As a change to visiting castles, we headed to Scolton Manor. As we walked from the carpark up to the house, we came upon this amazing carving
![P1030370 P1030370](https://frayedattheedge.typepad.co.uk/.a/6a010536bcc8ca970c01b8d2aaaba6970c-400wi)
here is a small detail
![P1030371 P1030371](https://frayedattheedge.typepad.co.uk/.a/6a010536bcc8ca970c01b7c92053af970b-400wi)
further on, this owl was decidedly more weathered. I think his talons are slightly out of proportion to his body!
![P1030377 P1030377](https://frayedattheedge.typepad.co.uk/.a/6a010536bcc8ca970c01bb09c382d5970d-400wi)
then it was into the garden, which is being restored
![P1030380 P1030380](https://frayedattheedge.typepad.co.uk/.a/6a010536bcc8ca970c01bb09c382f1970d-400wi)
this may look like a greenhouse for very small people
![P1030382 P1030382](https://frayedattheedge.typepad.co.uk/.a/6a010536bcc8ca970c01b8d2aaabf3970c-400wi)
but when you go inside, you find that the floor level is much lower than the garden outside
![P1030384 P1030384](https://frayedattheedge.typepad.co.uk/.a/6a010536bcc8ca970c01bb09c38310970d-400wi)
these old straw bee skeps have been inset into the wall - I would love a feature like this in our garden ...... if only we had some skeps, and an old wall!
![P1030385 P1030385](https://frayedattheedge.typepad.co.uk/.a/6a010536bcc8ca970c01b8d2aaac1d970c-400wi)
this photo is for Kelly, a lover of old gates
![P1030387 P1030387](https://frayedattheedge.typepad.co.uk/.a/6a010536bcc8ca970c01b8d2aaac2c970c-400wi)
there is a very productive kitchen garden
![P1030388 P1030388](https://frayedattheedge.typepad.co.uk/.a/6a010536bcc8ca970c01b8d2aaac47970c-400wi)
these freshly picked veggies were en route to the gift shop
![P1030390 P1030390](https://frayedattheedge.typepad.co.uk/.a/6a010536bcc8ca970c01b7c9205453970b-400wi)
as we continued our meander to the house, we then came across this carving, which depicts the French invaders surrendering to the women of Fishguard
![P1030395 P1030395](https://frayedattheedge.typepad.co.uk/.a/6a010536bcc8ca970c01b7c9205476970b-400wi)
the sign claimed that this is the Holy Grail ....
![P1030397 P1030397](https://frayedattheedge.typepad.co.uk/.a/6a010536bcc8ca970c01b8d2aaaca4970c-400wi)
finally, we arrived at the house
![P1030393 P1030393](https://frayedattheedge.typepad.co.uk/.a/6a010536bcc8ca970c01bb09c38391970d-400wi)
it's always fascinating to see how people lived years ago
![P1030399 P1030399](https://frayedattheedge.typepad.co.uk/.a/6a010536bcc8ca970c01b8d2aaacc8970c-400wi)
some things don't change - you could find a similar piece of embroidery in progress in our house
![P1030400 P1030400](https://frayedattheedge.typepad.co.uk/.a/6a010536bcc8ca970c01bb09c383b5970d-400wi)
I have no idea what was kept in a Brain Jar!
![P1030403 P1030403](https://frayedattheedge.typepad.co.uk/.a/6a010536bcc8ca970c01b7c92054cd970b-400wi)
"upstairs" dining was rather grand
![P1030404 P1030404](https://frayedattheedge.typepad.co.uk/.a/6a010536bcc8ca970c01b8d2aaad0f970c-400wi)
"downstairs" was more informal
![P1030406 P1030406](https://frayedattheedge.typepad.co.uk/.a/6a010536bcc8ca970c01bb09c38402970d-400wi)
down in the cellar, even posh people have a room full of junk
![P1030408 P1030408](https://frayedattheedge.typepad.co.uk/.a/6a010536bcc8ca970c01b8d2aaae40970c-400wi)
but they also have a room full of wine!
![P1030409 P1030409](https://frayedattheedge.typepad.co.uk/.a/6a010536bcc8ca970c01bb09c38562970d-400wi)
Malcolm wanted to take this clock home!
![P1030416 P1030416](https://frayedattheedge.typepad.co.uk/.a/6a010536bcc8ca970c01bb09c38576970d-400wi)
the next stop was the café for lunch
![P1030419 P1030419](https://frayedattheedge.typepad.co.uk/.a/6a010536bcc8ca970c01b7c9205667970b-400wi)
I had a cheese and pickle sandwich
![P1030420 P1030420](https://frayedattheedge.typepad.co.uk/.a/6a010536bcc8ca970c01b7c9205680970b-400wi)
and Malcolm had cheese and tuna. We had expected dainty sandwiches with perhaps grated cheese - not great thick slabs of the most delicious cheese ...... it's just as well we were doing so much walking to work off the calories!
![P1030421 P1030421](https://frayedattheedge.typepad.co.uk/.a/6a010536bcc8ca970c01bb09c385b6970d-400wi)
on the way back to the car, we found more carvings
![P1030427 P1030427](https://frayedattheedge.typepad.co.uk/.a/6a010536bcc8ca970c01bb09c385dc970d-400wi)
this one told a sad story
![P1030429 P1030429](https://frayedattheedge.typepad.co.uk/.a/6a010536bcc8ca970c01b8d2aaaef8970c-400wi)
while this one
![P1030432 P1030432](https://frayedattheedge.typepad.co.uk/.a/6a010536bcc8ca970c01bb09c3860b970d-400wi)
is symbolic of the struggles between Wales and England
![P1030433 P1030433](https://frayedattheedge.typepad.co.uk/.a/6a010536bcc8ca970c01bb09c38615970d-400wi)
this chap may have been a pirate
![P1030436 P1030436](https://frayedattheedge.typepad.co.uk/.a/6a010536bcc8ca970c01b8d2aaaf39970c-400wi)
but he was a well-behaved one!
![P1030437 P1030437](https://frayedattheedge.typepad.co.uk/.a/6a010536bcc8ca970c01bb09c38632970d-400wi)
back at the car park we discovered this old engine ......
![P1030444 P1030444](https://frayedattheedge.typepad.co.uk/.a/6a010536bcc8ca970c01b7c9205714970b-400wi)
and signal box, which are hopefully going to be restored to their former gallery
![P1030445 P1030445](https://frayedattheedge.typepad.co.uk/.a/6a010536bcc8ca970c01b7c9205734970b-400wi)
we went for one last walk on the beach - no, this isn't us!
![P1030450 P1030450](https://frayedattheedge.typepad.co.uk/.a/6a010536bcc8ca970c01bb09c38675970d-400wi)
pausing to admire the scenery
![P1030453 P1030453](https://frayedattheedge.typepad.co.uk/.a/6a010536bcc8ca970c01b7c9205785970b-400wi)
do you prefer the sharp, jagged rocks
![P1030449 P1030449](https://frayedattheedge.typepad.co.uk/.a/6a010536bcc8ca970c01bb09c38691970d-400wi)
or the ones worn smooth by the waves?
![P1030448 P1030448](https://frayedattheedge.typepad.co.uk/.a/6a010536bcc8ca970c01b7c92057ac970b-400wi)
the tide was out
![P1030454 P1030454](https://frayedattheedge.typepad.co.uk/.a/6a010536bcc8ca970c01b8d2aab00a970c-400wi)
so the boats
![P1030455 P1030455](https://frayedattheedge.typepad.co.uk/.a/6a010536bcc8ca970c01bb09c386b9970d-400wi)
were high and dry on the sand
![P1030456 P1030456](https://frayedattheedge.typepad.co.uk/.a/6a010536bcc8ca970c01bb09c386d3970d-400wi)
except for this one, which was nowhere near the sea!
![P1030457 P1030457](https://frayedattheedge.typepad.co.uk/.a/6a010536bcc8ca970c01bb09c386e7970d-400wi)
it's Friday, so that means we have to have something tasty! One morning I had the rare treat of hot chocolate, complete with whipped cream and marshmallows. And we shared a Danish pastry, as there were no scones on the menu
![P1030339 P1030339](https://frayedattheedge.typepad.co.uk/.a/6a010536bcc8ca970c01b8d2aab05c970c-400wi)
but don't worry, we popped down to Heighley Gate garden Centre on Sunday to buy some bulbs for the garden to give us a show of colour in the spring, and while we were there we shared an exceedingly good cheese and spring onion scone
![P1030463 P1030463](https://frayedattheedge.typepad.co.uk/.a/6a010536bcc8ca970c01bb09c3872b970d-400wi)
I was up early enough on Sunday morning to see the sunrise
![P1310255 P1310255](https://frayedattheedge.typepad.co.uk/.a/6a010536bcc8ca970c01bb09c3873c970d-400wi)
ok - I was only up that early to go to the loo!
![P1310257 P1310257](https://frayedattheedge.typepad.co.uk/.a/6a010536bcc8ca970c01b7c9205889970b-400wi)
then later in the day, we had some heavy rain, followed by a double rainbow
![P1310258 P1310258](https://frayedattheedge.typepad.co.uk/.a/6a010536bcc8ca970c01b7c92058ac970b-400wi)
it was so intense we could clearly see the seven colours
![P1310261 P1310261](https://frayedattheedge.typepad.co.uk/.a/6a010536bcc8ca970c01b8d2aab0b5970c-400wi)
I'll be back on Monday with some sewing, and what I did with several kilos of plums from the tree in the garden. Have a great weekend, love Anne