Steaming through the Somerset Countryside

The Birthday Girl

I have just returned from a lovely day out with my daughter, she will be 9 years old on Saturday. As she will be away with her Father on that day, I took her out on a Mother & daughter outing today. We went to East Somerset Railway at East Cranmore where Thomas the Tank engine is visiting. Over the past couple of days we have seen it go past our house and Miss P has been running out to wave to it. This time we were the passengers.


East Cranmore village. It has a very good pub called the Strode Arms which we go to from time to time.


Entrance to East Somerset Railway


Platform from a distance






View from the platform as you arrive


How different today's suitcases look...not as lovely as these



East Cranmore platform




I love the red telephone boxes, I do hope that they are never phased out.


The inside of the telephone box.


Such character!






Time to hop on to the train for a ride





Miss P is very excited! "Look, our house" she shouts out


Scenery on the way



We stop briefly at Mendip Vale Station to watch Thomas go to the front of the train, ready to make it's way back to East Cranmore

The show is about to begin


Miss P watched the Punch & Judy show (something I never took to, I still don't always get the British sense of humour sometimes...)


Wheee!!!!


Just had to come back with a little something to remind me of the day out. I look forward to trying out some of the lovely West Country recipes.


I really like the covers of this range of books by J. Salmon


I had a great day out!

We both enjoyed the day, weather was good. The only down side were the wasps! They were everywhere. That time of the year...


Thank you for all your lovely comments on DEVON BLISS posts! :0))


A bientôt!

Isabelle X

DEVON BLISS Part 2

The day before we were due to travel back home, we went to visit Agatha Christie's holiday house, Greenway. It is now in the care of the National Trust. We took the ferry from Dartmouth to Greenway. I enjoyed the scenery on the way.








We went past a Picnic Boat


Agatha Christie's Boat House


The floor of the boat, I love the colour


Arriving at Greenway


Past a pretty cottage and up the hill to Greenway House


Here is the side of it


Area where you can have snacks & lunch and do a spot of shopping in the national trust shop


Ice-cream break and writing a few postcards


Plants for sale


Entrance to the shop


For Agatha Christie fans


I like the bags and deck chairs


Display inside the shop


Greenway House


No photos allowed inside! I will leave you to discover it for yourself if you visit the house some day..It is well worth a visit. The inside has been left as it was, Agatha Christie's bedroom still has her clothes in the wardrobe along with some fancy dress outfits for when guests would come to stay for the weekend.

Agatha Christie was an archeologist, she brought back several things from where she went. She was an avid collector and her house is full of antiques.



Inside the boat house (The book, Dead Man's Folly is set here)


Dittisham on the opposite side


Dittisham




Dittisham village


Dittisham post box

Holiday over and it is time to make our way back home.....


Back at home now with with a book on Agatha Christie's life and a National Trust book on Greenway. I have always loved Agatha Christie stories, especially the ones which include Miss Marple & Hercule Poirot but did know much about Agatha Christie herself. Having walked around her house, it made my interest grow even more. I look forward to learning more about her through the book.

Years ago before the house was given to the National Trust, I would go past it by ferry and wished I could look around it. I remembered the house to be white then. My wish finally came true!

For more information on Agatha Christie herself, Greenway, books, events etc... click on the link below.
Agatha Christie

Other sites of interest
BBC DEVON- Restoration
Video around the house (For those of you who live too far away to visit the house, a sneek look around it!)

You can even stay at Greenway for a holiday, just click on the links below
The Lodge
The Apartment

Our car broke down half way through the holiday so no return trip to Totnes or visiting Ashburton! I will have to visit the Snug, Lavender Box & This'n'That on my next visit! We ended up having to stay in the Dartmouth area but luckily as it is a beautiful area, we did not mind too much.

A bientôt!


Isabelle x