Grantchester (+ Ginger Pig Dauphinois Potato recipe)

We escaped the foul weather in London to a beautiful weekend visiting Caz in Cambridge.

An awesome picture hanging up in Caz's house - she's a vet 

She spoiled us rotten. Starting with sausage casserole at lunch, followed by a homemade lemon drizzle cake, before moving onto roast chicken with all the trimmings for dinner. She has turned into such a domestic goddess. I should probably just start calling her Nigella...

Life: final New Forest instalment

On our final day, Caz and I decided that a scenic drive around Dorset was in order. Caz and I love a good road trip. She drives a much loved, battered old Vauxhall which has endured much abuse being thrown around the English countryside on her farm visits whilst training to be a vet.

We started by getting the ferry across from Poole to Swanage and continued on through the stunning, quintessentially English Dorset countryside.

The villages we passed through were full of thatched cottages and we passed the ruined, but beautiful Corfe Castle on the way to Kimmeridge.

We were appalled at having to pay £5 to park at the car park, but because Kimmeridge beach held promises of fossils, we couldn't resist paying up.

There was a minor disaster when I slipped on some sea weed and ended up ankle deep in some stinking  quagmire. I was seriously unhappy especially as it effectively ruined one of my brand new Converse. Martin tells me I can wash them in the washing machine but I'm not overly keen to do that. Caz, needless to say, found it absolutely hilarious.

After lunch we couldn't resist hunting for fossils. I first did this years ago at Lyme Regis when I was 9, but had forgotten all the tips I was taught. After cracking some rocks hopefully together, we eventually found a couple of ammonite imprints.

We then drove to Durdle Door and I spotted my dream house enroute.

However, since we were feeling lazy we didn't actual manage to make it all the way down the coast path to Durdle Door which is why my photos don't show it off to its fully glory in the slightest. Durdle Door is actually a rock formation which is an arch out at sea (it's the rocky outcrop in the middle of the photo below).

On the way back to Ringwood, we stopped off at the Rural Farm Shop co. and had a cream tea. There were so many lovely things to buy that it was hard to exercise any self control - I wanted to buy the whole shop! In the end, I bought Martin some locally produced cider.

There were lots of farm animals including free range hens, goats, shetland ponies, pigs and some sweet greyhound puppies for sale.

Do you have a local farm shop that you like to visit? They're few and far between in London so I love popping in to one as soon as I'm out in the country.

Have you ever visited Dorset? 

Life: a New Forest horse ride and badger watching

Caz loves horses. She goes riding practically every day including the day before her uni exams which, at the time, I found very shocking. Needless to say, I had no need to worry - Caz always did more than fine!

A visit to hers then, HAD to include a ride in the New Forest. I'm no horsewoman, I've still only been riding a couple of times under Caz's expert tuition. However, I absolutely love going on a hack through the New Forest and what could be better than ending up at pub nestled in the middle of the forest for lunch?

Caz's mum Una, keeps her horse Missy at a farm. It's such a lovely place to visit. There are several other horses and I was allowed to borrow a pony called Serenade.

Barney coming over all coquettish

I love farm cats - they're so unfriendly though, they run off as soon as you get remotely close to them.

There were also a couple of farm dogs - they were far friendlier, especially with each other!

There were two alpacas. Have you ever heard the noise an alpaca makes when it's a bit nervous? (there was a new dog on the farm that they hadn't got used to yet). It's identical to a loud squeaky toy - really bizarre.

We brought the ponies from the field to the stable to saddle them up.

Serenade

We rode through the forest. I love these couple of photos. It looks like I'm riding on one of those toys with a toy horse head and stick like I used to have when I was a kid.

Crisis was narrowly avoided when an overly amorous New Forest stallion showed far too much interest in our girls. Caz had to shoo him off - apparently they can end up mounting your horse when you're still on it if you're not careful. After several hours of ambling and chatting, we ended up at the Red Shoot Pub for lunch. I love how pubs in the New Forest have designated areas for tying up horses.

After lunch, we rode back to the stables.

wild New Forest ponies

In the evening, we returned to Caz's friend's house and did a spot of badger watching. Such a highlight! Every evening the badgers come out of their sett and eat some food left out for them. There's also an adorable fox which comes too, but the badgers are the boss and he has to wait his turn before he gets any food. It was amazing seeing them so close and in such natural, beautiful surroundings.

Have you ever been badger watching or horse riding?

Life: Boscombe beach and lazing by a pool

I love visiting Caz at her home town of Ringwood, Hampshire.

It really is such a stunning area - it's like going on a mini holiday every time I go to see her.

I come from Warwickshire and often forget how much there is to do there. My visits home are so full of visiting family that I forget that Martin might like to visit Warwick Castle or do an open top bus tour of Stratford-Upon-Avon. Caz is the same about where she lives. She lives very close to Bournemoth and I'm always amazed at how infrequently she visits the beach as it just never occurs to her to go.

However, this time we were determined to play at being tourists and so a visit to the beach was definitely in order.

We started by visiting Boscombe beach. It's a very lovely coastline round these parts - gentle promenades, easily accessible beaches and a sea which is nice and close. I love going to Cornwall but boy is it a trek to the sea when the tide's out!

Although it was a warm day, the sea was still so cold. Caz wouldn't go in, but I ventured out as far as my waist. It was freeeeeeeeeezing!

'Yes, it's cold, very cold indeed'

reluctant photo subject

We walked along the promenade for a bit and I couldn't resist taking some snaps of the beach huts.

How cute was this one?

We decided to have lunch at Urban Reef overlooking the beach.

We started with their speciality lemonades based on a recommendation from the waiter - I chose seasonal berry, while Caz had a strawberry one. The strawberry one was particularly good.

I ate pulled pork with spiced apple chutney in a ciabatta. They were a bit stingy with the pork and it definitely wasn't pulled, more small chunks of pork, but it was yummy all the same.

Sorry it's already been partly eaten. I'm so greedy that I often dive in straightaway and only remember to take a photo when it's half eaten!

Caz enjoyed a beef and horseradish ciabatta. I wish I could like horseradish but I really dislike strong mustardy/wasabi type flavours.

Urban Reef is a great place to eat lunch - a stunning view and I really like the local produce it sells.

In the afternoon we went to visit one of Caz's friends and spent the afternoon swimming in their pool. The house was nestled in the New Forest and it was incredibly quiet and private. Absolute bliss.

view from the pool

Which is your favourite British beach? Have you ever visited the New Forest?