During this year I shall be posting photographs from places around the UK, many of which have not been published before. Where I have previously blogged about a location I will provide a link to the post, though you won’t be able to comment on it as I restrict comments to six months.
G is for Grasmere
Is there any landscape more beautiful in England than the Lake District? Known for its glacial ribbon lakes, rugged fell mountains and historic literary associations. Throw in a few market towns, lakeside walks and cruises, good food and fresh air. Lots of fresh air.
Reflections in Grasmere Lake
It has links with the Lake Poets: William and Dorothy Wordsworth lived in Grasmere for 14 years and called it “the loveliest spot that man hath ever found.”
During this year I shall be posting photographs from places around the UK, many of which have not been published before. Where I have previously blogged about a location I will provide a link to the post, though you won’t be able to comment on it as I restrict comments to six months.
D is for Dartmoor
Dartmoor National Park is a vast moorland in the county of Devon, in southwest England. Dartmoor ponies roam its craggy landscape, defined by forests, rivers, wetlands and tors (rock formations).
Wonderful views from Pork Hill car park
We had an incredible day driving around Dartmoor National Park back in June 2022, stopping in various places to have a short stroll to admire the views.
During this year I shall be posting photographs from places around the UK, many of which have not been published before. Where I have previously blogged about a location I will provide a link to the post, though you won’t be able to comment on it as I restrict comments to six months.
C is for Chilham
Renowned for its beauty and charm, the Kentish village of Chilham lies high above the valley of the River Stour in the picturesque Kent Downs. The market square is full of historic medieval buildings, timber framed houses of Tudor origin, the 16th century church and the imposing Chilham Castle.
Chilham Castle – sadly the gardens are only open on Tuesdays during the summer months.
Chilham lies on the routes for the North Downs Way and the Pilgrims Way to Canterbury.
Half timbered cottage gable end which you pass on the way to the Free Parking just outside the village.Featured in the book ‘A Thousand Best Churches’ by Simon Jenkins, the XIII century church is noted for its stained glass windows and fine monuments. My visit coincided with the Harvest Festival and the church was exquisitely decorated.Beautiful container gardenMuch of the village is designated a heritage conservation area, in recognition of the historic value of the many of the buildings. Because of the beautiful old buildings, Chilham is often used as a setting for film and television productions.
My visit was in September 2010. I often accompanied my OH in those days when he attended conferences in nearby Canterbury (yet another C well worth exploring) and whilst he was busy in meetings I was busy exploring the Kent countryside, towns and villages and gardens.
During this year I shall be posting photographs from places around the UK, many of which have not been published before. Where I have previously blogged about a location I will provide a link to the post, though you won’t be able to comment on it as I restrict comments to six months.
B is for Bredon Hill
Bredon Hill is a hill in Worcestershire, England, south-west of Evesham in the Vale of Evesham. The hill is geologically part of the Cotswolds and lies within the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The scenery is dramatic…with spectacular 360 degree views across the Vale of Evesham, the Cotswolds and the Malverns.Barn on Bredon Hill
Being interested in A E Housman’s poems we had to visit the top of Bredon Hill (pronounced Bree duhn) when we spent a few days on holiday in the north Cotswolds.
There are a number of well-defined trails and on a clear day the views are excellent.
‘Bredon Hill’ is poem number twenty-one in “A Shropshire Lad” and it narrates the story of a lover who lost a loved one.
In summertime on Bredon
The bells they sound so clear;
Round both the shires they ring them
In steeples far and near,
A happy noise to hear.
click here for the complete poem and a musical setting by David Harley from his CD ‘Tears of Morning”
Back in the old days the OH and I used to try and take a short UK break around our birthdays, which worked very well as we then had a holiday in late spring (May) and one in early autumn (October). This one was my choice for celebrating my birthday in 2014.
Just Back From… Dorset
A last minute booking to Bridport in Dorset for a birthday and wedding anniversary celebration was made in lieu of the proposed trip to Seattle. After a gorgeous sunny September, autumn also decided to come along too, so it was a mixed week of sunshine and showers and even a few dramatic thunderstorms with lightning and thundering waves.
Bridport
Bridport is a quaint market town in West Dorset and only a mile from the famous Jurassic coast at West Bay with its lovely harbour and shingle beach. It has an open and airy feel to it because of the wide streets that contain several hundred listed buildings many of them built to accommodate the twisting and dyeing of ropes and nets during the late 12th century. It also has a lively arts and literary scene.
East Street
Town Hall
The Ropemakers
The Olive Tree Café
Georgian Architecture
The Bull
Greengrocers
Although in a self-catering house I don’t consider it a holiday if I do all the cooking so we ate take away fish and chips from Longs in West Street which were excellent – thin batter on the succulent cod and crisp chips. And the best deal was a thin crust pizza, salad and 1/2 pint of local cider from The Stable, behind the Bull hotel on East Street – £10 on a Tuesday. If you like it hot go for the Blaster! Or what about the Bucky Doo?
Burton Bradstock
The Hive Beach Café
Good fish and seafood can be found in local pubs and restaurants, but head to the Hive Beach Café, a tarpaulin-sided hut which is a popular place for lunch as it is right on the beach at Burton Bradstock, 4 miles from Bridport along the shingle Chesil Beach. It is very busy at the weekend, even at this time of year, but worth the wait (no bookings) for the fresh lobster, sea bass or grilled sardines. An obvious choice for Saturday’s birthday lunch.
TRAVEL WORDS 