A visit to Winnie the Pooh

Those of you who have the misfortune to use the M25 on a regular basis may be aware that a long stretch of the bottom half is currently being dug up (again).  This means that I have to sit in traffic queues for miles and miles and miles whenever I need to deliver to our wholesaler in Sussex.  After a recent delivery took me over 3 hours just to get there, I have vowed never to use that motorway route ever again! 

So I have devised a much more scenic route which takes me through the beautiful town of Tunbridge Wells and down through the Ashdown Forest, home of Winnie the Pooh.  It's familiar territory to me as I used to live on the edge of the forest many years ago (when I had a proper job!).  I just love that part of Sussex ... so leafy and green.

So instead of staring at the rear of a lorry and endless stretches of motorway tarmac, I now get to look at scenery like this:

Gorgeous eh?!  And it's actually fewer miles ...

As a lifelong Winnie the Pooh fan, it's always a joy to pass through the little village of Hartfield and 'Pooh Corner', the most fabulous Pooh shop anywhere in the known universe.

So today I awarded myself a short break and had a little walk around.  I was sorely tempted by Piglit's Tea Room and the promise of something large in the cake department but duty beckoned - I had those naughty goatlings to visit on the way home and then straight into evening milking.  But I did treat myself to a new bookmark ... I know how to spoil myself!

David had been busy filling up the barn with all that lovely new hay:

and some of the little chaps were catching the last of the evening sunshine:

Not sure what the weather holds for the next few days .. we are promised hot and humid but with the possibility of heavy thundery showers so not too good for haymaking ..  However, we do have to start moving some of the kids around to another barn as we need their space ready for more hay.  It looks like being yet another busy week!