Forde Abbey in November

No visit to East Devon would be complete without a visit to Forde Abbey! Our annual pass is due to expire at the end of the year and I know what will be the first thing on my Christmas list to myself - new yearly passes!

As we set off the countryside was covered in a blanket of fog but that did not deter us nor dampen our spirits! We knew we would find something to excite us here!

There was an abundance of berries to start off with!

Normally we don't walk down the old drive but at this time of year it is at its best - the leaves all crisp and brown. I don't know about you but there is something pretty special about this time of year and it seems to be captured completely by the sound of the freshly fallen leaves being crunched underneath your feet.

The air is moist and more atmospheric and the crunch sound is like an echo - nature calling out for time to be stood still, a time to hibernate and recuperate ready for all the action to come again in Spring. 

As we walked down the drive we kept diverting towards the arboretum where we espied flashes of brilliant colour between the trees!

We have seen this piebald on many previous visits and I swear to you when he saw us he neighed as if to call us over to say hello. We walked up to the field and he got down on his knees and rolled himself over with his legs in the air!

Yes, I think he was pleased to see us and we were as equally pleased to see this!

Although he doesn't look too dirty in this photo his back was all muddy from his excited antics!

Not to be outdone by the piebald this gorgeous horse then came up to the fence and Our Daughter decided that he needed feeding! Every time she gave the horse a handful of grass he showed his gratitude by pawing at the ground with one of his front hooves!

Autumn leaves - all golden and brown!

There weren't many flowers in bloom but this one was almost singing out loud and clear from a flowerbed - a lone flower begging to be noticed and notice it we did!

Remember the mist I mentioned at the start of this post well no sooner had we waved goodbye to the horses than it was a massive hello to the sunshine and to a magnificent blue sky! I have not played around with the camera or photoshop to get this colour, that was the colour - unbelievable for the time of year. Looking out of my window as I type this it is hard to believe that only a few days ago the sky was this blue - today it is VERY grey and dull!

Some trees had been pruned!

We came up to the lake where the trout literally fight off the swans and ducks to get at the bread.

Our Daughter said that it wasn't fair that the fish were getting all the food and amassed all her Herculean strength to hurl the bread as near as possible to the birds!

Only for her efforts to be in vain as the trout got there first! 

 We sat on a bench by the lake - quietly watching the war for the bread taking place - the only sound the swishing of the fishes tails as the birds realizing that they were defeated retreated to calmer waters!

We walked away from the lake and admired the grounds where we came across numerous mushrooms - far too many to count! No red toadstools though!

We came across these berries. I prefer berries to have a gloss rather than a matt finish! These somehow looked out of place as if they had been painted!

We visited the bog garden and of course this pup had to go into the water - what is it about spaniels and water? He most definitely will have to have a bath tonight - he has that wet dog smell about him!

We walked over to the large pond and marvelled at the trees' reflection in the water.

Another view!

Our Charlie posed for once!

More mushrooms! I like the dew drop effect on the grass!

How's that for Autumn colour!

Fantastic!

All too soon it was back to our base in Devon to pack our belongings and head back onto the A303 for our return journey to Hampshire.

Goodbye Devon - We Will be Back SOON!

Does anyone else out there sometimes get fed up with Blogger being unpredictable - my new followers seem to appear and disappear for some reason in the followers bar at random! Is this a common problem for anyone else or is it just my blog that seems to be jinxed!

Until next time,

June.