Sunday, October 21, 2012

Clare, Suffolk

Would you like to take a little walk around my mum's very favourite village to visit, Clare, Suffolk.  It's just a short drive from BB's about three miles.  We park our car in the Castle car park, near the canal, it used to be free but those days are gone.

We take a slow amble as it is uphill to the village of Clare, passing by the old mill warehouse which is now Clare Antiques a collections of different vendors under one roof.  This time we don't go in as it is a whole visit on it's own and if you don't want to tire out then you must go another day.  On a previous visit I bought a very lovely antique 1920's gold ring, with little inset crystals, like an eternity ring one edge is different to the other and goes so lovely with a diamond ring that I have, I wear the two together.


We're now at the top cross roads, where we will cross and walk into the village.
 

Our first stop is the bakery on the corner where we buy fresh rolls for our picnic lunch along with a lovely pastry or cake to go with our coffee.  You must do this first thing as they are very popular and when all is sold they close and that can be quite early.




We always love to look around the Iron Mongers store, with all the wonderful pots and pans, old brown mixing bowls and pudding basins.  This time I saw a little cast iron camp fire cooker, I was very tempted to buy it, but it could only have come on as hand luggage and I can just see me touting that around the airport on my own.  No it wasn't going to be.  So I sigh and walk by that.






 We walk on down the road and look in a couple of the shops, but the one that most reminds me of my child hood is the Post Office and Newsagents.  Here you can buy your daily newspaper or one of those lovely UK magazines, along with stationery, pens and numerous other items, of course sweets too, we just wander around.



Clare is an old wool town and this prosperity of old is reflected in the very large church in the centre of the village.  The lady walking down the street could so be my aunt Joan, that I look at it and think it is my aunt Joan, and when I get old and confused I'll probably look at this photo and say that was my aunt Joan walking down the street.



Even the little alley way between the two main streets is brightened by pots of flowers.

We've taken our short walk around the village we don't always visit everything as we've been there before and if mum was with us it had to be limited.  We slowly walk back to the Castle grounds near the canal where we will have our picnic lunch.

I'll take your there next time.

Christy





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