Saturday, July 14.

Last night we walked down to a local pub for dinner.

This is the sun at 7.30 on the way.

This is the biggest Yew tree I have seen.

Quaint thatched roof house on the way.

This is thinking outside the square. What to do with an unused phone box. Turn it into an exchange library.

Great pub, St Peters Finger, food and ales were great. Have a deal with the caravan park, free bottle of wine with two meals. Well we ended up only paying for one beer and came home with two bottles of wine. Winner, winner, chicken dinner.

After a great nights sleep all round, we trundled off to Dorchester for a look around. Found out very early that it was the birthplace of Thomas Hardy. Someone I know was beside herself.

This walk could tell some stories.

A few local street scapes. An eclectic mix of building styles.

A couple of likely suspects outside Judge Jeffries former residence.

Headed off to the museum to look at the exhibits. The building itself is very interesting, built specifically as a museum. Impressive from the outside, equally impressive on the inside.

Great examples of Roman tiled flooring, rescued from a nearby building and relayed in the museum. There is actually a dig currently underway at the rear of the museum, showing the existence of Roman buildings. Light area is the remnants of a wall.

Wander through the museum unearthed some interesting items.

Looks like this bed has sired a few.😉

Someone wanted to take this home.

Struggle with the quilting on this ole girl.

Love where he keeps his paint brush.

Nearly had them.

Class in. Goody two shoes up the front, and well what can I say?

Now for a look at the Thomas Hardy exhibit. First Mary Shelley, which was a surprise. Did not know she wrote Frankenstein.

Shots of his den, office.

Very intriguing chair.

The original draft.

Bits and pieces from his life.

Wander around town.

Next stop, Maiden Castle. The largest Iron Age fort in the UK.

That’s big. Long walk up.

How did they move all that soil?

Sheep utilising the temple ruins.

I can hear them from here!😄

Views from the top of the fort.

That done we headed to Bath where we will spend the next couple of days. Bit tight on the campsite. On the walk to the pub we met an Australian couple, Dianne and Graeme Ward from Byron Bay. Scary thing was that Graeme went to Uni with a bloke from Forbes. He dropped out and took over the farm and bus tuns from his dad. Asked if I knew any Smiths. Said he lived at a place with a funny name. I said, Jemalong. That’s it he replied. Graeme Smith, had a brother and sister. Peter and Janelle I replied. His mums brother worked for them. Ray Foo I replied. Graeme had a long haired hippy mate I met. Steve Shirvington, I replied. Spent the rest of the night talking about Forbes and old times.

Canal boats on the Avon river next door.