A Trip to the Country

It was a warm, sunny September day - ideal for a trip out into the Herefordshire countryside. The first port of call was the North Herefordshire village of Brampton Bryan ...

Photo 1: Brampton Bryan village

The village, itself, is very picturesque but we were visiting for another purpose: Aardvark Books & Cafe. The bookshop sells new books, mainly of local interest, but most of the space is taken over with second-hand books, maps, music scores, etc. You can spend a very pleasant few hours browsing the stock while sitting on the many chairs and sofas ...   

Photo 2: The Upstairs Collection of Second-hand Books

Since you cannot read a book on an empty stomach, lunch was ordered from the small cafe. A simple lunch menu (baked potatoes, soup, toasted sandwiches), choice of scrummy-looking cakes and excellent tea and coffee. We sat outside (had I mentioned the warm sun?) where another visitor had parked their electric tandem ...

Photo 3: Electric Tandem, Brampton Bryan

 It brought back memories of our own tandem adventures in Norfolk nearly 50 years ago. Of course, it was only pedal power in those days but it was still possible, albeit a little scary, to hit 40 mph downhill with a following wind. We bought our Gitane tandem new while living in Norwich; very similar, if not identical, to this touring model with drop handlebars on the front. Equipped with panniers, we loaded up the camping gear and set off for the North Norfolk coast about 25 miles away. Happy days.

The yew hedges are a feature of the village (our visit obviously coincided with auditions for Village Idiot!?!?) ...

Photo 4: Brampton Bryan Yew Hedges

Photo 5: Brampton Bryan Yew Hedges

Photo 6: Brampton Bryan Yew Hedges

The Grade I listed St Barnabus Church is worth a visit ...

Photo 7: St Barnabus Church, Brampton Bryan

Photo 8: St Barnabus Church, Brampton Bryan

where you will find lots of information on the Harley family who own most of the village and surrounding estate. Time to leave the village and move on ...

Photo 9: Leaving Brampton Bryan

On our way to Brampton Bryan, we passed what seemed an inordinately large number of road signs pointing towards Lingen, a small village in North Herefordshire and not far from Brampton Bryan. Time to see what all the fuss was about. There was a secondary reason for visiting; one of my 19th-century ancestors was a farm bailiff in Lingen.

We stopped by the small church (St Michael & All Angels) ...

Photo 10: St Michaels and All Angels, Lingen, Herefordshire

beside this dovecote ...

Photo 11: Dovecote, Lingen

Not sure the dovecote was leaning quite like that but it might have explained why most of the residents were enjoying the sun on a nearby roof ...

Photo 12: Awayday for the Doves

... although a few moments after this picture was taken, the appearance of a sparrowhawk led to a mass departure. By the time we had visited the church and returned ...

Photo 13: Inside St Michael's and All Angels, Lingen

... the doves had also returned and were all accounted for.

Just two short stops on the way home. First port of call was Wapley Camp, an Iron Age hillfort ...

Photo 14: Information Board at Wapley Hill Wood Car Park

... we have walked to the fort in the past - made mental note to come back and do it again.

The final stop was at The Bush Inn where I had spotted this on the way out but Mary, who was driving, had not ...

Photo 15: Autumnal Doorscape, The Bush Inn, Herefordshire

A great finish to a great day out.