In a Kindle free zone

We honestly couldn't help it!
 We were so close, we had to go.
We went to Hay on Wye, the town of books. A kindle free zone!
We've made the trip to Hay on Wye every trip to UK, usually though we are shipping a car back to Australia so baggage weight is not a consideration. This time we each have a 30kgs allowance, so will bear that in mind.
We drove around town until we spotted a big old house with a B & B sign in the garden, we rang the bell but there was no one home. I rang the phone number and was diverted to a mobile (as I'd hoped). I was told Yes we have a room, the door's unlocked, just go on in, have a look and if you like it take the room key and we'll see you later.With that hospitality how could we not take it? It was right at the top of the house, on the 3rd floor and had twin beds but it had a big parking area and from our previous visits we knew that parking could be an issue in Hay.  On our very first visit we drove into a town, and Michael went into the Information Centre and asked,"Where are all the books?" The ladies behind the counter said in unison,"In Hay on Wye, this is Ross on Wye!" Oops - but a common error apparently with around 80% of visitors to Ross on Wye really wanting Hay on Wye.
We were settled in the B & B by lunchtime so spent the afternoon book hunting. I bought 2 and Michael bought 6! He assures me that he won't be taking them all back home, at least 2 will be left behind.  Then with aching feet we climbed the stairs and had a rest before going out for a curry - a very good one it was too.

Next morning we awoke to look out on shiny, wet streets - not so much from rain but the clouds had descended in the night. As the sun got stronger the mist lifted a little.
We left Hay on Wye for our Top Ten road. We got on the road at Talgarth and although it was a nice road it was not a spectacular road; we could both think of better roads travelled on this trip alone.
Then just south of Bwlch the road zigzagged through the tiny village of Coed-yr-ynys, over a very,very narrow,'weak' bridge. This bridge had warning signs and restricted width notices all over it, and for miles as we approached. We saw why, it was an ancient gem, and one large truck or bus could demolish it.
After the next village of Llangyndir the scenery was truly splendid, we climbed up onto the high plains of the Brecons and just had to stop and get out of the car. This was stunning. National Geographic have got it right, this IS one of the top ten drives in the world.

We carried on, winding our way down into Rassau near Ebbw Vale in South Wales - Coal Country.
The scenery changed so suddenly and so dramatically it was as if someone had changed channels on us! No more green hills, no sheep, no winding roads, all replaced suddenly by busy highways, industry and housing.
We turned eastwards and headed to the town of Abergavenny, which is in the countryside not industrial. It was not an exciting town, the usual country town on a quiet Sunday morning, but we spotted some activity and found a small 'antique fair' in the old market hall. Nothing caught our attention on the stalls until Michael spotted some very interesting, unusual model cars - a Citroen H Van, a Chenard Walkcer van and an early Renault van. Very nice until we saw the price - 37 pounds each (approx. $60 EACH), so nothing bought at all.
The decorations hanging from the market hall roof were very nice.

After Abergavenny we carried on east to Monmouth on the Welsh border; another sleepy, Sunday country town. Monmouth has a lovely Medieval gateway over the River Monnow. We stretched our legs, taking a walk around town and having lunch then left Wales and turned into Gloucestershire and the Forest of Dean.

Mistakenly I had conceived the Forest of Dean to be a little rural idyll. Wrong - Michael explained that it is an ancient forest area but has a large mining industry. Instead of quaint villages we drove through utilitarian housing estates. (I should have paid more attention to the background in those Dennis Potter plays).
We decided not to continue through the Forest of Dean all the way south to Chepstow and over the River Severn. Instead we headed up to Gloucester and used the bypass around the city and drove south towards Bath.
We were on the lookout for a B & B in one of the villages but didn't see any accommodation at all on the outskirts of Gloucester or Stroud. Cotswold village names like Tetbury, Badminton, Malmesbury and Chipping Sodbury appeared and I began to think that the budget would be exceeded tonight.
Before reaching the outskirts of Bath we turned off the main road and headed towards Chipping Sodbuy. We passed through the village of Old Sodbury and as we passed the village pub - The Dog Inn, we saw a sign advertising accommodation from 37.50 pounds (obviously per person). We turned around and went in to ask. A lady sitting in the pub said, 'Accommodation for tonight? I'll show you a room, it's across the road" It turned out that she owned the pub, a house across the road that she used for B & B, (and where breakfast was served even if you stayed in the pub), and she lived in another house in the village. It all seemed a bit chaotic but the price was right and the room was large and airy.
We were staying in the Cotswolds without breaking the budget.
Although tired I decided to sit in the garden whilst Michael had a nap, the weather was just lovely.
The only drawback was that there was no wifi in the house, it was available in the pub but I wasn't inclined to move from my spot in the garden.
The way I write our blog is that I write it all out in a notebook each evening, whilst the facts are fresh and then when we get cover I log on and 'publish a new post'. Call me old fashioned but I still find it easier to scribble on a pad than to sit typing, especially at the end of the day, (often with glass in hand).
We wandered across the road for a pub meal. Earlier on the lady had said that things were chaotic and she was short staffed, that should have been a hint - we waited 55 minutes for our meal!

The next morning we reviewed our schedule and decided to spend another night at the Dog Inn, if we could, and have a day touring around some of the local villages. We got to stay another night despite the room being regularly booked Monday to Friday by a business man. He lives in Notting Hill in London, works near Old Sodbury and has been using the Dog Inn B & B during the week for the last 18 years! (Yes, that's right years, not months! You'd think that he could have bought a second house with the money). The landlady was going to put him up in her own house for the night!
A canny lady, not willing to let any money go by.

So with that settled we set out after breakfast and drove into Chipping Sodbury. What a nice little town. I suppose that if you lived locally you would tire of it and wish for more choice but Bath and Bristol are a short drive away. We were particularly struck by the parking notices - parking can be a nightmare in English towns, with some very draconian rules. But in Chipping Sodbury one side of the street is privately owned and there is free parking all day.
The other side, there are restrictions - 4 hour parking only.
The notices say:- Please do not park illegally.There is free parking available.
 What a nice attitude, and no one was parked illegally or even slightly at an angle or in anyone's way - we went into the tourist centre to tell them how much we liked their attitude.

Then we drove down towards Bath but detoured to the tiny hamlet of Bathampton, on the Kennet and Avon canal, before heading out through Bradford on Avon to the market town of Melksham. We had lunch by the river in Melksham before heading through to Calne, where the road works in the high street caused traffic chaos, and we carried on through Wootton Basset up to Malmesbury.

Here we got out and strolled around this lovely town. The old Abbey and the Market Square were delightful. Michael particularly liked the juxtaposition of old and new - the old Abbey entrance and an Indian restaurant.
Then it was time for a little rest before going into Chipping Sodbury for dinner at the local Thai restaurant. 'Siam Thai' - isn't that Thailand Thai?
On the way back to base we detoured further into the village of Old  and walked around the 13th Century Norman Church of St John the Baptist. Built between 1200 and 1225 on a knoll overlooking the village. The views were stunning, we could just make out both Severn bridges in the distance.
A lovely end to the day, and supposedly an end to the heatwave as thunderstorms are forecast for the next 2 days.

Early next morning we thought the heatwave had finished with a bang as we did have some thunder and lightning but there was barely a trace of rain. (some areas in Northern UK did get storms).
The B & B had filled up yesterday and someone started work very early, because the floorboards above us were creaking from 6.30am, then there was the 'Good Morning' jolliness in the dining room (near our room) before the Goodbyes and then the washing machine (in the laundry behind our bed heads) started up. So no more sleep for us.
After breakfast we resumed our touring - more picturesque villages on narrow roads.
We stopped in Devizes to specifically see the Caen Hill Locks on the Kennet and Avon Canal.
The Devizes flight consists of 29 locks - from locks 50 to 22. Caen Hill is from locks 44 to 29.
But we were to be disappointed as the first lock out of Devizes was under repair so there was canal traffic. We walked a short distance along the tow path but to be a 'gongoozler' you have to have canal traffic to watch going through the locks.

So it was time to hit the road again, we drove through Marlborough, Hungerford and Wantage. None of these towns appealed as an overnight stop so we decided that as we were quite close to Reading, and had only seen Michael's sister for a short time, that we would drop in and see her. (We phoned her and got an invitation for a couple of nights stay). On the way to Reading we visited Newbury again.
After a snack and coffee we carried on to Reading, detouring to a little place on the canal, called Woolhampton. It is a little further along from Sulhampton where we had visited previously. Woolhampton also has a swing bridge, and it has a nice pub with a large grassed area to sit and watch boats go by.
What a water-related trip this has turned out to be. River Cruises, car trip on a Lake, Norfolk Broads and in just over a week we'll have a ferry trip to Ireland.

Mynd Ling-Di-Long (Life In The Slow Lane)

Having visited the Transport Museums at weekends (not open during the week) and crossed the aqueduct it was time to slow down and meander through 'The Heart of England' (and Wales).
This really is beautiful country and I'm not just saying that because it's quite familiar and peaceful for me having spent my formative years in the area.
We left Llangollen and drove west and then south into Snowdonia National Park at Bala. We drove down alongside Bala Lake (Llyn Tegid) and into Dolgellau. Here we stopped to stretch our legs, use an ATM, and ask about which roads to take for some stunning mountain views. The ATM was so slow that Michael thought that it had refused our request and was about to walk away when the money appeared - everyone in the queue thought that was very funny!
The girl in the Tourist Centre confirmed that the road eastward to the village of Dinas Mawddwy (no, that's not a spelling error - and the names get better - or worse!) was stunning and went through some 'mass- siff' (emphasis on the second s) mountains. She didn't know anything about the small road / track that I'd read about leading from Dinas Mawddwy over the highest pass in Wales down to Llanwddyn.
We didn't spend more time than necessary in Dolgellau, as it's tall, dark grey stone buildings and narrow streets were quite depressing, even on a sunny day.

By now we were used to the road signs being in Welsh and English. Welsh was always first on the signs which caused some confusion at first, as reading from the top of the sign down we wondered why we couldn't make any sense of the letters. Were we going mad or were all the signs now written as anagrams?
We have learnt that Araf means Slow, and that Arafawch Nawr means Reduce Speed Now. (That's what the written English translation said, I think a more literal translation would be Slow lots Now!)
We left Dolgellau and drove through the 'really mass-siff' mountains on a very good road down to Dinas Mawddwy, there we turned onto a much smaller, un-numbered road to Llanmawddwy (11 letters, only 2 vowels). This was a narrow, windy road but really no worse than others and the views were fantastic.

Then we rounded a true ninety degree hairpin bend, up hill, and the road became a track!
It was so narrow and rough that for a moment we thought that we'd turned off the road and were going to end up in a farm yard. The views changed from spectacular to gobsmacking - absolutely incredible. Our little car (and driver) performed very, very well as we edged our way down to the western tip of Lake Vrnwy.

We shared the road with a few sheep, (a couple of which were so happy basking on the side of the track that they refused to move and we had to drive around them.
There were 2 cyclists at the top of the pass, catching their breath before the descent and we met 3 cars going the other way, each time we were at a 'passing place', there were no cars in front or behind us.
It was a really amazing drive, similar to a track that we once took in Devon when we were looking for a Bronze Age Village Site. Similar to the road across the Gap of Dunloe in Ireland. The Dunloe road is a gazetted road but has signs up 'not recommended for vehicles'. When we were there some years ago we saw the local postman come through from the opposite direction and thought we'd give it a shot too. The road is used by locals who do a roaring trade in horse rides through the Gap, and they were not very pleased about us driving past. On both of those previous tracks we had been in a 2 CV - this was a first in a car with air conditioning.

We followed the road down the side Lake Vrnwy (a reservoir, made in 1964 by flooding a small lake, the valley and a village) to the village of Llanwddyn (9 letters, 1 vowel). Here we stopped to have lunch, those cyclists from the top of the pass rode in as we were having lunch. After lunch we took a walk along the dam wall, before heading off on more side roads, not tracks, across country to the town of Welshpool. (about 16 miles west of Shrewsbury).

After driving around the one way system, twice, we found the car park entry and called into the Tourist Centre for info on B & Bs. It cost 2 pounds for them to make a phone call and book us in. Initially the price was just above our limit but as it was 2pm, the price dropped 5pounds and we took it.
Before heading out to the B & B we found the laundrette in town and put through a load. The clothes were still a little damp when I took them out of the dryer but it was too hot to hang around anymore, we had outstayed our parking limit and we needed to rest so I folded the clothes and we set off.
The B & B selected was in the quiet village of Guilsfield about 4 miles out of Welshpool. the landlady was out until 4pm and we were a little early so we found a shady spot and sat in the car to wait.
The  (4 star) B & B was 'Red House Cottage' and was a separate cottage to the main house, initially a small barn it had been converted for the previous owners' mother and the present owner had only been operating as a B & B for a year or so. The cottage had 2, tastefully decorated bedrooms, with exposed beams, a lovely breakfast room and beautiful, cool, comfortable sitting room.  Fortunately there were plenty of coat hangers provided and the bedroom soon looked like a laundry, but it the heat, with a fan on, they soon dried.

In the evening we walked up the lane to the Kings Head pub for dinner. We arrived just in time to take a 'meal-deal' (2 courses for 9.95 pounds) The food was very, very good - how can some little places get it so right and yet others are awful. Why do people put up with Brewers Fayre (sticky carpets, sticky, food splattered menus, sloppy service and bland food)?
It shouldn't really have come as a surprise when I heard yesterday that Jamie Oliver's plans to provide better school meals for kids has failed - mothers and fathers were going to the schools and passing packets of crisps, chips, chocolates and other junk food through the railings to their kids.
We're just grateful for these quality pubs.

That night we had a lovely uninterrupted sleep - no noise. No trains, no trucks, no people, no alarms.

After a late breakfast (9.00am) we drove back into Welshpool and taking our favourite B roads went back into Shropshire - England. We stopped in Bishops Castle and gave our legs a good stretch as the main street in a steep one. Not as steep as Lincoln's Steep Hill, but still a climb. We rested halfway up for coffee at a sweet little tea room (can't call it tea rooms, as it was so tiny), and enjoyed a chat with the proprietoress.

Then we drove through Clun and Craven Arms before heading north and the town of Church Stretton.
This nice little town is on the edge of 'Long Mynd' hill range. We walked around town, applying the Aussie lifestyle rule of crossing the street to walk in the shade - it was hot.
Finally UK is having a summer heatwave.

The previous evening I had gone on line and searched for a B & B (as everyone had kept telling us to do!). I had enquired about a Farmstay B & B but had not had a reply so we once again called at the Tourist Office. The nice lady recommended a B & B just out of town (on the outskirts of the village of Leebotwood). The 'Little Dingle' B & B was quite new, so was not yet relying on repeat business - but all the reports given back to the Tourist centre has been very positive. It was in the price range so we took it. Before going out there we stopped at a supermarket to buy some salad and meat for dinner at night so that once settled in we could stay in.
Our hosts Beryl and Tony Smith were delightful, and the room (or rather, rooms)  were top quality - 4 star again. 12 months ago their B & B accommodation was their 2 car garage, but they've got a little lean to for the cars now and this exquisite 2 unit, guest accommodation. Each unit has an ensuite, it's own sitting room (with sofa bed, table and tv) aswell as a large bedroom with plenty of space, and another tv. One unit has twin beds, we took the double. Although it's on the main Shrewsbury to Hereford road, it is set back from the road and with double glazing it really quiet. From the bedroom window there is a view across the road to the local mountain - Caer Caradoc.

I had thought of a Farm B & B for something different and a nice peaceful relaxing time away from city traffic but these last two B & Bs have shown that that's not necessary; they have been very relaxing and peaceful. Hopefully by deciding to not go out to the coast we can have 4 star quality without breaking our budget.

We decided to travel through the middle of Wales partly to visit places that we'd not been to before, to travel through Snowdonia and the Brecon Beacons but also because it was now school holidays, the weather was good and lots of people were heading to the coast. Apparently lots of people who often take last minute breaks abroad (cheap deals in Sicily, Spain, Turkey etc) are taking their breaks at UK/ Welsh seaside towns. Good for the local economy, let's home the heatwave lasts!
Our plans - such as they are because we're drifting around the countryside, are to slowly travel south through the smaller towns and villages to a little place called Talgarth on the edge of the Brecon Beacons National Park and then take the B4560 south to Ebbw Vale (Glynebury). This road is one of National Geographic Magazine's top ten drives in the world, alongside routes in Alaska, Arizona and Atlas Mountains. I wonder if they've ever driven from Dinas-Mawddwy to Llanwddyn.

Welsh Water Sports

After a little walk around Bakewell the previous evening and a great breakfast we decided to spend another night in Bakewell, that left us free to explore the town and market without having to drive on and find another bed for the night.
We only had a 2 minute walk into town and got to the market nice and early (in UK early is 9.00am not 8.00am). There were the usual stalls - clothes, knick knacks, books, watches, etc, etc and a good selection of fresh farm produce and some excellent bakery foods. The locals were out in force and the buses were full bringing in 'locals' from further afield. We finally learnt what 'the famous Bakewell pudding' was, but as it was sweet not savoury we didn't indulge. (This is not to be confused with Bakewell Tart - which although sweet, we did indulge in - yummy!)

                                   



                                                       

We strolled along alongside the River Wye,  and counted about 8 large fish. Were they trout?
Michael went back to the B & B after lunch but I carried on 'shopping', I found a fantastic needlework shop. I bought one item, but have their card as they dispatch worldwide.
The evening's aperitif was a nice Italian Soave ( 3 pounds, from the Co-op). Dinner was a choice between pub grub or an Indian - no choice really, it's Indian. Another good choice, another great meal.

Next morning and it was off to tick another off 'the list'. We visited the Plague Village of Eyam.
I wanted to visit Eyam after reading the book The Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks. (one of my favourite authors).
First port of call was the Museum, a very good, little museum, with cheap entry but they didn't allow photographs, maybe I would have photographed a couple of exhibits (plague Dr ?) but didn't have to make that decision.
When the Plague arrived in the village in 1665, in a bolt of cloth from London, the village's two religious leaders led the villagers and the whole village was quarantined.  No one travelled out of the village, and they didn't allow anyone in. Food and supplies were delivered to the Boundary Stone, on the village outskirts, and the villagers left money in holes bored into the Stone.
They buried the dead as quickly as possible to avoid contagion, often without ceremony, in their gardens. In fact the church was closed and services were held out in open with the congregation standing at least 3 feet apart, to try and limit contagion.
The only plague victim who is buried in the churchyard is the vicar's wife - Catherine Mompesson.
Some of the cottages have plaques detailing who lived and died there, and one has to presume that all of the cottages that date from that time have a sad story attached. Some families lost all but one family member.

                                  


We left Eyam and drove to a tiny village, Litton, where amazingly immaculate dry stone walls form all the field boundaries. Fields large and small, no matter what size, have dry stone walls. Quite a sight.

Then we drove back across Peak District National Park to Congleton. This road was a lot quieter than the previous road had been, and perhaps it was even more stunning. We were both very pleased to have included this area on our little tour.

Then we drove south into Shropshire the little town of Wem - noted on my Birth Certificate, it's where my birth was registered. There was a large hotel and a little B & B - guess what, the B & & had No Vacancies. I asked anyway, it was true and they couldn't think of another one in town. Oh well.

We drove further on and were back in Shrewsbury, pronounced Shrowesbury remember.
The road we approached the town centre past a couple of  B & Bs that we'd stayed in in the past, one on our wedding night, (yes it was a long time ago, but Shrewsbury is a medieval town remember, so 1977 isn't that long ago here).
But it seems that it is too long for this particular property - it's closed because it's been deemed unsafe. The second place didn't have a vacancy, but gave us a list of phone numbers for alternatives. We rang around and the third one that we phoned (are we falling into a rhythm) had a vacancy and even paying extra for breakfast it was the cheapest so far. We drove there straight away.
It was just over the Welsh Bridge, close to town and on the road that we will be using to go into Wales tomorrow.

It's our first pub room this trip. We've stayed in pub rooms in the past and the one big, no make that huge, drawback was the smoke that filtered through everything. That's a thing of the past now with No Smoking everywhere.
We ate early, to take advantage of the 2 meals for 8 pounds deal (between 5.00pm and 7.00pm)
It wouldn't challenge the Boar's Head in Long Preston but it was adequate, and cheap.
Then we took a stroll, crossing into the Quarry, (the town park), over the suspension bridge.
As youngsters we always used to bounce on the bridge and make it sway and creak - it still does it!

Next morning and we're off to Wales. Not 'Land of my Fathers' but land of my maternal Grandparents.

The first town in Wales that we came to was Chirk, not an exciting town but it has a large castle. We didn't visit the castle but found the northern gates too spectacular to ignore.

We carried on to Llangollen, home of the International Eisteddfod but our visit was to tick another one off the list. A canal boat cruise on the Llangollen Canal, across the Dee river and valley, on the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct.
 Built by Thomas Telford in 1805 it's an amazing feat, and it was an amazing trip.The famous aqueduct is cast iron and sails  over the valley of the river Dee at a height of 127 feet, it's 1037 feet long. It was a wonder of the world when built and is now a World Heritage Site .

                                


                                   

 (If you make the trip, on a cruise, a tip is that when travelling from Llangollen the walkway and railings are on the left hand side of the boat, the uninterrupted view is therefore on the right. But if travelling in the afternoon that right hand side will be in the sun. If UK has another heatwave this will be relevant.)

                                    

Back in Llangollen, after the cruise, we bought food for dinner and headed back for a quiet night in.
The next part of the tour starts tomorrow - heading for the mountains.