New Breakfast Bar

Well, at last we have completed the new Breakfast Bar at Tom's Field. We have developed what was the original shop that Tom Bower opened with his dad back in 1950s. We have called it The Bower after Tom.
It will be open most Saturdays and Sundays when we can, it won't be fast food but a good breakfast which may be useful to some people staying on the campsite.
The Breakfast Bar will be open from 8.00a.m. to 10.a.m. 

The aim is to stock with Fairly Traded items like tea, coffee and sugar and local sausages and eggs etc.

Here ia picture of our very first customer who allowed me to use his picture

Art, lots of art

This has been the first week of Purbeck Arts Week, well it is two weeks and is now called a festival as there are many other events that are taking place beside the Open Studios of Purbeck Artists. Last week I took the opportunity to go to several events including a talk by Pennie Denton about the sculptress Mary Spencer Watson. Mary had lived and worked in Swanage area until her death a few years ago. After the talk there was a showing of the film Isadora Duncan which had Vanessa Redgrave starring.

I also visited a fascinating project of animation by The Gaslight Group led by animator Katy Shepherd at Rempstone. Her work will be shown  May 28th to 30th and 4th and 5th June. There is so much to do and see it is hard to choose where to go!

The campsite is looking good. The goldfinches have really taken to the recent feeders and are around in abundance. The 'Herbs on the Terrace' are coming along very well too.

It is a busy week everywhere in Purbeck and the weather is not bad at all, windy but promises to get even better in the week.

Purbeck Arts Weeks Festival

This is a reminder that Purbeck Arts Weeks Festival has started today for two weeks . A great variety of exhibitions and events. Here is a link to the website http://www.purbeckartweeks.co.uk/

Great Crested Newt arrived!

This week,on a lovely sunny day, the new sculpture arrived at Tom's Field Campsite. We are delighted with it. The piece has real character and lends itself to being touched . The stone is Purbeck Thornback and has some polished parts and some interesting textures.

Why a Great Crested Newt? About a year ago we had a species survey done by Dorset Wildlife and we were told that there could be Great Crested Newts on the site as the Purbecks are well known as one of the more southern areas where the newts live. Although there is not a pool of water on the site there is a dewpond near Priestway just above the site.

Midge Bullock, who made the piece, is a tutor at The Burngate Stone Carving Centre which is just up the road from Tom's Field and is a fascinating place to visit.

May

It is hard to believe how many weeks have passed since I last wrote. Since that time there have been two sets of bank holidays and the end of May holiday week will be with us in about three weeks. It has been a busy time and with wonderful weather. The campsite has been looking very pretty with hawthorn bushes covered in delicate white blossom.

The new map that we commisioned from Tony Kerins is in place outside the shop on the terrace , this offers visitors a bird's eye view of the campsite and The Isle of Purbeck in Tony's very individual style. we are also looking forward to another piece of sculpture this time by Midge Bullock and based on the great crested newts that are to be found around Langton Matravers.

Last time I looked at the wild flower area that we planted last year in the Hiker's Field it was in flower and has progressed well.

Had some excellent walks to Dancing Ledge in the stunning weather, it is such a pleasant walk with a great deal to be seen on the way. We are producing some special, individual walk leaflets that will be available soon.

Purbeck Weeks Arts Festival starts on May 20th, this is a must see event, details to follow!!

Open!

The site has now been open for nearly a week. The weather has been mostly beautiful which has meant that much of the outstanding winter work has been completed. The best bit is the new shower/toilet facility for The Stone Room. It is really very nice and will make staying in The Stone Room even more pleasant .
The live Bird Watch is on in the shop. Not a great deal happening but there are visiting sparrows inspecting the nest. It was very interesting that the birds decided they did not like the stretchy yellow man that staff members had put in the nest for a 'jape' last year. He was summarily disposed of and was found flat out on the terrace below.

Spring!

It is, amazingly, only two weeks before we open. It has been warm and spring like for the last couple of days and the daffodils are out at Tom's Field. The winter work is well on and all is looking good albeit a little muddy in some places, that won't last as we are so lucky in the land draining off quickly.
We went to Burngate Stone Centre for a Have- A- Go session. Tremendous fun, we were taught the basics of stonecarving and everyone made a piece to take home. .
Stone is a feature at the moment as we are having some walls renewed soon. The campsite is surrounded by quite ancient dry stone walling, a lovely  aspect and home to quite a few little creatures and some nesting birds.