Tuesday, we packed up once more our belongings, and headed up the A38 towards our next stop – an evening in the New Forest to recover some items we had left behind during our last visit in August.
After a couple of slices of spiced apple cake for breakfast, we hit the road in good time. An easy trip up the A35, so we decided to stop in Poundbury for a pit-stop.
Poundbury made us both think – reflect – on the experience of the town. It’s a town built as described on its own website as:
‘Poundbury is an urban extension to the Dorset county town of Dorchester, designed in accordance with the principles of architecture and urban planning as advocated by His Majesty, King Charles III, in his book ‘A Vision of Britain.’
I found the style of buildings refreshing, but walking around the town left a feeling of unnaturalness – sterile – in part, (I think) because the town had been designed, rather than evolved. There was no bumping into each other on the pavement, no congestion – no road signs – no road markings – no street bins, (we found) – it felt, to me, like a town built for the Stepford Wives.
I am sure the town will change as time weathers the fabric of the community, but at the moment, I feel, it is still growing its sole.
From Poundbury we headed off to the New Forest – arriving in good time we visited Brockenhurst the largest village in the area. An interesting location with some independent shops and a tidy high-street.
A short walk on the New Forst watching deer, before we arrived in the village of Burley for a catch-up with friends and retrieval of our possessions.
A pleasant evening by the fire talking about Poundbury, and fixing the world in general.