Whilst camping in the New Forest, contemplating the next day of our unstructured tour (anticipating heading south west-ish) our daughter rang to say she missed the mountains of Switzerland (as you would!) and really fancied going to climb somewhere in the Peak District. It seemed silly to refuse, so we headed back to Newbury, and …
Setting off from Newbury, provoked memories of camping in the 60’s in the New Forest, but back then you could “wild camp” virtually anywhere, which mum and dad did, in some clearing in the woods, next to a stream/river, where Nigel employed his rope for some long forgotten purposes, and we tried to dam up …
Our final day involved a stop at Petworth House and garden. The house contains extensive selection of Turner, and Van Dyke, amongst many other, and particularly in Covid times, were concentrated in just a few rooms, giving a very intensive and easily digested tour. Notably two William Blakes were “hidden” in an archway, easily missed …
After a blustery night we set off for the Open Air Museum www.wealddown.co.uk But got distracted as we passed Goodwood Racecourse and stopped off at The Trundle, which we duly climbed despite the wind. After this The Open Air Museum, last visit ?35 years ago, Ying reckons she’d never been… Its a bit difficult to …
Due to other plans being cancelled/delayed, we decided on an ad hoc trip centred around Chichester, where I spent about 10 years, from 1963 to 1973/4, leaving soon after starting secondary school to go to Cornwall. Although not intended purely as nostalgia it seemed appropriate to revisit some of my memories for the first day …
After a lazy breakfast followed by a lazy lunch in Brecon, we wandered the town, very nice, randoms shops in random streets, Sally picked up a lovely top in the Red Cross Charity Shop, and then we were on our way home. We travelled down the A465 and A4042 roughly along the River Usk, which …
We drove East through Lampeter, possibly nice but completely shut on a Sunday, and stopped for a while at Dolaucothi Roman gold mines, unfortunately closed but a nice little walk down to the river. On to Llangadog to meet Sally and Gary at The Goose and Cuckoo pub for a nice Sunday lunch. Suddenly the …
After a leisurely start we set off along the coastal path to New Quay, for the most part gently undulating (avoiding the optional cliff walk section 😱) Although no dolphins or seals it was a lovely sunny walk until the last 500yards descending steeply into New Quay, testing knees+++ We had been recommended the Lime …
It started a bit blustery made more worrying by the number of recently fallen trees, and then started pouring, scuppering our plans for Portmeirion en route. However we zigzagged down western Wales visiting Porthmadoc – raining Dolgellau – rather grey but possibly nice with a crowd, Covid seemed to have done its thing there… Past …