Lunch, Lavender and Lambs!

A few days before the Easter weekend Mike and I took advantage of the lovely warm, sunny weather we were having (and the fact that Emily was happy to hold the fort for us here!) and set off towards Hartland and the Cheristow Lavender Tea Rooms.  Now admittedly, it's a bit of a run out in the car from Bude but it's definately worth the journey and we spent a happy hour or so soaking up the sunshine in the tea garden surrounded by lavender.

This friendly tea room is highly deserving of its many awards and serves locally sourced produce with home grown seasonal salads and chutneys, cakes and scones made on the premises.  Lunch was really very good .... we chose a delicious Cheddar and Brie Ploughmans served with three different relishes (the beetroot and mint chutney was so lovely we bought two jars away with us) and a large healthy salad topped with olives and pumpkin seeds and finished with a delicious balsamic dressing.
Mike sampled a pot Cheristow Blue Tea (their take on Lady Grey) delicately flavoured with yes, you guessed it .... Lavender! :) 
Sadly we'd no room left afterwards which was a shame as the cake selection looked amazing.

Cheristow have recently won awards for their Lavender Cordial, Strawberry & Lavender Conserve, and Cheristow Cornucopia Conserve. The Lemon and Lavender Marmalade is their most popular conserve and the Cranberry & Lavender Chutney is perfect with West Country Brie.  All can all be purchased from the shop to enjoy at home.  There's also a selection of handmade Aromatherapy gifts including hand and body lotion, liquid handwash, bathing toiletries and moisturising creams with the healing properties of lavender and other essential oils.

When we could literally eat no more (and with two carrier bags bulging with goodies) we left the tea garden and set off reluctantly on our journey back to Bude.  The hedgerows of the narrow country lanes were brimming with spring flowers, bluebells & wild garlic and a family of very lazy young lambs in one of the fields by a public footpath kindly posed for a photo or two. 

Finally we dropped in at St Nectan's Church in Stoke (the parish church of Hartland) for a wander round the old church yard ... the magnificent 128 foot tower is claimed to be the highest in Devon.

  

Cheristow Lavender, Award Winning Tea Rooms, Hartland, North Devon

Eric specialises in growing Lavender and has around 100 varieties in his collection

The lovely cakes on display

Mike enjoying his Cheristow Blue Tea



Lavender fabric-topped jars on the dresser in the shop





Hedgerows brimming with Bluebells and Wild Garlic on the way back to Bude



Lazy sheep pose for a photo .....



.... or two



St Nectan's Church, Stoke




Part of the large and very beautiful Churchyard



Tombstones surrounded by bluebells beneath the trees

You can find out more about Cheristow Lavender on their website http://www.cheristow.co.uk/
Cheristow Lavender, Hartland, Devon. EX39 6DA Telephone 01237 440101
Free Admission to the Farm Walk and Lavender & Rose Gardens
Open 1 March to 31 October 11am to 6pm   Closed on Fridays (Wheelchair Friendly)

You can visit the Wikipedia page for St Nectan's Church, Stoke here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_of_Saint_Nectan

Please visit our Website too http://www.fairwayguesthouse.co.uk/