Spring Bus Challenge No 120!!

Downside Abbey, Stratton-on-the-Fosse, Somerset

“The Basilica of St Gregory the Great at Downside, commonly known as Downside Abbey, is a Benedictine monastery... and the senior community of the English Benedictine Congregation. One of its main apostolates is the Downside School, for the education of children aged eleven to eighteen…

Downside Abbey has been designated by English Heritage as a grade I listed building… The building of Downside abbey church was begun in the 19th century, and ended with completion of the nave after World War I… The church is one of only three in the United Kingdom to be designated a minor basilica by the Roman Catholic Church… The church is built in the Gothic Revival style, and is designed to rival in size the medieval cathedrals of England that were lost to the Catholic Church through the Reformation.” Wikipedia

At last a gorgeous warm, sunny Spring day, so I met up with my Bus Challenge friend in Bath to take a bus south into Somerset and to Downside Abbey. After a peaceful wander around the Abbey Church, we went for a short walk around Stratton-on-the-Fosse before heading to the village pub. But when we got there, we found that the pub was shut, despite stating clearly on their website that they open for lunch! Luckily there was a return bus due very shortly so there was nothing for it but to head home.

En route back to Bath, I borrowed my friend’s internet connection and found us another country pub on our bus route, so after checking that this pub was actually open for lunch, we hopped off the bus further down the line. But guess what? I think you know where I’m going… It was also shut!!

At this point we’d both had enough and gave up on having lunch out, so once back in Bath, we headed to my friend’s house where we opened a bottle of Prosecco and sat in the garden under blue skies with nibbles and bubbles! My sixth bus of the day eventually took me home. That’s two Bus Challenges that haven’t gone quite to plan recently, let’s hope there isn’t a third!!

Total bus journey time = 2 hours 39 mins
Total waiting between buses time = 57 mins
Total journey time = 3 hours 36 mins

(Not very happy with the quality of my photo as I’d forgotten I’d previously turned down the number of pixidoodles and not changed the camera settings back. That’s not a very technical description of the problem, but hopefully you get the idea!)