Tootling and Tramping

Now on the train on the way back from Cornwall and just realised that two weeks have passed since I corresponded and despite having little idea if anyone is actually reading the damn thing I will add another post.

A couple of weeks ago I met with my Avins cousin John who had organised a walking tour of old Leicester (what was left of it as like in Newcastle UponTyne town planners in cahoots with developers have destroyed so much heritage).

We managed to find remnants of the castle and Norman keep in between hideous 20th century constructions including roads.

Leicester has finally seen the light with the very recent building of the Richard III Museum (over the carpark and in a magnificent Victorian school building) and Richard's very impressive and quite beautiful tomb in the cathedral (no need to be concerned, it is still Viva the republic).

John presented me with a beautiful book he had made for me with old postcards of Leicester (our parents birthplace) and family photos and the text handwritten in beautiful calligraphy, it will treasured.

Back in London I managed to see exhibitions at the Tate Modern,The Royal Academy, the V&A . ...and in all London's millions I managed to run into a friend from Katoomba.

Joanna bought us all tickets to a night of The Proms at the Royal Albert Hall with the Scottish Symphony Orchestra (the triangle player was very impressive Rigmor….actually the whole orchestra was incredible) playing Elgar.,.that night will not easily be forgotten as will Joanna's thoughtfulness and generosity.

Before Ben and I set off for our Cornish sojourn (anticipating lots of mackerel ,mussels and clotted cream, obviously not at the same time) I managed another day with Shirley (and her lovely friend Erica) to walk part of the Norfolk Coastal Path , lots of wind and rocks and refreshment stops (the thing about walking here is you are never far from a cafe or pub, very civilized really).…so we were always well watered and fed. It was hard to say goodbye as who knows when we will meet again (there is a song in that I'm sure).

Ben and  I have just had 3 nights in Southwest Cornwall staying in a little stone house on the edge of the coast in Rising which fortuitously near just the best little fishing village ,Porthleven,with fantastic scenery,food and birdlife.

We managed to visit 5! Cornish gardens : the sensational Heligan(a 30 year wish fulfilled), Trebah and the National Trust's Tudor Godolphin (with it's layers of Cornish history over 1,000 years) were the highlights….whooho!🌷🌹🌲🌳

I have to say the food in Cornwall and elsewhere in England has been amazing with sustainable local in season produce the status quo….also lots of renewable energy production in place all over the country. It is a tragedy that the country at present ruled by buffoons and a no-deal Brexit could potentially tear the place apart.

Off to Lisbon on Thursday and I will be home Friday week…..as the saying goes all good things must come to an end.

 Kath xo

Walking the Derbyshire Peaks.

I met up with my old friend Shirley in the Hope Valley for a few days in the Peak District.

Mike (he and Heather are friends of Shirley's and source of our accommodation,..stone cottage surrounded by fells and moors,you get the picture) and resident whippet Pie took us around the laneways of Bradwell (a magnificent village of stone houses) to get the lie of the land and it's long history (Iron Age, prehistoric,Roman evidence of occupation everywhere).

The following day we conquered Stanage Edge ,not so out of breath that we could not manage to admire the stunning scenery for miles around. In the distance we could see Kinder Scout famous for the 1932 mass trespass of Manchester worker's led by communist Benny Rothman to highlight the fact that walkers in England and Wales were denied access to open country. Those rights are now secured so we have much to thank them for. The Peak District is now a National Park and development is tightly controlled (not a croc park, MacDonald's or a house made of ticky tacky),.so good.

A diversion to Bakewell for the tart of course was well worth it ... especially as Mike knew the Derbyshire way to serve it with marmalade and clotted cream !

Just as well we were so well fortified for the hike up another bloody big hill just above the village and down again in time (just)for the annual pagan Well Dressing Festival which dates back hundreds of years .The 5 village wells are adorned with large framed mosaics made of millions of flower petals stuck on to clay depicting stories of historical significance (Moon landing, Wizard of Oz movie anniversary,Haddon Hall.,a rather eclectic mix). The parade was a lot of fun with it's theme this year of Welcoming People (Australia could take a leaf out of their book)....it was generous and heartwarming and humorous (even included a lampooning of Trump on a float paying homage to Mexico,..a portent of terrible things to come in a couple of days).

On the morrow we moved to a town nearby for the last night , which turned out to be fortuitous as we had to drive past Chatsworth so got a peak at it's magnificence (but decided to forgo the tour of the house as apart from being too big the fee to enter was exorbitant)

So we decided to visit the other big old house nearby, Haddon Hall(aka Thornfield Hall, if you have seen Jane Eyre you will know it well) a Tudor Manor house that dates back originally to the 12 century.  It is the general consensus that it is probably the finest example of a fortified medieval Manor house in existence…..it really was FANTASTIC!

Back to Hammersmith via Shirley's in Norwich.

More blogging anon..🛤️

Kath xo