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Situated close to spectacular countryside Soul Friend Retreats provides the perfect base for
walkers, hikers, cyclists and those looking for a relaxing break,
to explore this beautiful area.
A
short drive will take you to the stunning Jurassic coast, scattered
with wonderful beaches and charming towns such as Lyme Regis. Bridport
is home to two wonderful weekly antique and farmers produce markets.
The
area is rich in artists and crafts people, many of whom open their
studios throughout the season. Specific arts events include Axminster
Arts Festival, Devon Arts Week and numerous local concerts and
music events, all well covered in the local press.
Axminster – A delightful country market town.
Situated four miles from Lyme Regis and Seaton part of England’s first natural World Heritage Site, known as the Jurassic Coast, this attractive small market town is central to many nearby activities along the coast and within it.
There is an hourly train service to Waterloo, London, excellent bus services, with collection from both when arranged, good shops, restaurants, a Theatre, swimming pool and gymnasium all with walking distance of the accommodation.
Lyme Regis offers a good Museum, boat hire and fishing trips, book shops, art galleries, fossil and fashion shops, a working mill, (The Town Mill, offers tours, flour, and has a gallery).
The Marine Theatre has a busy programme, and the famous Undercliff walk to Rousdon is guided as are some Fossil Hunting expeditions.
The remarkable Cliffs from Beer to Budleigh Salterton are the highest in the south west of England, up to 191metres high made of red rock between 200 and 250 million years ago. They do not contain many fossils, but display many clues that enable us to reconstruct a series of desert environments, sand dunes, salt lakes, lagoons and rivers, tell tale signs that these rocks formed a land in hot arid conditions, clues to the different environment that existed here in East Devon at Exmouth and Budleigh Salterton. These particular cliffs are inaccessible except by taking a boat from Exmouth which is easy to arrange.
There are some wonderful cliff path walks all along the coast, beautiful woodland and country walks too, the Lyme Bay Undercliff walk is about a five hour walk with a guide.
Bridport, which is 12 miles away, has a huge Saturday Antiques market, and is well worth a visit also.
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History of Axminster
Interestingly energetically is that it's on an intersection of both two rivers and two ancient roads – water and earth, but as a place it can get 'stuck' if too much water (+ earth = mud!). Hence needs more creativity (fire) and inspirational thinking (air)!
The town dates back to the Celtic times of around 300 BC. It lies on two major Roman roads: the Fosse Way from Lincoln to Seaton, and the Dorchester to Exeter road. There was a Roman fort on the crossroads at Woodbury Farm, just south of the present town.
Opposite the meeting of the Yarty with the river Axe is the Roman fort at Woodbury Farm (SY2997). The fort is at the intersection of the Roman roads (Fosse Way. Axmouth-Ilchester) and (Dorchester-Exeter).
The location of the site at the apparent confluence of two Roman roads has led to the suggestion that the Roman site at Woodbury may well have developed into a villa or posting station.
The results of detailed geophysical survey at Woodbury Farm, Axminster indicate the presence of buried foundations of buildings and walls within the Roman fort as well as evidence of an associated settlement.
Axminster was recorded in the late 9th century as Ascanmynster and in the Domesday Book of 1086 as Aixeministra. The name means "monastery or large church by the River Axe" and is a mixture of languages; the river name Axe has Celtic origins and mynster is an Old English word.
The history of the town is very much linked to the carpet industry, started by Thomas Whitty at Court House near the church in 1755. The completion of the early hand tufted carpets was marked by a peal of bells from the parish church as it took a great amount of time and labour to complete them. Devon
Earth Energy Dowsing Walks
We are blessed in Devon and Dorset with many sites to explore with dowsing
rods and pendulums, to connect with the earth energies of the area.
Ley lines, energy lines, holy wells, sacred sites, the vibrations
from ancient buildings all form part of our heritage.
We too give off the extraordinary rainbow colours from our bodies,
called Chakras, easily seen now with modern technology, computer
scans and digital photography, as do all life forms existing on
this beautiful planet of ours.
For some of our explorations we can be guided by experienced geomancers
for in depth study, bringing a new level of understanding to us
through this ancient art.
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