Once upon a time (three months ago), the lovely Claire and I grabbed an early morning train to Haddenham & Thame Parkway – a quick 35 minutes away from London.
We met up with the rest of our blogger/press group, jumped on a coach, and drove another twenty minutes or so through the hills and fields of Buckinghamshire… until we arrived at The Pointer.
FUN FACT: I haven’t blogged about this trip sooner because I thought these photos were lost forever.
The SD card went missing soon after the trip and I searched high and low, but eventually just gave it up as a lost cause. Until last week when I finally spotted it in a drawer at work.
At which point I went: OH YEAH. I REMEMBER PUTTING IT THERE.
(Seriously. This is exactly why I have to give Gary my passport whenever we travel anywhere.)
But anyway. Better late than never, right?
The lovely owners of The Pointer, David and Fiona, met us at the door. Their farm-house is GORGEOUS by the way. It’s all red brick, with wisteria climbing up the front and the biggest kitchen I’ve ever seen in my life. Such house goals.
They laid out a proper breakfast spread for us: piles of fresh bread, platters of golden bacon (from the farm pigs), and even a delicious frittata made with home-grown vegetables.
We drank a ton of coffee and Claire had cuddles with a sleepy puppy.
Then, after an introduction speech from David, we donned our wellies and headed out to explore the farm and meet the animals…
Piglet season is the best season.
These ones were just two to three weeks old. They’re loud, wriggly, squealing little things but oh they’re CUTE.
I was a vegetarian for 3 years, so I thought I’d be a bit freaked out, knowing that these tiny squirming bundles of pink are the ones that will eventually end up on our plates as piles of roast pork. But actually, it was… nice? That’s probably a weird word to use, but it was!
These pigs have an awesome life. They live out on the fields, with plenty of lush grass for them to snack on, and tons of space to explore and stretch their legs. They’re happy animals. And it was so nice to see that.
The Pointer actually has its own butcher shop as well, attached to their pub in the village. We met the butcher and his wife, who explained how they kill the animals in an ethical manner.
We also got a lesson in all the different cuts: which parts are best for what recipes, and even how to tell whether the meat we’re buying is of good quality.
I picked up some pork sausages to take home for Gary and honestly, they’re cheapest and best sausages I’ve ever bought. Seriously. It was about £2.50 for six fat sausages, all made with 100% pork from the farm. A total bargain!
We had them grilled with some garlicky mash and peas the next day for lunch, and I can tell you now that I have never had anything like it.
I’ve been buying all my sausages at my local butcher’s ever since!
Finally, after more piglet cuddles and a visit to the long-horn cattle, we changed out of our wellies and headed down to pub in the village for some lunch.
I had a lovely time snapping photos of all the beautiful interior details. It’s really one of the nicest pubs I’ve ever been to! Proper wood floors, stone fireplaces, with plenty of little nooks and crannies to cosy up in. The fresh flowers are picked daily by Fiona from the farm, and the staff are really friendly and such a great team.
Everyone knows everyone, and it’s heartwarming to see how connected everyone is to both The Pointer and the village itself.
Claire and I had a long chat with Fiona about the school lunch program they help out with. The farm (and pub) supply the local primary school with meat and fresh vegetables, helping create a nutritious lunch for the pupils.
Community is at the heart of The Pointer and it honestly feels like a proper family.
That’s the best (and least eloquent) way I can think to explain it!
Oh and, of course, the food is just as fabulous as the setting!
Hunks of roast beef and roast pork, shredded in front of our eyes, with the tender meat just FALLING off the bone. We had bowls of freshly picked salads to go with it. Tender potatoes in herby mayonnaise; fresh and juicy tomatoes with chives; perfectly grilled asparagus; and, of course, a green salad made with their delicious home-grown rocket and herbs.
It was all absolute perfection. Claire was having a week off meat at the time, so the kitchen team quickly rustled her up a fresh courgette roulade as well. It got a massive thumbs up!
The whole set-up is just incredible. I’m so glad I got to experience it, and I can’t wait to go back. I’d love to see it in autumn!
Just imagine it, curling up by a roaring fire place with a plate of perfect roast beef and a glass of red wine, followed by a walk after lunch through the village and over the hills…
Go on. You know you want to. (I know I certainly do!)
*We were guests of The Pointer farm and pub for this visit.
All thoughts, words and photos are my own!
