The weather remains somewhat benign. No wind or rain and some glimmers of sunshine on our trip along the South Devon Railway from Totnes to Buckfastleigh.

It was around a 45 minute trip to the South Devon Railway station at Totnes and there is no parking at the station itself. There is a pay and display some 10 minutes walk away and so we abandoned the car there.

Somewhat disappointing was our ride up to Buckfastleigh. A diesel engine no less! Still, it was the “Mince Pie Special” with free mince pies on-board.

We were expecting something more along the lines of:

Once we reached our final destination of Buckfastleigh, we hiked loosely parallel with the river to Buckfast Abbey. Moe’s Grandfather was an architect and lived with the Monks at Buckfast Abbey whilst he designed and had constructed an elaborate marble floor.

Moe couldn’t recognise which bit of floor he designed so we took some pitcures and will check against a postcard she has of Leonard Carter’s work at Buckfast Abbey when we return to East Devon.

The Abbey itself was free to enter and the architecture and finishings showed no lack of investment. There’s money in that Buckfast Tonic (as well as > 10% alcohol and muchos Caffeine)!

Here are a bunch of pictures from the visit, several being of the marble floor designs which will be matched to Leonard Carter’s work. Unless his work has been dug up and replaced…

A short summary of Buckfast Abbey from Wikipedia – The Abbey forms part of an active Benedictine monastery at Buckfast, near Buckfastleigh, Devon, England. Buckfast first became home to an abbey in 1018. The first Benedictine abbey was followed by a Savignac (later Cistercian) abbey constructed on the site of the current abbey in 1134. The monastery was surrendered for dissolution in 1539, with the monastic buildings stripped and left as ruins, before being finally demolished. The former abbey site was used as a quarry, and later became home to a Gothic mansion house.

In 1882 the site was purchased by a group of French Benedictine monks, who refounded a monastery on the site, dedicated to Saint Mary. New monastic buildings and a temporary church were constructed incorporating the existing Gothic house. Buckfast was formally reinstated as an Abbey in 1902, and the first abbot of the new institution, Boniface Natter, was blessed in 1903. Work on a new abbey church, which was constructed mostly on the footprint of the former Cistercian abbey, started in 1907.

Finally, some steam to take us back to Totnes.

On another subject, I bought a Berghaus Goretex jacket some months ago. I’ve been very impressed with it but didn’t want to get it too messed up doing the caravan chores. So, about a week ago, I ordered another one, specifically to use when we are away in the van and the weather is mis-behaving.

It’s a Berghaus Cornice III Goretex Shell Jacket and I managed to get an offer price of just £110 from Milletts. I’d highly recommend this jacket for not only it’s waterproof and windproof credentials but it’s comfortable and lighweight and complete with a double storm strap.

Here’s a picture…

Trust me, it is neither cold or wet in the awning right now!