6 Comments CherryPie on Aug 28th 2023
Please do not flush…
Paper Towels
Tissues & Wipes
Sanitary Products
Kittens & Puppies
Hopes & Dreams
12 Comments CherryPie on Aug 27th 2023
Our breakfast was accompanied by a loud teleconference call that was taking place on a nearby table. The call was upsetting and my heart went out to the family who were coping with a premature birth. The nature of some of the conversation turned my stomach a little whilst I was trying to enjoy my breakfast. I think the conversation would have been more appropriate in a quiet area away from the breakfast room but I hope the little one is doing well after its unexpected early ordeal.
We loaded the car, checked out and took the Welsh border route in order to take in a couple of castles on the way home.
The first castle on Mr C’s itinerary was Monmouth. The remains were minimal and the attached museum wasn’t open until the afternoon. Walking back through the town, we noticed a book shop which called us inside. We didn’t leave empty handed. I found a book that I had looked for on my previous holiday in Brighton; “Steeple Chasing: Around Britain by Church” (Peter Ross). It is a book that I read about in Country Walking magazine which features a lovely church (with angels) that I visited on last years Norfolk adventure. I could have ordered it online but sometimes I just have to hold a book in my hands before I purchase it.
We rejoined our route along the Welsh border, stopping at castle number two, Raglan. This castle with its moated tower is far more substantial than Monmouth. Raglan was built 150 years later than the turbulent era that saw castles built along the English/Welsh border. Raglan was intended to impress more than intimidate. The castle looked stunning in the sunshine that emerged as we arrived.
We thought we might find a bakery in Raglan town where we could purchase some made-to-order sandwiches for lunch. This was not to be so we continued along our Welsh border route to Abergavenny where we noticed a promising bakery. After parking the car, we found the bakery somewhat lacking in sandwich (and drink) opportunities but we were both able to find a tasty morsel to satisfy our lunch time appetite.
We ate our lunch sitting on a bench outside the delightful Priory Church of St Mary. The church houses a collection of memorial effigies and a 15th century wooden carving; The Jesse which was once part of a larger carving forming Jesse Tree depicting the lineage of Jesus Christ as detailed in the Bible. A modern stained-glass window of the Jesse Tree has been installed which now substitutes for the missing part of the carving.
On our way home we picked up lasagne allowing us to enjoy ‘Fine Dining’ on our patio as the sun went down.
4 Comments CherryPie on Aug 27th 2023
After a good night’s sleep, it was time to find out what was on offer for breakfast. Cold buffet options were on display but hot food was cooked to order. I was pleasantly surprised to see that my favourite breakfast options; tomatoes on toast, mushrooms on toast, egg on toast were listed as options on the menu rather than me having to pick the items from the full English breakfast choice.
The weather was perfect (hot and sunny) for our planned visit to Slimbridge wetlands centre for Mr C’s birthday.
Slimbridge was every bit as good as I remembered it from my childhood visits. There is an abundance of birds to see and most of them were out on display rather than hiding. With the help of volunteers and local enthusiasts we were introduced to wildlife and fascinating conservation tales that we would not have discovered without their enthusiasm to share information.
Amongst other things we learned about how Peter Scott rescued the nēnē goose from the brink of extinction and were shown a large number of cranes congregating on the Severn estuary. We didn’t see the advertised pelicans but enjoyed seeing all six species of flamingo.
Despite my declaration that I wouldn’t be buying anything from the shop, I came away with two books…
Back at the hotel we chilled out with a cup of tea in our room before a pre-dinner Prosecco on the hotel terrace. After dining we returned to the hotel terrace and watched the sun setting over the Gloucestershire countryside.
Comments Off CherryPie on Aug 25th 2023
We had intended to set off around 10am but had run a little behind schedule. As we were just about ready to leave, the phone rang which contributed to us leaving nearly an hour later than we had intended.
We consulted ‘The Extra Mile’ book to find a suitable place for lunch and settled on Ferns Bistro which is located in the Malthouse Emporium near to Tewkesbury. We initially struggled to locate the place because we were looking for a refurbished malthouse instead of the modern day pre-fab factory building that it turned out to be.
After lunch we had a mooch around the Emporium which has an eclectic mix of new and pre-loved items for sale. We left the building empty handed and headed into Gloucester to visit the Cathedral.
Neither of us remembered the nave of the church from our previous two visits. It was only when passed through the transept that the building became familiar with its side chapels and glorious stained-glass windows.
I did, however, remember the Labyrinth from my first visit to the Cathedral and it was lovely to see it installed once again albeit for a few weeks only. I would have loved to walk it but sadly there was not enough time to do it justice.
Outside of the main Cathedral building are the cloisters. These are stunning and well worth a visit in their own right. They featured in some of the Harry Potter films and, as we walked round, we noticed a youngster in a Gryffindor cloak having his photograph taken at various locations that featured in the films. My favourite part of the cloisters is the Lavatorium, the communal washing area for the Monks in mediaeval times.
We also navigated some spiral stairs to visit the Tribune Gallery exhibition and get a closer look at some of the higher-level Cathedral features, including the Great East Window. It is on this level that you can experience the ‘Whispering Gallery’ and test out the acoustics in the narrow, almost hidden passageway.
Before leaving the Cathedral, we stopped for refreshments in the Monk’s Kitchen where I was tempted to a maple and pecan slice. The atmosphere in the Cathedral was hot and humid and this was intensified in the small café room.
As we made our way back to the car park, we noticed that Gloucester has become rather run down and that many shops are empty. When we booked in at our hotel, Hatton Court the receptionist commented on the state of Gloucester and suggested that the Cathedral and the Docks were the best parts of the city and that Cheltenham was a better place to visit.
We left our luggage in our room and headed for the hotel terrace for a refreshing drink looking over the Gloucestershire countryside, which was partially obscured by wedding/event tents erected in the hotel’s garden area.
Later we dined in the hotel restaurant where we opted for a sharing dish; pan fried venison steak served on poppadoms accompanied by rice, curry sauce and other small accompanying dishes. Unfortunately, I forgot to take a photo of the plate of food art. Later we chilled out in the bar area before retiring for the evening.
10 Comments CherryPie on Aug 24th 2023
No bird soars too high if he soars with his own wings.
William Blake
6 Comments CherryPie on Aug 21st 2023
Although this photo was taken in a different location.
8 Comments CherryPie on Aug 16th 2023
