Journey through time with herbs on a historic hillside

the landscape in which she lives. Our journey in herbs is also a journey through time; we pass by a Neolithic long barrow, a Bronze Age round barrow and an Iron Age farmstead, clustered together on the hillside overlooking the mesmerising view south along the valley of the Cerne Brook towards Dorchester.

After our herb gathering, we have a treat! Nettle soup and home-made bread in Eleanor’s barn, a timeless and tranquil place that could be a stage set for Far from the Madding Crowd! The nettle soup is delicious, very much reminiscent of pea and asparagus.

And so, to the brewery, where we are led through the process of brewing, and the herbs we have gathered are carefully weighed to the correct proportions for the brew. Everyone has the opportunity to add some of the herbs to the mash tun and as the lid is lifted, the malt-laden steam fills the air with the scent of barley and hops, conjoining in that magical alchemy of transforming into the wort that will become craft beer. This is both a process and a product that our grandparents would recognise. Small batch beers and ales, made entirely from natural ingredients, a world away from the chemical-tasting industrially produced beverages that pervade the market. That Cerne Abbas brewery is situated in an enchanting, wooded valley just south of the village, only adds to the sensory experience. Oh, by the way, dear reader, you can visit, sample and buy the beers and there’s wonderful food available too!