It is 1 in the morning, the world is still intact and I've just returned home from walking 11 miles along the Tarka Trail with this happy bunch, and many more women, in aid of our local hospice and the Macmillan cancer charity. It took us 4 hours including a 20 mins stop at Fremmington Quay for hot soup (& toilets) so that wasn't too bad. I have to say the pace was faster than I am used too and I now know that my walking boots are too snug a fit to wear thick socks but it was still a fun experience. Despite the rain which started lashing down for the last half mile and the fact that I broke a tooth on a piece of chocolate! It was a ladies only walk and most people were festooned with plenty of glow sticks and flashing lights or even in fancy dress. Janet, who works with me in my class had thought to decorate herself with some battery powered fairy lights and once it had gone dark she rather resembled a Christmas tree. 
One of the marshalls did take a photo with me in it as well but it is too blurry to use.
It has been a very busy day for me. As Romas and Vicky are only staying until Monday we had a full day together. First the 3 of us went into Barnstaple to do some shopping mainly in the charity shops. We found 3 pairs of shorts for Romas for less than a new pair even at Primark, I found some t-shirts for work and Vicky also got a fun t-shirt. I even managed to get a saucepan for Linas (as requested) as he is coming up for a doctor's appointment on Monday. Peter spent the morning at an open session of the gig club meeting prospective new members and taking them for short trips in the gigs out in the river. In the afternoon we went over to Arlington Court to look around the house. Normally we do not pay to go in but walk in through one of the public footpaths that cross the grounds but you need a ticket to go into the house and the carriage museum. Vicky works as a volunteer at a National Trust property so has a card that gets her +1 in free so it wasn't too expensive and she was interested to see inside the property. The house had been the property of the Chichester family and was donated to the National Trust in 1949.
It has a large entrance hall with a grand staircase. The house is filled with many model boats and other nautical items.
Different views of the main drawing room which can be divided into 3 rooms by folding screens set into the walls.
To one side is the boudoir with silk lined walls. This is the room that the ladies would retire to after dinner while the gentlemen had their port and cigars.
The next room was filled with half unpacked travel boxes and cases and you are invited to handle the items and look through the photos, sketches, books and other items. It was a very nice idea to have such a hands on opportunity. In other places the notices requesting you not to touch things were very well worded explaining how fragile the items were and how they could easily be damaged if handled.
This was the nursery. The last owner, Rosalie Chichester had a marriage of convenience to a cousin who owned Youlston Park at Shirwell but lived the life of a single lady in Arlington which was her family home.
We just had time to dash up to the carriage museum to see the vast collection of carriages which brought to life the historical novels I sometimes read. We decided that they would probably all have been pretty uncomfortable to ride in. We also saw an enormous Gilded State coach which is currently on exhibition there but the govt has stipulated no photos of that coach.
The stable block which houses the carriage museum as well as the stables occupied by the large horses which are used for carriage rides around the estate driving displays, was the scene of a memorable all day 40th birthday party (of the then head coachman) which we went to about 10 years ago. Peter used to go over to play chess regularly with Michael who lived in a flat above the stables.
A few of the many coaches on display.
The tack room houses the tack for the working horses and had to be my favourite room of the whole place. The small of saddle soap and leather hit you as you walked in and brought back memories of my days working with horses. I'm sure we will be making another visit to Arlington when Romas and Vicky come back to visit later in the summer.
One of the marshalls did take a photo with me in it as well but it is too blurry to use.
It has been a very busy day for me. As Romas and Vicky are only staying until Monday we had a full day together. First the 3 of us went into Barnstaple to do some shopping mainly in the charity shops. We found 3 pairs of shorts for Romas for less than a new pair even at Primark, I found some t-shirts for work and Vicky also got a fun t-shirt. I even managed to get a saucepan for Linas (as requested) as he is coming up for a doctor's appointment on Monday. Peter spent the morning at an open session of the gig club meeting prospective new members and taking them for short trips in the gigs out in the river. In the afternoon we went over to Arlington Court to look around the house. Normally we do not pay to go in but walk in through one of the public footpaths that cross the grounds but you need a ticket to go into the house and the carriage museum. Vicky works as a volunteer at a National Trust property so has a card that gets her +1 in free so it wasn't too expensive and she was interested to see inside the property. The house had been the property of the Chichester family and was donated to the National Trust in 1949.
It has a large entrance hall with a grand staircase. The house is filled with many model boats and other nautical items.
Different views of the main drawing room which can be divided into 3 rooms by folding screens set into the walls.
To one side is the boudoir with silk lined walls. This is the room that the ladies would retire to after dinner while the gentlemen had their port and cigars.
The next room was filled with half unpacked travel boxes and cases and you are invited to handle the items and look through the photos, sketches, books and other items. It was a very nice idea to have such a hands on opportunity. In other places the notices requesting you not to touch things were very well worded explaining how fragile the items were and how they could easily be damaged if handled.
This was the nursery. The last owner, Rosalie Chichester had a marriage of convenience to a cousin who owned Youlston Park at Shirwell but lived the life of a single lady in Arlington which was her family home.
We just had time to dash up to the carriage museum to see the vast collection of carriages which brought to life the historical novels I sometimes read. We decided that they would probably all have been pretty uncomfortable to ride in. We also saw an enormous Gilded State coach which is currently on exhibition there but the govt has stipulated no photos of that coach.
The stable block which houses the carriage museum as well as the stables occupied by the large horses which are used for carriage rides around the estate driving displays, was the scene of a memorable all day 40th birthday party (of the then head coachman) which we went to about 10 years ago. Peter used to go over to play chess regularly with Michael who lived in a flat above the stables.
A few of the many coaches on display.
The tack room houses the tack for the working horses and had to be my favourite room of the whole place. The small of saddle soap and leather hit you as you walked in and brought back memories of my days working with horses. I'm sure we will be making another visit to Arlington when Romas and Vicky come back to visit later in the summer.
