http://www.chisholme.org
Next stop that afternoon was my beloved walled garden, which is described in WWOOFing North and South. David insisted on pushing me along the somewhat long grassy paths and we squeezed our way through the once beautifully cut beech hedge, which separates the garden into two halves. Mark, the current volunteer manager, is battling hard to grow vegetables, fruit and flowers but a small army of helpers is needed to restore the garden to the well-kept state it was in when I first saw it. There is a new large polytunnel now, filled with delicious salad crops.
Outside the garden is the lake on which a family of swans were serenely floating. The chickens had a new home nearby and Debbie, an Australian WWOOFer, came to feed the chooks.
Every visit to Chisholme should be accompanied by a trek uphill to the monument of Bulent Rauf, the founder of the school. As trekking is now no longer possible for me David drove us up and then valiantly pushed me over rough ground to it. Sarah and Hiroko walked around, reading the inscriptions on the gravestones of people connected with the school who are buried there. The coniferous forest behind had been cut down and replanted with native trees. I sat awhile taking in the view but time was speeding by so we headed back down, spotting a young stag and a red squirrel on the way.
It was 4 o’clock – time for tea! The willow-patterned china was laid out on a table on the lawn, complete with homemade biscuits. I was pleased to see that my friends, Chris and Frances Ryan, were there. Chris has written an amazing book: The Story of the Damascus Drum, a sequel to which will be published shortly.
Then it was time to go and we left with many hugs and promises to come back soon.
A Traveller's Tales 