Got started on our way south at around 8:30 – took the motorway part of the way, then on to quieter roads to the village of Bratton. We stopped in at Pickleberry Coffee and Gift Shop, which is where Colin’s cycling friends gather for a cup of tea on their regular Tuesday morning rides. We’d done the same thing last year as well.

They were all very pleased to see Colin and we had a nice sit down visit with his good friend Mick. Several others came by to chat, then they all left within a few minutes of each other and rode away – there must have been about 30 of them in all.

The area is so beautiful, especially at this time of year with the changing colours. There’s a large poppy on the hill above the field that we parked in, and most of the villages we drove through had displays of one kind or another.

Next we headed further south to the town of Frome, where Colin grew up – we visited it last year when we were here. Along the way we glimpsed the White Horse on the hill to the left near the town of Westbury.

We walked around Frome a bit and looked for a place to grab a quick lunch. The first cafe we went into shooed us right back out – no dogs allowed, which kind of surprised us we’ve become so used to it being ok. As we left a couple of women going in told us that the place at the end of the block would suit us.

They welcomed Mo in and we each got a sandwich – well Colin and I got a sandwich and Mo got hand fed tidbits. The place is in a very old building and the waiters and waitresses have to go up and down very narrow steep stairs to and from the kitchen.

As we left we passed an older lady sitting at one of the outside tables and she asked if she could pat Mo, which she did. As Colin continued on I stopped to take a photo of a pub across the road and the lady piped up that it was the oldest pub in the town.

I told her that Colin grew up here and she started asking questions. Colin strolled back to us and they chatted for quite a while – they went to the same school, although a few years apart. Pat B was at one time the UK women’s champion javelin thrower, and apparently also played a mean game of table tennis (don’t call it ping pong!!).

After Frome we drove up to Melksham for another visit with Mick and his wife Sandra – we went to their house last year as well. We had a cup of tea and Colin got them all caught up on our travels. It was a really nice visit and we were on our way home around 4:30 or so.

It gets dark really early so part of the drive back was in the dark – it had been a lovely day but was nice to get home. Got a slightly earlier night for once.

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