A Weekend in Cornwall Has My Vote!

After all of the rain and clouds we have had for the last few weeks, our weekend trip to St. Mawes along the Cornish Coast was restorative. Sunny, blue skies, light winds, and comfortable temperatures were ideal for exploring some of the most spectacular coastlines I have ever seen. I was in hiking heaven!

St. Mawes is a quaint little fishing village along the Channel coast of Cornwall. We were lucky to find accommodation at The Rising Sun given that this was the last bank holiday weekend of the summer and the Brits were making the most of it. This little inn turned out to be the perfect base for a relaxing weekend retreat - charming, spacious, unique and good food to top it off! This town is not easy to get to so, despite the holiday, the town did not feel overly crowded. It isn't somewhere you would drive to just for the day. The visitors either had a home here or parked in the town car park and never moved the car. You could wander down the middle of the narrow streets along the water's edge or high up on the hills overlooking the bay.

One of the striking things about this area is the huge tide swings. When we arrived at 6:30 pm the kids in town were all jumping off the high sea wall into the bay quite far below. They were having a ball! The next day, however, the tide was out revealing a beach and quite a few boats just sitting on the sand where they had previously been anchored. Instead of jumping off the wall, the kids were now collecting crabs from the shallow waters near the beach and on the boat ramps.

We were also pleasantly surprised to find a small castle built by King Henry VIII in St. Mawes. It sat perched upon the hill by the entrance to the bay. There was another castle across the Fal estuary in the town of Falmouth, also built by King Henry VIII. Both served to protect one of the world's largest natural harbors against the threat of invasion from Catholic France and Spain. Today the St. Mawes Castle is closed on Saturdays for weddings and other events but otherwise is open to the public.

Saturday we took off along the wide Fal estuary to walk into the town of St. Just in Roseland. Along the way, we saw graceful homes overlooking the water, watched the sailboats, walked through cow pastures along the water's edge and climbed down the bluffs to the rocky beaches below. Once in St. Just, we explored the church, surrounding cemetery and gardens before heading back - spectacular! We passed a few people along the path but most of the time we were all by ourselves in this natural wonderland and loving it.

Sunday we caught a ferry across the bay to the Roseland Peninsula, which is largely uninhabited for miles. The little boat dropped us off at a small floating dock, seemingly in the middle of nowhere. We picked up the trail and headed around the shoreline to St. Anthony's Head. The headland offered unbelievable views of the harbor entrance. From here we continued on around to the outer cliffs and beaches of the coastal path, passing the lighthouse along the way. The terrain reminded me of the Irish coast as we walked along the rim through pastures of cows, horses, sheep and even through wheat fields. 

In places, the way the trees grew reminded us of the California coast - maybe Big Sur. They weren't cypress trees but the shape was similar. In a few spots, you could see secluded beaches far below between the rocks. Some of the beaches we could climb down to from the trail but others were only accessible from the water and occasionally we would see a sailboat anchored there enjoying the solitude. We easily walked 10 miles on Sunday and climbed countless hills because we just couldn't turn back. Around every corner was another spectacular view. We did manage to find the little dock at Place House just in time to make it back before the last ferry of the day. The trails could be marked a little better for those of us not accustomed to climbing over fences and traipsing through fields to get where we are going but we did get help along the way from some friendly locals at a tea shop.

Monday we checked out of the hotel and decided to drive across Cornwall to ride our bikes along the Camel Trail from Wadebridge to Padstow and back. This bike path is flat and follows the Camel Estuary to the ocean. As we road out, we watched water skiers enjoying the day in the calm waters of the estuary. Surprisingly, as we rode back the tide was out and that same spot was now a dry river bed! Padstow itself is a very popular fishing village and it is charming. Granted, it was chock full of people enjoying the holiday but beautiful nonetheless. We walked past the town and down to the beach. We enjoyed getting our feet in the water and walking along the soft, sandy beach. People were everywhere enjoying the sunshine and, once again, it really lifted my spirits to be there. We had lunch on a patio just off the beaten track before cycling back to Wadebridge to drive home to Swindon.

I highly recommend Cornwall for the spectacular scenery, relaxed pace and incredible hiking. If you are a sailor or a fisherman, all the better!

Side note: Mike is a closet cat lover - he let this cat jump up next to him and drink the milk for our tea out of the pitcher!

Rain, Rain, Go Away...

We are getting a taste of the ever-present UK rain that we have heard so much about. Almost every day for the past month we have had drizzle for some or all of the day. Some days the blue sky and sunshine come out and tease you into believing that it is here to stay. New rule…never leave home without an umbrella!

As we count down to our departure day of October 29, I am looking forward to several more international trips before we go. I feel a bit like a travel agent lately as we try to nail down accommodations and transportation for short trips to Cornwall, Istanbul, Paris, Caen/Normandy, Nice, Cinque Terre and our longer Italian vacation in October. We are both really looking forward to touring Istanbul with John, Lynette, Joe, and Lindsey and also to Amy’s visit to see us here in England. The time away from family and friends is the hardest part of an international stint like this. Keeping busy with travel is awesome but nothing replaces relationships - shout out to my amazing Megan for holding down the fort at home and keeping me company on skype when I need it!

We are keeping our fingers crossed for a bit more summer weather this weekend as we pack up the bicycles and head out to explore Cornwall and Devon. It is a bank holiday for the UK so we are expecting to see lots of travelers on the road for the last 3-day weekend before school starts again. I am sure all of you Arizonian’s will be heading out to cooler climates for the Labor Day weekend so be safe and enjoy!

Forever Views...Cycling the Ridgeway Trail

Making the most of the long summer days, we packed up the bicycles after work and drove over to Barbury Castle to give the Ridgeway Trail a try. Barbury Castle is a scenic country park sitting high in the Marlborough Downs. Just getting there is interesting because the country road that leads up there narrows to one lane, forcing a game of chicken with any oncoming vehicle.

We worked our way through the first two livestock gates and I started to wonder if this was a better horse trail than cycle path. In fact, it serves as a horse trail, walking path and cycle route. After the first steep and rocky downhill, the path leveled out a bit and I noticed a red, curly-haired cow watching me as a rode by. It felt like there was no one around for miles and the incredible views in every direction were definitely distracting me from the hills that I was NOT used to! Mike was riding circles around me and only turned around when his stomach started growling.

Tomorrow we are starting golf lessons offered through the Intel Swindon Social Club....hmmmm.

Castle Combe. Idyllic...

Today I went out in search of the charming images on my box of notecards. According to the photographer's notes, it was nearby and I had to see for myself if such a place actually existed. I am here to tell you that Castle Combe is probably the most charming little village I have seen since arriving here!

It is in the countryside right on the border of Wiltshire and the Cotswold's. I parked just outside of town and walked along a shaded country road with very little traffic for about 10 minutes before reaching the charming village. My camera was immediately put into service. The cottages had so much character with flowers hanging from the stone windows, the occasional thatched roof, well-worn doors, and welcoming gardens. In the center of town, you are greeted by the Market Cross, a covered gazebo-like structure in the middle of the main intersection offering large stone benches perfect for an afternoon ice cream cone. Across the street is St. Andrews Church, originally built in the 13th, 14th and 15th centuries.

Tucked away behind the church, down a quiet lane lined with stone houses and well-tended gardens, I came upon The Manor House Hotel. Suddenly the lane opens up to the expansive grounds and you can immediately feel the elegance and tranquility of this place. The building is covered in Ivy and the surrounding lawns have giant trees with benches underneath, tables and chairs for taking tea on a nice day, lawn chess and well placed reclining chairs out by the stream. Up a flight of stairs, in front of The Manor House, is a formal garden that overlooks the grounds and leads to a walking trail through the woods. Apparently, this is a golf club. I did not see the course but maybe that will get Mike to take me back one of these days!

I reluctantly left the grounds and completed my exploration of the town before heading back up the hill to retrieve the car and get back to reality. After several weeks of overcast skies and rain, the clear blue sky and sunshine today was a welcome sight!

Lawn Tennis and Royal Staterooms - Does it get more British than that?

When we first arrived in London we felt that we would NEVER attempt to drive in central London. Well, we gave it a go after dropping mom at Heathrow yesterday and were pleasantly surprised. Maybe the downpour discouraged the usual weekend traffic but the weather cleared up for the most part and we even found free parking everywhere we went!

First stop, Wimbledon All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club. That's a mouthful! This turned out to be a really fantastic tour followed by an interesting trip through the Wimbledon Tennis Museum. The grounds are beautiful and it was fun to go in all of the show courts and the press room and sit as if we were attending the big event. The brackets were still posted from the recent tournament, which was fun to see since we watched it. Megan told us this was worth doing and she was right - thanks, Megs!

Then it was on to Buckingham Palace to tour the Royal Staterooms and gardens, which are only open while the Queen is in residence in Scotland during August and September. The drive from Wimbledon to Buckingham took us through some very nice areas. I can only imagine what some of that real estate sells for! While we were waiting at a traffic light in the circular drive around the front of Buckingham Palace, we rolled down our car window and talked to a cab driver. He told us to try looking for parking in the neighborhood just south of the palace because some of those spaces are free on the weekends. BINGO - we got lucky and were set for the rest of the day.

With tickets to the 3:30 tour in hand, we set off towards the palace to begin. Buckingham Palace is incredibly opulent with ornate, gilded ceilings and HUGE crystal chandeliers in every room. I have decided that I prefer to tour the working castles and palaces. You can just imagine what it would be like to attend an event there. Just as we completed the indoor tour the rain resumed for our walk through the garden. I guess that is what umbrellas are for and it didn't last too long.

To kill time before dinner we opted to walk through St. James Park, new to both of us, and then on past The Guard Museum, Churchill War Rooms, Big, Ben, Parliament and Westminster Abbey. That worked up an appetite that led us to an Italian restaurant called Zizzi. I thoroughly enjoyed a wood-fired pizza that measured up to what you would find in the states (I am not generally a big fan of the pizza here). After all of the walking, we didn't mind getting in the car for the hour and a half drive home.

We spent some time today planning our next few trips and quickly realizing that we waited too long before booking our Cornwall hotels on the upcoming Bank Holiday weekend! The search is on...

Edinburgh and the Highlands in 3 Days - Yikes!

Wrap up in your Tartan wool and grab a wee bit of single malt whiskey to sip while you eat your Scottish shortbread. You are in for some fun in Scotland!

Upon our arrival at Waverly Station in Edinburgh, we were quite impressed by the skyline of the Royal Mile in Edinburgh as seen from Princes Street. The Edinburgh Castle dominates this and appears to be carved right out of the rock that it sits on. Princes Street divides the city into the new town and the old town. All along Princes Street, there is a beautiful park and, given that it is Festival Time in Edinburgh, there are people and entertainers EVERYWHERE. Apparently, the Edinburgh Festival is the largest in the world with over 2,000 venues for the arts, a spectacular Military Tattoo outside the castle and a fringe festival of street performers.

Mom opted for a double-decker bus tour of the city to save her back from walking the hills so Mike and I set off to walk up to the castle and down the Royal Mile to the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the official Scottish residence of the Queen. Along the way, we saw some pretty questionable street performers along with troops of actors and musicians strolling the street singing, dancing and generally promoting their festival venue.

When we arrived at the Palace of Holyrood we were lucky to walk in just as the Queen's husband, Phillip, was walking out the door to get in the car. The rest of the royal family is now at Balmoral but he was in town for some business and an evening event in Edinburgh. They are in Edinburgh during the month of July. As with Windsor Castle, this is a working Palace and the tour was very good. My favorite part is the Abbey ruins connected to the Palace. The beautiful stonework still stands against the sky with beautiful arches, columns, and windows despite the missing roof and partial walls. We strolled through the inside and then approached from the gardens just as the sun came out, setting it off against the blue sky and surrounding mountains.

We had been told that if it was a clear day we should hike to Arthurs Seat at the top of Holyrood Park so we set off with a bottle of water and several layers for the unpredictable weather. The view as you walk through this beautiful park is spectacular and, as you climb, you get a 360-degree view of the city, the ocean, and surrounding countryside. It wouldn't be a proper Scottish hike if it hadn't started raining halfway up. At least the torrential downpours waited until we were most of the way back down! After dinner, Mike hopped the bus to the airport and we got ready for an early start the next morning. We were heading to Glencoe, Loch Ness and the Highlands - Minibus tour lasting 12 hours! What are you going to do if you want to see a lot of territory in such a short time?

Our highlands guide was fantastic and I am sure she is an aspiring actress because she told the old stories of the clans and royal battles with such intensity and emotion that I was captivated. The Scots do have their share of bloody battles throughout history. She gave us the true identity of their Brave Heart. It was not William Wallace, as portrayed by Mel Gibson in the movie. The fight for freedom was, in fact, picked up by Robert the Bruce. He was eventually crowned King of Scotland and known to them as one of their greatest kings and most famous warriors. We also got lots of stories about Mary Queen of Scots as well as a warning never to trust a Campbell - ask me about that sometime! All in all, the scenery along the way was spectacular and the pictures will never do it justice. The mist is almost always clinging to the lush green hills and the lochs are beautiful. I hate to admit that we took a boat ride on Loch Ness and fed the Nessie legend by watching the boat sonar for signs of something large lurking beneath the surface. We did learn that the northern part of Scotland was once part of Canada before breaking off, floating for eons and eventually slamming into the UK creating the incredible terrain and the many lochs. Crazy! Loch Ness is deeper than their Ocean and black as the darkest night from all the peat in the water washing in off the soil.

With one more day to spend in Edinburgh, we set off early on Wednesday and were lucky to beat the crowds into the Castle to view the Crown Jewels and the rest of the Castle exhibits. We particularly liked visiting the prison. It was set up with the cots and hammocks that would have been in there when it was full of prisoners of war. The conditions were crowded and deplorable for the multinational prisoners housed within. We spent more time than we probably needed to in the War Museum because it was pouring rain outside! By the time we worked our way through the streets and buildings of the Edinburgh Castle, the sun was out briefly and we watched street performers on the Royal Mile and did some souvenir shopping. Somewhere along the way we tasted the Whiskey, ate the shortbread and bought items from St. Andrews Golf Course.

It was a quick trip and we covered lots of ground - so fun! If I return to Scotland, the Isle of Skye is at the top of my list. Maybe we can rent one of the charming medieval gatehouses that we saw throughout the highlands now used for that purpose. I have mom here for just two more days so we will stay close to home and hit a couple of our charming towns nearby for shopping and maybe lunch. I am so glad she came to visit. I miss being able to spend that kind of time with her. Safe travels, Mom!

Heading North...First Stop, York

No rest for the weary! Mom had Ireland and Scotland on her list so we spent less than 24 hours turning around the laundry from Ireland before heading out again for York and Scotland. Mike joined us for the trip to York and also spent a day in Edinburgh with us before heading back to work - someone has to do it!

York was on my list of 'must-see' English cities and I was not disappointed. We were there on Sunday so we got up and went to the morning service in the York Minster. The choir sounded beautiful in the incredible cathedral and the service was very similar to ours at home. I must admit, it felt good to spend some time refocusing on Him.

From there we wandered the cobbled streets looking in the shops and various other churches before heading to the city wall to take a walk. Through an arched passageway covered with vines, we spied an old church, Holy Trinity Goodramgate, hidden among the surrounding buildings. It still contained the old box pews fitted into the sanctuary. The docent inside showed us old tombs and tombstones, explained the significance of the stained glass windows and pointed out that the patron of the church was included in the design of the central window. Nice find! Now on to the wall. You can climb the steps to walk along the top of the old medieval wall surrounding the city. From there you get views of both the newer areas outside the walls and the old town inside the city walls. We came down from the wall and walked through the museum garden with its picturesque ruins before setting off to find some lunch.

After lunch, we visited the Castle Museum housing displays of life in York from medieval times through the 1960s. It was pretty funny to see some of the toys and games we grew up playing in a museum - should I feel like a relic now? As is our new custom, we came out of the museum and looked around for our afternoon snack. I ended up with an ice cream cone and Mike actually passed altogether on the snack. I am going to have to consider that next time. Oh well, time to head to the train station to go to Edinburgh.

Cead mile failte Ireland!

Translated from Gaelic to mean, "a hundred thousand welcomes!" Mom and I spent the last 4 days touring Ireland and soaking in as much of the Irish customs as we could absorb in that short time.

We didn't have much time in Dublin but the city tour gave us a quick overview of the city and its history. From the start, it was clear that Guinness and Jameson would be a central theme on this trip - the Irish like their drink! Both Guinness and Jameson are huge patrons of Dublin. In fact, I believe they said that Guinness money was responsible for the restoration of St. Patrick's National Cathedral, which is an Anglican Church, and Jameson Distillery supports the Catholic St. Mary's Church. Christ Church, used by King Henry VIII as the Anglican Church of Ireland, was rebuilt in the 1870s with funds used by another distiller, Henry Roe.

Our first night in Dublin we visited the Merry Ploughboys Irish Pub for dinner, drinks and some authentic Irish entertainment. SLAINTE - to your health! I could pass on the Guinness but discovered that I really like the Irish Ale Smithwick's (pronounced without the w). The Merry Ploughboys played and sang all of the traditional Irish songs and the audience participation was a must if you didn't want to end up on the stage in the spotlight! We also saw a troop of Irish dancers that really made the place rock. Some of it reminded me of Spanish dancing.

We met some interesting tourists. For example, during our Merry Ploughboys dinner, we were seated at long tables with benches. Mom was exchanging the usual small talk with the man across the table from her - things like what is your name, where are you from, how long are you in Ireland - when out of the blue he leans over to her and says, "I race pigeons". I don't think she quite knew how to respond to that! We eventually learned that there are about 30 others in Illinois that compete in this hobby. The pigeons race home from as far away as 500 miles and their times are captured on a computer in their coop. When I asked him if he needed special birds for this he told me that one of the men in the organization had traveled to Scotland to get the eggs so they could raise the birds for their sport. The trouble with this is that it is illegal to bring the eggs to the US so the guy's wife had put the eggs in her bra! Apparently, this served two purposes: keeping the eggs warm and effectively smuggling them through customs. At home, we are more apt to pelt pigeons with bb guns to keep them from leaving their mark all over our front walks!

From Dublin, we headed toward Killarney. Along the way, we visited the Blarney Castle and took in lots of lush green countryside, historic buildings, and ruins. From Killarney, we visited the Ring of Kerry with its incredible scenery including ocean views, lakes, National Park and sheep country. We went to a demonstration of how the sheepdogs work and it was amazing! Anyone that owns a dog should visit this guy for training tips. The control he had over the dogs, and consequently the sheep, was just unbelievable. We also saw all the different variety of sheep used to produce various wools.

Finally, we went to the Cliffs of Moher. This is exactly what you picture when you think of Ireland. My mom said that the walk along the cliffs reminded her of the Great Wall of China when she was there. We took a million pictures here but none of them do it justice. Go see for yourself if you get the chance!

For dinner the last night we went to a madrigal kind of medieval dinner at Bunratty Castle. We ate the food with our hands while being entertained by traditional Irish singers accompanied by harps and violins (or fiddles?). If you have been to the Renaissance Festival you will get a picture of the costumes. The quality of the entertainment was quite good and the castle made a very authentic backdrop. It was a fun way to wrap up the trip.

Our last night in the hotel was almost comical (but not at the time). The hotel was full and we were put in a handicap room located in a remote hallway separated from the main hotel that clearly hadn't been used in awhile - spiders/spider webs, sewer smells emanating from the drains in the bathroom, lack of lights....not great. From there we were just looking for things to complain about to each other. The night was capped off by the alarm sounding in our remote hallway at 2 in the morning. Finally we called the front desk to ask if we should be concerned about the alarm going off in our hallway and they didn't even know about it! The upside to the whole thing was that Mom and I had a wonderful 2 hour chat in the middle of the night about all kinds of things. There is a silver lining to everything.

Tomorrow we are heading to York with Mike and then on to Scotland next week.