The Sherborne Stroller...

I keep being seduced by the weather forecasters saying just one more day of sunshine, one more day of summer and after this one, they promise that it'll be freezing and rainy!

So, one more train trip, to the Dorset town of Sherborne. It's on the main Exeter to London railway, so dead easy for me to get to and they run very late too. Quite pricey, as Sherborne is more west Dorset than East.

Describing itself, rather loftily, as Dorset's most attractive town, it certainly has its fair share of beauty. The rust-orange limestone of most of the buildings, including the fabulous Abbey. Posh Private schools help keep the economy going.

And the two Castles.

I went to the "Old" Castle ruins almost exactly two years ago and was one of my first ever Blips. That was a black and white too. These ruins are under the guardianship of English Heritage and costs £3.70 entrance. Free if an EH member.

Official English Heritage website for the Castle

I had suggested a Blipmeet at this Castle to someone who'll immediately recognise who they are and it went a bit non-committal and then we had planned since somewhere else completely

Most seem to get round these impressive ruins in about 20 minutes. As ever, I wanted to eek out every single penny's value - and was there snooping with my lenses for 3 hours! Unlike that last time, I explored every inch, down the embankments and under the drawbridge etc. There was never no more than two other people at any point whilst I was there.

Not familiar with Sherborne Old Castle?? UK viewers of Channel 4 will see it in lead-in's for the next programme - they have hovered a huge stone "4" over the ruins! Watch out for it.

Sir Walter Raleigh, infamously known to having discovered and bringing tobacco into England, built Sherborne "New" Castle. This impressive pile has superb Capability Brown sculpted gardens and sits below the Old ruins.

Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately, I didn't have time to access those gardens and grounds, this time. I have done this before many years ago, but as I had left the ruins at 3.30 and still not yet had lunch, I walked into town. No cheap places to eat and all the bakeries were already closing up.

Olivers, is a most wonderful café, tea-room, bistro etc, all set out in an old grocer's store. Kitted out in 1927 style, it had a massive bare wooden table running the length and big tall wooden chairs to clamber up to access it. A big old clock kept time. The counter was traditional and there were tiles everywhere. The food was scrummy and home-made, where it all looked just 'individual' enough to look as if your granny had just made it and so mouth-watering. Expensive? Quiche Lorraine (warmed) and salad, pot of tea (in proper china bone teacups), then followed by the most scrummy warm apple pie and clotted cream - £7.00, all in.

I was so amazed at the experience, on leaving, I examined the front window display (I had entered from the rear) and found a plate that announced the establishment as winner of the Western Gazette (regional newspaper) independent eatery for 2014. I was not surprised!

By six pm, not early enough to return home, I then walked along the MacMillan Way, to the north of the town and beyond, out into the countryside, for a few miles. I was hoping for some nice views of the Abbey and or the two castles. Unfortunately, whilst the lanes were attractive enough, it was a bit flat and the fields were a bit scruffy and unattractive, unlike my After the Harvest Blip of yesterday. It clouded over but I was glad to do the walk.

Back in Sherborne, a quick coke in the 17th century Inn (White Hart) and I spent 20 mins trying to access the Rail timetable on my smartphone. Always got timed out. I then realised that the near 2ft thick walls of the Inn probably weren't helping and so simply holding the phone up to the window got the task done almost immediately.

I do hope to get to the "New" Castle this autumn as they have lovely colours in the grounds, reflected in the big lake. I've never been inside either, so I'm looking forward to that too.

Lens is Samyang 8mm fisheye, for DX

Tired now, will do as much on Blip as I can but no promises! It'll be tomorrow, otherwise.