July 30/13

First stop today was Old Mother Shipton's Cave. This is the oldest tourist attraction in England, dating from the 1500's. The story behind it is quite interesting. A woman gave birth to a girl she named Ursula. Since she refused to reveal the father's identity, she was banned from the town. She lived in a cave for two years that had a natural spring. It had a very high mineral content, and is therefore called a petrifying spring. Everything that the spring drips onto becomes petrified, or hard and white. Many items such as hats, shoes, socks and purses that belonged to famous people were purposely left behind to be petrified and then were put on display in the museum. Back to the story of Ursula, she was witch-like in appearance but had a remarkable ability to predict the future, so many people came from great distances to have their fortune told. Even king Henry VIII sent some of his men to test her powers out. She accurately predicted many things, including the great fire of London, the Spanish Armada, travel by car and plane, and even accurately predicted the date of her death!

Next we went to Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal Gardens. The latter is a series of large ponds, temples and statues beside the Abbey, with a great view of the abbey and the water from Ann Boleyn's chair above. The abbey itself is the largest and most impressive abbey ruins that we've ever seen! It's set down low, and as you approach it from above, the first sight of it is magnificent! And as we walked around it, Michael took pictures at every turn.

We then drove through the moors to Robin Hood Bay, known as being the prettiest fishing village on the coast. The drive to it was rolling and pretty, but when you arrive, it's suggested that you park at the top of the hill and walk down to the shore, as the roads are extremely narrow. We did just that, but were sorry that we did, as the beach area wasn't especially attractive, and we got better pictures of the coastline and the town from the top of the hill.

Back in York, I had Sticky Toffee pudding for my entire dinner. I normally have a very small appetite, so unless I just order an appetizer, there's no way I'll have room for dessert. But last night I did that, and still didn't have room for the pudding, so I decided that if I was ever going to get some, then I'd have to order it as my dinner. It was delicious, and not something that I can get at home.

Went to a pub that we heard would have session music tonight. It was much more like our Irish sessions at home than the last session we attended. In fact, we recognized or can play most of the tunes that they did, even more than the sessions we went to in Ireland! While there, a couple from Portland that we met in our B&B this morning stopped by. We had told them about the session, but didn't think they'd come. We chatted over drinks and then walked back to the B&B with them.Turns out that they are both cell biologists, so they had that in common with Michael. Strangely enough, we'll see them in a couple of nights from now in Keswick, because they're staying in the same place as we are there as well!

July 29/13

Started the day at York Minster, the largest cathedral in the North of England. Some time ago they realized that they were going to need to repair the structure because it had extensive cracks, and people were afraid that it might collapse. They discovered that the problem was in the foundation, and when the repairs to that were underway, they found Roman ruins underneath the church! Just as an aside, while there Michael had the opportunity to try on a cope and mitre (clerical robes). Check out his Facebook page!

Next we did a tour of Jorvik. The name 'York' is derived from this Viking name. On the museum site is where they found many items from Viking days, so they set up an exhibition below ground level to show what life may have been like during that time. Moving cars on a cable took us around to see a mock settlement. After that ride there were many things on display, including skeletons of young men who had died in fighting.

On the way back to the B&B we found a cafe that was advertising gluten free food, so Michael was able to have lunch today for the first time! We also discovered a restaurant at dinner time that had a GF menu - such luck!

Had a bit of trouble doing laundry, as the load was split between 2 machines, and the handle broke on one of them, which meant that it wouldn't wash and we couldn't get the clothes out of it either! Finally the owner came by and was able to fix it, and we got everything washed and dried just in timed for closing.

July 28/13

Left Oxford for our longish drive to York, where we will be staying for 3 nights. On the way we stopped in at Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem, the oldest pub in England. It's below a castle, and dates back to the 1100's. Amazingly it's still in use, so we went in and shared a drink (we didn't want to have much, as it was only noon and we still had more driving to do.) The pub is divided into several small alcoves on a few levels. The steps are uneven and the walls curved, giving it a cave-like appearance. The pub is in Nottingham, which reminded me of the Nottingham Ale song, but they didn't seem to serve that as far as I could tell.

After arriving in York it was too soon to check into our B&B, so we decided to stretch our legs by doing the wall walk around the city. It follows the line of the original Roman walls. The gate at Monk Bar is the best preserved medieval gate. At a few points the wall has a gap, and you have to go down to street level and walk a bit before getting back on it at another spot. Near the end we got lost trying to find the spot to join up with it again. We ended up in a pedestrian mall area, and missed the last bit of the wall, but with help from a local we were able to get back to our car park.

Our B&B is on a quiet street, within walking distance to the sights we were wanting to see right in town. So tomorrow we will do just that!

July27/13

On our way to Oxford we drove by Uffington to see The White Horse. This is a chalk figure of a horse carved into a hill back in the Bronze Age. This part of England has lots of chalk figures, but the horse is the oldest.

Next stop was Oxford. Unfortunately our attempts at walking around the city didn't go very well. Initially we were lucky enough to find street parking near the Museum that Michael wanted to see, but the parts of the extinct dodo bird he was seeking had been moved to the British museum in London! After a brief look at some instruments dating from 1500 - 1800 we attempted to walk past some of Oxford's better known sites, such as Radcliffe Camera, Christ Church College and the Bodleian library. However, we walked in the wrong direction, and when we tried to drive to the area it was a madhouse of buses, people and NO parking. We found out later that it's much better to do the park and ride, but by this time it was too late. If we have time on our way back to Heathrow Airport perhaps we'll get brave and give it another shot.

July 26/13

Hiked up one side of the Cheddar Gorge today. At the point where it gradually starts its descent we turned back. After that there would have been a steep climb up the other side. Not only did we not feel up to that, apparently most people don't do it. The views from the gorge and the surrounding area were very nice, but it was a bit of a slog in the heat.

Next we drove to Bath to see the Roman Baths. The museum displaying many of the artifacts is directly over top of the original site. The first baths date back to a few hundred years AD. There are 3 natural springs near the abbey, and the Romans constructed a complex of bath houses to take advantage of their natural temperature - 46 degrees celcuis! After the Romans left, the buildings decayed until the baths were revived again in the 17th century. Besides the hot baths, there was a cooling off pool. The King had his own bath dating from the 12th century. They believe that some of the baths were co-ed, but others separated the men from the women. The baths were considered to be spiritual as well as relaxing. Sometimes the bathers would offer gifts to the goddess Minerva there, and even wrote curses on stone tablets for people that they didn't like. Many excavated objects such as the tablets were on display.

Bath has so many listed buildings that the entire city has been named a World Heritage site by Unesco. One thing considered to be a crowning glory is the Royal Crescent, a semi-circular terrace of majestic houses joined together and overlooking Royal Victoria Park. Apparently the houses hardly ever come up for sale.

On the way to our B&B we had to travel on VERY narrow roads. When we needed to pass a parked vehicle on the final stretch, we had to fold both mirrors in and I had to guide Michael past it from the front of the car! He barely made it through. Then we had to repeat the process when going for dinner! Had we known, we would have looked for a restaurant near the Roman baths, but we've usually had luck getting a place to eat near the B&B.

July 25/13

Drove to Glastonbury to see the ruined abbey. It's made up of a chapel and a church that had been once joined together. The grounds were spacious and it would have been an enormous church at that time. Also wandered a bit around the town. The shops were 'New Age' - crystals, angels, King Arthur, Druids, etc - right up Michael's alley ;-) Luckily the rain held off until we finished taking photos!

Next stop was Wells Cathedral. Construction started in the 1100's and continued on through the 1500's. It's not as grand as the other cathedrals we've seen, but still impressive. We were lucky enough to hear the choir rehearsing while we were there, as it sounded splendid!

Our B&B is a cabin on a farmhouse property - very unique! We're just outside Cheddar, ready to hike on the gorge tomorrow.

July 24/13

Mentioned that we were going to try out a pub session in Penzence. Well we did, and had a wonderful surprise, as there was a musician there that we knew from 30 years ago - Alistair Brown, from the group The Friends of Fiddlers Green! Turns out that he's going to Ontario next week for a brief tour with the group. If you know of them, you probably also know about Ian Robb. The music was somewhat different from pub sessions that we're used to, because it was mostly English dance music, with some American influence, and a bit of Irish and other ethnic stuff thrown in for good measure. We knew a few of the tunes, but if we'd had our instruments we couldn't have played much. The most prominent instrument was concertina, followed by accordion. There were a few fiddles, but only one played regularly. Also a guitar, bouzouki, flute/whistle and drums. It was an open session, with people just starting tunes when they wished. If you didn't know the tune you either listened, or more likely chatted with your neighbour. A couple of people (including Alistair) did songs, and one lady step danced. The session wasn't as lively as ours in Calgary, but it was neat to hear what an English pub session is like!

Started out the day yesterday driving to Port Isaac where the British series Doc Martin is filmed. Had a tour of the town, and saw many sites where the filming takes place. It was interesting to learn that although the front of these buildings are used, they shoot the inside scenes in a nearby town. The actors have been living there for the past 3 months and are leaving today, but we didn't see any of them. We also saw (and walked through) the alley called Temple Bar, the world's narrowest alley - AKA Squeeze-ee-Belly Alley, the advice given to a rather plump lady who tried to walk through it! We also saw the road that they used to take the lifeboat up. It had groves in the stone at corners, to accommodate the ropes as the whole village hauled the boat to its shed. It was a very tight squeeze, and the lifeboat had been custom-built to fit the narrow streets!

Next we drove to Tintagel - a ruined castle often associated with King Arthur. There are some findings to indicate that he may have been born there, but many remains are thought to be from the 12th century. There wasn't much to see of the castle, but great views of the water, rocks and cliffs below.

Our B&B is just outside the town of Clovelly. It's a World Heritage site, and is privately owned. This means that no one living there can own their property. Also, almost no vehicles are allowed to drive on it's cobblestone lanes. You must park your car in a lot and walk down the very steep hill to the water where the town ends. That's also where the restaurant where we ate is. The town slope is about 400 feet in less than half a mile, which is a 16% grade. Believe it or not, I actually found it easier coming back up in some ways, because the cobblestones didn't seem as slippery, even though it rained while we were eating and the stones were wet climbing back up. (This was our first rain, and we've been here just over two weeks. Some locals say it's the best summer in 25 years!) The restaurant had good food, but was a bit fancy inside, catering to the hotel guests I suppose. When I mentioned to the hostess upon going inside that we were casually dressed (with our runners and rain jackets) she said "yes, you are!"

July 23/13

Did a bit of laundry this morning, since the laundromat opens early and is just down the street, and St. Michael's Mount doesn't open until 10:30.

St. Michael's Mount is a castle perched up high on a mountain, and aside from a series of other buildings that form what would have been the town below, it's the only thing on the island. It started as a Benedictine Abbey made to resemble Mont-St-Michel in France, and was later turned into a defensive castle. To reach it you either have to walk across a cobblestone causeway (low tide) or cross by boat when the tide is in. Next you must walk up a fairly steep and uneven cobblestone path. A man our age was holding an ice pack on his wrist because he had fallen on this path. I'm surprised that I didn't do likewise. The rooms in the castle were decorated from around the mid 1600's. After seeing the castle we had cream tea in the restaurant. This is tea served with a scone topped with clotted cream and jam. The cream is also known as Devonshire cream, and it's very thick and fatty and delicious! It's a tradition here, and normally Michael wouldn't be able to eat such a thing because of the scone. However, in researching this place, Michael discovered that they can offer gluten free scones and diabetic jam, so we were both in luck! And judging by my current blood sugar levels, I made a good guess on the insulin I needed to cover the scones, so all is well.

This evening we are heading into Penzance because there's a pub that has music sessions on Tuesday nights. If it turns out to be good I'll write about it later. Apparently they have a session band and invite others to join in. We didn't bring our instruments on this trip, but hopefully they'll be good to listen to.

July 22/13

This was largely a driving day, so that we could see the southern and SW coastlines. We first drove along the Lizzard peninsula, stopping briefly at Coverton. Next was Lizzard Point, the most southerly part of the country. From there we went to Lands End, the furthest point in the SW, and walked a bit along the coastline, which was quite pretty. We then drove north as far as St. Ives, a bustling town right on the water at the northern part of the peninsula. This was listed as being one of the top ten scenic routes in the country. It was nice, but as much of the drive was on single track or very narrow roads, the driving was stressful for Michael, so he didn't see much of the scenery.

Today was the first cool and somewhat overcast day we've had, but still no rain. We'll have been gone two weeks as of tomorrow, which means that our trip is half over.

July 21/13

Left our lovely farmhouse B&B to do a two hour hike along the Lydford Gorge. This is maintained by the National Trust and is a gorgeous trail. Luckily it was mostly in shade and often along a flowing stream which has a high waterfall and a cauldron at the end. It had a couple of tricky bits, but was still manageable for us, especially since I purchased a fold-up walking stick from the shop before the hike. My balance is getting worse, and I'm afraid of another fall, especially since my hand that got hurt nearly a week ago from a fall is still badly bruised, swollen and not able to be fully used yet.

About one hour from the gorge is the Eden Project. Built on an expired clay pit in 1999, it now contains the largest greenhouses in the world, referred to as Biomes. One has plants from the Rainforest, and the other from hot, dry climates. It grows a large number of edible plants, and seeks to educate by showing the relationship between plants and humans, and how we can make the best use of our resources. In the shops they sold many things, including food from plants grown on site, and items made from recycled material, such as sundials made from recycled coffee cups. This is a very forward-thinking place. Many plants were growing outside the Biomes as well, and were grouped according to themes, such as plants for medicinal purposes, and even plants for making beer!

Our B&B has been built from what used to be a chapel. You can tell just by looking at the shape of the windows. It's very spacious inside - wish we were staying a second night here! Luckily though, we'll be in the Cornwall area for a few more nights.

July 20/13

Saw the Exeter Cathedral, an Anglican Church dating back to the 1100's. Like the Salisbury one, it's carvings and stained glass windows are very impressive. There are lots of people buried in the church, some of whom even have a room set aside to pray for them, as well as a shrine with a figure lying on top of a stone casket.

Later we saw the Kent Caves. With a guide we were able to go inside. Early man once lived in there, and lots of animal skulls, teeth and horns have been found there too, including a wooly mammoth that is 350,000 years old. All the rock is original, and some have taken on the shape of things such as a scary face, a dragon, and one area resembles a wedding feast, including the cake and a roast! Apparently real weddings have actually been held in the caves, including one with a Flintstones theme!

Our B&B near Okehampton is a large farmhouse, complete with sheep and beautiful grounds to walk in. Luckily we arrived early and we could do just that.

July 19/13

Left our lovely B&B outside Dorchester and drove to see the Cerne Abbas Giant. It's a figure carved into the earth and shows up as a chalk drawing in the grass. This figure shows a man with an erect penis and holding a club. They aren't sure from when it dates, but some people attribute it to being Oliver Cromwell!

Next we saw Maiden Castle. This is not a castle, but instead an Iron Age hill fort which once housed several hundred people. It was well-protected because intruders would have to navigate a maze of hills and troughs to get to the top. From there we had a good view of the picturesque landscape which is largely farmland.

Later we drove along part of the Jurassic coast to the town of Beer (no joke!) We had thought we might walk out to Beer Head, but it would have been a long hot walk on a stoney beach, so we settled for walking a short distance instead. We couldn't even get a breeze off the water, and it was as calm as can be. Along the beach was a long row of painted shacks, just large enough to put in some lawn chairs, drinks and snacks and perhaps a floatation device. People would sit outside the shacks on pavement which overlooked the water. Not my idea of a nice place to enjoy the English Channel!

July 18/13

Saw the ruins at Corfe Castle. There's a village below it which looked quite old as well. Apparently the castle and the village housed commoners rather than royalty. It existed 1,000 years ago but was partly demolished in 1646 by the Parliamentarians. Situated on a cliff, the castle ruins gave us a great view of the countryside.

From there we drove to Lulworth Cove to walk out to Durdle Door, a picturesque stone doorway in the ocean. There are also chalky cliffs and a beautiful cove and beach area that was very popular despite the long walk down to access it. Some people were kayaking and sailing, and large motorboats would take you along the shore too. It was neat watching the kayakers go through the split in the rocks.We envisioned a cliff walk to be fairly flat once having climbed the cliff, but sadly it was not. It was a very hot day for such a walk, and we didn't see many people our age attempting it - mostly young people heading down to the beach area.Still, the view out overlooking the sea and Durdle Door was worth it.

July 17/13

Headed off on a hike that was to take us to Stonehenge from behind, as well as seeing other things on the way past. The idea was to see it from up high and without a lot of people. But ironically, in the distance we could see lots of people, and when we drove up to it later in the day, the walk around it was arranged in such a way that you could pretty much always get a shot from all angles without people in it. And it was so hot during the earlier walk that we really did not enjoy it. The visit later was much better, and Michael got some great shots! As you walk slowly around, it was neat to see how different it looked. A long time ago they think there was processions around it, but no one knows why, nor do they even know why it was built. But it is possible to tell what time of year it is, based on where the sun sets on it. In the distance one can see barrows, or burial grounds. These are mounds of earth, one beside another, with people and some of their possessions buried with them. It was weird to be standing where others stood so very long ago!

We also drove into nearby Salisbury to see the famous Cathedral - very impressive. And a bit further away was the ruins of the original cathedral and a castle.

July 16/13

Had an unfortunate fall as we were packing to leave London. Tripped on the edge of the fireplace mantle, lost my balance and landed on the side of my left hand. Don't think any real damage was done but the hand is sore and bruised from mid hand to the left side, from the ends of my fingers to my wrist, and on the palm as well, I could hardly get my watch off, and have to be so careful not to bang into anything, but I'm managing. Luckily I'm right-handed!

Took the train to Slough where we got our rental car and drove to Windsor Castle. The castle and yards are quite large and the rooms are amazing! The queen was there - wonder why she didn't come out and greet us?! She thinks of Windsor as her home and Buckingham as her office. Her horses are at Windsor and she rides every day, although Phillip had to give it up. Outside the castle it's built up with a mall and shops, which surprised me, as I had thought that Windsor would be more secluded.

Our B&B is near Salisbury in a town of 314 people. Lovely thatched roof cottages line the quiet streets. It's a restful place to be after the hustle of London.

July 15/13

Spent our last day in London at the Tower. Had an entertaining tour guide who actually lives on the grounds as a condition of employment, and has done so for ten years. Saw the Crown Jewels of course, royal coins, armour worn by the kings, a chapel, the Bloody Tower containing 3 different methods of torture, and the spot where some kings and queens had their heads cut off. It was funny to see these old buildings next to the modern buildings outside the Tower.

Saw Phantom of the Opera in the evening and really enjoyed it. I was always sorry that we hadn't seen it when it played in Calgary, but in those days we didn't think we could afford it. Both the acting/singing and the special effects were very good.

After the show we realized that we were close to Buckingham Palace and tried to see it, but couldn't find the entrance in the dark. I saw it many years ago with my parents, and although it would have been nice to take the tour, it's closed for the month of July. This is why we didn't make a special effort to see it earlier.

My last memory of London I guess was to hear a young lad singing the Beatles song "Help" in the underground on our way back to the B&B, but unfortunately he didn't get the words right! This somehow seems especially wrong in London!

Leaving London tomorrow and picking up our rental car to head west.

July 14/13

Yesterday started out with the London Eye - a huge Ferris wheel that gives you some great views of the city. Next was a short train trip to Kew Gardens. Although we only saw about half of the gardens, most of the neat plants were in glass conservatories. We were in the building that the picture on our downstairs wall was drawn from, so that was very exciting. Ever since I first saw that picture I said to Michael that I hoped someday we could go there. We left for an early dinner as we were tired and hot, but more importantly we had to be back there for the Bellowhead concert. This was an outdoor venue, so we were very lucky that it didn't rain. The group consists of eleven members - mostly fiddles and wind instruments, and their music was very lively and fun! It was neat to see all ages there, dancing and jumping up and down to the music. Too bad that they don't come to Canada, but given the size of the group it would be prohibitive.

July 13/13

Spent the day travelling to and at Down House, the home of Charles Darwin. The house has been restored to the way it probably was when he lived there. In some rooms the story of his life (along with displays) was told, but in other rooms, such as his study, they tried to decorate with original furnishings. It was also possible to walk the grounds past his garden and greenhouse, and to walk along the Sand Walk. This is where he would walk at specific times of day both for exercise and to think. Sometimes his children would join him. He placed 5 stones at the start of the walk, which formed an oval through a beautiful wooded area, and he would remove one stone each time he went around. But sometimes his children would put the stones back, trying to trick him into walking longer with them! He was very much a family man, and was torn apart when one of his daughters died young. It was neat to be standing and walking in the same rooms that Darwin lived, worked, and eventually died. This was especially moving for Michael, as he has great respect for Darwin and his work. This was actually the thing that Michael most wished to see while in the London area.

July 12/13

Today we went to two museums in one day, as they both sounded interesting and are a stones throw away from each other. Perhaps this wasn't the smartest idea in retrospect, as we didn't have much patience for the second, which was the Victoria and Albert museum.

We first went to the Natural History museum, as Michael was quite wanting to see its Darwin Centre. He was excited to see two of Darwin's penguins and a real Archaeopteryx skeleton, of which there are only about 12 in the world! The museum building itself looks like a cathedral but it was constructed to be a science museum, and it even has animal carvings on the interior posts. Of course much of the exhibits inside were familiar to Michael, but done in such a way as to appeal to people of all ages who don't have as much of a background in biology as he does.

Next we headed over to the V & A, which concentrates on art and design. It has elaborate displays of objects, many from the 1700's - silver, statues, paintings, religious objects, household items, fashion, etc. Perhaps we were just too tired but we didn't find this museum to be as interesting as the first one. And because of high blood sugars and back issues that don't make standing very comfortable, I found myself taking frequent opportunities to sit down.

We made one last stop - Picadilly Circus, but saw that it was only a collection of live theaters, so headed home. Had a good meal at the pub around the corner. The pubs here look on the outside just like the Joyce on Fourth where we play session music on Saturdays at home. Luckily they serve more that just pub grub, as that wouldn't work with Michael's celiac diet. In fact, we've been mostly skipping lunch because most places we find ourselves at during that time don't serve anything that Michael can eat.

Hi from jolly old England!

Our trip over went well once we got rolling, but we were 1 1/4 hours late leaving because a flight attendant became ill and we had to wait for a replacement. Michael barely slept a wink, but I managed to doze off from time to time. After arriving at the B&B we were lucky enough to be able to book a dinner reservation at Barbecoa, one of Jamie Oliver's restaurants, which was the one we most wanted to go to. Today we happened to see two more of his restaurants - a testament to his popularity. The meal was very good. Michael said it was the best steak he's ever had! However Meredith's friend Charles can make better cocktails and Alastair has made better duck fat fries!

Today we went to the British Museum - a massive structure with much more that a person could see on one visit. It had an especially impressive Egyptian collection ( including the Rosetta Stone) and everything was original. We were impressed that they allow tours of blind people to touch the artifacts, but no one else.

Next we strolled around Covent Garden Market - a mix of shops, food courts, stalls of nice crafts and some more tacky items.

In the evening we attended the live play 'Mouse Trap.' It's been running continuously for 60 years so we figured it would be good, and it was!