Buckfast Abbey gardens

 Hops.

In addition to its Lavender garden, Buckfast Abbey has a physic garden which includes various medicinal plants, food and herbs.

Fairmile Clock

 
At Fairmile near Ottery St Mary there is this clock.  It was erected in 1897 to commemorate Queen Victoria's Diamnd Jubillee. 

Buckfastleigh Butterflies

Just a few of the delightful butterflies and plants to be found in the Buckfastleigh Butterfly House.

Clipper butterflty.

An unknown species.

Lacewing.

Caterpillar of the Owl butterfly on a Banana tree.

A Malachite emerging from its cocoon.

Unknown plant.

Birthwort - a pitcher plant.

An Atlas moth with a wingspan of 25-30 cm (10-12 inches). They are considered to be the largest lepidopteran species in the world with a total wing surface area of around 400 sq cm or 65 sq inches. Atlas moth cocoons have been employed as purses in Taiwan.

A Citrus Swallowtail.

Buckfast Abbey Lavender Garden

Buckfast Abbey has a lavender garden with an amazing number of species and varieties of Lavender.

The South Devon Railway

On Thursday we went to Buckfastleigh - terminus of the South Devon Railway.

We didn't go specifically to see a train but one was kind enough to depart while we were there.

Devon Cheeses

Ian took Helen and I to Otter Nurseries on Tuesday. Then we went next door to Joshua's harvest store. These splendid apple trees are outside in the garden/orchard.

While we were there I bought some local cheeses.

Curworthy Black Wax is produced by Curworthy Cheese at Stockbeare Farm in Jacobstowe, near Okehampton.  The semi-hard cheese is made from full-fat, pasteurised Friesian cows’ milk. It has a light, buttery taste when young becoming more full-flavoured and mellow with age. No colouring or preservatives are added, except for salt. Matured for three months, the cheese is coated in black wax. It was very pleasant and reminded me of Gouda.

Meldon is also produced by Curworthy . The semi-hard cheese is made from full-fat, pasteurised Friesian cows’ milk and vegetarian rennet. The cheese is the same as Curworthy cheese but with the addition of English ale and mustard. Matured for three months, the cheese is coated in yellow wax. It was pleasant enough but I wouldn't rave over it.

Ticklemore is made by Robin Congdon who learned to make cheese in France, principally in the Roquefort style. His dairy sits above the valley of the Dart. Ticklemore is a gentle, very pale, goat’s milk cheese with a white bloomy rind. It is a peculiar UFO shape: an innovation of Robins is to mould the cheeses in colanders he used to get from Woolworth’s. The natural grey/white blooms on the crust form during the maturing process. The flaky pate has tiny eyelet holes scattered throughout and the taste is fresh, light and gentle. Perfect for cooking as well as part of the cheeseboard. The one we bought had added garlic and chive and was very tasty indeed.

The Kitchen at Frog End

Helen and Ian's new kitchen and dining room is fantastic. Every bit as good as Helen's blog postings suggested and there seems so much more space. As yet I haven't taken any pictures that really do it justice. I find room interiors quite hard things to photograph successfully.

Escot Park

On Tuesday afternoon we drove out to Escot Park near Ottery St Mary where we have booked a slot on a Beaver watch later in the week.

(With apologies to all arachnophobes!)

 And apologies to all anatadaephobes as well...