The Bath and West

Two free tickets are something not to waste in the eyes of most farmers. So yesterday farmer husband and I went off to the Bath and West Show which is held just south of Shepton Mallet. It is at least 20 years since I last went and even longer for husband but not quite this many years.

 It is a show which although still a good day out has become more popularised and less of a pure agricultural show. There are not the rows and rows of the latest farm machinery that there used to be and which most farmers will spend hours wandering up and down looking at. There was however a lot of vintage vehicles to see. 

I wasn't quite sure how to feel about one of the tractors in this vintage section being the same as a tractor that was in regular use on the farm when we first got married. The Massey Ferguson 565 in the centre of this picture.

Another agricultural change is the drop in number of show animals. There are still cattle, beef and pigs but not the large number of days gone by. We had a look around the sheep tents at the wide variety of breeds from the severe 

To the more cuddly.

This one however appeared to be off for a walk!

One popular attraction is the model steam railway which winds around a scenic part of the show ground. My father is a keen steam locomotive enthusiast and had his own model stem railway when we were children. The sound and smell of the little engines was very nostalgic and a few photos were of course compulsory!

There was a variety of musical entertainment including a small band to entertain us as we had our lunch.

I would also have been quite happy to visit this enticing stall bur farmer husband had other ideas!