Sunday roast again

Here it is Sunday again.  

My last blog was last Sunday after being to The Abinger Hatch for lunch.  

Today’s Sunday lunch (roast again) was at The Stephan Langton Inn.  Once again the surroundings were lovely and the food yummy.   It was a fifteen-minute walk to the inn via the public footpath.  The footpath wound its way through the labyrinth of trees.  It was truly magical especially after such a wet day yesterday. 

This a way

The Stephan Langton

Walking along the public footpath 

England and Wales is a network of public footpaths and bridle paths.  Footpath means walkers only and bridle path means horses and cyclists.  Many of the pathways are hundreds of years old.  Walking is big business throughout the UK.  You see people of all ages decked out in their walking gear everywhere.

During the week we had two local outings.  The first was to Leith Hill Tower.  

Leith Hill Tower

A five-minute drive up the road followed by a ten-minute walk from the car park to the tower.  The views were amazing over Surrey hills.  You could see London in the distance.  After walking up the tower I enjoyed an elderberry bubbles – a soft drink made of elderberry from the ‘servery’ at the bottom of the tower. 

The tower was originally built in the 18^th century by a local well off landowner because he liked the view from the hill and wanted to share it with the local community but due to disgraceful behaviour at a summer picnic in the 19^th century it was closed to the public till many years after.  Hard to imagine ‘disgraceful behaviour’ in those times – too much ale had by all followed by bawdy talk.  Who knows!!

On Thursday the rain started.  In between showers we drove to Box Hill, a fifteen-minute drive from here, the other side of Dorking.  The plan was to walk up Box Hill down to the river Mole and back through the meadows to the car park.  The walk up Box Hill was quite steep.  We weren’t reading the map from the start only following signs so consequently we walked an extra 50kms out of way (if you listen to Jim) missing the path down to the river.  We eventually found our way down to the river and the stepping-stones to cross the river.  Another enjoyable look see around the place.

Coming over the top of the first steep part of Box Hill

The veggie garden is still supplying us with fruit and veg.  The beans, courgettes (zucchinis to us Australians), tomatoes, spinach and rocket are plentiful.  The lettuces are coming to an end.  I picked the first of the blueberries during the week.  Yum yum!

The puppies are well but have been a bit restless the past couple of mornings.  They bark to be let out early (before 6am) so we are taking turns in getting up to them.  Once you are up they like you to stay up with them, to keep them company.  It is a bit tiring when we are not use to getting up till 7 or 8.  Come 9 they fall asleep again.  Just like having babies.