Wiradjuri & Gundungara COUNTRY - Upper Lachlan NSW
I never used to consider myself particularly lucky when it came to competitions. The last time I won something I think it was the early eighties and I was in first grade. The school dental van ran a colouring-in contest and my prize was a toothbrush, a tiny tube of toothpaste and those whizzbang red tablets that made the plaque on your teeth bright pink after you chewed them. I felt like the luckiest 6 year old on the planet. Forty years on, it's safe to say that I was more than chuffed to win a two night escape to Mister Munro in Crookwell thanks to Historic Stays and Munro & Co.
Elise Croker has a gift for transforming any space into something really special and the original tailor's shop in the Main Street of Crookwell is testament to that. A haven styled with vintage treasures, gorgeous textiles and rich colours. Pretty little vignettes everywhere you turn. Our stay was a series of languid sleep-ins amongst buttery linen and nights cosied up by the fire listening to old jazz records with a glass of red in hand. On arrival we made a beeline for the combustion stove which was cheerfully crackling away in the lounge. It didn't take us long to sink into the plush armchairs, allowing the week's cares to melt away as we thawed in front of the fire. A simple dinner, a hot shower and an early night in a gloriously comfortable bed...heaven.
The weather was crisp and clear on our second day, perfect for a late breakfast at Cafe Zest and a stroll about town followed by an afternoon road trip through the Upper Lachlan region. We headed to Taralga for a long lunch at the Argyle Inn in celebration of our 17th wedding anniversary, sipping on divine Autumn concoctions like Quince Old Fashioned and Gooseberry Smash. After lunch we continued along back roads to Binda, Bigga and Frogmore. It was a delicious afternoon of discovery, pausing every now and again so that I could jump out with my camera to capture a scene. Before kids, we used to spend a lot of weekends just seeing where the road would lead us and it was so lovely to fall back into old habits. We came across the friendliest mob of white Suffolks whose curiosity far outweighed the skittishness I usually encounter when trying to photograph merinos. The moon greeted us in spectacular fashion as we wound our way back into Crookwell, ending the day with champagne and a cheese platter by the fire. Sunday was a slow start, savouring the beautiful spaces at Mister Munro before wandering up the street to breakfast at Ensemble & Co. The icy winds kicked up by mid morning and the sky began to close in, signalling the last of the weekend's fine Autumn weather and time for our return home.
It was such a lovely weekend and I'm feeling more than a smidge lucky that we got to escape to Mister Munro. Huge thanks to Elise for her beautiful hospitality and to Alison at Historic Stays for running the competition. Oh, and Hubs...happy anniversary Babe...here's to the next 17 years of seeing where the road will lead us.
Til next time...pip pip xx Em