Tue, 12 Nov 2002

author Tim	location Kingsbridge, Devon, England
posted 18:35 GMT 13/11/2002	section Europe2002/Europe/UK/England/South England/South England 1 ( all photos )

Wareham, Portland, Abbotsbury ( 16 photos )
We were quite suprised to notice as we were leaving the B&B that one of the New Forest ponies was quite happily munching away on the proprietor's front garden and lawn! Everywhere has cattle grids to stop them getting in, but they happily eat anything they can find.
Travelling onwards, we drove through floods to a town Liz had heard had a HSBC bank (she has been trying unsuccessfully to get an account opened to start nursing), while I organised a replacement tail light for the car - necessary in the torrential rain that is all too common.
Next stop was the town of Wareham, where we lunched, rested by the river (which is one of the town's "walls"), and walked a little around the three other actual walls enclosing the town.
Driving South to the Portland (a now-joined Isle off the South coast), we took advantage of the fantastic weather to see for hundereds of miles in each direction from the lookout.
B&B searching time again, and before a successful find, we had to wait for a horse and cart driving down one of the myriad of one-track lanes at one stage. The obligatory friendly wave that you get for waiting in a passing place felt quite genuine - they were very slow.
The final port of call was the small craft village of Abbotsbury. Before the rain made us turn back, we took a walk around the shops - the best of which was a wood-work shop with some truly amazing things in it. Such a shame that we have heard of customs taking wood off people attempting to get back into Sydney. At the prices here, not worth the risk.
Dinner was at the very under-patronised local pub, and from the dinner we could see why. Dessert and coffee instead were nine miles away in the larger town of Bridport.

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