Stalls, Tractors and Floats

What another action-packed day! Robert was keen to visit a local market. Stroud, about 30 minutes away, was holding its monthly market. So off we set. Along the way, we emerged from narrow country roads lined with hedges, in hilly countryside, onto wide open spaces, which was relatively flat. Rodborough Common had cows and horses grazing freely. No fences. There was a golf course, with players. We saw one cow eating grass in a bunker and two riders on horseback.










We navigated some tiny streets, that were TWO WAY through some villages. Drivers seem polite and patient on the whole. Seriously, the street below is two way. In fact, several cars passed us.




The market was not contained in one area, but straggled along various narrow streets in the town centre. Stalls contained mainly a variety of fresh produce and some skin care, clothing and sheep skins. Vegetables, olives, fish, cheese, pastries, jams and preserves all made a colourful display.














Stroud appears to be an old town, set in hilly countryside, with valleys below.


This afternoon we had arranged to visit more friends of Sue and Andy Davison; in fact their best man! SUE AND ADRIAN (known as Barney) BARNES live on Lovett Farm. They run a bed and breakfast, raise beef cattle and grow hay.

Sue and Barney welcomed us like we had known each other for years. He has the most wonderful Wiltshire accent. I could listen to him all day. And some wonderful tales he told us.




Somehow Barney had the idea I wanted to drive a tractor. (Sue Davison phoned them. You put it together!) We went out to his shed. This shed, an enormous space, has real character, almost as much as Barney has, but not quite. He has a radio and chair out there.







He claims to know where everything is, what's more. There is an old car he plans to do up "some day" plus a rare tractor. Only nine hundred were made of this tractor and one day it too will be in full running order.




Now the tractor I was to drive was way bigger than his one. Up several steps I climb, Barney and Jess the dog come after me.







He would slip it into reverse and, whoops, we would be chugging backwards. I don't think my driving skills impressed him at all. At one point, Sue and Woodsie moved back quickly as we roared towards them.

I think it was all expressed fully when poor Jess scrambled out of the tractor as quickly as possible when we had backed the tractor into the shed again. I saw "we" but that manoeuvre was 90% Barney, 10% me ... at most.

The beef cattle are a mixture of various breeds and cross breeds, including Belgian Blues. They came over when Barney called them, expecting feed, not two curious tourists.



We were back at our hotel around 3.30, to wander down to the fairground, part of the annual Malmesbury Carnival. Set in a car park, it was all the usual rides and food stalls, all jammed together. Being the afternoon, mainly families were there. No doubt teenagers and young adults claimed it after dusk.




We saw the sign to the Abbey Gardens, which will be open to the public this Sunday, when Sue Davison insisted we should visit.





Even Barney and Sue thought that was a good idea too. Luckily we determined from Phil that this Sunday in the gardens it is "CLOTHING OPTIONAL".


But the real action began after six o'clock. It was the annual Carnival Parade. We were standing just by the abbey gates when Phil Ashby came looking for us. He invited us to join his family, wife Gillian and daughter Rachel, and friends to watch the parade, providing gin and tonics to boot!!






Their son Samuel was one of several with a most unusual task. He went around selling £1 bags of change. Does he remind you too of Daniel Radcliffe?


As the floats came by, the custom is to fling the coins into containers, with all money raised going to charity. It was all enormous fun, with everyone participating in high spirits. People line the streets or, as in our case, stand higher up inside the Abbey grounds along the fence line.

One group most popular were the "Majorettes" who each year are a poorly co-ordained marching group. What was hilarious was this year, to everyone's surprise, the Majorettes were all male, complete with garters and frilly underwear.




Best float was won by local pub, The Whole Hog, with their JAMES BOND theme. They had cleverly reworked the names of James Bond films and characters, like

To RASHER With Love
The SWINE Who Loved Me
OctoPIGGY
The HAM With The Golden CRUMB
Thunder BOAR
MoonRASHER

One woman on the float was PIGGY GALORE.





The local DYSON factory had an entry, using various components of their products like vacuum cleaners and fans.




These three were not the Bee Gees. They were the Gee Bees and did a little dance number in unison right in front of our vantage point. We all cheered!


A brass band and this drum group all added to sound blaring from various floats.


A wide assortment of characters, from Alice in Wonderland creatures, kids in costumes, a nun, clowns and monsters all walked along with their nets, baskets, buckets and bags to collect the coins for charity.


This parade, being in the small village of Malmesbury, has another peculiarity. The parade goes past, does a loop, then comes right back past again.

So we ducked up to our room overlooking Abbey Row, to enjoy our hamper of goods, and see the 'Second Coming'.




Seriously everyone, Woodsie and I are coming home in two weeks ... FOR A REST!!!!!!!