Camilla at her Woolpack birthday supper with Alice

Woodpeckers and I drove up the Slad Valley after she'd got off the bus bringing her back from Cheltenham. We'd been invited to celebrate Camilla's 'big birthday' at the Woolpack Inn in the village of Slad. It became a well known watering hole as Laurie Lee would regularly drink there when back in the village where he'd grown up and met the young Rosie.

The Woolpack Inn has retained many of the traditional elements of a pub including the wonderful high backed wooden settles on which Camilla ended up sitting with Alice. There is still rather limited electrical lighting as well. The beer is good and local, but now there is a kitchen which supplies special meals, which I'm sure were never there in Rosie's day, even if she was allowed into the pub. Woodpeckers was true to Rosie however as she ordered several glasses of cider.

Camilla had gathered about nine friends for the evening and a grand time was had. We even managed to leave fairly early as I had to get organised for my very early start tomorrow morning. Camilla is going to tour India once again with her husband in the New Year, for about two months while Alice is travelling separately to India with a small group. I am exceedingly envious.