It's a bank holiday this weekend so I've booked into a motorway services hotel - grey and boring but, again the usual comfy bed and hot shower is more than adequate. It took me a while to find the switch for the heated towel in the bathroom (had laundry to dry) - it was on the outside wall of the bathroom (the side opposite the towel rail). Go figure.
I did the park and ride into Cambridge, that is such a good service - just make sure you know which bus-stop to take back to your p&r carpark! With my itinerary in my phone, I headed off , found a few interesting bits, see the pic of the sign of the crown hotel, glorious! and then the lowering grey cloud just simply got to me. I'd had enough, here I was in glorious Cambridge, which, according to Lewis, is always sunny, and it was, again, cold and yuk. So I caught the bus back to my dreary (but warm) hotel and veged all afternoon, listening to Radio 4 and knitting. Yes, I know, boring but maybe I needed a break. Tomorrow I'm heading west again to Berkshire and will visit Hatfield House on the way. May even get some sunshine, if the weather forecasters are right. photos later.
Friday, 1 June 2012
Friday, 4 May 2012
7th Earl of Howard Monument
This picture was taken at the beginning of the drive from near the 'house' looking towards the monument, which was completed about 1870. I've cropped it to about half the original distance and it is still a very long drive... (with a couple of 'gates' in a couple of walls on the way).
Thursday, 3 May 2012
On York and Yorkshire
Another day another Minster - the largest in Northern Europe, one of the guides told me - apparently the Spanish have something larger. However, having taken some 260 years to build it would have to be excessively grand. A tennis-court-sized stained glass window is shrouded by its printed facsimiles while conservators remove each panel from its place, and painstakingly clean, re-lead, and replace the glass, so when finished it will be back to its original brightness. A couple of partially restored panels were displayed in lightboxes. An irreverent thought, such delicacy and detail didn't ought to be fixed into lead came, 50feet above those looking at it. Why must we see only coloured patches in a huge backlit window? Perhaps visitors to churches sporting such magnificent glass art should be issued with powerful binoculars so they can clearly see the detail in the large windows. Maybe a bank of (seaside) telescopes, requiring a coin to operate - that would bring in the money!
During my travels I have come to realise that many UK churches' stained glass is donated memorials to family individuals, or members of regiments felled in wars such as the Boer and the Great War. Magnificent stained glass often was installed well after a church or cathedral was built, or sadly, replaced original installations destroyed during the reformation (Henry the Eighth and his rewriting of divorce law at the bottom of that!)
I've had enough of historic buildings so went to Castle Howard yesterday. Yes, another historic building, but one built to glorify the great and powerful of politics and state. (Used as the site of both Brideshead Revisited productions) I was particularly drawn to the gardens, and aspects created by landscape artists - a joy to live in such manicured perfection. The rose garden will be fabulous in a month or so, for now the bushes are producing their leaves.
As I drove south towards Cambridge today I altered my view of Yorkshire, not the dour and sere moors, but fertile farms, many lighting the grey skies with large plantings of bright yellow flowering rape. It really is an uplifting colour, those who plant fields of rape cannot help feel happy when looking on the crop, it surely brightens the day for those hissing along the roads in the rain.
Tomorrow Cambridge. An encouraging weather forecast indicates the sun may show its face, for a few minutes at least. I'm going to do the park and ride, and get myself to the 'backs' where students disport themselves, and many a comic scene has been viewed as punters punt, or not, on the Cam.
During my travels I have come to realise that many UK churches' stained glass is donated memorials to family individuals, or members of regiments felled in wars such as the Boer and the Great War. Magnificent stained glass often was installed well after a church or cathedral was built, or sadly, replaced original installations destroyed during the reformation (Henry the Eighth and his rewriting of divorce law at the bottom of that!)
I've had enough of historic buildings so went to Castle Howard yesterday. Yes, another historic building, but one built to glorify the great and powerful of politics and state. (Used as the site of both Brideshead Revisited productions) I was particularly drawn to the gardens, and aspects created by landscape artists - a joy to live in such manicured perfection. The rose garden will be fabulous in a month or so, for now the bushes are producing their leaves.
As I drove south towards Cambridge today I altered my view of Yorkshire, not the dour and sere moors, but fertile farms, many lighting the grey skies with large plantings of bright yellow flowering rape. It really is an uplifting colour, those who plant fields of rape cannot help feel happy when looking on the crop, it surely brightens the day for those hissing along the roads in the rain.
Tomorrow Cambridge. An encouraging weather forecast indicates the sun may show its face, for a few minutes at least. I'm going to do the park and ride, and get myself to the 'backs' where students disport themselves, and many a comic scene has been viewed as punters punt, or not, on the Cam.
Tuesday, 1 May 2012
Whoops, I missed Durham
I left Edinburgh in mizzling rain, and then, by the time I reached Berwick North, the rain had stopped and the fog was reducing visibility to about 20 metres at times. I decided to drive slowly - what else could I do? I had lunch at a pub somewhere, oven baked salmon with lovely, fresh green beans, broccoli and carrots. The berry crumble to follow was more of a compote, of redcurrants and strawberries, deliciously tart, with a crunchy topping. Didn't need dinner after that!
Just outside Durham, my accomodation for the night was delightful. Lovely comfy beds, a normal sized bathroom, definitely room to swing the proverbial (cat, I mean!) and, from my window, a view across the valley to a pretty village. By the time I arrived the fog had lifted which is why I could see the view.
This morning the view was even better as the sun was shining, weakly, but you take what you can get, the locals say. My hosts chatted me over the best prepared breakfast I've had so far, including pineapple and melon to start, mushrooms, just crisp enough bacon, scrambled egg and fresh, oven baked truss tomatoes. Such healthiness!
British bread is not good, when it's brown that is all it is. Even whole grain, when toasted, develops that awful empty crispness - almost sandy in texture.
There was a 6month old British Bulldog puppy in residence, clearly training itself to be a real character. They look really mean but are absolute sooks, in my experience. Not very bright, must be the shortage of oxygen getting to their brains through those scrunched up nasal passages.
York next, will do the must sees - the Minster, York Museum and try and finally see some of the Great Houses in the area. So far they've all been closed - out of season - or open 'tomorrow, or next week'. Weather forecast for tomorros is for SUN - maybe it will turn out correct!
Just outside Durham, my accomodation for the night was delightful. Lovely comfy beds, a normal sized bathroom, definitely room to swing the proverbial (cat, I mean!) and, from my window, a view across the valley to a pretty village. By the time I arrived the fog had lifted which is why I could see the view.
This morning the view was even better as the sun was shining, weakly, but you take what you can get, the locals say. My hosts chatted me over the best prepared breakfast I've had so far, including pineapple and melon to start, mushrooms, just crisp enough bacon, scrambled egg and fresh, oven baked truss tomatoes. Such healthiness!
British bread is not good, when it's brown that is all it is. Even whole grain, when toasted, develops that awful empty crispness - almost sandy in texture.
There was a 6month old British Bulldog puppy in residence, clearly training itself to be a real character. They look really mean but are absolute sooks, in my experience. Not very bright, must be the shortage of oxygen getting to their brains through those scrunched up nasal passages.
York next, will do the must sees - the Minster, York Museum and try and finally see some of the Great Houses in the area. So far they've all been closed - out of season - or open 'tomorrow, or next week'. Weather forecast for tomorros is for SUN - maybe it will turn out correct!
It's been a while
Somehow Edinburgh didn't have a blog in it at the time, or perhaps it was because I spent time with my long-lost cousin and his family, and the walk from Edinburgh Castle to Holyrood House, then back to George Street to catch the bus was memorable more for the distance than for the sights - not really true.
I am rather crowd averse, and even more averse to packs of tourists - you know: Take a photograph of everything and if possible take a photo of every member of your party in front of everything, I don't know what is achieved but it looks as if they are enjoying it.
St Giles Church: has memorials, furnishings and the usual amazingly carved decorations on the ceiling and decorating much of the walls etc. A number of touching epitaphs on the memorials. There was a lovely carving of a very human John Knox, standing with other city notables flanking the main entrance (just about 60 cm high, I'll post the photo shortly).
As you walk down the Royal Mile, views are revealed down the alleys that connect to other streets, and the backyards of the many shops and pubs. Tourist trap heaven, I can't imagine why one would want to take up a special offer of 5 tartan scarves for £20.00, well, perhaps I can, very easy gift buying.
My visit to Holyrood House started out with a giggle. For your £10.75, you receive a digital audio device with a tour guide. The first one they gave me was in Dutch, the second in French, third time lucky got me the English version. I wondered, do I sound as if English isn't my first language?
The recorded guide was very informative and polite. "When you are ready, go left and through the next door, and push the green button to continue this commentary."
It must cost squillions to keep the place warm, some of the staircases are in the turrets - with open arrow slots, many of the windows seem to fit poorly, letting in frigid draughts.
Oh, and the other thing about Edinburgh, it was cold. Icy in fact when the breeze hit. My long walk day was sunny so hardy souls, equating sun with warmth, poor things, were out with bare arms. I noted that many of them were the types who sport tattoos, must be a sign of manliness to freeze your ... off.
I am rather crowd averse, and even more averse to packs of tourists - you know: Take a photograph of everything and if possible take a photo of every member of your party in front of everything, I don't know what is achieved but it looks as if they are enjoying it.
St Giles Church: has memorials, furnishings and the usual amazingly carved decorations on the ceiling and decorating much of the walls etc. A number of touching epitaphs on the memorials. There was a lovely carving of a very human John Knox, standing with other city notables flanking the main entrance (just about 60 cm high, I'll post the photo shortly).
As you walk down the Royal Mile, views are revealed down the alleys that connect to other streets, and the backyards of the many shops and pubs. Tourist trap heaven, I can't imagine why one would want to take up a special offer of 5 tartan scarves for £20.00, well, perhaps I can, very easy gift buying.
My visit to Holyrood House started out with a giggle. For your £10.75, you receive a digital audio device with a tour guide. The first one they gave me was in Dutch, the second in French, third time lucky got me the English version. I wondered, do I sound as if English isn't my first language?
The recorded guide was very informative and polite. "When you are ready, go left and through the next door, and push the green button to continue this commentary."
It must cost squillions to keep the place warm, some of the staircases are in the turrets - with open arrow slots, many of the windows seem to fit poorly, letting in frigid draughts.
Oh, and the other thing about Edinburgh, it was cold. Icy in fact when the breeze hit. My long walk day was sunny so hardy souls, equating sun with warmth, poor things, were out with bare arms. I noted that many of them were the types who sport tattoos, must be a sign of manliness to freeze your ... off.
Friday, 27 April 2012
On the smallest shower in the world
So far, the one in Carlisle is winning but the Edinburgh B&B is running very close behind. I reckon the shower base is about 80mm square. A tall person would have to open the door and get out to pick up the soap! Mind your elbows! They do have plenty of hot water, though, using those instant electric devices that deliver fast, endless hotwater, as advertised. The units have options to choose the flow rate you require, I can't see anyone wanting less than full flow, because even that is less than gushing!
Ever northwards
Yesterday Carlisle, today Edinburgh, and, unbelievably, sunshine!
I arrived in Carlisle as the weather was clearing and after settling into my room, headed towards the town centre for a bit of culture at the Guildhall Museum. Sadly it was not to be, "Unexpectedly closed due to needing significant structural repair" said the sign. Bother. Having decided I'd seen enough cathedrals for now, I did the next best thing, if you are a stereotypical female, anyway, and went shopping. Mundane stuff 'though, underwear at M&S, and a Barbour (get this) gilet (vest to kiwis), from a store aimed specifically at clothing for the country outdoors! Yes, really. A sort of not for tramping/climbing/camping Kathmandu. Lots of really warm clothing, must because the UK is cold more often than it's warm.
In spite of the lure of the credit, sorry, debit, card, I managed to notice numerous really interesting old buildings. As a border town, sometimes Scots, sometimes English, sometimes Cavalier, sometimes Roundhead, Carlisle has had a chequered and at times cruel history. Lots of info from googling Carlisle, UK.
As it was sunny this morning I decided to head for Edinburgh along Hadrian's Wall and spend some time at Vindolanda, the roman fort on the wall which is proving an astonishing treasure trove for archaelogists who believe that at least 9 forts were progressively built on the site. Digging continues there every summer, and the artifacts range from metal to leather to fabric, even. Much of the deeper material is anaerobic, so no microorganisms and no oxygen to destroy materials such as leather, wood and even some fabrics. The museum on site is very well done and tells a good story - factual, of course - with some AV of archaelogists talking about some of the more exciting finds.
I came north via a B road, through the wild border lands, steep, near barren, and cold! I had stumbled on a tourist bus route so avoided stopping at the lookouts, peopled by cold looking people, doubtless wishing they could get back on the bus and get warm again.
Scottish farmland is reminiscent of much NZ countryside. Well more the other way around really, pastures a bit rough, plantations of spruce, rather than pine and drystone walls everywhere are the major differences. It's windy too, many trees had that distinctive lean, frequently seen around Wellington and the Wairarapa.
I arrived in Carlisle as the weather was clearing and after settling into my room, headed towards the town centre for a bit of culture at the Guildhall Museum. Sadly it was not to be, "Unexpectedly closed due to needing significant structural repair" said the sign. Bother. Having decided I'd seen enough cathedrals for now, I did the next best thing, if you are a stereotypical female, anyway, and went shopping. Mundane stuff 'though, underwear at M&S, and a Barbour (get this) gilet (vest to kiwis), from a store aimed specifically at clothing for the country outdoors! Yes, really. A sort of not for tramping/climbing/camping Kathmandu. Lots of really warm clothing, must because the UK is cold more often than it's warm.
In spite of the lure of the credit, sorry, debit, card, I managed to notice numerous really interesting old buildings. As a border town, sometimes Scots, sometimes English, sometimes Cavalier, sometimes Roundhead, Carlisle has had a chequered and at times cruel history. Lots of info from googling Carlisle, UK.
As it was sunny this morning I decided to head for Edinburgh along Hadrian's Wall and spend some time at Vindolanda, the roman fort on the wall which is proving an astonishing treasure trove for archaelogists who believe that at least 9 forts were progressively built on the site. Digging continues there every summer, and the artifacts range from metal to leather to fabric, even. Much of the deeper material is anaerobic, so no microorganisms and no oxygen to destroy materials such as leather, wood and even some fabrics. The museum on site is very well done and tells a good story - factual, of course - with some AV of archaelogists talking about some of the more exciting finds.
I came north via a B road, through the wild border lands, steep, near barren, and cold! I had stumbled on a tourist bus route so avoided stopping at the lookouts, peopled by cold looking people, doubtless wishing they could get back on the bus and get warm again.
Scottish farmland is reminiscent of much NZ countryside. Well more the other way around really, pastures a bit rough, plantations of spruce, rather than pine and drystone walls everywhere are the major differences. It's windy too, many trees had that distinctive lean, frequently seen around Wellington and the Wairarapa.
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