Sunday 16 June 2013

Little working holiday in Purbeck.

I am having a duvet day. I was working in Dorset for a couple of nights Thursday and Friday and I started my 5 hour car journey back to Lancashire after work finished at 10pm Friday. You can tell just why I am so tired today. Crazy most people called me as I set off but, for me, more crazy is wasting the whole of yesterday on busy roads when I could be home. I managed it all without a stop (for once, my pea sized bladder didn't let me down) and was in my bed by 3 am. What made it most exhasuting was the fact that I only drove there the day before ready to work from 2 until 10.
No other expenses as a lovely lady put myself and another singer up for the night and was most welcoming to us, so kind of someone to open up their home to two strange men, just because they assume opera singers are nice and honest people (which, of course, we mostly are).
Yesterday I only had to be back working at 3, so my friend and I went for an explore, which was like a mini (very mini) holiday. We got up early and were on our way by 9 with only a vague idea where to go, just drive and stop when we feel like it. We headed out and made our first stop at Corfe Castle for a quick wander around the town. It is very small, but exceedinly perfect in every way, a true Dorset village (overrun with visitors of course.) We didn't do the castle as it was quite expensive, but as it was a ruin anyway, just looked at it from afar.
It is everything that a ruined castle should be.

I was most excited because, so the stories go, it is the castle that Enid Blyton based her Famous Five's Kirrin Castle on (there is an Enid Blyton shop in the town)

Back in the car and on to Studland where we stopped and walked to Harry's old Rocks. It was a pleasant walk and we found a very small crop of rather tired, but still pungent wild garlic growing in the hedgerow. I took a few leaves and shoved them in my pocket for some pasta tonight.



After the walk we moved on again for a quick lunch of egg butties in Swanage, which is one of those very old fashioned coastal resort towns, now populated by retired people walking along the prom. It was really, really lovely (and my expectations had been quite low having been brought up near Blackpool).

A quick trip to a garden centre and finally on to my rehearsal at Lulworth Castle.

Quite a lot to pack into a morning off, but I loved every second and the weather was extremely kind to us.



11 comments:

  1. Aw - that's my home turf. If you're near there again carry on through Corfe and follow the sign posts to Worth Matravers where you'll find the Square and Compass. In my humble opinion the best pub anywhere ever. Look it up!
    http://squareandcompasspub.co.uk/
    Oh - it's 'Old Harry's Rocks' btw. :-)

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  2. How good to be able to combine work with such pleasure. I'd love to visit that Enid Blyton shop! Enjoy your duvet day :)

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  3. You've just taken me back to my childhood holidays :) thanks!

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  4. A duvet day, I LOVE it! Will definitely have to have one of those soon!

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  5. You`ve seen the most beautiful part of Dorset. I know all the places you visited as I used to take my kids on camping holidays there many years ago. We explored the Isle of Perbeck by bike many times, walked the coastal paths and been inside Corfe castle, too. My eldest son once won a drawing competition where children had to draw Corfe Castle. His reward had been a fabulous book all about Castles, historic depictions and explanations on how the castles were built. Very much savoured by a then 9 year old castle enthusiast, you can imagine. I remember lovely holidays in Dorset. Glad you liked it there.

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  6. I hope you enjoyed my beautiful county, Purbeck was my childhood home, I live to the North of the county now but still beautiful. Hope the weather was kind to you, it was bloomin' wet in Lyme on Sat. That is some journey to drive home.

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  7. When I lived in Sheffield I used to provide digs for artists
    The best one I had was an elderly pantomime dame........a sweet little. Drunk

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  8. I love that part of the world - i blogged on it once too.
    Many happy memories

    http://fourpawsandwhiskers.blogspot.com/2008/12/memories-of-swanage.html

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  9. Hi, I have only just discovered your blog which I have much enjoyed reading. This is also my part of the world. Like you, I got fed up with living in London (and south east London to boot!) and like you, I was a bit worried about leaving friends and my life there, but it has been totally totally worth it and I would urge on anyone else who wants to do this. I am nothing like as frugal as you, but I did pare my life right down and save and save to be able to afford it. I am so pleased it has turned out well for you. I do wish I had found your blog in time to attend the concert at Lulworth Castle though! Very annoying!

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  10. thanks for sharing

    I would love to visit UK by traveling via train from France to UK

    I believe they have under sea path from France to UK

    britainsbestbreaks.tv/northern-ireland.htm

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