As drizzly and overcast much of yesterday was, today is a clear, blue sky day — a perfect day, in fact, for another adventure!
Over another hearty and leisurely English breakfast, we decide to meander south today to Buckfast Abbey and Totnes. We are starting to understand that though distances aren't great, the time it takes to get from one place to another can be quite long as as the roads are narrow and winding.
Leaving Lustleigh, we head south on the A382, then southwest on the A38 through Ashburton until we see signs for the Abbey. A working monastery where monks live self-sufficiently — including producing their own electricity — it was founded during the reign of King Cnut 997 years ago. After Henry VIII closed monasteries in 1539, it fell into ruin until 1882 when exiled French Benedictine monks settled at Buckfast. Over the next 30 years, 4-6 monks painstakingly rebuilt the Abbey Church, the heart of the grounds, by manually hoisting stones to platforms 150' above the ground without safety equipment.
The Church is breathtaking for so many reasons, and there are three gardens on the property — the colorful sensory garden, the physic garden with lots of rosemary and thyme, and the lavender garden.
Over another hearty and leisurely English breakfast, we decide to meander south today to Buckfast Abbey and Totnes. We are starting to understand that though distances aren't great, the time it takes to get from one place to another can be quite long as as the roads are narrow and winding.
Leaving Lustleigh, we head south on the A382, then southwest on the A38 through Ashburton until we see signs for the Abbey. A working monastery where monks live self-sufficiently — including producing their own electricity — it was founded during the reign of King Cnut 997 years ago. After Henry VIII closed monasteries in 1539, it fell into ruin until 1882 when exiled French Benedictine monks settled at Buckfast. Over the next 30 years, 4-6 monks painstakingly rebuilt the Abbey Church, the heart of the grounds, by manually hoisting stones to platforms 150' above the ground without safety equipment.
The Church is breathtaking for so many reasons, and there are three gardens on the property — the colorful sensory garden, the physic garden with lots of rosemary and thyme, and the lavender garden.
Heading towards Totnes for their Saturday Farmers Market and lunch, we pass a sign for Riverford Organic Farms . . . slowing down past the turnoff, we make an impromptu change of plans and spend the next few minutes looking for a safe place to turn around on the narrow roadway. Mission accomplish, we backtrack to the turnoff for an incredible find.
Riverford Farm began when Guy Watson started delivering his veggies locally to 30 friends in Devon. The Farm now delivers around 47,000 boxes a week to homes throughout the UK from their regional partner small-scale producers. All of their produce is organic and their farms are "Soil Association" approved. The farms also raise organic pigs, cows and chickens. What's more, Riverford Farm has a charity partnership with Send A Cow that helps African families and orphans grow their way out of poverty.
Luckily, since we don't have a reservation for lunch, the staff takes heart that we've come all the way from the US to visit. While waiting for a table to be cleared, we take a self-guided short walking tour. They even have wellies to borrow, if we don't want to get dirt or mud on our shoes!
Dining at The Riverford Field Kitchen is indeed something to remember. Sitting outside under an umbrella we are treated to a selection of seasonal salads and vegetable dishes with freshly baked homemade breads, followed by a meat dish all served family style. Portions are generous — so we remind ourselves that we are going to Nina's for dinner. When it comes to "pudding" (dessert), we are invited into the kitchen to choose up to three wickedly tempting selections . . . which in my case was two selections. Now, get ready to drool . . .
Riverford Farm began when Guy Watson started delivering his veggies locally to 30 friends in Devon. The Farm now delivers around 47,000 boxes a week to homes throughout the UK from their regional partner small-scale producers. All of their produce is organic and their farms are "Soil Association" approved. The farms also raise organic pigs, cows and chickens. What's more, Riverford Farm has a charity partnership with Send A Cow that helps African families and orphans grow their way out of poverty.
Luckily, since we don't have a reservation for lunch, the staff takes heart that we've come all the way from the US to visit. While waiting for a table to be cleared, we take a self-guided short walking tour. They even have wellies to borrow, if we don't want to get dirt or mud on our shoes!
Dining at The Riverford Field Kitchen is indeed something to remember. Sitting outside under an umbrella we are treated to a selection of seasonal salads and vegetable dishes with freshly baked homemade breads, followed by a meat dish all served family style. Portions are generous — so we remind ourselves that we are going to Nina's for dinner. When it comes to "pudding" (dessert), we are invited into the kitchen to choose up to three wickedly tempting selections . . . which in my case was two selections. Now, get ready to drool . . .
With only a few more hours to sightsee before heading back to Lustleigh for dinner at Nina's home, we bee-lined for Totnes . . . unfortunately having missed their Farmers Market.
Back at Highfield House, we get directions to Nina's home via the footpath and head off . . . for a fun-filled evening of conversation, more wonderful food and some of Gypsy's special Pinot Noir that she brought on our adventure!
Tired after a full day of adventure, satiated from a delicious dinner of chicken and lots of veggies, and raining cats and dogs outside, Nina drove us back to Highfield House for a good night's sleep with dreams about tomorrow's adventure!