Forde Abbey

So to Forde Abbey today. The house wasn't open but I've been in before and the garden was my main driver.

I left my B&B in grey fog but it cleared up by the time I got to Forde and was just dull.

It was nice to see both swallows and House Martins. The Martins looked to be nesting. 

Forde is an Abbey that was converted to a house after the dissolution.

The sun came out after lunch and I REALLY ought to have retaken them but I was feeling lazy and spent more timing reading my book LOL

A La Ronde and Bicton Botanical Gardens

First stop was A La Ronde a 16 side 18th century house in the care of the National Trust.

Alas the tea room has gone :( 

And where now? I've passed the signs to Bicton Botanical Gardens many times so... 

There were 14 ducklings on the mirror pond. 2 broods of 4 and one that were older of 6

A few Herring Gulls were swooping down but to be fair they left the ducklings alone. One was swimming a long minding its own business when a female mallard jumped on its back!! I did chuckle

This is the old church next to the new Victorian one

It was a little "touristy" but was definitely worth a visit. 

It had been a good day until a stone hit my windscreen with a nice crack..... being replaced Tuesday hey ho. It could be worse