Hunter Valley!

Specifically, the Wine Region of the Hunter Valley!  A couple of days touring this lovely region, visiting the odd winery and lunch at the Hunter Valley Gardens and Village.   My first visit - like a moth to a flame - was to a chocolate and ice cream venue!   A broad selection of lollies, chocolates and ice cream on display, but it was warm and I only stopped for an ice cream.

Then on to an outlet for the small vineyards of the region, where I bought a bottle of sangiovese to go with spaghetti one evening.   While I wasn't interested in wine tastings (I was driving),  I stopped in at Pepper Tree and Tyrrells vineyards, as I have had excellent wine from them in the past.  While tempted to pick up a dozen or two, space limitations put paid to that!  Plus, somewhere in the back of my mind the thought of an overstocked cellar at home eventually swung the decision.   The Lower Hunter is a very pretty valley and it appears that the grape growing bits are specific:  I drove to the town of Wollombi on the SW edge and noticed a few failed attempts to establish vineyards.  Wollombi is a tiny village but apparently jumps on the weekends:  It has historic buildings, remnants of more prosperous times and is close enough to the main tourist area to draw enough to survive.

Going back a bit, on the way through I stopped in Cessnock for a look around and saw where there is a railway museum a few km S, so I went there.  It is on the site of a disused colliery and wasn't open at the time of my visit, but I had a good look around anyway.  They have an interesting collection of rail artifacts and certainly plenty of opportunity for the societies members to indulge in any restoration urges they may have!  In fact, I heard some machines working in a far shed but didn't go to investigate as - while there were no signs to the contrary - I'm pretty sure I wandered into some areas the public isn't normally allowed.  

I am currently camped at Broke, on the W. edge of the wine region in a very pleasant camp.  On arriving, a chap came up and introduced himself , recognising "Loki" (large red letters on the back of my van) from the Grey Nomads Forum!  In fact, the three nearest vans were all solo nomads, one chap being 93 years of age!  So we had a Happy Hour, with wine supplied by Jonathan, cheese, salami & crackers supplied by me and other snakkies supplied by Colleen and Doug.