Weather apps can be deceptive and wrong. Yesterday it looked as if today was going to be a write off in terms of being able to get out for a dry walk but as we drove over to Basildon Park it was still dry.
Basildon is probably the National Trust property that we have been to the most over the years. We used to take the boys when they were only toddlers and they had fun running across the lawns in front of the house – some thing that the eldest is look to recreate with his daughter. So we know it pretty well.
Today though it was slightly different as there were three bouncers on the door as if you’re name’s not down you’re not coming in. That security check passed we were into an empty car park, which was unusual in itself. From there we went for a socially distant toilet break – as you can see from the image at the bottom of the page if any coach parties were to arrive then they would be in for a very long wait!
We then set off to do the longest walk around the park which is a beautiful three mile stretch into the woods. I like this walk compared to the other local National Trust places as it seems much less formal and that you really could be in the middle of nowhere, which somehow appeals to me. The quietness of it all was also pretty restful, so much so that I even recorded it for posterity.
We complete the walk and reached the car as the first spots of rain began to fall and by the time we reached the house it was properly chucking it down.
Despite the rain we have had over the last few days the ground is still rock hard from the ten weeks of good weather we had before I went on “holiday” 🙂 I know this because in the afternoon we went to a local garden centre to pick up a plant we have had our eyes on for a while and then I tried to plant it and some lilies into the concrete like ground. They went in eventually but will need plenty of water to bed them in. Luckily the weather app shows that won’t be a problem for the next few days, at least not until we go back to work!
