England – UK & Eire

London Walkabout & Final Day

October 11, 2017October 15, 2014 by Smith & Smith

On Tuesday, Dick is feeling pretty miserable, a lot of coughing and sweating, but we walk down to Harrahs and later have lunch at the ‘Duke of York’. In the afternoon, Mary heads down to Westminster Abbey for a tour and leaves her poor, ill husband to suffer alone in agony.

Wednesday is our last full day in London and of our trip. Dick is still feeling under the weather, but as this is our last hurrah, we decide to cross a couple of more things off our list. Mid-afternoon, we wander to Leadenhall Market, a historical covered market in the city’s Financial District where some of the Harry Potter scenes were filmed. It’s one of the oldest markets in London, dating back to the 14th century, and is huge. Lots of shops, restaurants and pubs.

Close by is the Jerusalem Tavern, a historic tavern that has been around for several hundred years. Built in 1720, rich in character, and characterized by quaint ‘cozy corners’ for quiet pubbing, the Jerusalem is a perfect spot to have a final pint at the end of our holiday.

We head back to our lodging to pack up. We have an early start in the morning.

British Museum & Pubs

October 11, 2017October 13, 2014 by Smith & Smith

In the morning, we hook up with Shaun & Carol again and hit the amazing British Museum. How can this place be free? Our focus was the Egyptology and Mesopotamian exhibits. It’d be easy to spend a few weeks there.

Liam, one of the McCafferty offspring, works in the city and meets us at the Euston Tap, a very cool pub with a tap list to bring tears to your eyes. Jenn, Liam’s fiancé joins us for dinner at the ‘Brie Louise’ another great pub.

Early bed for Dick who’ feeling under the weather. Our cab driver from the airport had a really bad cold and we’re wondering if it was passed on.

Shaun & Carol

October 11, 2017October 12, 2014 by Smith & Smith

After a vegetarian full breakfast at ‘Uno’, the restaurant in our building, we meet up with Shaun and Carol at the Tower. Great to see these guys again!

The Tower Tour was a blast – we had a fun Beefeater guide. Since it is now October, the poppy exhibit has grown considerably and is even more impressive . Lunch was at a pub very near the Tower with the best name ever – the ‘Hung, Drawn, & Quartered’. Loved it.

The four of us took a river cruise on the Thames to Westminster. It’s interesting how different things look from a boat.

Beers at the ‘Red Lion’ and a walk through Trafalgar Square where the Indian Diwaldi Festival was being held finished off the day.

Good fun!

Stonehenge and London

October 11, 2017October 11, 2014 by Smith & Smith

A few miles from our B&B in Edington is the ‘Bratton White Horse’, a hill figure above the Salisbury Plain. The large figure of a horse was created by cutting away the top layers of soil to expose underlying chalk bedrock.

It’s a short drive to Stonehenge. It’s a very busy attraction that’s quite commercialized, but the crowds are managed well and things are not as as bad as we expected. Stonehenge is an amazing and moving place, the primary stone circle monument is quite massive and there are many satellite structures. It’s always interesting to visit in person something you’ve seen in a million pictures!

Time to head back to London and drop the car off at Heathrow. For the first time on our trip, our driver (Dick) actually broke the speed limit! The rental flat is in the city in Pimlico and above a restaurant – it’s ok, although the bed situation is a little strange and the bathroom closet-sized. The location is perfect. Right around the corner are a few CAMRA recommended pubs – the ‘Cask’ and ‘Jugged Hare’.

Wiltshire & Avebury

October 11, 2017October 10, 2014 by Smith & Smith

We turn out to be the only visitors requesting a tour of the Wadworth Brewery in Wiltshire so we get some very personal attention. Within the brewing complex is a sign and painting shop where pub signs are still created & maintained by a few dedicated artisans. Wadworth also still delivers kegs to local pubs via horse cart and a stable is on the grounds. Max & Monty (the horses) handle deliveries now. They have great benefits – 2 weeks’ vacation in the countryside. With beer!

A visit to the much-anticipated Avebury circle, a Neolithic henge monument consumes our afternoon. Avebury contains the largest megalithic stone circle in the world. It was constructed over several hundred years during the New Stone Age and is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Awesome.

Back in England

October 11, 2017October 9, 2014 by Smith & Smith

Just behind our lodging at the Three Tuns is Chepstow Castle. Chepstow is a Norman castle built in 1067, used for many TV and movie sets, and is the oldest post-Roman stone fortification in Britain. It’s quite an impressive structure that commands the high ground above the city and the river Wye.

The Severn Bridge (a huge suspension bridge) takes us to England. Very strong winds buffet our tiny rental. We stopped in Cheddar and toured one of the cheese factories there, then drove through the awesome Cheddar Gorge. During an afternoon stop in Bath, we visited the Abby and Roman Baths. Quite an interesting area.

Lodging for the next few nights is at the ‘Three Daggers’ in Eddington, Wiltshire. What a great place – top notch room, restaurant & service. Best place we’ve ever stayed. Plus, there’s a micro-brewery on site!

Hadrian’s Wall & Scottish Border

October 10, 2017September 12, 2014 by Smith & Smith

Morning takes us to Hadrian’s Wall & Housesteads Roman Fort in Greenhead. After viewing the siting and landscape, it’s easy to understand the significance of the wall’s fortifications. Next stop is Jedburgh Abbey, then north to Traquar House and brewery. The brewery is one of the oldest in the UK and still brews a classic ‘Special Ale’ which we sample at the hotel in town.

As we cross the border into Scotland there is much evidence of the upcoming vote on breaking away from the UK.

Our hotel in Edinburgh is a short bus ride from the old town and historic sites & pubs.

York & Yorkshire

October 10, 2017September 11, 2014 by Smith & Smith

Travelling in a foreign land is all about surprises. My ignorance of early plumbing technology led to a pretty cold early morning shower – who knew you had to turn on a heat pump first!?

Off to York for an afternoon touring the ‘Minster’, walking the medieval streets of the ‘Shambles’, visiting the Quilt Museum and its’ signature quilts, a couple of great pubs, Scottish eggs & pork pies at the old ‘White Swan’ pub. Further down the road in Yorkshire is the outstanding Black Sheep brewery for dinner & bevs.

Our lodging for the night is the Ship Inn in Wylam, a pub with rooms close to Hadrian’s wall.

Heading North

October 10, 2017September 10, 2014 by Smith & Smith

Shaun & Carol are driving us up through northern England to Edinburgh and we head north this morning.

First stop is the Rutherford Abbey for tea, cakes & soup. Our route takes us through Sherwood Forest (!) and on to Haddon Hall and gardens. Magnificent country with beautiful views. We cut through Lower Bradford (home of the Ronksley clan) and observe a spirited game of lawn bowling and dine at a local pub whose garden area is loaded with chickens. Along the route is Chesterfield, home of a very curious ‘twisted’ spire. Legend suggests it’s the devil’s work, other thoughts are that green wood was used in construction and twisted as the wood aged. I like the devil angle.

Shaun and Carol’s son Kieran lives and works in Sheffield where he’s been kind enough to lodge us for the evening. He prepared a wonderful paella for dinner – really, really good!

Colchester, Chappel, & More

October 10, 2017September 9, 2014 by Smith & Smith

Wow – a 4* breakfast of Carol’s specialty: poached eggs, beans, English bacon. We Smiths took a vote – we’re not leaving.

Our tour guides took us to a bunch more special places – first the Wilkins Jam outlet then up to Colchester Castle where we hit the Castle Tavern & walked ancient Roman walls.

Later in the day we headed up to the Chappel Real Ale festival in a very cool setting – an old train station. Fun food (especially the Essex sausage!) and a fine selection of real ales. Good friends of S&C join us – Steve and Mara. Mara shares a birthday and year with me! How cool is that?