This past Sunday, the Witch, the Shield Maker, The Bellydancer and Little Mr D all piled into the car to trek our way down to Grand Cru Estate; the new business venture of Henry Carter – the fantastic organiser behind Barossa Medieval Fair, SA Viking Festival Victor Harbor and other markets too numerous to name off. It is in Springton, nestled in the Adelaide Hills overlooking a gorgeous amount of scenery. We left on a very rainy, cold morning anticipating that it would be worse further south; and although the weather was perfectly wintry we were excited for this adventure to begin. The trip was very uneventful which is how I do prefer car travel, it was nice to see the land greening as it has been a long time coming here with it being very dry and very un-green well into May/early June.
The weather Gods must of decided we needed a break because the rain was not as bad as it could have been and as we got nearer the city (Adelaide) the rain had dried up completely. The estate is perched a top a beautiful location with scenery as far as the eye could see. The air did steal our breath when we exited the car because, although the rain had stopped, it was still quite cold and we were up higher than the plains of the Mid North where we came from. The hills are quite spectacular; there is a sense of being isolated, of being far away from the world but the isolation is not lonely, instead it gave a sense of solitude where you could feel at peace. The silence of winter, if you will, that envelops you and just lets the mind rest because there was no sense of busy-ness.
We were welcomed by the esteemed Barefoot Viking and Bowyer – two of our most favourite people that we’ve become friends with from the markets; hugs and welcomes ensued. It is always so fantastic to catch up with the close friends who live far from us. Upon entry there was a roaring fire that warmed the bones and gave a sense of cosiness and homeliness; the warm red interior was like a cosy cloak after being outside and it calmed you instantly. After a quick interior tour we were led outside for a larger tour of the very extensive grounds. Although we didn’t get to go far on our first tour, we saw plenty and it was remarkable how beautiful the estate really is. We hunkered down to enjoy our day, eating good food and chatting; the Viking and Little Mr D (sharing with Mum) both chose to avail themselves of homemade pizza cooked in the rustic pizza oven outside. I chose the Spiced Roast Pumpkin soup with the lovely bread roll, it was hearty and warming.
Afterwards Henry gave us a tour of the grounds more extensively; we were able to hear some of his plans for the estate which was really fantastic. The views from every angle were just stunning; it is an incredibly picturesque place with so many different areas to engage in and enjoy. Once we had completed our tour, the Bellydancer (a.k.a best friend) and I decided to go and have some fun taking photos with our capes on. But alas, the rain had decided that it was time to return, having given us the grace of a mostly dry day. With mildly soaked cloaks stored away, we returned to the warmth of the dining room where we spent the remainder of the afternoon engrossed in conversation and having a wonderful time. We are looking forward to returning in the spring when everything is in bloom to experience the estate in the warmer season but I do think there is a beauty in winter, it is subtle and sometimes bare, but it holds its own magic that you can feel in the air.
Some photos of the cape induced fun! (With a little help from photoshop)
Comments
Post a Comment