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.
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