exhibitions held this year, this one will also be online, but they took over this former florist’s shop to ‘yarn bomb’ it.  The large mandalas are made over hula hoops and the small ones cover old CDs. We thought it was really brilliant.

Pop over to the link above to 3 Bags Full and you will be yarnbombing from other years.

From Liskeard we headed North before going home to Knightshayes a National Trust property near Tiverton, which is a bit north of where we’d normally travel to get back to Dorset, but not too much out of our way. We did get caught in showers, but not too much, so a gentle walk around the grounds and woodland. It is one of the few places that has opened the house since lockdown as it can operate a one way system and it is a Victorian house built in the Gothic style popular at the time.

This is the stables, used for the visitor centre

The the house, the photos had to be lightened because if was so cloudy and dull.  Although photos could be taken with flash and I couldn’t resist the medieval style ceiling in the main reception room.

Outside I liked the gate near beside the house, which looked rusty, with flowers and leaves.

So that was our trip away.  Back home again and catching up things, like the blog, and thinking this may be the last time this year we have a break, but not the last time we go for days out I hope.