Welcome to the working week. Unless you're on holiday of course. And what to do with the time off? What better than to head to East Sussex to the Bluebell Railway to ride the extension to East Grinstead? I couldn't think of anything better, so after dropping Jools off at the factory, I set off for Sussex.
I programed the sat nav and waited for it to pick up a signal.
And waited.
So, I set off hoping it would get a signal at some point. I drove to Folkestone: no signal. I tried resetting the sat nav, but it still didn't work. I headed off the M20 on the Breznet road, only for the sat nav to wake up and tell me I was heading in the wrong direction. So, turn round and back onto the motorway and head north.
It wasn't until I was north of Maidstone i realised it was taking me along the M25, which normally would not be a problem, but there is major roadworks going on, so I turn off the motorway and around Maidstone until the sat nav got the idea we would going cross country and caught up with new directions. We went through Tonbridge Wells, and the traffic was awful, but once through TW, there was no traffic at all, and I was driving down twisty country roads, sun dappled woods, past wonderful picturesque villages, churches and pubs. But I pressed on as I wanted to make the 11:00 departure.
I arrived at Sheffield Park with 40 minutes to spare; I got my ticket and wandered around the station to take shots. Now, it seems that the train was filled with 'men of a certain age' and their wives, all excited about being on a steam train. Does this mean I'm one now? I guess so. Not that its a bad thing. Anyway, I thought the train would be empty, but it ended up being full as departure time approached.
And on the dot of eleven, we pulled away, and trundled through the Sussex countryside. It was wonderful, bumping along at 25mph through woodland and farmland; we saw deer at the edge of one wood, all six of them showing off their tails as they walked slowly back under cover. I had thought about getting out at East Grinstead for a walk and a bite to eat, but the thought of two and a quarter hour wait for the next train meant that i stayed on and thought about going back to Sheffield Park and finding a pub.
In the end, as I drove away from the station I saw the signs for Sheffield Park gardens, and being NT I thought there would be a place to eat. As I had my membership card, it would cost nothing, so I drove up the long driveway, parked up, showed my card and went in.
For some reason, the gardens and the house are now separate; the house is private whilst the gardens are NT. The grounds are set round three ornamental lakes, which in the light winds reflected the fine trees and bushes. Soon though, dark clouds came over and the heavens opened. I took shelter under a tree. In about ten minutes the rain cleared, and what was left behind was crystal clear air which was windless.
I went back to the car to drive home, and chose the coast road as I hoped it would be easier to get back to folkestone then home. Sadly not as it was school run time, but at least the views over the cliffs and rolling countryside were pleasing. I did not stop as I wanted to get back to pick up Jools from work, but it ended up taking two hours to be outside the factory, where Jools was waiting in the sunshine.
That's another good day done then!
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