Grantchester

September is the nicest month in England. That's how I remember it anyway, and so far it's proved to be true. 

Thursday was another beautiful day weather wise and we had plans to go in to the nearby village of Grantchester while the boys were in school. Max had a change of heart and decided he needed to hang with us so the five of us made the short drive into the village. 

Do you watch the show Grantchester? I thought it was a fictional place, but it's real and it's lovely. It's called a village, but there's not really a 'town' here. There is a beautiful church...

several pubs...

 ...adorable stone houses, thatched roofs, and a tea room with a garden made for sitting and sipping which is where we started.

We had tea in the garden then a nice long ramble along the river that runs just beyond the orchard...

It's one of the things I miss most about life here. 

Long walks on public footpaths all across the countryside. 

You frequently encounter 'wildlife' on these rambles, usually sheep but today it was cows.

We came up the river path into the village and we had to take a peek inside the beautiful Church of St. Andrew and St. Mary featured in the television series...

The care that was taken in the building of these old churches is awe inspiring.

The oldest part of the church dates all the way back to 1250, a date that pretty much boggles the mind. The chancel itself was built in the 14th century, and the bell tower in the 15th century. 

It was the perfect way to spend the day, and we were home in time for naps...little miss and ours both lol. Once the Mancub got home from school we sat in their very lovely garden and sipped a cup of Pimms while their momma made my birthday dinner. 

We'd gone to the pub on my actual birthday but she wanted to cook a meal for me at home and it was delish. There was even a yummy apple crisp for dessert made with apples from the trees growing just outside their kitchen.  A two day birthday celebration. 

I highly recommend.