Yesterday we were invited out to lunch with a friend who has recently moved house to the delightful county of Hertfordshire. The house that she has bought includes a strip of land unconnected to her garden but already set up by the previous owner as a small orchard and a small patch of vines. This shepherd's hut is situated at one end as a small retreat or perhaps some overflow accommodation. A lovely spot for a glass of wine on a summer evening.
She has as yet had little time to tend the growing vines.
Some of our party set to with a little helping hand to tackle the long grass but in reality there was more to do than could be tackled in one afternoon.
We chose a scenic drive home following the course of the River Wye through the Wye Valley. When we reached Tintern the sun was catching the remains of the abbey and enhancing the tranquility where all the tourists of the day had slipped away to their homes.
Tintern had been a Cistercian Abbey with origins reaching back to 1131. It became a victim of Henry VIII 's dissolution of the monasteries in 1536. The roofless remains with such amazingly preserved windows has stood there to this day with of course some restoration over the centuries.
It is a popular tourist attraction but as I said earlier it was lovely to be able to stroll around the perimeter in the relative peace of early evening with the moon just rising in the still blue sky.
Oh the promise of those grapes! The Abbey is looking resplendently peaceful. I think you hit the best time of day.
ReplyDeleteYou had good weather at the end of the afternoon. Love Tintern, especially when it is quiet. Like the idea of a house with vineyard and shepherds hut too!
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