We had a great day yesterday and thought we'd pop out for more photos this morning after an early breakfast...but looking out of the windows from the lovely breakfast room...there was already snow on the car albeit melting and only a light sprinkle. It was only 2 degrees...brrrhhhh.
So we decided that we'll come back another time and just get moving.
On the road again and Paul's misgivings of seeing a truck scooting around the streets with grit last night were totally founded, as car after car coming towards us were covered in snow. By the time we had been on the road for about fifteen minutes...we were deep in it ourselves as you can see from the photos.
How magical. I was as happy as a piggy in muck...well as it happens a 'bat in snow'. The Badger just shakes his head at me and my delight.
We were saying how we did feel sorry for those little Scottish barh- lambs though. It amused me to see a poor shaggy sheep mother laying in the snow and her little lamb was curled up asleep on her back.
The Badger then asks me if I can tell the difference between English and Scottish sheep?..I am expecting him to impart an interesting snippet of knowledge from his vast storehouse of info that is his brain. What I get is...'Scottish lambs say "barh-barh-tha-noo" ...oh dear Badger (I shake head and roll eyes) Apparently Australian lambs say " barrhh-barrhh-Q" ...hummm.....
We hit Gretna Green by lunchtime and stopped for lunch. We tried to park and have a photo taken by the Blacksmiths...but around the back there must have been 20 plus huge coaches parked and more arriving in a constant stream....surely all these people haven't come to be wed?...the average age is mmm?...60 odd???
No idea where to park a 'car' though, so not fancying a long walk in the cold...I satisfied us with a photo from the car window.
On on after some nourishment and ....after getting lost and trying to unload our luggage at at least 2 'wrong' houses...we finally found our bed for the night. Thank goodness for mobile phones....this place was not to be found via Carmen the Garmen (GPS), it's pretty obscure.
This gorgeous little cottage with little wood fire...is comfy and cosy and in a cute little village in the middle of farming district...surrounded by sheep. barhhhhh
Well done again Badger...ten out of ten again for your accommodation, like last night.
We may not have the opulent room, silver cutlery, bone China and waiters....but we have 'cute' and tranquility...oh yeah...and it's just started to snow......yipeeeeeee....
Saturday, 30 April 2016
Edinburgh to Cumbria
Friday, 29 April 2016
Edinburgh castle
What a beautifulCity Edinburgh is. We had a mixed day today but mainly dry. It is a worry that they started laying grit this afternoon, so who knows, snow?
Thursday, 28 April 2016
PS
We were so well looked after in Sheffield by Bev and Steve and kept out of trouble for at least 5 days....
Bev...I'm coming back...
From Yorkshire to Edinborough
The last couple of days have been a challenge internet wise...but hopefully all is good to go.
So...
We reluctantly left Steve and Bev's Tuesday morning. They were so good to us, made us so comfy and really looked after us. We packed so much into the time there and had lots of laughs...and left a little bit chubbier me thinks...all that lovely food. Bev's fantastic dinners ( I'll be after some recipes please Bev) and the lovely Lemon Curd cake and Steve's Bakewell Tart....oh my goodness...so yummy.
We found ourselves on the road again heading up to Castelton, a little village near Whitby. On the way we called in at York and then Knaresborough (I think that's the spelling?) ...
York is a magnificent City, I could barely remember it from years ago. We went to the Railway Museum....fascinating...I love Trains, trains of the bygone era...such a romantic way to travel and the engineering and history was amazing.
So there we are in this wonderful place...exploring these old and graceful streets and lanes...so many wonderful buildings, shops and cafes. It's time for lunch. Bat spots a gorgeous Tea Room...all quaint and pretty, starched white table clothes...silver wear and China. I start to vere off in that direction when the Badger calls me over to an alley he has found and it much excited by the sign 'Cornish Pasties'...my lips start to quiver as I fear my dreams for little prim sandwiches and a cup of tea in this graceful establishment slipping away....and slip away they did as I was ushered into this little bakery and presented with a cup of tar in a paper cup and a bag stained with grease containing a soggy oosing pastry. The Badger doth spoil me. He gets tucked in and then starts to grin...apparently my face said it all and once he had gained his composure and stopped laughing...did apologise...hells bells Badger...how far away is Cornwall anyway?
York Minster is absolutely awesome. The 'Shambles' which is an old street was delightful...the buildings just marvelous and we struck the market day to boot. I bought myself a treat...a glass jar with a brass lid and a little brush attached..I can just barely remember having to fill these up with paste/glue at priamary school....how could I leave much a memory behind I ask you? And those of you who know our home will agree...it' just what I need...more 'stuff' hehehehe
Well...form York we continued on to discover the delights of Knaresborough...what a little gem with the Viaduct. Yorkshire is a truly beautiful place.
From there we arrived at Castelton and our accommodation. Oh my flipping goodness...Badger has done an amazing job on finding brilliant accommodation..but alas..this wasn't one of them. Yikes...the cottage was about 400years old he tells me....people must have been jolly midgets. It was like being in a child's cubby...that hadn't been cleaned...ever...ik. Not to worry..it's only one night so what do we do?..trot to the pub across the road of course. Found the landlord asleep in front of the fire and extremely grumpy to find infiltrators in his sanctum....his good lady wife arrives and reluctantly serves us a beverage...slamming the drinks down on the bar and then proceeds to poke the fire with a huge iron bar with much violence.... exit stage right here asap.
We did find another public house a little more convivial and a nice dinner was had. By this time it was actually snowing quite heavily...by Bat's standards anyway. So a quick walk up the hill to the cottage....get there and what has the badger done?...yep ..shades of Gerona and Barcelona from last year...keys are locked in the cottage and we are here in the snow...grrr...thankfully he had the car keys and we could go and get the landlord...to let us in.
We escaped there first thing in the morning. Mind you it was one of the most picturesque places I've seen and straight out of a Herriot Novel. The snow was indeed icing on the cake for me...The Badger is getting a bit over it though.
Whitby...and sunny on arrival and I took some great shots and thought of our very talented Ron Farnhill from Peninsula Art Soc. who has painted Whitby on many occasions. The sun was short lived an soon...snowing again...yipeee. The Abbey was totally spooky and I can understand why Whitby inspired Bram Stoker's Dracula...how good would it be to do the ghost tour there..maybe be next time?
And here we are in Edinburgh in this comfy opulence...well done on this one Badger ten out of ten.
Tuesday, 26 April 2016
Update....Whoohooty...
'Just been told it's forecast for snow overnight/tomorrow./ ('./' that is my attempt at a makeshift exclamation mark..looks a bit crippled but better than nothing eh? hehehehe)
Our last day in Sheffield
So today is our last day here and with the family.
The last couple of days have been so relaxing, taking in the sights, taking in the antique markets...and I did buy a couple of little items to bring home...
Relaxing in the huge tub in the afternoons with bubbles (bath bubbles thank you very much... not Champagne), lots of laughs and lots of amazing food....thanks to Bev.
Paul has been enjoying the soccer live and.... in the middle of the day instead of the wee small hours. He has even been to a live match.
Today we went to a sleepy little village called Everton. Great great great + grandparents, Colgraves, were married there in seventeen o' five (excuse the long hand....I have no 'one' digit...due to this tablet's keyboard altercation with a glass of water, apparently it wasn't thirsty) ...but I digress....the church has been on the site since the thirteen hundreds. It was awe inspiring to stand in the very church that the G'parents had been wed all those years ago. The village was delightful.
Later we met up with some of the rest o the clan , about ten of us, for lunch at the Bowshaw Inn...we had the biggest roast dinner...the size of the Yorkshire puddings...amazing (I can just about hear Victoria having a coronary from here...I know how she loves a roast hehehe)...I cannot believe I ate the lot. (I'd use an exclamation mark...but due to the said altercation with the water...'haven't got one of those either) It was great catching up with these wonderful people...and a lot more laughing was done.
The bluebells are all coming out at the moment as the English spring gets under way and the plants are waking up. Bluebells were one of my mum's favourites. It was so lovely to see them out in the woods where we scattered my parent's ashes last year...such a beautiful spot....so tranquil and overlooking
Sheffield in the distance.
Tomorrow we are off on another adventure, to Whitby, home of Bram Stoker's Dracula and Captain James Cook... and no doubt a lot more...oh yes...Whitby jet...jewellery as worn by Queen Victoria (...Paul...where is that credit card?)
I thought we were off to Edinburgh...I actually have no idea where I'm going..so you'll all be pleased to know I am my normal self...never any jolly idea where I am going or what I'm doing.
Just having a little curl up and relax and on the sofa now with a magazine Bev has given me to peruse and let the dinner digest...and looking forward to the fish finger butties we've been promised later. Simple pleasures...you can't beat it.
Having to post the last day's posts in batches.
Blogger is limping badly again...and sorry for the comments issues as well...since Tristan is the only one who seems to be able to comment..I guess you need a degree in Software Engineering to operate it...jsheesh it has been frustrating this year.
Sunday, 24 April 2016
Having issues
Sorry but blogger is refusing to post photos.. Have tried reducing size of files...but no luck so far. I'll keep trying.
Saturday, 23 April 2016
Sheffield
We had another epic day yesterday.
Steve took us to the places I remembered from when I was here with my mum and dad in 1987.
We spent the day mostly in Derbyshire. These were some of my mum and dad's favourite places.
We went to a quaint little village where the grave of Little John rests, Hathersage. Eyam historical village tragically famous for the bubonic plague.
From there we saw Bakewell, Matlock, and a host of other gorgeous villages before coming back via Chesterfield and it's magnificent warped church spire. Finished off with a couple of drinks at some more brilliant pubs and ten headed home for a fantastic Mooraccan meal by Bev...yum yum yum.
Friday, 22 April 2016
Up North.
We got up to another glorious morning and went for a walk around Great Barrow before breakfast. The locals in the village were so nice and friendly and before long we'd met a lovely old chap walking his dog and stopped for a chat in a teeny lane by the magnificent old church, while the church bells rang the hour.
After breakfast we hit the road. Again we set Carmen the Garmen to avoid motorways and we were off on our way to Sheffield. We saw some beautiful country on our way and it made sense of the saying 'this green and pleasant land'.
Eventually we left Cheshire and entered Derbyshire, over the moors, which are stunning in their bleak severity. By lunch time we had stumbled upon Ashford on the Water, Steve and Bev took us there last year...and I was trilled to have happened upon it just in time for a bite to eat. So we popped into the Bulls Head for a bowl of roast parsnip soup and a home made roll...mmmm delish...in a cosy little corner of this little gem.
We strolled around the little old stone buildings and then down to the river and watched the trout and the ducks from the bridge.
Then it was on-on to cousins, Steve and Bev's house.
And what was awaiting us but an enormous Meat and Potato pie with proper mushy peas...that is probably my favourite thing...oh my goodness it was delish...just like my mum's. I made short work of that along with a slice of Bakewell tart.
After dinner Steve took us for a drive around and ended the evening at 'The Grapes' an Irish pub...it was magic. People started drifting in with guitars and a keyboard and soon the little ancient old place was full and the music began, each taking their turn to play and sing. Even I sang/hummed along with 'Whiter Shad of Pale'..a particular favourite from my youth...and I wasn't thrown out either...amazing.
So here I sit, snuggled upstairs, in this comfy bed under a puffy doona while I type and this part of the world is starting to wake up. Feeling pretty blessed to be here and double blessed to be with family.
Thursday, 21 April 2016
Chester
Yesterday we left Fladbury for a very leisurely drive to Chester. Tootling down country lanes flanked with prim hedgerows, pheasant hopping across the road from one field to another, lambs and their mums with their fluffy white fleece and ever so sweet little black faces and passing from one picture perfect village to another. We stopped at a little cafe for morning tea....right by the side of a lock and we watched the canal boats going through. Then on-on to Chester....well Greater Barrow first, to drop of the ever increasing luggage. Oh goodness and we haven't been here a week yet..yikes.
First stop was a trip to Cheshire Oaks, an outlet complex. Straight to one of Paul's favourite menswear shops, Ben Sherman, to get a jacket...bingo...mission accomplished. He scored a nice warm coat, so I may be forgiven now for removing the down jackets from the cases? Next stop was a shop for some boots for moi....so...we come all the way to the UK to buy...UGG boots. Heeled ones...very warm.
After a flying visit there went to Chester itself and had some lunch in a lovely little cafe on The Rows...a level above street level....again a brilliant meal in utterly brilliant surroundings
Today we get up....and it is sunny and warm, what the dickens???? Murphy's Law at work???? I feel I have now sealed the deal weatherwise...it will be hot for the rest of the trip...hehehehe.
We finished off a perfect day yesterday at a hotel recommended by one of our fellow bar flies here...The Boot...in Willington, yes Willington not Wellington...it was brilliant...out in the countryside a hidden gem nestled amongst farms with a magnificent view. Dinner was to die for...Whitby Scampi for myself and liver (yuk) for the Badger (I don't cook offal...so he was very happy). then it was back to our hotel the White Horse for a nightcap with our new best friends.
Today we popped into Wales...Mold , where Paul grew up. It was Market day...oh dear...the man with his magnificent Yorkshire Pork Pies was there again...I fear I shall return home the size of a house.
Wednesday, 20 April 2016
Tuesday, 19 April 2016
Blind Bat does a bit of editing...
I am finally trying to get my act together...
I'd forgotten how I had refined the job last year...photos posted from the phone and then dialogue from the larger tablet..' have found a few mistakes...
apart from the spelling...have added a photo on the ost 'So here we are in old Blighty'...posted the 'actual' photo of the snow on the solar panels....lol..it's hard to choose the right photo sometimes...when it's a small screen on the phone and ...one is also a 'bind' as well as daft Bat.
Worcester and Stratford upon Avon
We were off to an early start today. We headed off to Stratford and wondered about. We had a coffee at a sweet little place right across the road from the Bards house. We soaked up the history and then headed off to Anne Hathaway's cottage. It was amazing to walk around in this ancient 500 year old warped building. We headed off from here, meandering down country lanes and through picture perfect villages. We had lunch and a wonder about the streets of Worcester and around the Cathedral where the children's Nanna was privileged enough to grew up in the grounds...how special. It's a very impressive structure.
Tomorrow we leave Worcestershire and head to Chester.
I sincerely apologise for the poor spelling from tome to time. Most of the time I post from my phone and it's just about impossible to proof read...that combined with the phone thinking it knows better than me (and most of the time it probably does) via 'auto correct'...sometimes it gets it wrong... Do your best to decipher.
