An Autumn Weekend in Armidale

Last week I shared with you some photos from the wedding we attended in Armidale

Here are some other photos from our trip.

We took the Bucketts Way/ Thunderbolts Way route to Armidale,

via Stroud and Gloucester.

After an early start, our first stop was morning tea at Stroud, 

on Silo Hill.

It was a beautiful sunny morning

and an amazing spot.

After Gloucester, the road took many winding turns and we headed up the mountains, 

 the scenery was incredible.

We arrived at Armidale around 2.00, 

well in time for the wedding rehearsal.

After such a strange wet and cool summer in Sydney,

it was good to get a sense of autumn in Armidale,

where the Autumn colours are everywhere.

Rain threatened just before the wedding,

but the clouds cleared and the sun shone.

On Sunday morning we woke to another beautiful Autumn day.

With a few hours to spare, we headed to the Arboretum

and enjoyed the sunshine, the colours,

the ducks

the tadpoles

 and the trees.

The forecast for the weekend had been around the 20degC range, 

so I had packed for wintery weather,

but it was more like 25degC

so after walking a while in the Arboretum 

I had to go and buy some summer clothes 

from the dregs of the sales!

We enjoyed a family lunch at the brides' parents home on Sunday afternoon.

Despite the dark clouds, the weather continued fine and mild.

On Sunday night the rain began to fall, and our trip home was misty and rainy.

We stopped at a few antique shops on the way and arrived home about 5.00pm.

We enjoyed being in the country so much,

but with the wedding and family commitments

there wasn't much time for relaxing on this little break.

 Which hadn't been the purpose of the trip, of course!

It was lovely to be at the wedding

and to see more of our country was a bonus!

Having had a little "Autumn Holiday", 

life does feel more like Autumn now!