Garden House gig

Down to Holbeach Hurn, near Sleaford to see Cardboard Fox at Paul and Sue Thomas's house gig. Held in their house, about 50 in the audience. Fantastic house, lovely people/food/beer and a smashing band. Bliss.

Dundee

Whitby
Bamburgh
Alnwick Gardens
Chillingham Castle
Berwick
Forth Bridge
Dundee
Falkirk

Manorbier and Shrewsbury

I went to visit Lou in Bridgend, then had a lovely few days in Pembrokshire, see Wales.

Back over the border, I met Angela at Shrewsbury during a tremendously hot weekend.

The folk festival was on, so we saw quite a few dancers dotted around the town.

We spent a day at Ironbridge, really interesting and a nice lunch. I also bought a dress!

Finally, to the oven that was a roman town ruin of Wroxeter. Fascinating stuff but we were baking, so headed home later that day to find some cool.

Formby - Anthony Gormley

A weekend away with Angela, to see the sculptures. Formby has a very impressive beach with promenade.

 There is a pinewood area for walks near the town too, and you could see red

squirrels (but don't hold your breath - there are so many visitors).

Finally we had a trip to Southport and did some shopping (with lunch of course).

Wild Atlantic Way

Athlone, Galway, Clifden

Anglesey with Dad

A short pilgrimage to scatter Dad's ashes.

See Wales

The Eden valley

As suggested by David, I found some sun in Appleby and explored the Eden valley this
weekend, instead of charging through to the Lakes as usual.

First al fresco breakfast of the year this morning (admittedly it was porridge) at a CL. 

Appleby is a lovely market town, with an impressive high street, castle and pretty set of
almshouses called the Hospital of St Anne, which was for itinerant women - apt!

Next it was a quick visit to Kirby Stephen, and a stroll down to the river and Frank's bridge.
The town is on the Coast to Coast.  Just as I was leaving the peace was shattered by
some macaws, big noisy brutes too they were.

A landmark on the route to the Lakes, just off the A61, Brough Castle is a windswept ruin with great views. It's also has an associated ice cream parlour where I had one of the worst lunches in a long time. Plastic bread and cheese, 3 crisps and slice of cucumber. Straight out of the 1970s.

Arty weekend in Durham

To recover from the most indulgent Christmas I've ever had, I heaved my mince-pie filled carcass in to the van and headed of for a night away at a CMC site just off the A1 near Durham. The Oriental Museum and a beach with beach glass were on my list.

Nothing special about the site except handy for the A1.

Saturday I headed off for the beach where you can find polished glass 'jewels', at Seaham. Unsurprisingly the glass comes from nearby industrial glassworks that had long since vanished, however there was the National Glass Centre which went through the history and impact of the industry.

The best section was the modern-day artworks - see below. Also a demo of making scientific glassware.

I bought a beautiful little paperweight with coral effect patterns in it.

Of to Seaham! Luckily the tide was out and plenty of beachcombers were there. Not a sausage to be found. It was a bit grim, and I left when the drizzle started. Ho hum.

The next day was Sunday and I headed off for the museum in Durham. Which was SHUT. Grrr... should have checked.

But it was still a nice place to wander round, not too busy.

There was a brilliant exhibition called Catch Your Breath in the quad near the cathedral. Then upstairs to the archaeology museum.

Need to go back to the Oriental Museum.