UK 2009

Peter and Diane travelled to England and Wales

Use the down and up arrows to navigate most easily

 

 

map1.jpg -

We flew to London and stayed for a couple of nights
Travelled to Shrewsbury for a night
Spent two nights in Caernarvon
two weeks in Barnsley and three more nights in London

For scale, London to Barnsley is about 150 miles

 

 

map2.jpg -

From Barnsley we made day trips to Yorkshire (countryside), York, Leeds, Sheffield, Derbyshire (countryside), Nottingham, the Potteries (Stafford) and the East Coast which is off the map to the top right

For scale, Leeds to Barnsley is 20 miles

 

 

CIMG4569.JPG - Wed Aug 19

The first stop was the Air Forces Memorial. A quadrangle with beautiful grounds …

 

 

CIMG4568.JPG - Wed Aug 19

…and an amazing number of names

 

 

CIMG4570.JPG - Wed Aug 19

Next we walked down through the woods to the banks of the Thames seeing Arum Lily fruits on the way

 

 

CIMG4572.JPG - Wed Aug 19

The Magna Carta was signed at Runnymede - it was the first ever Bill Of Rights; forced by the Nobles on the King in 1215

 

 

CIMG4574.JPG - Wed Aug 19

It limited the powers of the King to punish people and take their property without recourse

 

 

CIMG4577.JPG - Wed Aug 19

Interestingly, the memorial was provided by the Amercan Bar Association.

 

 

CIMG4578.JPG - Wed Aug 19

The Thames was beatiful

 

 

CIMG4581.JPG - Wed Aug 19

Next stop, on the way back was at Windsor Castle

 

 

CIMG4583.JPG - Wed Aug 19

Windsor Castle

 

 

CIMG4584.JPG - Wed Aug 19

Windsor Castle

 

 

CIMG4585.JPG - Wed Aug 19

Windsor Church

 

 

CIMG4589.JPG - Wed Aug 19

Windsor Castle

 

 

CIMG4591.JPG - Wed Aug 19

Windsor Town Hall was designed by Sir Christopher Wren (He also did St. Paul's cathedral). His design had pillars around the periphery to support the floor above but nothing in the middle. The design was refused as unstable.So he built it with four pillars arranged in the center under the top storey. ...But, unbeknownst to the committee he left an inch of air above each of the pillars and it is still standing.

 

 

CIMG4592.JPG - Wed Aug 19

So, back to Hideaway House, the B&B

The next day we had wonderful, camera-less day at Kew Gardens

 

 

CIMG4593.JPG - Fri Aug 21

Friday morning we left for North Wales. The first stop was Bletchley Park.

 

 

CIMG4596.JPG - Fri Aug 21

It was the most richly decorated "small" House we have seen

 

 

CIMG4597.JPG - Fri Aug 21

It was where the "Enigma" German code was solved in 1940 and was a significant factor in winning the war. The first programmable computer was also built here

 

 

CIMG4622.JPG - Fri Aug 21

On to a B&B in Shrewsbury on the border of England and Wales. This was built in the 1400s.

 

 

CIMG4623.JPG - Fri Aug 21

It had creaks to match its age

 

 

CIMG4608.JPG - Fri Aug 21

Shrewsbury has a castle

 

 

CIMG4614.JPG - Fri Aug 21

surrounded by magnificent gardens

 

 

CIMG4617.JPG - Fri Aug 21

Castle Gardens

 

 

CIMG4618.JPG - Fri Aug 21

Castle Gardens

 

 

CIMG4604.JPG - Fri Aug 21

Darwin grew up in Shrewsbury and they were celebrating his 200th birthday

 

 

CIMG4615.JPG - Fri Aug 21

Castle Gardens

 

 

CIMG4627.JPG - Sat Aug 22

On to Wales. Welsh is an ancient language still spoken quite widely. It has some different pronunciations, for example -w- is pronounced like the -uu- in vacuum (which we call a double -u-!!) and double -L- sounds as though you are clearing your throat.

 

 

CIMG4628.JPG - Sat Aug 22

The first stop was Betws-y-Coed (pronounced bet-oose-i-co-ed) and the Swallow Falls. We are getting into the mountains and this is quite alpine in appearance.

 

 

CIMG4647.JPG - Sat Aug 22

Caernarvon was our next two nights. The castle is one of the largest and is where the Prince of Wales - the eldest son of the English Sovereign is Invested.

The Welsh spelling is Caernarfon - they pronounce -f- like an English -v- and need-ff- to produce the English -f- sound

 

 

CIMG4642.JPG - Sat Aug 22

The castle wall extends around the whole old town

 

 

CIMG4640.JPG - Sat Aug 22

Town Wall

 

 

CIMG4651.JPG - Sun Aug 23

Beaumaris Castle was the goal the next day. It is just across the water in Anglesey - a Welsh island.

 

 

CIMG4650.JPG - Sun Aug 23

Across from a rather splendid pub. Note the rain - it rained a little almost every day, but not enough to spoil things.

 

 

CIMG4656.JPG - Sun Aug 23

On the way back we stopped in Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch which is a village where the main street is a little shorter than its name.

Here is the pronunciation
click

 

 

CIMG4664.JPG - Mon Aug 24

The next day we travelled to Barnsley, first stopping at Aber Falls - a delightful walk in perfect weather

 

 

CIMG4666.JPG - Mon Aug 24

This was our first Kissing Gate, designed to prevent animals from getting through by having a swinging gate with a cage big enough for a person to get through. The kissing part is the toll that is invariably levied by the first person through.

 

 

CIMG4669.JPG - Mon Aug 24

A beautiful bench

 

 

CIMG4674.JPG - Mon Aug 24

The hills are slate which easily splits into sheets. These are useful for roofs and fences and paving stones and…. And cheap

 

 

CIMG4677.JPG - Mon Aug 24

We passed horses that were not afraid

 

 

CIMG4680.JPG - Mon Aug 24

and gorgeous heather-covered hillsides

 

 

CIMG4683.JPG - Mon Aug 24

and trees covered with edible blackberries and sloe berries

 

 

CIMG4686.JPG - Mon Aug 24

and harebells

 

 

CIMG4688.JPG - Mon Aug 24

and rowan trees aka mountain ash

 

 

CIMG4692.JPG - Mon Aug 24

and resting places

 

 

CIMG4693.JPG - Mon Aug 24

and more heather

 

 

CIMG4694.JPG - Mon Aug 24

and fox gloves

 

 

CIMG4697.JPG - Mon Aug 24

and finally the falls

 

 

CIMG4701.JPG - Mon Aug 24

Aber Falls

 

 

CIMG4702.JPG - Mon Aug 24

Aber Falls

 

 

CIMG4703.JPG - Mon Aug 24

Aber Falls

 

 

CIMG4709.JPG - Mon Aug 24

Back to the road past a cottage and on to Barnsley

 

 

CIMG4744.JPG - Tue Aug 25

Our Barnsley home

 

 

CIMG4739.JPG - Tue Aug 25

...and the view from the bedroom window

 

 

CIMG4714.JPG - Tue Aug 25

Our first day in Barnsley we made a nostalgia trip to Leeds via Wakefield

 

 

CIMG4711.JPG - Tue Aug 25

The chantry chapel - privately built in the 1300s probably to ease a rich man into heaven

 

 

CIMG4722.JPG - Tue Aug 25

Peter's Mother was born in the house that used to be here

 

 

CIMG4725.JPG - Tue Aug 25

Farnley Hall where Grandfather used to be the go-to man

 

 

CIMG4735.JPG - Tue Aug 25

Farnley Church (Church of England)

 

 

CIMG4749.JPG - Thu Aug 27

A day out in Derbyshire. Chesterfield Church Spire

 

 

CIMG4751.JPG - Thu Aug 27

The well dressing at Holymoorside. Well dressings are at the village well and are an originally pagan custom taken over and now fully supported by the church

 

 

CIMG4753.JPG - Thu Aug 27

The theme for this village (about twenty villages have well dressings) was Darwin and his voyage on the Beagle seen here.

 

 

CIMG4754.JPG - Thu Aug 27

The picture is made of natural objects such as flower petals, leaves and stones pressed into clay

 

 

CIMG4755.JPG - Thu Aug 27

Well dressing detail

 

 

CIMG4756.JPG - Thu Aug 27

Well dressing detail

 

 

CIMG4757.JPG - Thu Aug 27

Well dressing detail

 

 

CIMG4766.JPG - Thu Aug 27

Well dressing detail

 

 

CIMG4758.JPG - Thu Aug 27

Well dressing detail

 

 

CIMG4752.JPG - Thu Aug 27

Many wells have a picture created by the children. In this case it is Barbie! Since Darwin was 200 years old and Barbie was 50 years old I guess it is a logical choice?

 

 

CIMG4760.JPG - Thu Aug 27

The local Methodist Chapel was having a Flower Celebration with remembrances for its members

 

 

CIMG4762.JPG - Thu Aug 27

Flower Celebration

 

 

CIMG4764.JPG - Thu Aug 27

Flower Celebration

 

 

CIMG4765.JPG - Thu Aug 27

Flower Celebration

 

 

CIMG4770.JPG - Thu Aug 27

The next stop was Eyam. The village had the misfortune to order a bolt of cloth from London in 1665. It contained fleas infected with the bubuonic plague which killed over 100,000 in London.

 

 

CIMG4772.JPG - Thu Aug 27

The village isolated itself and prevented the plague from spreading

 

 

CIMG4782.JPG - Thu Aug 27

Plague Cottage

 

 

CIMG4779.JPG - Thu Aug 27

Eyam Church

 

 

CIMG4778.JPG - Thu Aug 27

Its sundial-clock

 

 

CIMG4777.JPG - Thu Aug 27

The churchyard contains a Saxon Cross from 800 A.D.

 

 

CIMG4787.JPG - Thu Aug 27

We found the villagers making their well dressing which was to be dedicated that weekend

 

 

CIMG4788.JPG - Thu Aug 27

It included a childrens well dressing

 

 

CIMG4790.JPG - Thu Aug 27

Creating a well dressing

 

 

CIMG4802.JPG - Thu Aug 27

Next stop was Monsal Dale

The white specks are geese being reared for Christmas Dinner

 

 

CIMG4798.JPG - Thu Aug 27

which is spanned by an old railway viaduct which is now a hiking trail

 

 

CIMG4792.JPG - Thu Aug 27

with a pretty river running through it

 

 

CIMG4800.JPG - Thu Aug 27

a weir provides an ideal fish habitat ($40/day for a fishing ticket)

 

 

CIMG4801.JPG - Thu Aug 27

Beautiful Weir

 

 

CIMG4803.JPG - Thu Aug 27

Then Lathkill Dale

 

 

CIMG4804.JPG - Thu Aug 27

More great fishing

 

 

CIMG4811.JPG - Fri Aug 28

Next day, just up from the house is the South Yorkshire Sculpture Gardens - it took over the grounds of a stately home.

 

 

CIMG4813.JPG - Fri Aug 28

Sculpture Gardens

 

 

CIMG4814.JPG - Fri Aug 28

Sculpture Gardens

 

 

CIMG4818.JPG - Fri Aug 28

Sculpture Gardens

 

 

CIMG4819.JPG - Fri Aug 28

Sculpture Gardens

 

 

CIMG4816.JPG - Fri Aug 28

It also had hedgehogs

 

 

CIMG4808.JPG - Fri Aug 28

Sculpture Gardens

 

 

CIMG4807.JPG - Fri Aug 28

and fine old trees.

That night Peters brother John arrived for the weekend

 

 

CIMG4824.JPG - Sat Aug 29

The next day the three of us went to the East Coast. The first stop was Beverley Minister

 

 

CIMG4831.JPG - Sat Aug 29

Beverley Minster

 

 

CIMG4832.JPG - Sat Aug 29

Beverley Minster

 

 

CIMG4833.JPG - Sat Aug 29

Beverley Minster

 

 

CIMG4834.JPG - Sat Aug 29

Beverley Minster

 

 

CIMG4835.JPG - Sat Aug 29

Beverley Minster

 

 

CIMG4836.JPG - Sat Aug 29

Beverley Minster

 

 

CIMG4845.JPG - Sat Aug 29

Beverley Minster

 

 

DSCF1380.JPG - Sat Aug 29

We visited Flamborough Head with chalk cliffs up to 400 feet high

 

 

DSCF1382.JPG - Sat Aug 29

Flamborough

 

 

DSCF1383.JPG - Sat Aug 29

Flamborough

 

 

DSCF1385.JPG - Sat Aug 29

And then Filey Brigg

 

 

DSCF1386.JPG - Sat Aug 29

Filey

 

 

DSCF1387.JPG - Sat Aug 29

Filey

 

 

CIMG4849.JPG - Sat Aug 29

Followed by Whiby with its Abbey

 

 

CIMG4851.JPG - Sat Aug 29

Brothers…

 

 

CIMG4854.JPG - Sat Aug 29

Whitby

 

 

CIMG4860.JPG - Sat Aug 29

Dracula's Coffin was washed up at the cliffs below Whitby Abbey (truth!) but this is not the coffin, nor the contents

 

 

DSCF1394.JPG - Sat Aug 29

Whitby

 

 

DSCF1395.JPG - Sat Aug 29

Whitby

 

 

DSCF1396.JPG - Sat Aug 29

Whitby

 

 

DSCF1399.JPG - Sat Aug 29

Later we went down into the town of Whitby. This is a fishing town from which Captain Cook sailed to discover much of the South Pacific

 

 

DSCF1400.JPG - Sat Aug 29

Whitby

 

 

DSCF1402.JPG - Sat Aug 29

Although it was a bit chilly

 

 

DSCF1404.JPG - Sat Aug 29

The setting sun provided some amusement

 

 

DSCF1406.JPG - Sat Aug 29

Whitby

 

 

DSCF1407.JPG - Sat Aug 29

Whitby

 

 

CIMG4862.JPG - Sat Aug 29

Whitby

 

 

CIMG4865.JPG - Sat Aug 29

The old lifeboat from the 1940's is now used for pleasure trips

 

 

CIMG4874.JPG - Mon Aug 31

The next day was to Sherwood Forest and Nottingham

 

 

CIMG4875.JPG - Mon Aug 31

Sherwood Forest

 

 

CIMG4882.JPG - Mon Aug 31

The Major Oak is the largest oak in England

 

 

CIMG4883.JPG - Mon Aug 31

Sherwood Forest

 

 

CIMG4891.JPG - Mon Aug 31

And there are a lot of other very old trees in the area

 

 

CIMG4892.JPG - Mon Aug 31

Sherwood Forest

 

 

CIMG4893.JPG - Mon Aug 31

Kids love the Robin Hood story

 

 

CIMG4896.JPG - Mon Aug 31

Nottingham is not complete without reference to the crusades

 

 

CIMG4895.JPG - Mon Aug 31

The Trip to Jerusalem, carved out of the rock on which stands Nottingham Castle

 

 

CIMG4898.JPG - Mon Aug 31

…and feeling up Robin

 

 

CIMG4901.JPG - Tue Sep 1

The next day was Bolton Abbey and the Bronte country. At Bolton Abbey they just let the sheep out

 

 

CIMG4925.JPG - Tue Sep 1

Bolton Abbey

 

 

CIMG4902.JPG - Tue Sep 1

In front of the main house

 

 

CIMG4926.JPG - Tue Sep 1

Bolton Abbey

 

 

CIMG4909.JPG - Tue Sep 1

The Abbey was still awe-inspiring

 

 

CIMG4910.JPG - Tue Sep 1

Bolton Abbey

 

 

CIMG4915.JPG - Tue Sep 1

Bolton Abbey

 

 

CIMG4918.JPG - Tue Sep 1

Bolton Abbey

 

 

CIMG4921.JPG - Tue Sep 1

The church literally attached to the abbey is still active

 

 

CIMG4930.JPG - Tue Sep 1

In Haworth we went to the Bronte Museum

 

 

CIMG4931.JPG - Wed Sep 2

We spent the day in Leeds again, visiting St. Peters church downtown

 

 

CIMG4932.JPG - Wed Sep 2

and the Corn Exchange

 

 

CIMG4936.JPG - Wed Sep 2

Corn Exchange

 

 

CIMG4948.JPG - Thu Sep 3

The next day was in York. Diane took pictures of mail delivery for her son who works for the Post Office

 

 

CIMG4949.JPG - Thu Sep 3

and we visited York Minster which is the #2 church in Britain

 

 

CIMG4951.JPG - Thu Sep 3

and the Shambles which is a very old shopping street

 

 

CIMG4953.JPG - Thu Sep 3

and the little church across from the minster where Guy Fawkes was married (he is the Guy that tried to blow up the Houses of Parliamtn on November 5th

 

 

CIMG4955.JPG - Thu Sep 3

 

 

CIMG4967.JPG - Fri Sep 4

We visited the pottery district where all the famous china is manufactured and toured the Wedgewood visitor center. Cheadle, near by, has a fantastic Victorian church that is the most decorated I have ever seen in Britain

 

 

CIMG4957.JPG - Fri Sep 4

Cheadle Catholic Church

 

 

CIMG4960.JPG - Fri Sep 4

Cheadle Catholic Church

 

 

CIMG4962.JPG - Fri Sep 4

Cheadle Catholic Church

 

 

CIMG4965.JPG - Fri Sep 4

Cheadle Catholic Church

 

 

CIMG4966.JPG - Fri Sep 4

Cheadle Catholic Church

 

 

CIMG4974.JPG - Fri Sep 4

On the way home we went to Ilam

 

 

CIMG4978.JPG - Fri Sep 4

and Dove Dale. This is where Isaak Walton wrote The Compleat Angler. One of the prettiest of the Derbyshire Dales

 

 

CIMG4979.JPG - Fri Sep 4

Dove Dale

 

 

CIMG4980.JPG - Fri Sep 4

Dove Dale

 

 

CIMG4982.JPG - Fri Sep 4

Dove Dale

 

 

CIMG4983.JPG - Fri Sep 4

The river was flooding (all the rain!) but we managed to forge a path

 

 

CIMG4984.JPG - Sat Sep 5

On Saturday we were all ready to go to the Chatsworth Country Fair, but when we found they charged $25 each for entry we went to Bakewell just down the road

 

 

CIMG4985.JPG - Sat Sep 5

Bakewell

 

 

CIMG4986.JPG - Sat Sep 5

Bakewell

 

 

CIMG4987.JPG - Sat Sep 5

On the way home we found a cricket match and stayed to watch for a short while

 

 

CIMG4991.JPG - Sat Sep 5

Cricket

 

 

CIMG4992.JPG - Mon Sep 7

We spent the last two days in London. Trafalgar Square

 

 

CIMG4993.JPG - Mon Sep 7

Trafalgar Square

 

 

CIMG4994.JPG - Mon Sep 7

Trafalgar Square

 

 

CIMG4999.JPG - Mon Sep 7

St Martins in the Field is at the side of the square and we visited

 

 

CIMG5000.JPG - Mon Sep 7

A very unusual statue outside

 

 

CIMG5002.JPG - Mon Sep 7

St Martins

 

 

CIMG5003.JPG - Mon Sep 7

And a cafeteria in the crypt

 

 

CIMG5009.JPG - Mon Sep 7

Admiralty Arch leads from Trafalgar Square to Bucking ham Palace

 

 

CIMG5012.JPG - Mon Sep 7

But we went via the Horse Guard Parade

 

 

CIMG5013.JPG - Mon Sep 7

Horse Guards

 

 

CIMG5014.JPG - Mon Sep 7

Horse Guards

 

 

CIMG5015.JPG - Mon Sep 7

and St James Park

 

 

CIMG5017.JPG - Mon Sep 7

Squirrel Feeding

 

 

CIMG5018.JPG - Mon Sep 7

Moorhen Feeding

 

 

CIMG5020.JPG - Mon Sep 7

Autumn Crocuses

 

 

CIMG5023.JPG - Mon Sep 7

Australian Black Swan

 

 

CIMG5026.JPG - Mon Sep 7

Diana Memorial Walk

 

 

CIMG5029.JPG - Mon Sep 7

Big trees

 

 

CIMG5036.JPG - Mon Sep 7

The duck pond

 

 

CIMG5038.JPG - Mon Sep 7

Buckingham Palace

 

 

CIMG5034.JPG - Mon Sep 7

Buckingham Palace

 

 

CIMG5035.JPG - Mon Sep 7

Buckingham Palace

 

 

CIMG5049.JPG - Mon Sep 7

Westminster Abbey

 

 

CIMG5054.JPG - Mon Sep 7

Big Ben

 

 

CIMG5060.JPG - Mon Sep 7

The BIG WHEEL. It rotates very slowly, but continuously, and passengers mount and dismount from a moving walkway that goes at the sam speed (when they are at ground level)

 

 

CIMG5072.JPG - Tue Sep 8

Our final day we took a boat ride down the river to Tower Bridge

 

 

CIMG5074.JPG - Tue Sep 8

and the Tower of London

 

 

CIMG5076.JPG - Tue Sep 8

We passed a new building that lights up with green lights at night. It is called The Gherkin. There is a local myth that this is the headquarters of Viagra. I think it is actually Preparation H

 

 

CIMG5078.JPG - Tue Sep 8

We finished by meeting Tanis, Tarja and their Mother at Harrods

 

 

CIMG5077.JPG - Tue Sep 8

---THE END---