Little Folly, Exmoor

13/03/2023

The snow of last week has given way to wind and rain!

13/02/2023

Amazingly this church has a complete list of Rectors dating back to 1242 though much of the present church dates from 1897, when Zulu the donkey carried wood all the way from Porlock to construct the superb “ wagon roof”. It has three bells, one of which dates back to 1500. A church in near splendid isolation approached across the moor. Well worth a visit when staying at Little Folly.

12/02/2023

Arlington Court today. Fascinating collection of horse drawn vehicles. House full of quirky curiosities. Well worth a visit when staying at Little Folly.

11/02/2023

Lovely day at knightshayes , a Gothic Revival house near Tiverton in Devon. Introduced to this stone corbel, a tortoise-shell cat, by one of the National Trust guides. He mentioned that it is a rebus or visual pun , a cat’s head on a tortoise body. Knightshayes is a wonderful place to visit when staying at Little Folly, fantastic house, garden and extensive grounds.

10/12/2022

More snow forecast through the night.

09/12/2022

Frost feathers on Exmoor this morning.

28/10/2022

Beautiful day at East Quantoxhead, Somerset looking for fossils.

22/09/2022

Our 3 ex battery hens are now laying an egg each a day. When we picked them up nearly 3 weeks ago they were a sorry sight but now feathers are sprouting and they seem fully engaged with their surroundings.

21/09/2022

A good use of nettles. Nettle string! Maybe attempt nettle paper next then Christmas will be all wrapped up! Sophie, thank you for showing me how to make it and also for your photo.

14/08/2022

Exmoor is looking beautiful with the pink blush of heather and golden glow of gorse but everything is so frighteningly dry.

10/07/2022

The sweet peas are now producing enough flowers to fill the vases in Little Folly. I love that our flower arrangements, although simple, are all home grown.

08/07/2022

Happy birthday Shiloh. 16 yesterday. So pleased you made it to Exmoor and are able to enjoy long walks and the freedom of the moor. Many thanks to all those who looked after you while I was moving.

07/07/2022

Do you ever get the feeling you are being watched? At first I thought it was just Rodger the cat but a rustling in the trees was a give away for the Anchor herd!

07/07/2022

Do you every get the feeling you are being watched? At first I thought it was just Rodger the cat but a rustling in the trees brought my attention to the anchor herd looking at me!

04/07/2022

Roses and scones after a walk on Exmoor.

25/06/2022

At last the sweet peas have flowered! Super scent and lovely long stalks, perfect for the guest rooms at Little Folly.

20/06/2022

Dragons and bridges on Exmoor.

19/06/2022

The horses have found the recent weather hard on their feet. Thanks to Ben they are in good shape again. Congratulations Ben on recently qualifying as a farrier.

17/06/2022

Last year while in Bristol I was intrigued by the use of spider plants in the park bedding display. I decided to adopt the idea for one of my planters!

16/06/2022

Contrails above Exmoor . Today we are expecting temperatures of 72 degrees.

11/06/2022

Enjoying the sun today. Tea on the sun lounger or in a more secluded spot.The scent of clematis and choisya fills the air.

05/06/2022

A guest spent a relaxing day under the sweet chestnut tree reading this amazing book. I believe that stayed at whilst writing “The Living and the Dead in Winsford”. It is a great read and will be available for guests staying at Little Folly, an apartment which boasts seclusion, peace and quiet. Unlike Darne Lodge, the holiday cottage is well equipped and comfortable.

03/06/2022

I believe this union flag was last used for the Queen’s Coronation and has been at the bottom of a trunk ever since. It has a few holes but has survived the intervening years remarkably well.

01/06/2022

One of the joyous tasks at Little Folly is gathering flowers from the garden for the arrangements. We are fortunate to have moved to a house where the previous owners loved the garden and it is full of rather lovely plants. Love my trug for collecting flowers.

31/05/2022

As the sun goes down on the last day of no mow May 2022, the fields at Little Folly are a picture. Lots of flowers and grasses including cuckoo flower, violets, meadow foxtail and, apparently, sticky mouse-ear chickweed!

24/05/2022

Appledore, a village in North Devon situated on the confluence of the rivers Taw and Torridge, just north of Bideford. It is quite charming with lovely painted houses and winding streets. A fishing village but also important for shipbuilding and a lifeboat station.

22/05/2022

The Golden Horseshoe endurance ride passed the gates of Little Folly yesterday and today. Some very fit horses and riders.

22/05/2022

Visited Combe Martin, a pretty village on the edge of Exmoor National Park on the North Devon coast. It has two sheltered beaches one of which is dog friendly. For a warm sunny Sunday it was not too busy.

16/05/2022

Exmoor is full of surprises, like this bluebell wood near Little Folly. The scent of hyacinth was all pervasive and drew me towards the wood. It cannot be described as silent here, The sounds of Exmoor today included a cuckoo, skylarks and the distinctive c***k of the stonechats.

13/05/2022