Tewkesbury birthday trip

I took the opportunity to have four nights at Tewkesbury, near Gloucester, in between lock-downs.

Sunday

Arr 3.30, usual sort of site but you can walk in to town, with views of abbey and the sound of the evening bells. Museums were all however. I walked to river and chatted with a painter who said next year is a big festival (note, now cancelled due to Covid but here are details of Tewkesbury Medieval Festival for another time).

Monday

My birthday so I opened my card from Mum. I drove over to a to silk factory then stopped at a cafe/craft shop I'd spotted, which was by a croquet lawn. Treated myself to a piece of cake and bought a shawl/throw in lovely colours. 

Then on to Snowshill Manor (NT) which was gorgeous. Walked through orchards to a lovely walled garden (including a model village - very Hot Fuzz!).  

Birthday tea in the van - smelly cheese, salami, bread, olives and Freixenet from a deli in Tewkesbury.

Tuesday

Quick stop off at Odda's chapel  

Then on through the Malverns to a place called British Camp - an Iron age fort. I climbed the fort, which was quite popular with lots of walkers, and saw an adder cross the path right in front of me.

 

Malvern didn't look like a good place to stop for some reason - I don't usually take against a place without stopping but for some reason it didn't appeal. So carried on to Upton-on-Severn which was much quieter and a great find. There was a brilliant map shop so stocked up on Christmas presents (including one for me). There is a pretty pepperpot church, lots of pubs and a book cafe where I had an ice cream.

Wednesday

Wet day. Visited the abbey which had some lovely pieces, and got some Christmas decorations. 

After some faffing about, eventually got the bus to Gloucester, "in a shower of rain". There is a working dock area, and it was full of local students, nice to see some liveliness about the place. A small Mariners' chapel has pretty stained glass windows.

Thursday

On the way home, I went to Worcester, to the Royal Worcester Museum to see the ceramics. It looked like an interesting city to revisit when I have more time.

The Museum of Royal Worcester was well worth the trip, some absolute horrors in there from the Victorian era, but these lace-effect pieces were fantastic.

Isle ❤ Arran

A great week in the isle of Arran. 

Sunday

After a looong drive up to get the ferry at Ardrossan, and a choppy crossing, arrived at  Bridgend Campsite, near Blackwaterfoot. A nice rural site in a central location.

Monday

Down to Blackwaterfoot for a nose around and a cup of tea. Then on to the start of the King's Cave walk. 

A good circular route to a cave rumoured to be 'the' Robert the Bruce and the spider cave. The outward route through dripping forests full of red toadstools and various fungus.

It was a steep climb down to a shingle shore and the cave. On the way back some walkers showed me the second cave full of stone towers - gorgeous.

The route back was along the clifftops, with great views and warm sun.

Drove on to the village of Pirmill for an ice cream and bought a print from Robert Stevens at his Goblach studio. Seals and cormorants on the way back home. 

Tuesday

Over to the main town of Brodick, had a slap-up lunch at Little Rock cafe, then joined the Mogabout tour for a trip on forest tracks to a huge waterfall drop at Glenashdale Falls and up to lofty Giant's Graves. 

Home in time for an evening beer down at Blackwaterfoot, staring at the sea.

Wednesday

Early drive up to Lochranza to join a Geopark walk with a geologist. We walked along the coast looking at schists (!) over to a famous feature called Hutton's Unconformity. We climbed up through Fairy Glen to walk back along the hilltop.

I didn't stop and Lochranza castle, but popped in to the distillery for some whisky, and baslamic-whisky dressing. Then it was a high fabulous road over the top and back down to the coast near Brodick. Picnic by the sea of venison salami, and then called in at Arran brewery and picked up some beer. 

Thursday

My last day. I went down to the cute Arran Heritage Museum life at Brodick, then on to a restaurant called Wineport for a luscious crab sandwich and glass of white, sitting out in the sun. 

From the pub garden I walked up to Brodick Castle gardens, and had a lovely time in a hide watching the red squirrels. Such sweet little faces. 

For the last of the day, I took a tour of the south on narrow roads, through Whiting Bay and Kildonan, where I could see Ailsa Craig on the horizon.

So much more to see, will definitely make a return trip.

Barnard Castle with Angela

An unplanned couple of nights to meet up with Angela who was on a longer trip with others. First night was on a CL called Lodge Farm at Scargill, which was lovely. I took a pretty route through Leyburn and Reeth to get there. Bacon butty stop at Leyburn.  

The next day we went over to Appleby for an explore, and found the Courtyard Gallery for a coffee and browse. 

The weather wasn't brilliant so we went on to the Teesdale CMC site and pitched up. We walked down the hill through the woods, then over the river and up to Barnard Castle, about 30 mins walk.

 

It was pretty tiring so after poking around in lots of shops we got a taxi back to the site. The next day I headed back home, leaving Angela to meet her friends the next day.

Toe in the water - Richmond

I picked the CMC site at Richmond for 2 nights because I'd been there before and it was just off the A66, so it would be easy to come home if needed. This was the first night away since the virus regulations came in to force, and the first van trip since February. Thankfully Mike and Chris were happy to pop in and feed Charlie while I was away.

To make the most of the trip, which was all on familiar territory, I took the slow road up to Richmond and made several stops.

      

Pately Bridge - first socially-distanced meal in a cafe! Tuna sandwiches and tea, which tasted fabulous. The town was VERY quiet for July.

Then I went on to Scar reservoir which was really busy, the carpark was full so I snacked on blueberries, looked at the view and moved on.

I then took a fantastic road over the tops past Leighton reservoir to Masham, which again was packed so after a brief leg-stretch I carried on to the site.

All was well organised, with sanitisers, distancing and controlled access to the blocks by armbands hung outside the door - if there were more than 2, you couldn't go in.

The next day after a few false starts I got a bus down to Richmond with a group of other campers. Lunch in Penley's Cafe (Cajun chicken burger!) and a trip around the Green Howards museum which was excellent.

Ages spent at Green Howards museum - medal room, lots of uniforms and kit, explations of various campaigns through the decades. Below a landmine timer from the First World War, and a massive sheep's head - a very cross, deceased, mascot.

The next day I drove up to Barnard Castle to meet Tim and Judy Tribe for coffee in the square, which was lovely. They looked so well, a perfect advertisement for retirement!

I got the ultimate Covid souvenir! 

If this means nothing by the time you read this blog, see the background here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/52828076