Holne two

After the day at and around Yelverton noticed at reference 1, the brain clearly needed a spot of R&R, as first thing in the morning it took quite a lot of seconds to realise that the jockey's cap inside the mug I was washing up for my second cup of tea was not a splodge that needed to be rubbed or scraped off. In its defence, I think it is fair to say that mugs do not generally have tattoos (as it were) inside.

Having got over that and through breakfast, off to take a walk around Venford Reservoir, where we found quite a lot of ripe blackberries. We also came across a fly fisherman, a chap who had taken the sport up in retirement and who introduced us to a few of the many mysteries of the craft. Otherwise a fine hobby, good for soaking up large amounts of excess time and money.

At the top of the reservoir, that is to say at more or less the furthest point from the dam, a fine example of what excess water can do to paths, even made up ones. Presumably a matter for the water board which owns and manages the reservoir, rather than the Dartmoor version of our Ecovols here in Epsom - the people who pull bracken and chop down trees on Epsom Common, for the greater comfort of methane spewing cows. I believe the Dartmoor version have a rather different problem in that they have to do something about there being rather too many Dartmoor ponies, rather as other places (particular in the US) have a lot too many deer.

Back at the car park we thought we would stroll a little to the north, towards the Dart valley and where there were plenty of fine views. Put up two skylarks.

While Cortana did quite a good job of capturing the berries on this hawthorn. Note bracken - enough to keep a whole army of Ecovols busy. Although perhaps some especially busy volunteer would know someone who would know someone who would lend him a big machine to do the job. Lots of bustle and noise to disturb the peace and quiet of the rest of us. Perhaps someone at the golf club. Or perhaps just set fire to the stuff if conditions were right. Even more disturbance.

Back to the cottage to take our picnic indoors. Including the excellent rock cakes from Horrabridge, bought the day before. Excellent, but including more currants than usual but less spice and flavourings. White rather than pale yellow inside.

In the afternoon, off to Ashburton so that BH could do some shopping, with a country store called Tuckers particularly in mind. A place somewhere in what used to be the station yard, selling all kinds of stuff for country folk. Including all kinds of gear needed by horsey folk. A modest version of the operation at reference 2, the Axminster branch of which we visit from time to time. When, for example, I get low on sisal cord or blue nylon agricultural rope. Although, for the avoidance of doubt, I should own up to still working my way through the stuff I acquired from BT, or one of their contractors, as noticed at reference 3. I don't suppose they shop at Mole Avon. And I assume references 2a and 2b are the same people, despite some rebranding action.

Entered Ashburton via the Old Totnes Road, which BH was not sure about at all. And she turned out to be right, although for the wrong reasons, as what we thought of as part of the station yard had been turned into a housing estate, with access to the rest of the yard blocked off. And when we finally made it to the other part of the yard we found that Tuckers had been replaced by a much smaller operation in a much smaller shed, so BH was denied her shopping.

But we did learn about a new-to-us brand of garden power tools, the Swindon outfit at reference 4. I imagine that they just brand and import rather than manufacture. Hard to see how they could compete otherwise. They also sold very large bags of bird seed, maybe 10kg. Hard to see who would want to buy that much at a time. A pigeon fancier?

And we did catch a flock of crows swinging about above the town.

Ella the artisan baker of Ashburton was shut on Tuesdays - perhaps bakers' hours had got too much, even for someone as dedicated as Ella - as was the Holne Community Tea room. So back to our cottage for extra plain sausages from Lyne Regis, fried, followed by BH's approximation to a Dundee Cake. Approximation in the sense that she omitted the almonds on top, the baked almonds which are a danger to larger fillings. All very good.

The next day was another action day, kicked off by a spectacular sun rise. Action which involved a fair bit of driving between Holne and Buckfast.

Started with a short visit to Buckfast Abbey, this being the occasion when I picked up the rule of St. Benedict, already noticed at reference 5. Also an occasion to have a chat with the estate manager who was starting repairs to a gravity feed water feature. Repairs which were slated to include digging up a hundred yards of gravity feeder pipe. 

The lavender garden, complete with tubs of asters, was looking well. Asters being a family which includes the Michaelmas daisies to which I have natal attachment. But an attachment which did not stop me confusing them with dog daisies for many years. The big ones with white petals and yellow middles.

Next stop the Forest Inn at Hexworthy, the kitchen of which turned out to be shut on Wednesdays. So declining their offer of fresh pasties, off to Badgers Holt where things had changed a bit since our last visit too, although it was still a Division One beauty spot, complete with the meeting of the two branches of the Dart - the north and south forks as they would say over the pond - and sundry small animals. Goats, rabbits, chickens and the like. With one chicken making it into the restaurant: no doubt a very bad thing from a hygiene point of view. Quite a lot of customers for mid-week, end of season. Staff very enthusiastic.

Now a tea, cakes and snacks place, rather than a regular lunch place. So a rather spicy tomato soup taken with a microwaved bread roll. Followed by a chopped ham toastie with chips. That is to say a bowl of chipped potatoes and a bowl of potato crisps - which last I have never been very keen on. It also occurred to me that filling the toastie with chopped ham was a good wheeze from the point of view of the kitchen; much less waste than if you have to serve the stuff as presentable looking slices.

And so back to Buckfast, taking in an up close and personal with ponies and donkeys on the way. Between Asburton and Holne, Holne Chase, we had a false alarm on the Wellingtonia front. On closer inspection I decided that it wasn't, rather some other kind of cypress. But it was tall.

Big Brother of Holne Chase was watching me, with a discrete green camera above the green notice. I had thought it was once a house, then a hotel and now a venue for events. But it seems that it has branched out into the nature preserve business - and I think it a good bet that there will be some Wellingtonia somewhere. Perhaps I will contact them (at reference 8) before our next visit.

Later on, we finished off 'Nosferatu'. I worried about the propriety of including in the opening sequence close ups of lots of Mexican mummies, victims of a cholera epidemic getting on for a hundred years ago. But then, if the Mexicans choose to make an attraction of them, why should Herzog not make a film? See references 7.

I then worried about all the rats, thousands of them. What happened to them when Herzog had finished with them? How were they all rounded up - and presumably killed, perhaps in gas chambers. Did Herzog have regular meetings with the German equivalent (I assume there is one) of our RSPCA to keep him within reasonably bounds?

The day closed with reading about the poor record of Premier Division footballers when it came to Covid vaccinations. Not setting a very good example to all those boys and young men who look to them for role models at all. Not impressed, although it is hard to see what can be done about it.

References

Reference 1: https://psmv5.blogspot.com/2021/10/holne-one.html.

Reference 2a: https://www.moleonline.com/.

Reference 2b: https://www.moleavon.co.uk/.

Reference 3: https://psmv3.blogspot.com/2016/07/rope-1.html.

Reference 4: https://www.greenworkstools.co.uk/.

Reference 5: https://psmv5.blogspot.com/2021/10/the-rule-of-st-benedict.html.

Reference 6: http://badgersholtdartmoor.co.uk/.

Reference 7a: http://www.momiasdeguanajuato.gob.mx/coleccion.html.

Reference 7b: https://amyscrypt.com/mummies-guanajuato-mexico/.

Reference 8: https://www.holne-chase.co.uk/.