We Are At The Inn On The Lake

Day 7 – But Day 2 of 3

Today is our wedding anniversary.

So far, it has been sixteen years married and twenty-one years together.

We woke up to this:

Wakening a little early, we still wanted to go out and explore the forest and the grounds outside, even though it did look like rain.

But before that… Breakfast.

While we were getting washed and ready for the day: I noticed the size of their sink. This is a proper-sized sink.

Unlike the ones that you get in other hotels. This is where you would have to squeeze yourself into position. Just so you can wash your face, but still, most of the water gets on the floor. But this is a proper sink.

Food

We made our way down to breakfast: Following a placed sign, we walked to a separate room from the bar, there a server was standing behind a podium, waiting to take us to our seats; After taking our chairs, I noticed that the room looked out to the car park.

The designs of the room and the building have unique features on the wall that some look like parts ripped off a Dalek.

Breakfast was nice enough. They have a buffet; for cereal, toast and fruit juice on the other end of the room. They have tea and coffee set up for you to help yourself, on the other, as you walk into the room. They have four types of hot breakfast: English and vegetarian English, continental breakfast and French continental.

I chose the English breakfast, and the wife had the vegetarian English breakfast. The food was okay; Nothing to write home about. I did try to eat my fill, but it didn’t happen. I was a little surprised. But it didn’t really matter.

It’s Hiking Time

Our mission for today was to go for a little hike up to the forest. But we did get something wrong. Well, I did.

Without doing any research. We assumed that; the forest surrounding the hotel and the hotel were all connected. But everything from the other end of the lake and half of the building area. This also includes our view, which is owned by someone else.

After that information. We went and had a look around the lake and decking area and took some of these:

The main business of the hotel is Weddings and corporate seminars. What’s more, is that they also have an outside area to perform the ceremony as well. Of course, I forgot to take any photos of this. From what I saw: it was a rather good gazebo. Enclosed: by long wooden benches.

Afterwards, I looked online and found that the nearest forest is Shorne Woods, Country Park. It is about a mile up the road from the hotel. So we walked there. I managed to find a gate so we could walk through the forest instead of along the M25.

Following the path, we eventually found ourselves at the Shorne Woods Visitors Centre. They have everything you need when you are in the middle of nowhere. Information centres, a cafe and other foods, an adventure park and other things; that will cater to nearly all types of people of any age or disability.

Souvenirs

We arrived a little early as it didn’t open until ten in the morning. So I used their toilets and waited or them to open. I wanted to get a keyring. Because of that, I bought: one keyring, one magnet, a few bottled drinks and one cuddly bat keyring.

Sitting outside with the wife, after a while, she decided she wanted to get a coffee. After she went to the toilet, she bought herself an iced coffee. When it was time to go. Just before we left, I wanted to check out the adventure playground to see if they had an adult section. They didn’t, so we turned around and started walking to the hotel.

Of course, I was disappointed that they didn’t have one of those tree-line climbing courses. Where afterwards, there is a zip line to fly down. Where I could swing down the line.

Wave at my wife, and all she would think is What an idiot! I married that! But I would think She thinks I am really cool!

Hey! It is my dream.

Going Back

As you walk around, you get to see some of the sculptures made by the unknown. Our walk took us deep into the forest, and when it was time to go back, instead of back to the centre. I saw that we were closer to the hotel. I tried to work it out, using Google, a quicker route back. Fair enough, we went off course a little bit but not bad enough to cause any problems, and I successfully got us back to the hotel.

Just before you enter the hotel car park, there is a small sign and two planks to climb over to prevent bikers. There is also a gate. That’s Shorne Forest. The centre is about a mile and a bit away. But you do need to keep an eye out for it. The entrance is 300 yards, according to Google, before the hotel.

Bloody Insects

As we were enjoying our walk. We had entered an area of the forest, which appeared to be shaded more than other parts. We didn’t realise until it was too late that we would be ambushed: By the resident gnats. The wife thought she had been bitten serval times. It was six. Later we found out it was ten. Yours truly got bit three times. I didn’t even know it until we got back to the room. My hand has swollen a little. I’m hoping it doesn’t get any worse.

On top of all that. By the time we were a quarter of the way in the forest. It had started raining. Slowly then building up. Yes, we got wet, but the trees helped to deflect most of it.

Due to said rain. To say; the wife wasn’t happy by the end of it was an understatement. When we eventually got back to the hotel, she was able to take her time and sort herself out before our next task.

Cream Tea

We made the booking after we had had breakfast.

Cream Tea is something the wife has been wanting to try for a very long time.

But the main reason we hadn’t done it before was quite simple; it’s too expensive, but while we were here, We thought we would give it a go.

They have a vegan option which the wife picked out, and I had the non-vegan one.

When we arrived: we were taken into the room next to the breakfast area. We were seated at our reserved table. Although, it was just a table with a cloth on it. The whole set-up did feel a bit posh.

Eventually, the food was brought out. Mine was first, then a minute or two later, the wife.

Some of the food was terrible, but I ate it anyway because of the price. I found out after not trying them for a very long time. I realised I actually like scones. The vegan scones weren’t that bad, either.

Our server did a great job telling us what was happening and what we were having. I could not help; but get the impression that she was relishing the role.

There was a vegan Swiss roll: It tasted like someone melted a dolly mixture onto something I do not know what.

Never again, and I like Dolly Mixtures.

But we did enjoy the experience: The wife relaxed from our recent walkabout, and we had fun; This simple act of enjoying one another’s company was precisely perfect.

And the bonus of unlimited tea and coffee, I managed to get through two pots of tea; we undoubtedly ate our fill.

Nap time

When we returned to the hotel and our room, the wife: took a nap while I continued writing this blog and then afterwards, I read my book until the missus woke up.

For the rest of the night, we watched the tele before packing and going to bed.

Tomorrow we head home.