Saturday 23rd November 2013

Sunday.

With no clock, phone signal or internet connection, we felt wonderfully cut off. It also meant that we had no idea what the time was in the morning, so we dozed until nearly half eight. That is 11 hours of your actual sleep. We brewed up, had breakfast and headed out into the wood to the car, as we were going to spend the day on a steam train. For a change.

As we are holidaying well out of season, most attractions that are still open, only are so at weekends. So it is with the Swanage Railway. We set off heading past Bournemouth and Poole to the park and ride by the station, with half an hour to spare before the first train into Swanage.

It rolled in, the tank engine swapped ends and made ready to leave. We were in the seats next to the engine so to get maximum sound effects as she climbed the hills before the line dropped to the station near the beach at Swanage.



First station we went through was Corfe Castle, and to my surprise consists of more than a ruined castle. I saw a hotel and at least one other pub, and a very attractive village it looked to. Our plans changed, and so we decided to get the next train back and stay for a couple of hours in Corfe Castle for lunch and some liquid refreshments too.

At Swanage whilst we waited for the train to leave, we take a peek at Swanage and see it looks like a typical town; shops, roads, houses. We climb back on board, and the loco puffs its way up into the hills and towards Corfe Castle.



We climb out and wait for the train to depart, then cross to the other platform to see it come the other way, to get the shot I wanted with the ruined castle in the background. By now it was five past twelve, or, if you prefer, five minutes of drinking time had already passed. So, we walk into the village, and come to the Square, where there are two pubs to choose from. The Greyhound opposite, or Bank’s Arms next to us on this side of the main road. The Arms advertises Wadworth will be available in the near future, so that swings it.



We go in, order drink and some simple pub food. I have steak and ale pie, which is OK, but the local beer is good so that makes it a worthwhile lunchtime. We don’t have our NT cards, so we give the castle a miss, for now. We explore the village, have a coffee in the model village (really!) and then it is time to make our way to the station for the train to take us back to the end of the line.

Daylight was running out, despite it being only the middle of the afternoon, so it was time for the hour’s drive back to the cabin, where there was a cup that needed a couple of tea bags to be placed inside it.