Hardy Country

,Monday 23rd October



Our cottage - sign points to Hardy's cottage further down the road

This afternoon we visited the birthplace and home for many years of Thomas Hardy, a two story, thatch roofed cottage  with a large vegie garden next to a lovely leafy forest Tonight we are staying in a lovely two story, thatched roof cottage just up the road from the Hardy cottage. We, of course, have electricity, central heating, a large carpeted room with en-suite just for the two of us - somewhat different to conditions in the Hardy family cottage. Apparently in his bedroom on the top floor he wrote Far from the Madding Crowd  'one of his best' the guide told us. I reckon we will be watching a few old movies when we get home.


Hardy family cottage

 

We travelled here this morning leaving the appropriately atmospheric, misty, Dartmoor and travelled to the coast at Lyme Regus where the sun was almost shining and it was 16C. There were people everywhere, promenading along the esplanade, sitting on the rock wall along the very stony beach watching the waves and eating fish and chips and ice-creams, filling the shops and tearooms - it was just like it was the middle of the holidays - and then we realised that it was the start of the mid term break. Apparently the North of the country have a week followed by a week for the South - a good system for the tourism operators. Lyme Regus is quite an attractive town with very narrow and often steep streets, The main street turns through a right angle and traffic flow has to be controlled with lights. We stumbled across an operating Water Mill used to grind grains and had a lovely tour, starting at the top of the 3 story stone building with grains of wheat, and two floors lower down ending with fine flour. It was fascinating. Quite an Old England day !