Another Huge Post,

so many photographs so again only one post today,

 

Steve and Kai were picking us up, 

on the other side of the road works at the entrance to the park, 

so picnic food and drinks packed and we were off, 

into a leafy drive to,

Castle Hill Lavender Farm,

the roads are really narrow, 

and very twisty!

and there it is, our first glimpse of the lavender fields, 

turn into the farm entrance, 

past the windmill,

through the courtyard, 

and towards the car park,

on the other side of the valley more lavender, 

it was a tad cold, the sky overcast, 

time for the first pose,

with the lavender, 

no problems for us with Steve in attendance!

a look at what was offer in one of the shops, 

we were told the varieties of heather grown here, 

row upon row of it, 

there was a wide dividing pathway between these 2 areas of lavender, 

on the right the plants were 2 years old, 

on the left 22 years old, 

I have to admit I am not sure when a lavender plant is past its best,

Diana started walking along the aisles, 

stopping every now and then,

time for,

a couple of close ups,

slight change of position,

and a few more, 

a close look at the lavender, 

a couple standing, 

and then, 

well I had to!

looking across the valley, 

I should mention that you have to book a time slot, 

to avoid crowds, 

there are 2 places to visit, the Lavender Field Walk, 

where we are now, 

ticket information here, 

we had a 1 hour slot, as it happens being midweek it was not crowded at all,

a few more of Diana,

before we started our walk back to the exit, 

the tent here selling lavender based products like these, 

in the distance the farm house, 

and then just when I thought it was all over, we went back, 

to join Steve and Kai, 

on a different bench, 

time for another photo fest!

next it was Steve's turn to be producer, director and cameraman for Kai's video,

as the girls walked back towards him,

just a pity it could not have been more sunny, 

but that did not stop the girls,

then back to the bench, 

Kai, 

and Diana, 

striking the pose, 

and we could not leave Steve out, 

time for a close up,

or two,

or three, 

then our turn, 

ah so sweet!

back to the girls, then into the picnic field, information for ticket prices here, 

where tents had been erected in case of the dreaded rain, 

all of the heathers here the same age and variety, 

a panorama of the field, 

we started getting out the food,

for our picnic, 

as filming continued, 

Kai had prepared a veritable feast of Thai food, 

we had brought along a few sandwiches, scotch eggs and gala pie, 

and still more was appearing, 

from a almost never ending bag,

it was a good job, 

we were all hungry, 

Steve had brought along some tins of drinks, 

a quick pose, 

as more food, 

appeared as if by magic, 

just right for a afternoon picnic, 

and of course some cakes and fruit to round the meal off, 

but first before we start, 

bubbly!

off with the cork,

and time to pour, 

nearly there, 

time to tuck in,

'Cheers!', from the girls with tea and coffee, 

after the Thai food and sandwiches, 

time for cakes, 

the lavender here was looking so nice,

the last time we visited here in June 2023, 

it was not quite in flower, 

but today it could not have been better, 

the girls decided to walk to the top of the field, 

I stayed where I was, 

as Steve caught a few ZZZZZ's,

the girl started on their way back,

I was surprised they still had life in their telephones, 

they were videoing, 

and taking photographs all day, 

and then they were off again!

on their return we started making a move for home,

back past the windmill,

and over the stream, back to Beckenham, where Steve and Kai dropped us off and came inside for a coffee, after we thanked them for a lovely day out they made a move for their home, 

Diana had made a short video of the fields and us returning to Steve's car, next for us feet up for a Wicked Tuna, we then decided to start watching a series we had not watched before,

  Frontier, the series ran from 2016 to 2018, I guess we missed it, so it is catch-up now, we watched three episodes back to back! after which we were off to bed.