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An Awesome August

This weekend marks the end of three weeks of the Dillington Summer School and before that the Classical Guitar Summer School and Festival – our 20th. This past week the weather was threatening but our out-and-about course managed to escape the worst – except on Bank Holiday Monday when our planned picnic and trip to Avebury had to be abandoned because of torrential downpours. That didn’t stop us visiting the new Stonehenge visitor centre nor walks on the South Dorst Ridgeway and the East Devon Pebblebeds. The latter walk remembered by our friendly encounter with the Royal Marine Commandos on a manhunt. Friday was our walk to down the length of Portland and a visit to the bizarre ‘village’ of Poundbury which is looking more like St James’ or Cheltenham than a Dorset village!

Thursday we all traipsed off to New and Old Sarum. Salisbury Museum has just opened its new Wessex Gallery – a superb presentation and interpretation of archaeological finds from southern Wiltshire. You need to go to the Devizes Museum and the Avebury Museum to get the whole picture. Also at the museum is a fantastic exhibition of the life and work of Cecil Beaton. On the face of it not everyone’s cup of tea but a fascinating insight into how the other half lived for much to the twentieth century.

All in all August has been a great success and, together with our wedding events, the month has been one of our best. If you took part at any point, I hope you enjoyed every moment.