June-July: Great Britain, Continued

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June 23-24: Aberystwyth to Caernarfon to Lancaster

We awoke to cool weather with rain so we decided it was a good day to walk a few blocks and do some laundry. That accomplished, we were on our way up north to the Snowdonia National Park surrounding Mt. Snowdon, the highest point in Britain (excluding Scotland) at around 4,000 ft. We were hoping to take a cog train that has been in operation since 1896.


Breakfast in Aberystwyth before doing a quick, big load of wash and setting out for N. Wales.  Stormy seas outside


Laundrette was walking distance from our hotel in Aberystwyth

Along the way we stopped in at a small shop selling coffee and pastries for a break. We met a very nice proprietor and a couple, who had stopped by. We had reached the boundary of the park, but really didn't know where to go from there. We learned that in north Wales there are more Welsh speakers than the south. (When I went in to pay for gas, I'm sure the cashier began by speaking Welsh, then quickly switched.) This couple said they spoke the language and were very happy to answer our questions. I asked about where a friend's grandmother was born, and he knew all about it. We weren't far away, and he said that area was famous for the slate quarries, which was exported to other countries.


Rest stop for coffee and current pastries

We decided to head to Caenarfon to see the castle. We knew it was closed, but we could walk around and see it. This is where Prince Charles was made the Prince of Wales when he was a boy. The medieval structure was built in 1283 by Edward I as one of many fortresses as part of the subjugation of the Welsh. It was built on the seacoast to provide provisioning from the sea and a way to escape when besieged. His son Edward II, the first prince of Wales, was born there. An odd thing to us was that the tide was out and all the boats moored in the harbor were high and dry, like you see in Doc Martin's town of Portwenn.


Caernafon Castle


Caernafon Castle


Elaine, Terry and Tom in front of Caernafon Castle


Tide is out in Caernafon

We have learned that about 750,000 speak or can read the language due in part to the fact that everything: signs, menus, posters, leaflets, etc. are written in both. Welsh is taught in school, and there is also a channel on TV and a radio station in Welsh. The difficult thing for us is that the pronunciation of place names is very difficult such as the one from yesterday ABERFFRWD. Apparently, some of what we would call consonants are vowels or have built-in vowels. We'll have to ask someone how it is pronounced.

We arrived at The Royal Victoria Hotel in Llanberis where we are staying after miles of twisty narrow roads. The hotel was built in the 1830's and was nearly visited by Queen Victoria, herself, but she took ill just a few miles from her destination. The rest of her party made it. We found lots of people staying there to climb the mountain. That evening there was a hike up the 4.5-mile trail from nearly 0 to 4,000 feet to raise money for Alzheimers.


The Royal Victoria, our hotel in Caernafon (actually in Llanberis)


Joel, Tom and Terry having breakfast at the Royal Victoria Hotel


Fresh butter and milk

The next morning, we went over to the cog train station and purchased tickets for the 2 ½ hour trip up the mountain and back. It was fun to see the sheep along the side of the tracks, and to look at the long lines of hikers trudging up the hill. At times, the tracks were on a narrow piece of land dropping down on either side. It did get foggy as we approached the summit and was quite cool.


Train station for the cog train to Snowdon Summit


Tom on cog train to Snowdon Summit


Cog train tracks

We drove to the coastal town of Conwy (Conway) to see another of Edward I's castles, the one that actually got completed. There were scads of people in town for a Saturday morning holiday, but we found parking and bought tickets to tour the castle. People dressed in medieval costumes were stationed all around the grounds staging contests with spears, etc. We could see the old suspension bridge that is only used now for foot traffic. The tide was in and all the boats afloat. Later we strolled through several streets where they were having Saturday market.


Terry on highest tower of Conwy (Conway) Castle in Conwy.


Overlooking bay at Conwy


Conwy village

 


Terry, Tom and Elaine at Conwy Castle


Conwy Castle


Conwy Castle


Elaine at Conwy Castle


Conwy


Fresh sea food take-away: Crab, lobster, mussels, cockles, etc. We could have rented crab traps!

We were on dual carriageways (freeways) most of today and saw another new road sign: Trucks and oversized vehicles should use the "crawler" lane. We also saw "Police speed check ahead." We never saw any police, but wondered if police aren't checking all roadways for speeders. We only realized we had left Wales when the road signs were no longer in two languages. We'll miss those Welsh!

We hastened on to our stop for the night just outside Lancaster. We had booked this hotel, like all the others, some months ago and didn't know exactly what we would find. It is out in the country with a few rooms and a pub/restaurant. We can see sheep and cattle out the window, and the accommodations are great. We decided to have something to eat here and were surprised to be asked if we had booked; in a pub? It turned out that it is also a great restaurant and they squeezed us in. The food was great. There is a 24hr Agatha Christie channel on TV and we'll probably watch that. It fits right in.


Our hotel, the Fenwick Arms near Lancaster, UK


Newly redone guest rooms at the Fenwick Arms


Terry, Tom , Elaine and Joel eating dinner at the Fenwich Arms in Lancaster


Terry's delicious chicken pie with "real chips" and green beans.

Your blogs make me hungry!  Sylvia S.

Hi Tom, I am enjoying your places very much. Have never been in that part of the world. You descriptions are really interesting and personal. Dick P.

How's your Welsh?   Real castles in Wales! Jon S.

Hi Tom,s touring party, glad you are enjoying the UK best wishes for the rest of your trip. Ian and Don 

 



Hi Cousins,Your photos are tugging at my heartstrings and making me sigh big sighs. I was in Wales exactly a year ago, and all the photos are taking me back and wishing I were there.
After I finished my tour I met up with some British friends by backtracking on the train from Glasgow to Bangor in North Wales. We then drove to a B&B in deep North Wales. Whenever I heard our landlady on the phone she was speaking Welsh.

If you happen upon any gardens, take time to walk through. Some are down interesting side roads that one would never find alone, though. We visited several between leaving Wales and ending in Glasgow. Is that the way you're heading? This time of year is the best. The climate allows things we keep have to keep in the shade to be right out in the sunny "English Borders." Opium poppies are a popular and legal garden plant, and they come in yummy colors. Isn't Conwy Castle fabulous? Eagerly awaiting the next installment. Pam L

June 25: The Lake Country, Carlisle

Sunday morning began with breakfast in the dining room of the 250-old building where we were staying. There were fireplaces at either end with Victorian cast iron inserts for coal and wood. Most of the buildings and fences are built with local slate. The walls are stacked pieces with some mortar that is recessed. The roofs are slate. Sometimes walls are plastered and painted.


Breakfast room at the Fenwick Arms in Lancaster


Coal/wood burning fireplace insert

Our day was spent in the Lake Country northwest part of England, a favorite hangout of the poets and painters. As we crossed into this beautiful place, we were filled with iambic pentameter and blank verse. We wanted to pull out our canvas and easel and began painting. We settled for rambling along very narrow country roads dodging all the other Sunday drivers out for a spin.


Stone wall along the road

Our first stop was Hawkshead and the Beatrix Potter gallery. She lived several different places and we thought about going to one, but it would be very crowded and where only 8 were let in at a time. Instead we spent the morning wandering around this quaint town where her husband's office was turned into a museum/gallery of her work operated by the National Trust.


Terry and Tom in Hawkshead


Repurposed telelphone booth

Potter lived from 1866-1943 and was much influenced by the farms she purchased and the villages nearby. In this gallery was a nice display of pictures showing the lack of change in this area. One photo was taken in the early 1900, one was recent and next to these would be a water color or drawing of the same subject as the photos.

 

This whole village is a national park and no new building can be built. We were told it is the most expensive place to live in England where a studio with no parking is going for £300,000 ($381,500).

We walked to the Anglican Church above the town and found a 12th century building that has not changed since the 1300's. A type of arches used here is found nowhere else in England. In this ancient building, there was a digital projector running in one corner showing the announcements, prayer requests, etc. Since the pages were decorated like the church, it took a moment to see that that particular ornament was changing.


Anglican church in Hawkshead


Hawkshead


Joel, Terry and Tom in Hawkshead

The parking lot here is automated. There is a camera which records your license place.  When you get ready to pay and leave, you go to a machine where you key in your number and pay ... an amount according to how long you've been there.

Next stop was Hayes Garden Center.  An incredibly huge place where you can get most anything for the outdoor spaces.


Terry, Tom and Joel at the huge Hayes Garden Center


The "wool" on these sheep is made of pieces of slate.


Someone fishing in Lake Windermere

We ended our Lake Country experience with a visit to Dove Cottage, William Wordsworth's home.  He lived here for a period of his life when he was reunited with his sister and got married. The period was 1799 to 1808. It was a lively household with many guests who didn't hesitate to stay permanently, and the arrival of children. Soon the house was too full and he had to look for larger quarters. We had a very interesting guided tour. We could have gone to other Wordsworth sites, but ran out of time.


Garden at Dove Cottage



Sofa in Dove Cottage


William dictating verse to his wife Mary

We ended our day in the center of the city of Carlisle, 6 miles from the Scottish border. We had a nice dinner at an Indian restaurant.


Carlisle

There’s no such thing as too many pictures! Nancy D

Thanks for the fun trip information. I loved the pictures with you in the pasture and the beautiful cows. The sheep at the garden center are nice. What do the real sheep look like? Maybe you could snap a shot. It has been near 100 here, but cooling today and in the high 70's for the rest of the week. OSU Beavers won 13-1 only to lose the next two games to LSU so they will not be in the CWS championship game tonight. Bummer. Thinking of you all. My hedgehog Harold was from Chipping Campden so he loved those pictures of 'home'. Take care, Nancy H

Do you make your own itinerary? Everywhere you go seem so fabulous. Maybe you just have a great travel agents. Whatever it is I'd love to be in your pocket travel along with you.  Carol S.

Oh, no. There you are at another place I loved. In 1981 my kids and I visited Beatrix Potter's farm and house. It was April and not too crowded.  She is one of my all-time favorites. Those slate sheep you posted are supposed to represent the breed she kept and showed---Herdwick, with white faces and grey bodies. Wish I had one for my garden. We stayed at at least one Ibis in France and found it nice, with a good breakfast. At the Amsterdam airport we stayed at a hotel called Citizen M, which is highly automated but friendly and had a warm feeling. I will tell you about our room when we're at the reunion. Enjoy Scotland!!  Pam L.

 

This brings back fond memories of the Lake District, which I visited in 1980.  Still as gorgeous and unspoiled as I remember.  Your group knows how to get the most out of every travel experience. Love, Sylvia

I’m SO enjoying (secondhand) your trip.  When we visited Dove Cottage in 1987, Allen sharpened his pocket knife on that gigantic grindstone.  (Didn’t anyone care about “concealed weapons” on planes in those days?) Muriel V.

Thank you Tom for adding Virginia to the Travel blog list. Louise turned on Virginia's lap top so that she could view them. They enjoyed them very much.    :-)  -Audrey Y.

Dear Tom, thank you for your nice travel- diary on your trip around England and Wales. I think, you are going to see my sister Doris soon. I look Forward to your impressions of Northumberland and Doris`Farmhouse. Lots of love from Urs E. and familiy as well to the whole travel Group.

Dear Tom, I enjoy reading your reports from the UK very much. Right now your passing through Lancashire and the Lake District. What a wonderful region! That's an area I have very nice memories of as I lived in Lancaster for a year and had a great time there. Feels like ages ago. I do hope you're enjoying yourselves as well as I did when I was there back in the nineties.
Doris told me that you're visiting her and Alistair in Hexham as well. That'll be soon I guess. I'll try to give you ring when you're with them. I know they're looking forward to seeing you!
Please say hello to Elaine and Joel and all the rest of your group.  Love, Hans E.

Hi Tom, Greetings from Eugene, once again.  We just got back from Idaho, where we took a jet boat excursion on the Snake River from Pittsburg Landing to Hells Canyon Dam, going through two class-5 rapids.  What a fun day! (But we are exhausted from the trip.)

I enjoyed your photos from Aberystwyth, Wales.  About 7 years ago, I had the opportunity to visit Aberystwyth, and even took the train up the canyon to Devil Falls.  One branch of my Mormon ancestors hail from near Conwy, Wales.  

(An aside, the public restrooms at Devil Falls have been named "Loo of the Year" in England for 15 years, missing the accolade only once, in 2007, and I continue to ask, "Why?")

In the meantime, keep me entertained with your travels. (BTW, a great place to visit in Wales is Saint David's in Pembrokeshire.  There is a very old cathedral there, and the scenery out to the Irish Sea is fabulous.) Best wishes, Kim S.

June 26: Carlisle , Gretna Greene, Lockerbie, Biggar and Edinburgh

 


Joel putting the "car" in Carlisle.  We stayed in the Ibis Carlisle Hotel

We left Carlisle with a drive-by of the castle. Many of the buildings here are of a red stone of some sort. Having been told that we should see Hadrian's Wall today since rain was coming, we drove in that direction. The road got smaller and smaller until it was little more than a cow path, so we decided to backtrack and save the wall for later in the trip.


Last glimpse of Carlisle Castle as we headed north towards Scotland

We were only a few miles from Scotland, and our port of entry was Gretna Greene where we could find a visitor's information centre next to a factory outlet mall. The lady was very helpful in making suggestions for driving north on the highway paralleling the motorway. She thought it would not be much slower and would be more scenic and historic. We learned that the Blacksmith's Shop in Gretna Greene had become famous since couples could not marry in England if they were under 21 without permission. In Scotland, the age was 16. Many, many hopped across the border and were married by the blacksmith. That is the main attraction of the town.


Sheep at the tourist shop just over the "border"


Outlet mall just inside of Scotland

It wasn't far to Lockerbie and we were interested in visiting the memorial to the plane that went down, victim of a bomb at Christmas in 1988. We soon saw a sign to the Garden of Remembrance, followed the signs and were taken to a large cemetery where the memorial was placed. It was thought that if it were in a cemetery, it would be more likely to be tended to. There is a wall of all the names, and some commemorated by individual markers. The cemetery which didn't appear to be older than about 150 years, was interesting because of the uniformly tall stones, most at least 5 feet tall. Most of the inscriptions were for multiple people in a family and had more information about where they died. There was a war memorial to WW's I and II. We have seen many in the towns and are astounded by how many died in proportion to the size of the town. The loss was devastating.


Memorial for the Pan Am victims of bombing disaster in Lockerbie Scotland


December 21, 1988


Tom at the "Garden of Remembrance"

 


Royal Mail Truck on the country road

Mid-afternoon, we stopped for a tea break in the thriving small town of Biggar. We ended up going to a café run by the only church left in town, Presbyterian, the Church of Scotland. It is a community center in a desanctified church building and is staffed largely by volunteers. They had some greenhouse type rooms overlooking the street and it was a nice place to sit and sip. We couldn't resist some pastries.


Coffee break in the town of Biggar


Biggar, Scotland

It wasn't long before we drove into Edinburgh to begin the process of finding our lodging and parking. We are in apartments close to the center of the city in an old building called The Distillery that has been refurbished. Apparently, the name references a prior life. We parked in a loading zone and Joel waited in the car for the others to take the suitcases to the rooms. There was no one to check us in, and we used the last 4 digits of the phone number in the reservation. There was a little glitch when the code didn't work for one of the rooms, but soon Tom came back to the car and we drove to the parking area we had also reserved. It was not far away, and we got the car put away. We probably won't take it out until we leave the city. The key code was soon resolved by an email.

Since our lodgings have kitchens, we decided to walk to a grocery store and get some things we could fix for dinner and breakfast. The store had lots of take-out and we could all choose items to heat up. It was nice to take a break from restaurant food.


Locked out of Number 10 in Edinburgh


Elaine on stairway leading to Number 10 in Edinburgh


Living room/kitchen in Number 10


Street in front of our apartments in Edinburgh

We have developed a good system of putting together our travel posts as the technology has gotten better. Tom uses his website and a special program to put them together. He collects all the pictures from our many cameras, and chooses the ones to send on. Meanwhile, Joel is writing the narrative, which he gives to Tom so he can insert the pictures. Then he, Elaine and Terry do editing. My how times have changed. Over 50 years ago when we spent the whole summer in Europe, Joel & Elaine took 400 slides with their Kodak Instamatic. Elaine took most of them and had to be so careful with composition, etc. Most everyone turned out. Now, we take that many in three days. It took a long time to get used to clicking away and not worrying about wasting film.

And a splendid job the collective effort has proven to be!  Looks like a very nice trip.  When I was in Edinburgh long ago, my traveling partner and I were put onto a lovely private home not far outside of town that had previously been owned by a branch of the Rothschild family.  It was lovely getting there, the house was beautiful, and the little woman tending the admissions desk was one of the more memorable people we met in Scotland.  You might try to check it out. I’m off to Spokane July 6, after an informal sausage grilling party at the house for friends on July 4 so we can share our views of 4 or 5 nice fireworks displays that evening. Safe travels, and hugs to all.  Mick M.

 

Big sigh, once again. I love Edinburgh. I had my 61st birthday dinner at the restaurant at the National Museum, on the deck with a view of the castle. Don't miss the Museum, and look for the Lewis Chessmen. Fabulous story about them. British Museum has more, but sometimes shares with Scotland, where they were found on the Isle of Lewis in the 1800s.  Pam L.

Dear Tom,  I wish you a pleasant stay at Edinborough, I like this town very much. We have spent several days there two years ago. A very wonderful place is to climb on the hill beside the Royal Holyrood House. A very nice and interesting place.  I am curious about what you will see in Doris`home.  Love, Urs E.

June 27: Edinburgh

Our apartments are part of a group called "Destiny Scotland" that has developed properties for short term rentals. We feel lucky that we found it online. Elaine and Joel are on the ground floor and large windows look out onto the street. People sometimes look in as they pass by and quickly turn away as if they are intruding. We can pull the shades. It stays light until about 10:30 and dawn starts at 3:15. The British Isles are farther north than the Canadian border, and Edinburgh is up there.


Elaine at the beginning of our walk to Edinburgh Castle

Before getting out of bed this morning, we could hear the rain drops pattering on the pavement outside auguring in a wet slog over to the Edinburgh Castle where we had tickets to tour.

We decided to strike out on foot using GPS to guide us for 1 mile plus. The streets are crooked and the name changes every couple blocks making it a little more difficult. The Castle is on a rock high above the city and we wound around the base to find the entrance. We were happy that we had bought the tickets online since we didn't have to wait in line.

We rented audio devices which worked well. A lot of it told about the military history of the fortress which went over our heads. There is one cannon that fires at 1 pm each day. We learned that it chose 1 rather than 12 since it would save money by only having to fire once. It was cold today, in the 50s with some wind so we were glad to find a cafe on the castle grounds where we could get some coffee to warm us up. We were happy to have a large umbrella from the apartment to shed the steady rain.


Edinburgh Castle behind church steeple


Street on way to Castle


Mens Kilts, synthetic fibers, 40 GBP


View of city from Edinburgh Castle


Elaine on tour of Edinburgh Castle


In St. Margaret's Chapel


Tom and Terry on castle ramparts


More city views, in the rain, from Edinburgh Castle


So many people visiting Edinburgh Castle


Terry getting wet at Edinburgh Castle


Elaine at monument to Polish resistance fighters who joined forces with the allies


Elaine in front of Scottish War Memorial Building at Edinburgh Castle

View of the castle from downtown Edinburgh.  Princes Street Gardens in foreground

We left and hiked down from the Castle to the Waverly Shopping Center.  It was underground next to the Waverly Train Station. We could have gone to the National Gallery nearby, but we were just too wet and cold to take that on. It was dry in the shopping center and we ate paninis and soup for a little lunch. The stores were pretty much the same as in the US and didn't hold much interest except for the Scottish stores.  Here we found tartans and woolens including lots of Cashmere. We looked for tartans of our Burns family, a part of the Campbell clan. We resisted. We did buy a little box of shortbread for our aunt. They always bring back memories of going to Victoria on a vacation and buying the Peake Freans, that our grandmother (and we) loved.


Scottish National Gallery on Princess Street

Our next experience was to buy a ticket for a bus tour of the city. We were on the "Majestic" Hop On-Hop Off bus.  The ride kept us out of the rain and gave us a good idea of this beautiful city of about half a million people. The bus took us by the Royal Botanical Garden, the harbor and Holyrood among other places along the way.


Holyrood Palace - where the queen stays when she's in town


The Royal Yacht Britannia is now berthed in Edinburgh

It was another hike back to our lodgings with a stop at a grocery store for provisions. They are interesting since it seems they have mostly take-out. Suits us.  We also stopped by the car to get some dirty clothes since we have a combo washer and dryer.


Getting something out of our car, parked in a gated space in Edinburgh.

When we planned this tour, we developed a general idea of where we would go and then had a conference call to discuss where to stay and find properties. It's amazing what you can do these days. Sometimes, we had to pay for the hotel in advance, others just took a credit card to hold it. At our age, we thought it prudent to make sure that we could cancel and get a refund. Our experience over the years is that one need not over-plan activities; just look for things to do and they seem to fall into place.

 

You are definitely going to need a vacation from your vacation.  That is a very on the go trip! ... Randy H.

When we were there, there was a Military Tattoo going on at the castle.  Looks wet!  Enjoy the pictures.  Rick G.

Delightful, even in the rain. Tell Terry he can be glad to be missing our unseasonably hot weather. 
By the way, I am going to Redlands for the days we have to be out of our building. I'll tell Jazzy 'meow' for you while she sits in my lap to be petted.  Ruth K.

Hello, again.  I can't believe it.  Is that Private Wojtek, the Polish soldier bear? A gentleman that cuts my hair, and has for 25 years, travels somewhere, usually Europe,  every year, and about 4 years ago, he and a friend went to Scotland.  The story line is that they went into a Pub for dinner, and tables were full, so a local couple offered to have them join them at their table.  As they got to visiting, turned out that the lady was Aileen Orr, author,  and she told them about her recent book, Wojtek the Polish bear, and his involvement in WWII. She is the author of the book about that orphaned  bear, and they also made a documentary of that story and book.  So absolutely fun to see the photo you sent of the monument,, and I will share that photo with James, my hairdresser.  WOW.  Small world, nice photos..Thanks..Sandra B.

I used to visit Edinburgh while working at EVT. I have been to most of these places. Thanks for taking me down memory lane. As I can remember, there was only 1X when it wasn’t raining! ... Jon H.

I cut out the picture of the Britannia and my Scottish colleague guessed your location..  Marcus D.

Tom   so appreciate you sending pictures of your trip/  I have been some of these places too, with Carrie when she was in school so about 22 years ago or so.  Sharon S.

Hi Tom Edinburgh looks amazing?  Too bad it was raining.  Keep enjoying your trip..and thank you for sharing.  Xoxo Janek B.

How lovely. I am reminded of a Scottish story I heard years ago, and think of from time to time. American boy marrying a Scottish girl, wedding in Scotland, in the countryside. On the morning of the wedding day, the visiting American parents of the groom look out the window to see drizzling, foggy conditions, and the mother of the groom says,"what a dreadful day for a wedding." On the morning of the wedding day, the Scottish parents of the bride look out their window, and excitedly comment.."what a perfect day for a wedding."  Your trip is so interesting.  Hope you find some good scones!  Sandra B.

June 28: Kelso Scotland to Haydon Bridge England

Edinburgh, we certainly did enjoy you ... You were a respite from the long stretch of rural UK. We decided after breakfast that we didn't want to wait until a museum opened and instead we began motoring south.


Efficient packing of the Kadjar.

From Molalla friend Sandra in reference to the statues of the Polish soldier and bear in Edinburgh:  I can't believe it.  Is that Private Wojtek, the Polish soldier bear? A gentleman that cuts my hair, and has for 25 years, travels somewhere, usually Europe,  every year, and about 4 years ago, he and a friend went to Scotland.  The story line is that they went into a Pub for dinner, and tables were full, so a local couple offered to have them join them at their table.  As they got to visiting, turned out that the lady was Aileen Orr, author,  and she told them about her recent book, Wojtek the Polish bear, and his involvement in WWII. She is the author of the book about that orphaned  bear, and they also made a documentary of that story and book.  So absolutely fun to see the photo you sent of the monument,, and I will share that photo with James, my hairdresser.  WOW.  Small world, nice photos..Thanks..Sandra

After the war the bear spent his remaining days in the Edinburgh zoo.

Our first destination was the town of Kelso, about midway to the English border. It was another day of overcast skies but beautiful vistas as we meandered through the rolling countryside. What do they do with all those sheep? We will soon find out.


Terry, Tom and Elaine in one of the squares of Kelso

After arriving at Kelso and visiting the Information Centre, guess what was next? Coffee! The market square gave many options, and we settled in for tall lattes and cheese scones. It was especially welcome since it was warm against the chill of the day.

(Later in the afternoon the temperature did get up to 50). We learned that the UK has had a very dry spring, and they are very happy with the rain for the crops. We only had sprinkles today, but rain predicted for tomorrow. We'll see.


Kelso city hall


Plaid bags

We walked out to see the ruins of the abbey. Henry VIII, in addition having lots of wives, fighting lots of battles, and wresting the church away from Rome, engaged in a program of closing and sacking large numbers of abbeys and monasteries. Not only did it stifle dissent, but they were a rich source of money and property. Most of them now lie in ruins like this one.

A little further on was an old bridge over the River Tweed and a view to our next stop, Floors Castle.


Old bridge over the River Tweed

We found this pottery shop in Kelso.  The potter was very personable and made bowls and objects from the clays of the region.

Floors Castle is the home of the 10th Duke of Roxburghe. He commands an estate of 56,000 acres, 20 square miles. It is a business and has timber, sheep (the blackface horned ones are unique to this place), cattle, a hotel, homes, golf course, horse breeding and racing, farm produce, castle & gardens.

The castle is open to the public about half the year to tour, picnic and hike. The stately home was build in the 1730's and extensively added onto in 1830. After the addition it could be called a castle because of the decorations added (towers and turrets).

There are castle ruins nearby.  It was reduced to rubble by the Scottish King James II who fought against the English, who had taken the castle. The king was killed leading the troops when the first cannon blew up as it was being fired. His son, 8, was brought to Kelso, crowned king, and brought in to continue the battle as the English were routed.


Entrance to Floors Castle

We had a personal tour of the castle's public rooms where there is an impressive collection of art works, tapestries and other beautiful furnishings. The American heiress Mary Goelet married the 8th Duke, redecorated the rooms transforming their dark Victorian décor to a French style reflective of her heritage.

On her mother's death, the furniture inherited from Newport, Rhode Island came to Floors. As we exited there was a museum for the castle and the people inhabiting it. There were lots of contemporary family photos that certainly personalized the rooms. We were unable to take pictures in the house, but could in the walled garden and glass houses we toured.

 


Elaine at Floors Castle


Horse Exerciser ring.


Beautiful views through the arches


A thorn amongst the roses


Tom, Joel and Terry in the castle's walled gardens.

Then it was off to Haydon Bridge, a tiny village in England just west of Newcastle on the Tyne.


The "England" sign in stone as we crossed back over from Scotland

We chose this place to stay for a couple days so we could visit with the family of Alistair and Doris. Doris is the daughter of Ingrid & Helmut Engelmayer, dear friends for over fifty years. Doris was raised in Munich.  Her mother Ingrid was the first exchange student to Molalla High School, a classmate of Joel & Elaine. We have all been in contact with them over the years. Doris emigrated to England to marry Alistair and together they run a large sheep farm with over 900 ewes and lambs. Doris found a B & B for us in the village, and just as we drove up the street and were looking for our destination, she came out and waved us in. The owner of the B & B had been called away, so she agreed to be there to greet us. She had already brewed a pot of tea and set out a carrot cake. We had a great reunion as we waited for her daughter, Rebecca to get back from a swimming lesson. We will see more of them in the next few days


Doris, Tom, Joel and Terry: Tea, coffee and carrot cake!


A quick shopping trip to the Coop, a couple of doors away from our B&B


Waiting for pizza dinner in our breakfast room

 

What interesting pictures. How fun to be able to see a working sheep farm. I hope to see a picture of the flock and maybe even their barn. What a great trip you are having. Loved the castle and the ruins. I will be out at Bear Creek today thinking of mom and her July 3rd birthday. How much pottery did you ship home? Take care, Nancy

Just a side note...Doris was a baby when Gary and I visited Ingrid and Helmut in Munich.  Thanks again for sharing all of your trip.  It's fun. Kae W.

Keep it coming.  So enjoying your holiday with you!!

Hi Tom, What a trip you are having with friends!!
I think your itinerary is most imaginative
and quite diverse. How did you all decide it?
Scotland is one of the most underrated places
and I know you will really enjoy it.
Thanks, Dick

 

June 29: Haydon Bridge with Doris

What a great day! Doris came over this morning at our B&B and took us back to the farm so we could see where she lives. We stopped by an old church from the days of "Old Haydon Bridge" which the town was up on the hillside. Not much else is left.


Terry, Doris, Joel and Tom walking to the old country church


"Tunnel" through yew trees to church gate


The old country church building

A little farther on, we came to the new house (new meaning a complete remodel and renovation) that Doris and her husband Alistair are building. It has been a long and tedious process, but substantial progress has been made, and it will be wonderful when it is completed. It is across the alley from Ali's parent's home, and abuts farm barns and sheds. .


Doris and Ali's new home (under construction)

 


Alcove for new wood/coal/oil cooking stove (under wraps in foreground).

For those who hadn't seen it before, it is impossible to tell what is new and what dates back centuries. It will be completely modern, but retain elements of the old. It is complete enough that when Doris's father, Helmut visited recently, he could stay in it. It's already a fun place for all the cousins to gather. Considering that Doris & Ali work all the time, it is remarkable that so much has been achieved


Doris restored this kitchen hutch


Doris, Terry and Tom in family room

They have begun making grass silage and baling hay. They raise barley that is put through a mill and mixed with other supplements for winter feed. They have a fairly new shed where they store the huge piles of barley. It is mostly gone until the next harvest. There are two farms, and livestock occasionally has to be transported such as to the lambing shed in the spring.


Doris, Joel and Elaine in from of machine that grinds and mixes feed for the farm animals

We had a quick tour of the vegetable garden that Doris maintains. She has her tomatoes in a greenhouse since the season is short and cool in these parts.

We got the full tour of the farm buildings to get a better idea of how extensive the farm is. Ali & his father farm something like 400 acres, have 900 sheep including lambs, and 75 head of cattle. Most of the sheep have been shorn, although wool is not the primary product, it's meat. The cattle are for beef. The two Simental bulls are to be let out with the cows next week.


Gordon, one of the bulls


Stone from old buildings used to create new buildings


Tom petting Eric the other bull

Ali's mother Claire arrived home, and gave us a tour of her beautiful garden she has built through the years. Unfortunately, it was raining and it was knocking the flowers down, but that detracted little from all her effort. The farm is on the hillside, so far off the beaten path, that it is a very peaceful and tranquil place to be.

 

 


Tom and Claire in her garden. The sheep and cows reach over the fence on the right and keep it "trimmed"


Terry in front of barley pile

 


Sheep in the field. These are the triplets. Doris said the mother's are good one and can nurse their 3 lambs.

We ended the morning with a stop at the cottage where Doris, Ali, Rebecca (9) and Jack (7) live now.  It is about a half a mile from the new house.  There was a coal fire in the range, and it was a cozy place to visit while the weather blustered outside.


Tom and Doris in front of their current home


Doris in front of her kitchen stove. This model heats with wood or coal, heat water and heats the home


Tom, Terry, Doris and Ali in the kitchen


Ali making a sandwich for lunch

Doris let us off to get our car and we drove into the next town, the larger Hexham where she works.


Elaine beside the Hexham Abbey


Hexham Abbey

Our destination was the Abbey, a beautiful gothic church. We were lucky that a student was having an organ lesson on the beautiful 1974 pipe organ.

Click on this YouTube video to see an organ player at Hexham Abbey:

Organ Music at Hexham Abbey

 


Inside the Abbey

For dinner that night, we walked across the old Haydon Bridge, right next to the new Haydon bridge to meet up with Doris. The water was much higher than the day before because of the rain. There was a terrible flood 2 years ago, and there is a big pile of rock in the middle of the river, washed down from that time. It is being hauled away to keep the river flowing freely. It is a great place for salmon, and people have fishing rights with their riverfront property. They must have a license as well.

 

Thanks to you all for your accounts. Am enjoying them as I did those from India. Molly M. in San Diego 

Dear Tom, It's so much fun to follow your journey,I am tempted to make exactly the same trip next year with my family. Right now we are melting here In Greece in a beautiful solitude at the ocean in Euböa. Hello to all of your dear  companions.  I am thinking of Terry on the fire watchtower In summer 1961. Much love and thank  you for letting me share. Your Apollonia 

Hi Tom, This synopsis is really very nice and I enjoyed the personal touch for all of you. You have had a wonderful experience. Hope we can get together when you return. Best, Dick

Thank you Tom for letting me take part at your visit at Doris` home! Please say hello to everyone and enjoy your time! Lots of love from Munich, Ruth W.

My first time on skis was with Ingrid in Switzerland.  My brother Tom was stationed in Ulm when I was studying in Paris and we spent the Christmas holidays with Ingrid and her family.  She and a friend took Tom and me skiing near Zurich- cross country and using "skins" on the skis to climb back to the top of the slope each time.  Lots of work, but fun.   Her parents were really welcoming and her mother made a huge supply of Christmas cookies.   Her father prepared the Christmas tree and lit the candles before allowing us to enter the room where we sang carols while gazing at the flickering candles.  A beautiful scene tucked away in my mind forever.  Ingrid touched many lives. Jon S.

I loved the colorful streets and the plaid kilts!  Doris and Ali sound like real go-getters, too!  Wow.
It's sunny and beautiful here - you look like you really are in the British Isles! 
Peace,  Deb 

Dear Tom, Thank you very much for your nice message. I am glad to see that you spent a wonderful time with my Sister and her family. Do you stay the night at "twice brewed"? It must have been recently renovated. If you like to go on a nice Exkursion, don't miss having the Afternoon Tea at Langley Castle, near by my Sisters home. Lots of love as well to Doris, Alistair, Beccy, Jack, Elaine, Joel an Terry. Have fun on this wonderful countryside. Urs E.

Thinking back when Ingrid was a foreign exchange student in Molalla.  A group of us went to Mt. Hood.  Ingrid and her date Jerry Hein went skiing.  Jerry had never been on skis.  I remember being at the foot of - I think it was Snow Bunny as part of us were sledding but oh not Jerry.  As Jerry was coming down the hill for his first attempt on a different run area, he lost control & was heading right toward the group waiting their turn to go back up the hill.  Jerry was twirling his skis as he was yelling help.  Ingrid to the rescue - she caught up with him and knocked him over.  We all had a good laugh but Jerry was very embarrassed.  Fond memories I hadn't thought of until your daily blog. Josette W.

Tom, I have been enjoying your trip.  Thanks for the the pictures and the written explanations. Keith J.


June 30: Haydon Bridge and Hadrian's Wall

What strikes us the most about these very small towns like Haydon Bridge is the Great War Memorial. There might be 120 or so names of men and boys who gave their lives.  How did these small towns and nearby farms ever recover from these losses?  No wonder England wasn't initially keen about going after Germany again in World War II.


Memorial in Haydon Bridge


Our B&B on the corner at Haydon Bridge.


Tom, Terry and Joel with Brian our B&B host

Doris came by this morning to walk with us up the hill to the Shaftoe Trust School which her children Rebecca and Jack attend. They were having a summer program and Rebecca had some speaking parts. There were various clever ways of involving all students in songs & story telling.

They had been on a field trip to a stream, and to the Hexham Abbey, and they narrated a slide show about their adventures.

In this town, students attend a primary, middle and high school. We understand that they are in the process of converting to just primary then high school. There is a big push to privatize the schools which Doris is concerned about. The high school has already converted and the primary is next. Not to be confused with school choice, the school is just turned over to a private company to run. Doris is on the school governing committee, and we don't know if that position will continue.


Rebecca's classroom

We were impressed watching the students with their teachers. The kids wear uniforms, black pants or skirts, and blue jumpers (sweaters) with the school's crest over a white polo shirt.

We had a chance to go into Rebecca's classroom and look at some of the student's work. She is 9 and we were impressed by the quality. The students write in cursive and keep notebooks on a variety of subjects like humanities, writing and sketching.  We didn't see much evidence of computers, but the classroom had an electronic board for the teacher to use.

We asked Rebecca how she got to school, and she said "Taxi." All students who live more than a certain distance from school have transportation provided. The school has contracted with taxi companies to carry the students to and from school each day.


From the old bridge, this is across the river from our B&B

We then drove out about 6 miles to see Hadrian's wall and Roman fort at one of the best examples of the ruins at a place called Housestead, a World Heritage Site. From the entrance, we walked about ½ mile up a steep path amongst the sheep and lambs to the site on a windswept hill with a magnificent view.

Click here if you want to see the sheep crossing the field (Nancy H., this is for you)

Sheep in field

There was good signage describing this major fort, village and barracks to support and provision the troops. The wall was ordered built in 122 a.d., and lasted for about 300 years. Those on the other side of the wall increased their raids, and as the Roman Empire declined there was less help from Rome until finally there was a letter saying that they were withdrawing from Britain. From then on, Britain was on its own. Much of the beautiful cut stone was carted away over the years to build houses and churches.


The actual Roman wall


Tom walking up the hill to the highest part of the ruins


Vistas beyond the ruins of the Roman fort


Elaine in the remains of the Roman fort.


Elaine by a rock wall


Joel ON Hadrian's Wall


This was a granery ... the floor was raised to keep the stores dry.

It was tea time, and we headed toward Langley Castle, a hotel in the grand style. We were served "Cream Tea" which in our case was coffee and scones served in the Drawing Room. It felt good to have a proper sit down in such surroundings.

Langley Castle is a popular place for weddings. It was built in 1350, but had a fire about 1850. It was rebuilt, and more recently bought by a concern that buys historic properties and turns them into hotels.


Elaine and Terry with coffee and fruit scones.


Joel and Tom - ready for coffee


Elaine and Terry at Langley Castle

Then it was back to the Shaftoe Trust School for a school fayre, a fund-raising event. There were lots of activities for the children, booths of various sorts, prizes and items for sale. Doris was set up to paint the faces of the children.

We don't have any pictures of the children. The UK has strict customs prohibiting the photographing of children by anyone other than parents or caregivers. We think that is a good idea in this day and age, and are happy to comply. We did take some pictures of the school building which is very old.

Our day ended by going to the Wardle house for dinner: lamb roast, roasted vegetables, mashed potatoes & gravy, Yorkshire pudding (popovers), steamed vegetables.  The main meal was followed by gooseberry & rhubarb crumble & ice cream.

We think of Doris as "Wonder Woman".  How can she do all of this for us after working all day and helping at the fayre is amazing. Her brother Hans called and we chatted with him using WhatsApp video. We wished he could have been here. Ali also works so hard.  Today he laid the slate hearth that will hold the kitchen stove. He can do anything. Most of the work on the farm is done by him and his father with some help by contracted services.


Jack and Doris


Rebecca (Bex) and Jack.


Oh soooo GOOD!

This is a wonderful dialogue of your experiences. As I read the story I was captivated by such a personal and heart warming experiences you all are having. It is a perfect diary! Thanks very much. Dick P.

Thanks so much, Tom! And thanks so much for sending your blog and photos, too.  Loving the trip!  Hadrain's wall and that fort is amazing. Hi to everyone there!  Peace, Deb P.

Great photos and commentary.   Thanks.  Are you eating lamb? Jon S.

Fabulous.  Love the weathered stone and the glimpse of the peacock!!  Keep having a good time!! Hugs, Ruth K.

Thanks for sharing! Julia P.

 

July 1: Haydon Bridge to York (Gilling)

Last night we bid goodbye to the Wardle's; it was time to get on with our journey. The sun was teasing us and we were soon on our way. There was a debate about whether to go to Newcastle on Tyne, or go through it and spend time in York, about 2 hours away. We decided on the latter and ended up giving Newcastle a blink and a wave as we sailed through.


Time to leave Haydon Bridge

As we drive along the English and Scotish country roads, we recognize lots of plants, flowers and trees. In the west we saw so many foxgloves blooming ... here (further east) we see fire weed growing is large plantings.  The flowers of these two plants are a similar color.  Then there are the wild rhododendrons.  The lilac colored blooms are mostly past.  These bushes grow 20 feet tall when supported by the adjacent trees.  Doris and her mother-in-law Claire said the rhododendrons are invasive and not appreciated!  We also have seen wild white dogwood, bright red poppies (especially around Stonehenge), queen anne lace.  We've seen some thorny black berries, but they don't seem to be the problem they are in the western US.  Don't forget thistles in Scotland! And conifers when we reached more northerly areas.

Today it was mostly freeway driving to get to a park and ride on the ring road. It was free and we bought a ticket on the bus and were quickly transported to the city center. It is easy to get around and see everything.  York is a city of about 200,000 and there were about as many tourists, it appeared. Impressive is that just outside the city, as in most cities here, there are farms. It is a parklike setting.


Park and Ride in York


From the bridge over the River Ouse in York


Tom, Joel and Terry on the same bridge in York

Top of the guidebook is York Minster, the largest gothic cathedral in northern Europe. We looked around a bit, then joined a tour group. The leader was very knowledgeable, but so much was going on (wedding), that hearing her was sometimes difficult. She told about how the building is constantly being repaired and sometimes modern elements added. There were carved figures on a wall and they were missing their heads. We weren't sure if that had something to do with the protestant reformation, or the civil war.  New statuary in this one section was headless, but they are now holding staffs that spell out a religious message in semaphore.

After a disastrous fire in 1984, children submitted designs for decorations in the new ceiling. The ones chosen covered things such as space flight, endangered species and starving children.


York Minster


Bride, groom and diver outside the York Minster


Inside the York Minster


York Minster

There was a wedding starting in the east nave and it was closed off. We saw guests going in and soon the organ started up. The guide told us that the bride's grandfather had been organist there in the past and was now 100. He wanted to play, but the bride didn't go for it, which the guide thought was rude. The organist launched into a rather heavy Leon Boellman (?) piece that was certainly solemn. We saw the clergy including the bishop with his mitre go in followed by the mothers. Later we heard a choir singing. They must have gone all out. We were told that soon the bride & groom would be coming out, but we needed to move on.


Bishop and 2 brides maids


Humorous carving detail: cat on left and mouse on right


Chapter house at York Minster


Ladies dressup for "Ascot North" (horse races)

As we walked out, the bells were pealing and we soon realized it was from the catholic church a block away. There was a white carriage pulled by two white horses. The bride and groom came out and were greeting the guests before they drove away. Later we saw women coming down the street with sashes saying bridesmaids, and another, mother of the bride. We don't know if those people were for rent or what. There were a number of women dressed to the nines with hats on, and we were told they were going to the races, the Ascot of the North. We might have had some other ideas about what these ladies might be about.

Phew to horse poo.


Another wedding at the Catholic church nextdoor to the Minster


Elaine on tourist street in York



Terry and Tom in front of old tudor building in York

Then after the obligatory coffee and pastry, we walked through The Shambles, a market and then on through the very narrow twisty old streets with half-timbered buildings. There was a Harry Potter shop, and the line was huge. We weren't interested anyway.


Shambles Market in York


Sheperd Group Brass Band performing on the street in York.

We stopped and listened for a bit. Click here if you'd like to hear a bit.


Sun brings out people.  Notice name of the restaurant with the large windows: 
Slug & Lettuce

Our lodging tonight is about 20 miles out of York in a very small village. It is another delightful little hotel with restaurant and pub. We love the rooms, and can hear horses clopping down the road outside. Unless the late-nighters are rowdy downstairs, we should have a very peaceful night. We will eat here tonight since there appears to be nowhere else.

This country is much flatter than other places we have been and there aren't very many stone fences. Probably because they don't have many stones.

Hi travellers, glad you are covering so much territory, keep well and travel safe. Ian and Don (From Melbourne)

Great combination of prose, photos and computer skills are creating wonderful trip stories for all of us.  Thanks for sharing, Tom, Terry, Joel and Elaine!  Ruth K.

A fantastic visit, also for me - thank you    Api H.



July 2: York to Lincoln UK

We started our drive today by doing a drive-by of Castle Howard, a huge estate and house familiar to many from where the film and TV series "Brideshead Revisited" was filmed. We had hoped we could get a good look without paying, but had to settle with a domed roof through the trees, and the estate stores. There was a butcher shop and cheese store, as well as vegetables for sale, and a huge flower and plant store, all products of the estate.


Castle Howard near York

 


Fresh fruits at Castle Howard Store


Castle Howard

Our next stop was Nunnington Hall dating back to 1249. The stately 3 story home retains much of the original furnishings, and art work of the families who lived there. There is a special focus on the Fifes who lived there in the 1920's. This is a National Trust property and it is very family friendly.


Nunnington Hall


Nunnington Hall Tour (on our way to Lincoln UK)

There is a stunning collection of sixteen miniature rooms displaying beautifully detailed musical instruments, furniture and accessories. It was gifted to the National Trust in 1970, and Nunnington was chosen to house them in a permanent display.


Nunningham House - exhibit of miniatures


Elaine inspecting the miniatures


Terry watching peacock at Nunnington Hall

Click here to see the male peacock at Nunnington Hall, near Lincoln UK

We had intended to go to visit the Bronte sisters in Haworth outside Bradford, but we realized we just didn't have time and needed to go on toward Lincoln. Looking at the National Trust list, we chose another place to visit on the way, Hardwick.


Hardwick Hall


Elaine at Hardwick Hall


Joel, Tom and Terry eating cheese-leek-onion scones and latte's at Hardwick Hall

Hardwick is for the most part the story of Bess the Countess of Shrewsbury, a contemporary of Elizabeth I. She came from a rather modest upbringing, but by the time of her 4th and last husband's death, she was one of the richest people in the realm just after the queen. She owned the Old Hall that is a ruin now, and embarked on building one of the grandest homes in England.

Especially interesting about it is the large windows in the four-story building. Glass was very expensive so how better to flaunt your wealth. The ceilings of the state rooms must be at least 25 ft high. The families usually lived at Chatsworth, an estate about 40 miles away and spent winters at Hardwick for parties and hunting. The Duchess of Devonshire, Evelyn, decided she wanted to live here like her ancestor Bess, and so she did amidst the huge collection of tapestries and needlework.


Elaine, Tom and Terry at Hardwick Hall

Before we started the tour, we had an excellent lecture about the home and its inhabitants by a docent just outside the front door. She was very dramatic.

Click here to see our animated, entertaining guide at Hardwick Hall


Ballroom at Hardwick Hall


Terry in selfie at Hardwick Hall

Evelyn died in 1960. Her son, William Cavendish was married to Kathleen Kennedy, JFK's sister. He was killed in the war several months later. Kathleen was interested in another man and then she died in a plane crash in 1945. Another son, Andrew, was married to a Deborah Mitford a sister of author Jessica Mitford. Evelyn was a good friend of Queen Mary. We have understood that QM would go visiting, and when she saw something she liked, she would point at it saying, "I want that," and expect it to be delivered. We wondered how much Evelyn lost.


"Panorama" of ball room at Hardwick Hall


Canopy bed at Hardwick Hall

There were hundreds of people visiting Hardwick this day, and there was so much to do. Extensive hikes, picnicking, cafes and coffee shops, and many building and gardens to tour. You would want to come here repeatedly if you lived in the area. You could sign out a blanket if you want to have lunch on the grass. We saw one family doing just that. They had a great idea: take off your shoes and use them to hold beverage containers so they don't tip over. Those British!


Stove in kitchen at Hardwick Hall


Stumpery (a garden feature which consists of a collection of tree stumps) at Hardwick Hall

From Hardwick, there is no direct highway and for quite a while we drove on roads that were barely wide enough for one car. A 50 mile jaunt took over two hours. but we pulled into our Lincoln hotel which is the exact opposite in country inn from the night before.  It is a new Double Tree situatued at the newly refurbished wharf along the Brayford river. High on the hill behind we can see the beautiful towers of the cathedral.

Across the Brayford Pool, a natural lake formed from a widening of the River Witham



Double Tree Hotel


Tom, Elaine and Terry at our hotel in Lincoln (at the Brayford Pool)

We have been having fun these past days, jotting down road signs we have seen. Here's a list:

layby,
check your distances,
keep apart two chevrons,
give way, passing places,
please merge in turn,
dual carriageway,
a triangle painted in the roadway at a crossroad,
weak bridge,
soft verge,
variable traffic speed,
part time speed limit ahead,
part time signal light ahead,
crawler lane,
oncoming vehicle in the middle of the road,
roads liable for icing,
diversion,
hidden dip,
signs with 3 blue slash marks, then 2, then another with 1,
a round white circle with a black slash through it,
a red x on blue with a red circle around it

What do they mean? Your guess is as good as ours.

 

 

 

What fun!  And here we thought we spoke English.  Ruth K.

Undoubtedly one of those round signs with the slash or X meant you shouldn't even be there!! Watch out for those vehicles in the middle of the road! When I was in Wales about this time last year, hedge trimming was happening with big noisy machinery.  In Lincoln Cathedral, where I've never been, is the tomb of Katherine Swynford, a sister-in-law of Chaucer and lover and eventually wife of John of Gaunt. Katherine and John's children married into families that eventually produced Kings Richard the Third and Edward the Fourth, and the Tudors. One son became a Cardinal. John, being a Duke, was buried in the old St Paul's in London. I don't know what became of all the tombs when it burned in the Great Fire. 
Thanks for sharing your trip. --- Pam L.

These were MUCH simpler when I sat for my driving test exactly 40 years ago! Douglas C.

With all of the elegance and what I see the colonial families did to the local inhabitants of Kenya! And some families still exploiting.   Did I see gooseberries?   I love gooseberry pie.You have planned an extraordinary tour of the UK.  Jon S.

 

Gorgeous peacock – and not the least bit shy! - Nancy D.

Hi Tom,

I enjoyed your travelogue of York and environs, and your list of motoring signs.  In Scotland, we found "dual carriageway" to mean, "divided highway."  The signs showing one-, two- and three-slashes indicated sharp turns of increasing intensity.  As to the other signs, we are at a loss. We are in Canby tonight, and will take in the Molalla parade and pancake feed tomorrow.  Jim and Richard have been working hard tonight to clear the park below your mom's house, near the creek.  It's possible the Kersens kids will make the parade tomorrow.  If not, I have insisted that Grampa Richard pick up some candy at the parade to share with Hadley and Celia later on.  Best wishes and safe travels, Kim (and Richard)


July 3: Lincoln to Cambridge

After a quick breakfast at Starbucks next door to our hotel (the only place open), we drove up the hill to spend the morning at Lincoln Cathedral and Castle. They are at the highest point of the city so they're very visible from a distance.


Terry, Elaine and Tom in front of the Lincoln Cathedral


Lincoln Cathedral

We spent some time wandering around the cathedral and then it was time for a guided tour by a docent. He did an excellent job of summarizing about 900 years of history beginning with the Norman Conquest of 1066. William the Conqueror decided there should be a cathedral at Lincoln (the hill by a pool of water). The first one was in the Romanesque style with round arches. First there was a terrible fire and the roof burned.


Nave of the Lincoln Cathedral

This rebuild only served for a short time before it too was largely destroyed by an earthquake. All that remains is the west entrance. Immediately it was decided to rebuild, but this time in the gothic style and it became much larger. It was completed about forty years later, 1235. There was a design flaw, and in a couple years, the main tower collapsed during a service. Undaunted it was rebuilt by 1311 and had a spire that for over 200 years was the tallest man-made structure in the world overtaking the great pyramid of Giza. The spire was destroyed in a storm.


Alter area of the Lincoln Cathedral


St Hugh of Lincoln Swan made out of willow branches.

The Lincoln Cathedral is an ancient and a modern building at the same time. Many of the stained-glass windows were done in Victorian times, and new ones are still being added. There is one donated by the widow of mathematician George Boole of Boolean Logic, who died in 1864.


Window dedicated to George Boole

There are carved wooded panels representing the stations of the cross. New sculptures were added to commemorate the 800th anniversary of St. Hugh of Avalon who accepted the post of Bishop of Lincoln at the time the present building was realized.



Stations of the cross at the Lincoln Cathedral

On the same ticket we could visit the Lincoln Castle just a few blocks away from the cathedral. We walked the 1/3 mile castle wall that has been beautifully restored.  We had audio guides which told us the history of the castle. It was very informative. The views of the city and surrounding countryside are impressive. Because of its long history there was much to tell.


Village between cathedral and castle


Elaine at Lincoln Castle


Lincoln Cathedral from castle wall


Joel and Elaine on the castle wall - Lincoln Cathedral in background


Tom and Terry on Lincoln Castle wall tour


Area within the Lincoln Castle walls

Then it was time to head out for Cambridge, about a 2-hour drive, mostly on the motorway. We were making our way to our lodgings and low and behold, we found the home of Hyacinth Bucket's dreams, Anstey Hall. Originally built 400 years ago, it has been added onto, and repurposed over the years.


Checking into our rooms at Anstey Hall in Cambridge

The current owner bought the property in 1996 from an agency that had used it for offices. It had fallen into disrepair and much work has been done to turn the building back into a proper manor house. The owner lives here in a wing of the house, and he was sitting in the drawing room reading the paper when we came in that evening.


Joel and Terry on third floor deck at Anstey Hall.

After claiming our rooms, we drove into the city centre to get something to eat. We were in hurry since we had missed our tea break, and we wanted time to walk around looking at the colleges. We found a fast food that we don't think we have at home: "ITSU-Eat Beautiful." It's Japanese with good rice and noodle bowls. We saw King's College as we wandered around the narrow streets.


Japenese supper at "Itsu" (Eat Beautiful)

This was written about this clock: The fabulously terrifying “Grasshopper Clock” on the corner of Corpus' Taylor Library is a must-see for any Cambridge visitor. Unveiled to the public in September 2008, this extraordinary feat of new technology now stands proudly facing onto King's Parade; its shining, 24-carat gold dial and gruesome time-keeper, a dazzling addition to the historic city centre.

Click here to see a short video of this clock


Cambridge King's College


King's College Chapel


Tom near King's College in Cambridge

This Waitrose Supermarket lets shopper scan their food as they put it in their baskets using these handsets.

Beautiful architecture....amazing....and so glad you made Hyacinth Bucket happy,,,,,miss seeing her.....Thanks for sharing you photos and videos....Cheryl  K-S

Hi Tom  Happy 4th of July.  Gladys Z.

Tom, Just wanted to let you know how much I have been enjoying all of your pictures and commentary.  It's like being there! Happy American Independence Day!  Richard L.

July 4: Cambridge to Heathrow via Trumpington and Grantchester

Happy July Fourth!! Our Independence Day Celebration began with a drive down the road looking for a sign denoting the town we were staying in: Trumpington. Just a few hundred yards later, we passed into Grantchester. We expected to see the vicar cycling down the side of the road.

By the way,  our car has a GPS and our phone has Navigation, too.  We often have both going on at the same time.  Yesterday, the car's GPS started TALKING to us!!  This was after driving the car for about 3 weeks.  It has a mans voice and the phone has a woman telling us where to go.


Breakfast at Ansty Hall manor house!


Grantchester is less that a mile from Ansty Hall!


Trumpington was also very near to Ansty Hall

Our first destination was Earls Colne. Terry had found in his ancestry research that our 9th great grandfather, Robert Daniell's daughter Elizabeth was baptized August 3, 1633 at St Andrew's Church in Earls Colne which is about 75 miles NE of London. She was born a year before the family emigrated to Newtown (later Cambridge), Massachusetts. Robert appears to have been a friend of Rev. Thomas Shephard (1605-1649) an assistant school master.  Shephard later emigrated to Massachusetts and was instrumental in founding Harvard.


St. Andrew Church in Earls Colne

We found Earls Colne and spent some time wandering around St. Andrew Church, and walking up to High Street. We had no way of finding out much more information, but were happy that we found the place. The church has a rich history, and we left a message in the visitor's book.

This towns name derived from the River Colne and from the Earls of Oxford who owned the manor. The Earls of Oxford also had a home in London which was called Earls Court.


Terry, Joel and Tom entering St. Andrews Church


Interior of St. Andrew Church in Earls Colne


Tom in Nave (alter in background) of St. Andrew Church


Tom on street of Earls Colne.


Elaine, Tom and Terry

About 4 miles away we found the charming town of Coggeshall (soft 'g') where we could visit 2 National Trust sites. On our first encounter with the National Trust was at Hidcote Gardens near the beginning of our trip, we were talked into buying a "membership". It didn't take many visits to other sites before we paid for the memberships. There is a handy National Trust app for your phone that shows what properties are nearby. 

This National Trust site was a merchant's home called Paycocke's House.


Tom, Elaine and Joel at entrance to Paycocke's House

Paycocke's House is a home built by a contemporary of Henry VIII. He was a wool merchant, and controlled all aspects of the trade including raising sheep, carding, spinning and weaving a light weight white broadcloth.

It is a half-timbered home with beautiful decorative brick on the outside. He was on the main Roman road going east and west, so many passed by and could be impressed by his fine house. The gardens in back are very nice as well. By this time, we were needing our lattes.



English garden at Paycocke's House - Lavender is from Hidcote Gardens!


Elaine in the garden of Paycocke's House


We think it is the custom to throw your cell phone into the water for good luck. (Seen in the River Blackwater)

A quarter mile away was the Grange Barn, an 800-year-old structure, the largest in Europe. It was built by the monastery for threshing and storing corn (a European term for grain). Later it was sold after Henry VIII dissolved the monasteries. It was in pretty good shape until after WW II and it was used by the Americans. After that, the farmer didn't have any use for it, causing it to fall into disrepair. The locals banded together, bought and restored it in 1980's and gave it to the National Trust.


Tom at Grange Barn


Interior of Grange Barn

Now we are at Heathrow in a hotel at Terminal 5. We will fly out tomorrow morning. The car was returned in one piece. All we have left for you is the 12-hour video we will make of our flight tomorrow. Free up lots of space on your computer; you'll need it. We had a wonderful time and saw lots and lots of the UK. The people are so friendly and inviting as they are most everywhere.

We will all be in our homes by the end of the day Wednesday, July 5, 2017, ready to plan our next trip.


Packed and ready to depart!

 

Can't believe you're at the end of this marvelous trip and how seemingly well you all get along!  Safe travels!  Richard L.

What great photos! What kind of the camera are you using?  Love all your experiences!  Carol S.

Fly like the wind. Thanks  for the journey. Bring home the Vicar! Greg G.

Safe travels home Tom.  I have enjoyed your blog and beautiful photos. Jon S.

Safe return home. Have loved sharing your holiday!!   Hugs  Ruth K.

What a wonderful finale!!  You have really had a  very inspirational and unique trip, Welcome home!!! Best, Dick P.

I so enjoyed your trip!! Pam L.

Wishing you a Happy Fourth and safe flight home.  Thanks for the vicarious delight of touring England with you. Love, Sylvia S.

What great photos! What kind of the camera are you using?  Carol S.

Ohhh what a treat to be in and visit  The Lake Country!  Thank you for sharing.  Thanks for a simply wonderful trip. Louise G.

Safe trip home - and come back and see us soon! 

Michael and Douglas xx