Blackdown Temple of the Winds trail and a lunch at Lurgashall

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We spent a good chunk of sunday hiking up the beautiful Blackdown Hill mostly covering the Temple of the Winds trail and as is our style, we got lost and I promise you, it was entirely by accident. We are so good at wandering, we don’t even need to try.
This time, our expedition leader for this hike was Ishaan and we all agreed we would follow his instinct and instructions. It is fascinating what responsibility and ownership can do to children – and how little choices illustrate the character and personality in such endearing ways. All you need is willingness to be led and preferably some good sleep because that always helps.

When we parked at the NT car park (there are a couple and we were at the foot, so the main car park), we were immediately confronted by “two roads diverged in a wood” scenario. But Ishaan, being the cleverclogz that a 4 year old is, took a few steps both ways and came back to announce that only one of them has a gate and we should follow that. This was indeed wise as that was the start of the trail. Once we entered, it was pure green forest heaven. I say this so often and I truly mean it, I would choose the forest over every other option anyday.

If I had to choose a favourite forest, it would be one with sunlight piercing the green canopy and dancing on our faces as we walk through them – Komorebi, I read. The Japanese language has a word for the phenomenon of sunlight filtering through the leaves of trees. I remind myself of this with fondness because a culture that observes the tiny joyful events of life and shapes its language is hard not to fall in love with.

We knew this was going to be beautiful the moment we entered the gates.

Our expedition leader led us on the most exciting paths, choosing paths that were not recently treaded on or ones that brought us closer to the glistening emerald covers. We were perhaps at it for close to 30 mins, when the sky revealed itself and sandy paths lined by the characteristic purple heather came into view. And quite naturally, a lot of bee activity too!

Long before this, we had forgotten all about the trail and thrown ourselves into the whims of our leader and we had the most beautiful walk interspersed with forestland as we chose our path with such confidence that would have most certainly amused Mr Frost.

Getting lost has become part of our expeditions now and we have come to love this way of weekend so much that I wonder if I will ever enjoy a trail to the t. Only this time, the temperature would go up to 28 and we couldn’t be out in the open for so long as Mili would definitely be very uncomfortable under all her fluffy fluffness. So as much as we could have continued to meander, we had to sort of try and retrace our way back to the gate. This is when we stumbled upon a beautiful viewpoint thanks to Mili, our co-captain who just wandered off the track, into the slight bushes and to the bench.

After spending a few minutes here, we decided to make our next stop at Lurgashall that I had read was a lovely little village nearby that housed some beautiful houses and a fantastic pub restaurant. We only planned to walk a bit here and then head elsewhere but it was so hot when we got there, we decided to just do a small walk around the village green and headed straight to Noahs Ark Inn .

It is right across the village green and has a really beautiful outdoor setting but we wanted to be inside having done all that walking in the heat. So glad we did because the interiors is just stunning and we were lucky to be there early just as they opened else there was no way we would get a table without booking!

I felt like having a coke and it hit the right spot that afternoon. I also requested for a bottled one and surprised myself. Coca Cola does not carry much nostalgia for me but the picture of a bottle does. Thought I have never really been fond of coke there are some extremely extremely rare instances when I feel it especially more recently this summer, and this was one such and it just felt SO good.

We were all looking forward to food and I think we found some gems. The spring Buddha salad was just out of the world and the ricotta dumpling soup that Ishaan had was fabulous! We washed it all down with some chips for the table and that is always a hit especially after a walk.

Tummies and hearts full, we headed back home 🙂

Discovering The Garlic Farm: A Culinary Gem in Isle of Wight

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The Garlic Farm on the Isle of Wight is one of those places that quietly becomes a must-do twice over. We were at IoW for a week and I had earmarked this as a special highlight for day 4. The plan was to enjoy a lunch and then spend some time in their shop. We liked lunch and the general feel of the place so much, we went back for breakfast before taking the ferry back home. Without much ado, let me tell you everything that made this place a favourite for us.

That moment when we drove in, I knew this would deliver. Sometimes, you just know. We went sort of at the start of the garlic growing season and we were not met by swathes of garlic but by a rustic rural site after having navigated some beautiful country roads to get there. On entering we spotted the farm shop, the path to the restaurant and beautiful open fields and this lovely van parked outside and a beautiful play area at the far end that we spent a lot of time at!

We were so hungry so we went to the restaurant first. The big bonus is that they welcome doggies (a non-negotiable on a holiday for us) and the seating area is so beautiful. We were right by the window and that section of the restaurant was fairly busy despite it being off-peak which is a fabulous sign always. It has such a rustic warmth with its wood architecture and the minute you step in, there is a sense of unhurriedness that instantly relaxed us. Also something else my sharp nose (probably don’t need one!) immediately detected a very subtle but definitely lingering garlicky aroma in the air. And that is what we felt with the food – there is a subtle garlicky flavour but it is really well done and perfected so if you like garlic, you will appreciate how sublime it is and how the most appropriate dishes have been chosen for it and lend themselves to the flavours of garlic.

We placed our orders right away and I have to say the service was SUPER quick which our tummies really appreciated. I had a fiery tomato juice and I loved it. It came with this absolute kicker of a sauce which we also got a couple of bottles of because we loved it so much. I added a spoon too much at first but the heat grew on me!

For starters, we shared a roasted garlic bulb (yum) with thyme whipped butter (also yum) and home made sourdough (what is not to yum). It was topnotch. I love simple things made with beautiful flavours and quality ingredients and this was a perfect start for us. That butter was just fabulous and paired perfectly with the roasted garlic. Definitely the kind of compound butter I would love to try at home.

For mains, I had celeriac & white bean risotto with garlic kale drizzled with lemon & sage oil – so delicate and so comforting. I couldn’t really tell lemon in that dish but I loved how balmy it felt. It was my first time trying celeriac and while I don’t cook it at home yet, it is definitely one I would like to use more of given how much of it grown locally. We also shared some chips which was served with – surprise surprise – garlic mayo and it was perfect.

I wandered off to the farm shop for a good exploration while the rest of the troop went to the play area and a walk around the fields. And we were both very happy with our choices.

The shop has such an assortment of fantastic local produce from some of the local farms with IoW tomatoes being a highlight and some locally produced butter both of which I brought home. But their highlights are all the garlicky produce they make in-house – sauces (definitely check them out!), cloves for snacking, oak smoked garlic, fresh garlic for cooking, chutneys, jams and all the goodness that a farm shop can boast of. They also had some beautiful garlic bulbs to grow which I picked as well and it is all such a nice space for some culinary exploration and inspiration. They also have an online store which is great if you have bought and loved something and want to buy it more regularly.

We liked the food and experience so much that we went back on the last day at IoW. I had heard that the full English is their top b’fast order so I had the full English vegetarian and it was just fantastic – the tomatoes, the mushrooms, even the hash! As I said, good ingredients make good food and that is very evident on what they bring to the table. I go with very less expectations over coffee in restaurants but their oat cortado was nice and I would highly recommend a b’fast experience as well. We couldn’t stay a lot this time, but ofcourse I still popped into the shop to get some garlic feed and then we left, tummies and hearts full.

Absolutely loved it. It’s the kind of place that feeds the soul as much as the appetite. We would happily go again! Have you been here, how did it feel?

A home away from home – Appuldurcombe farm Isle of Wight

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We really love making a home of a holiday house. It was no different and sort of ultra special when we spent a week in a beautiful cottage on Appuldurcombe Farm in Ventnor. How hard is it to fall in love with a house perched atop a gentle hill with sweeping views of open rolling green fields, a sunlit facade that catches the golden light from dawn to dusk?

One of the first things I do when we step is is to capture the different corners and then I continue to do so over the days as it becomes more and more personal. They are often just for us to reminisce but also for me to admire how a space becomes so many things to different people.

The day we drove here, it was quite overcast but the weather blossomed into bright, warm and golden over the week and I loved stepping out to see how it changed the way the facade looked.

I can never get over how homes are made and I always come away feeling how clever and creative people are with the little things they make of an open space. AA gallery of the different corners of our holiday home.

I have the strongest fascination for windows and views into the outer world. I cannot help but marvel at home fantastically windows are placed in cottage homes. How do they always manage to look into something spectacular!

What made this home stand out even more was the cozy, sheltered courtyard and I have had many a coffees (one too many just to savour it all in) in what really felt like a private sanctuary framed by warm stone and some emerging climbing greenery, tiny figs that started to show and where the only thing in the air is quiet and towards the end of our stay, chirping birds. Everything about this felt timeless and if you paid attention, you could smell the stillness.

We were really blessed with some fantastic sunshine and it literally brought to light, the emerging signs of spring. We would get ready and leave the house by 9:30 and be back by 3:30-4:00 PM and spend some time traipsing around and sipping hot drinks, colouring, lazing and cooking. I look back at holidays and am always touched by how it always seems like a clump of happiness, warm fuzziness that leaves you grateful, content and wanting more, all at once.

Canterbury Cathedral: A photographic journey

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Starting with the happiest reflection from our visit – We took our little Cavalier King Charles Spaniel to the cathedral and we could bring her into all parts of the Cathedral except when the service was happening and inner chapel. We love visiting cathedrals but just the fact that doggies are not allowed in has meant us missing so many of them so when I saw this information as we were trying to plan who stays out and who goes and what we do, I read, much to my absolute delight that doggies are welcome in all areas except very few restricted spots/service. And just like that, this has become my most favourite cathedral in the country for its inclusivity and for enabling us to appreciate and take in all the glory that is the Canterbury Cathedral, as a family.

And now that I have squealed my most favourite information, let me get into more of its wonder. We visited the cathedral as we were entering spring last year, so it has been a while but our wanderings and sights have stayed with me, a bit blurry but coming alive as we pour over the very many pictures we took from our morning there. So many that I have scratched the surface with a tiny selection of pictures here. We spent a day at Canterbury on our way back from Kent to Surrey and I highly recommend the entire town!

Canterbury Cathedral is such a breathtaking masterpiece of English Gothic architecture and nothing I recount here will bring to life the feeling of awe that captured us when we entered. 

The graceful rising stone arches and the pointed vaults lend themselves to the character of the cathedral. The intricately carved choir showcase the craftsmanship that has lasted from centuries ago. You really do need to take a deep breath and pause and let the details reveal themselves to you as you soak it all in.

The dazzling medieval stained glass windows in the chapel are utterly beautiful but also deeply moving. I always feel that about stained glass in chapels and this was no different. It makes the light in the chapel so magical.

I think I can speak for the family when I say that the long stone hallways and cloistered walkways were one of our most favourite parts of the cathedral. There is such a peaceful rhythm of arches (and shadows), and you cannot help but wander literally and figuratively. We paused at every point possible to take in the view of the world. Everything is so serene and timeless, I could just sit and stare for hours!

We lingered for many many moments and when we finally left, we vowed to be back! The tickets also serve as an annual pass and that is a very sweet deal indeed. Leaving you with some sunshine that washed over us that day!

Wandering Through Broad Hembury: a village adventure in east Devon

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One of our most favourite things to do when we are on any holiday is to explore villages and walk them. The villages in England truly reward wandering and I love them for it!

There is nothing quite like appreciating a well-preserved, traditional English village on foot as you stop to admire the flowing rooflines, or the characteristic post office that boasts of every essential you need and greets you with the most open smiles, nodding in appreciation at how re-modelling has managed to retain what feels like a characteristic charm as you make your way to the village pub for a bite and drink. We ofcourse meander here and there, find some heathland or some woodland to explore but we always come back to the village streets for more.

And so not surprisingly, when we were in east Devon, we wanted to visit Broad Hembury. I had read of the hipped roofs that characterised many of the 16th-17th century cottages and the historic interest it has garnered over the years. We picked the iconic Drewe’s Arms as a landmark to park at and also knowing fully well that it would be our lunch spot too. When we drove through the beautiful Blackdown Hills, we knew we were in for a treat. Sometimes, you can just tell, miles away. 

And golly were we right! 

To be met by this beautiful array of cottages was just such ha lovely feeling. It was an overcast and sometimes drizzling too for all of our time here but these cob cottages just made it all so quaint and charming!


We do pick a route often and complete it though we often wander here and there. Some villages just reward wandering, don’t they? This was no different except that we never could quite figure out the entire trail so we just let ourselves be guided by whatever it is that caught our eye and there was plenty!

I find myself in the most unusual quandary when I am met by such houses – they are just so stunning and perfect, like they were just meant to be at that intersection. I want to capture them all because for that brief moment, I have captured it in my heart too and taken a moment to register it. But I also am aware how it maybe something that the residents may really despise. So, I waver between “to do or not to do” and sometimes go for it. I never regret it later though.

My camera reel is full of “jumping up and down on muddy puddles, splish splash splish splosh”. What are wellies for, anyway?

As we walked back, we found this beautiful church very close to where we had parked. Finding a church, a post office and a pub on a circular walk is my definition of having done a decent tour of the village as it so happens, they all lie at a similar spot often just like in this beautiful little village.

And so as we circled back, we found ourselves at Drewe’s Arms, the iconic village pub.

On a cold, drizzly, windy day, as you walk in with muddy boots and in all of your slightly drenched selves, this is the nook you want to settle into.

What an utterly fun day! Go in the sun, go in the rain – if you enjoy a sweet short village walk, this one is definitely a treat for your eyes and feet!

Christmas break in a tree house in Devon at Otterfalls

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Shel Silverstein knew what he was talking about when he wrote –

A treehouse, a freehouse,
A secret you and me house,
A high up in the leafy branches,
Cozy as can be house.

A street house, a neat house
Be sure and wipe your feet house
Is not my kind of house at all –
Let’s go live in a tree house.

Back when we lived in Singapore a few years ago, one of my absolute favourite walks was a treetop walk or just about anything where our feet was far off the ground. It didn’t matter much whether we were in a tree house because being up there, high up, where the world felt and sounded soft was enchanting. But those experiences have nourished the desire to live in a forest, ensconced in the leafy tree tops.

And we have inched closer to that dream of being closer to the sky and the tree top this Christmas when we spent a few days in east Devon in the beautiful Otterfalls. It is a house on stilts and the one we were lucky to be in was truly wrapped amidst trees and the kind of mystery that only wintery dusks and dawns when the world turns quiet and small in a silvery haze, bring. And if you were to go during Christmas, when the woodland is studded in fairy lights you are in wonderland.

As much as we are all forest children in the family, I have to say the experience of staying in a woodland went up a notch starting with the staff at the reception and housekeeping (we didn’t see them) who were absolutely lovely in their interactions but also followed it up with actions. When we arrived the tree house was immaculate, everything so thoughtfully done. It was spacious and cozy and the design, layout and fixtures made it extremely friendly.

One of our favourite feature/s was the window, all of them as they all brought the forest in and made sure we always remembered just how special a place and experience this was. It was so cold and also sometimes rainy when we went here but every corner of the treehouse was so toasty and the temperature so well controlled and maintained, it was these windows that reminded us we were here thick in the middle of winter!

Each child had their favourite parts of the house and K and I just shared them all.

For Ishoo, it was this bunk bed which also happened to be his first one! Many hours were spent perched up on top with us hopping on and off, refreshingly reminding us of what child-like fun is!
Mili spent all possible time out on the deck, overlooking the lake and the trees and the very many birds and squirrels that frequented in and around us. Not once did she bark, quietly taking it all in and perhaps realising what a world it must be to have birds constantly strutting around!
I started my mornings a bit earlier than the rest, soaking in the lull around me interjected with the pitter patter of raindrops or the call of the birds around. It was and felt magical.

There is so much to explore around the cabins and that is what we loved about the whole set-up. You could stay put and go no where but just around and experience the joy of being immersed in nature.

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The ducks and geese were very much used to people and perhaps people with food for them (which we unfortunately did not have!) and then followed Ishoo just about everywhere. He was only too thrilled with the prospect of being so popular while Mili wondered why they played so hard to get with her!

The doggie play park is just another experience and highlight altogether. It was such a glorious, open and fenced spot for doggies. We love such inclusive holiday spots so much – where there is something for all and enough thought has been poured into it. It was after all a woodland and doggies will be absolutely fine but to have a dedicated space with activities and ramps for them just speaks oodles of the care that has gone in.

One of my favourite parts about a holiday is how I feel when I go to bed. It is such a small thing but I hold that moment so close and someday will articulate what about it makes it so special. We’d watch episodes of Bing Bang Theory, get incredibly busy with play-doh or poke boards and sleep with a smile knowing we could do it all again the next day.

A Mangalore ghee cake for K (and us)

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For K’s birthday, I made a cake with all things he likes – vanilla, extremely important; ghee and lots of it, a little different from the usual butter; a single flavour sponge that is simple, elegant and without too much sweetness. And a Mangalore ghee cake which I had been wanting to try for a long time now fitted this perfectly. I also wanted to bake him something different from the usual favourites I make for him: carrot cake without frosting, Victorian sponge with frosting ofcourse or a coffee cake (we love Anita’s @a_madteaparty coffee cake a lot!) and this turned out lovely – spongy, not too sweet at all and can definitely tell the ghee.

I followed Jason’s recipe, just used lesser egg. I have never had a Mangalore ghee cake so I will wait to try one before saying how alike they taste but I loved this version and texture and even Ishoo who rarely eats cakes or sweets, liked this enough to eat two small slices. Also equally important when baking birthday cakes is they HAVE to be Mili friendly. She is the first to appear for cake cutting anyway, even before the cake is rested on the table. To top it all, this cake matched what Ishoo wanted for his papa – a brown, white, vanleela cake!

Ishoo’s sticker and its magic

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You are looking at the first chilli that arrived this season on a plant that was not doing so well to start with. We had just transplanted it when it soon started having white bugs on the leaves and the leaves started to show signs of wilting. I did my usual and my only form of remediation really, with the neem spray and keeping a close watch. One thing that my few years in the garden and more years with children have taught me is to persist and hold on. I hold on with hope but sometimes you need a different kind of faith and magic to turn things around and that was Ishoo’s sticker. When the plant stood as tall as it could and we were talking about how it is being brave, even with a boo-boo, Ishoo slapped a sticker on the soil and said “well done, chilli plant”. And of all the chilli plants in the garden, this little fellow produced the first chilli and promises more. It has rained a few times, we have watered the plant everyday and the sun has been ablaze, but the sticker has stayed put and continues to do its magic since the day a little boy heaped a tender heartfelt praise for this chilli plant.

An autumnal long weekend in Cotswolds: breakfast and a few moments in Bourton on the Water

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Following on from where we left off, we drove to Bourton on the Water for breakfast at Croft, by the riverside. I had Belgian waffles with berry compote and dairy free yoghurt while K had some egg Florentine.

We have been to Bourton on the water few years ago with a friend and this is what I remembered of it – lovely walks by the river and endless coffees. It is such a different feeling going to the same place with two littles in tow. We absolutely soaked up the golden sun that morning and walked until we stumbled on a farmers’ market!

The streets were super colourful and cheerful, it felt like everyone was out celebrating the sun!

An autumnal long weekend in Cotswolds: Lower Slaughter

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I was looking for tiny quaint villages in the the north of Cotswolds, villages that are really small and not big market towns and definitely ones we had never visited until then. That is how I stumbled on Lower and Upper Slaughter, the twin villages about a couple of miles away from the more popular Bourton on the Water. And ofcourse, the fact that registered with me is how the word Slaughter came up – definitely nothing to do with slaughtering, it is derived from the old English word “slothre” that means “muddy place” which I can assure you along with every other article on the internet, it most certainly is not.

What it is though, is ethereal.

My research had told me of how scanty parking space is and all of my searches only threw up one road near the Manor House and said there are only a few spots available. And so we found ourselves there at 8 in the morning, with just one or two joggers who were residents, in sight. Bliss.

We parked by a stream that I later realised is the river Eye that runs through the village and was potentially the source of “muddy” banks. It really looks like a stream though it is a river. Walking along the river is one of the most memorable highlights of our entire trip.

I was in love with those beautiful stone foot bridges! You will find a couple as you walk along.

To watch the reflection in that pristine glass like water as we (read: I) tried to be as quiet as possible because I wanted to break into a song and announce to the world of how much beauty there is to be discovered all around us! I am sure the residents would not take too kindly to it, so I was on my best behaviour.

As you start walking further up along Copse Hill road which according to some of the sources has been voted the prettiest road in Britain, you cannot help falling in love with this beautiful village but also wonder how the residents must feel when it gets all busy with tourists. It is not easy being a resident in picturesque towns, is it?

I was really mesmerised by this style of stone houses – hundreds of homes across Cotswolds built in this distinctive style with Cotswold stone. This must have been so time consuming to build and yet stands tall and strong to this day!
I was trying to read more about how these stones are formed (makes for a fascinating read, especially so when you are procrastinating on something) and I stumbled on these words by J. B. Priestley who wrote of Cotswold stone that – “the truth is that it has no colour that can be described. Even when the sun is obscured and the light is cold, these walls are still faintly warm and luminous, as if they knew the trick of keeping the lost sunlight of centuries glimmering about them.” 

As you walk along, you will reach the unmissable Old Mill with its trade mark red brick tower and the water wheel.

If you just turn around, you will walk into this charming little horse trailer that doubles as the delightful mobile coffee van and sells some delicious coffee and pastries. What warmed my heart was they have doggie treat and smoothies for the infants/toddlers all served with a smile by the thoughtful owner.

We kept walking further up and had the most peaceful town to savour that morning.

We were peckish and decided to turn back and try the beautiful Manorhouse for breakfast but unfortunately it was only open to residents so we just had a quick look around and decided to head to Bourton on the Water for some breakfast and explore the market centre. All of that in my next one!