Our accommodation in Dorset is at the Hay Barn, a rural cottage outside of the village of Stowell. The cottage is one of several on the property so it doesn’t feel completely isolated but it is certainly rural. Access is via winding muddy lanes bordered by hedgerows which only allow one car at a time. The in-car navigation gives you a feeling of security that “someone” knows where they are going and will get you to your destination but we still aren’t used to imperial miles and tenths of a mile and sometimes Nav Woman forgets to tell us to turn so we miss our turning and have to be rerouted.

The cottage is very quiet apart from the sound of a train which goes past the property and George, the resident cat. George is black with a white patch on his chest and another on his tummy. The owners are away and have left instructions about not feeding the cats and not allowing the cats into the properties but George is very insistent and quite vocal. He even let himself in when he realised the door wasn’t properly closed. Anthony can’t resist a cat so George has been allowed to come in and stay for a while but has to be forcibly ejected when it’s time for bed.

The cottage is warm with central heating and a small combustion fire. We don’t really need the fire as it is warm enough without, but it was the main reason for choosing the cottage.

Days are very short. The sun doesn’t rise till 8.10am and it is completely dark by 4.30pm. Nights are frosty and we wake to the site of frost covered hedgerows and fields. This morning it was also foggy and you could see the fog drifting past the kitchen window. It certainly makes you wonder what it must have been like in the time before electricity and cars, walking along muddy lanes in long skirts, keeping occupied in the long dark hours!