Dorchester-on-Thames

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Just under 2hrs drive before we arrived at The White Hart hotel in Dorchester-on-Thames. Our home for the next 2 nights.

We knew check-in was not until 2pm so we enjoyed a light lunch in the bar area watching all the passers by who were visiting the flower festival just a few hundred yards away & where we would be heading in the afternoon.

I took a stroll along the high street, so many pretty doors ( I do like doors).

It was soon time to visit the Abbey, the main reason for our visit.

It was 2pm and we were shown to our room, well more like a suite really on 2 levels with beamed ceilings & a lounge area, a lovely surprise that's for sure.

The theme of the Flower Festival was 'Footsteps - Journeys of the Soul'.

As we entered the Abbey it was busy with visitors and a blaze of colour so we knew we were in for a treat.

Our entry programme duly purchased & we made our way around the Abbey, the programme explained each of the displays and with over 50 displays there was so much to take in.

Several stops chatting to various people from the B B & O area of Nafas whose members had created this stunning festival.

The tea/coffee area that had been created inside the Abbey was busy so we ventured outside & into the Abbey tea rooms. A small area with 2 large tables, so it was a sharing experience. Tea or coffee was served and if you required a cake you just helped yourself from the array of delights on offer which were beautifully presented and placed on the large tables.

We mentioned to an elderly couple sitting next to us that we had travelled from Bishop's Stortford and the gentleman many many years ago used to visit Stortford to buy chickens & pigs from the market.

After a good portion of Ginger lemon drizzle cake it was time for a walk so I set off to find the River Thames!

I started to take the public footpath & initially passed several dog walkers but then decided that maybe it wasn't a good idea to be walking alone in such a secluded area so I retraced my steps back to the road and viewed the river from a safe place.

Back to the White Hart in plenty of time before dinner in the pretty restaurant.

It's been a fabulous day and tomorrow we plan to visit a couple of National Trust properties in the area.

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