28 March 2012 GREAT YARMOUTH Wednesday

Great Yarmouth beckoned today, partly due to it's bad-ass rep (must see) and partly due to it's reknowned Promenade.  It was perfectly stunning weather for a waterside stroll, completing the summer feel with soft serve twirlies, down the Pier and surreptisiously along the market stalls(don't tell the men), until we found ourselves on a bench at the beachfront for a picnic lunch.

Our drive home ended up being way more bad-ass than Great Yarmouth, as we stopped to photograph Caister Castle from OUTSIDE the fence and were yelled at from across the other side of the road by a cranky old man to leave the premises.  Al hollered back and, much disgruntled, we left.

Back at Winterton-on-Sea we watched in fascination as a man kite-sand surfed and dune-jumped with his enormous parachute-type kite, but we didn't delay in the chilly wind and made sure we got our much longed-for fish in time tonight and home for a second round of triominos and movies.

27 March 2012 THE BROADS Tuesday

Right, we're ready and refreshed for a boating day on The Broads.  We found ourselves a boat-hire company just a few miles away, with a perfect size (and speed = SLOW) boat in the fishing village of Potter Heigham.  Armed with our life jackets, we set-off at a rate of knots, putt-putting our way through the waterways.  Our first view of amazement was the little log cabins right on the waters edge, each with it's own mooring for watery access to civilisation.  Our navigator found the way via intersections and long grasses to St Benets Abbey ruins.  Feeling the atmosphere of sanctity we wanted to show our acknowledement by adopting the see, hear, speak and do (our own addition) no evil pose.

Al got his wires crossed with the "DO" no evil part......hence my crouching!

Sincerity restored, we meandered The Broads passing by Ludham, Hickling and Horsey with age-old windmills and the ageless duck-feeding habit dotting the way to Lion Inn for lunch.  Having relaxed over lunch, we started running out of time to return our boat timeously and found that we could remove the knob from the accelerator, push it further forward and increase our speed to a putt-putt-putt rate of knots instead, thus, we christened our boat - Knobless!
On our way home we passed an eye-catching display of giant toadstools and shoehouses and, to my delight, Al stopped the car so we could photograph them and we found the onsite nursery/pet shop had 14 cats for us to all get our pet-fix too. They also had rabbits the size of kangaroo's!
AAAARGH! The photo's won't upload anymore.  I tried to put up a photo of the Abbey as well as the toadstool, but will have to soldier on without photo's.
After looking forward to our eagerly anticipated fish from our local fish shop, we arrived to find them closed, so, despondently, we forced ourselves to go to the Fisherman's Return to commiserate with a drink (and glass) or two, then home to toasted sarmies and movie night.

26 March 2012 GRAND TOUR Monday

Such a treat to have Kit and Dal arrive in time for brekky and then the Grand Tour of Winterton-on-Sea, from pastel-coloured rondavels (sorry - don't know the non-South African name) to the stone built Church and down to the beach, not forgetting the little lighthouse with the black hat.

Home for lunch and nano nap to wake up ready for a round of triominos. Gosh, did that turn out to be more difficult and complicated than we all thought, so we retired to the lounge for a movie instead.

25 March 2012 BEACH DAY Sunday

We got a workout second to none with a strenuous run across the dunes onto the beach and home to hot oats.  Later, a walk along the road for much easier and less strenuous access to the beach, convinced us that the Brits really don't know true summer.  They were unpacking buckets and spades, towels and beach umbrellas in the nose-nipping wind and only semi-translucent clouds, daft, I say!

This was their sunny beach day!  It is a beautiful white-sand beach though with the occasional seal poking it's nose up, but not for long.
We popped in to our now well-known shopkeeper and went to our ambiguously named Snowdrop cottage to warm up.

24 March 2012 WINTERTON-ON-SEA NORFOLK Saturday

After cramming our mobile lives into the car, we headed into the abrasive mayhem of the M1, stopping for a much-needed lunch break in Swaffham and into bustling Norwich for a grocery shop.  Our arrival at Snowdrop Cottage was reminiscent of our previous life in igloos - yikes!  On with the heaters and build that fire quick!  A short walk (100 metres) acquainted us with the local, and only, shop owner, pub owner, fish shop owner and post office owner - that's the sum total of Winterton-on-Sea.
Quick, quick, quick indoors to thaw and once warmed, we ventured out to the popular, due no doubt, to it's singularity, fish shop which proved to be a tasty meal!

23 March 2012 WINDERMERE TO DONCASTER Friday

Windermere to Doncaster proved to be a pleasant surprise stopping first at our own private "booth" for teatime - Al chose to remain anonymous.

Doncaster Lakeside hotel right on the lake with close proximity to a shopping mall and restaurant.
Al and I went for a sunset walk, watching joggers come and go while the sun dipped behind the daffodil laden hill.

22 March 2012 CAPTAIN'S AL AND CAL Thursday

We woke to delightful sunshine and so made for Windermere lake to hire a motor-boat with a max speed of 10mph - look at us go, or at least putt-putt.  To those of you who don't believe I Captained the previous boat, here's living proof that I was "CAP"tain

okay so maybe for all of 30 seconds only, until a big ferry came up behind us and I abandoned the wheel, to the greater skill of Co-Captain Al.

It was glorious, bobbing along the waterways feeding the ducks by hand from the boat.  We set down anchor (actually just floated aimlessly) while enjoying our packed lunch and drinks (ssh) with magnificent views all around us.



Back to base, where we sat relaxing while the world went by - sorry KPMG but I have converted Al at last! A slow meander home, stopping here and there to nose around, ending our day with a delicious curry at The Emperor of India.

21 March DRIVE ABOUT Tuesday

Sharing the farm lanes with tractors is not as relaxing as you'd imagine,but we did find plenty of opportunity to rectify that, stopping at Wray Castle. It is a mock Gothic Castle built for a wedding gift by a husband for his bride. It took 7 years to build and she refused to live in it! I say what a b...at. It has magnificent views and who wouldn't want to live in a Castle!!?

Oh well, it takes all types I guess. Moving on, we visited the home that Beatrix Potter bought after her first Peter Rabbit book was published. However, she never lived there much, but used it to write her books. It is in the quaint village of Hill Top.

William Wordsworth's home village was our next port of call in Grasmere. I think we would have done him proud with our burger n beer lunch special!

Our day ended with an amble in Ambleside.

20 March 2012 LAKESIDE CRUISE Monday

We set off relatively earlier today for another cruise of Windermere lake, but to the west end of Lakeside and I got to Captain the ship!

while Al did the "doekie"-feed thing

and went a bit doo-lallie-tat

so back home to sanity

Swan Lake

and Jemima Puddleduck



19 March 2012 WINDERMERE CRUISE Monday

Once the day cleared into a semi sunny outlook, we ventured out for a cruise on the Windermere lake to Ambleside for a little look around the east side of the 10.5 mile lake.

Incidentally, there was a big bird poop on the bough, otherwise I would have lounged in the nature-made lounger.



18 March 2012 LAKESHORE WALK Sunday

2 1/4 Hours of walking after finding our way along the wrong road (whereupon I was "let go" as Tour Director), until we came to the stony footpath and found a witch!

We also learnt, from a passerby, of the Nutcracker bird that walks head down along a tree trunk eating insects, however, they were too busy frolicking to be bothered with eating!

Such a tranquil setting to be walking in, with moss covered stone walls and tree covered tracks with a trickling stream accompanying the birdsong.

Around the corner, we got an eyeful of lake, displaying a bevy of yachts peacefully adrift on the azure water.





Home for a nano nap after our exhaustive walk, and this even before 12.30pm.  Mum and Keith, I hope Al and I can keep up with you two in May, we have become so relaxed, it's difficult to accomplish much.
Sunday arvo reading the Sun newspaper, aaah.

17 March 2012 HAPPY ST PADDY'S DAY Saturday

St Paddy's Day started with a serene early morning run along the lake's edge, followed by the inevitable brekky and a good dose of retail therapy for me, while Al watched the rugby.

I joined him for the 2nd match which we watched at Lakeview Pub with dinner of "hammon", according to Al. He got excited about his ham and cheese garlic bread and roast gammon dinner, so just combined the two!  We had the best seats in the house, with a lakeview as the sun set.

16 March NEWTOWN TO THE LAKES DISTRICT Friday

Off to the next cottage today, albeit not the original one we booked in The Lakes District, but apparently there was a problem and we were allocated another one.
We had lunch in the village that was the biggest Roman fort back in the day, Chester.

The village is still surrounded by a 2 mile roman wall with impressive gates still intact.  Sorry, photo's aren't uploaded yet.

The cottage we have now is lovely too and best of all, just a short walk to the village pubs and of course the all important Windermere lake.

15 March 2012 HOME DAY Thursday

Tee hee, I'm not sure whether I'm proud or embarrased to say that we spent the ENTIRE day in bed, reading and movie watching - such bliss.
We did venture out for a 10 minute visit to the lambs across the road, but it really was too cold to be out, so headed straight back to bed!

Some random pics...

14 March 2012 DEVIL'S BRIDGE Wednesday

Speak of the devil!

A fascinating place indeed, as legend has it that the devil built the original crossing in exchange for the first person to crossover, when a little old lady wanted to get her cow from the other side of the gorge.  She tricked him by throwing a stick across for her dog who then went first and the devil disappeared in embarrasement at having been outwitted by a little old lady.
The second crossing was built in the 1700's for cars and the most recent in the 1900's. 

It is a beautiful place to walk with waterfalls and even a robbers cave.

After our exhilirating walk down the gorge and back up again, we headed for the most isolated lake, Nant-y-Moch on a deserted lane for a picnic lunch.  If you look on location below, you'll see the bigger lake at the top of the map, that's the one we went to.

13 March CAMBRIAN COAST TRAIN RIDE Tuesday

Today we decided to let the train ticket seller man at Newtown station, decide where we should go and he recommended the incredible views up the Cambrian Coast, so off we went.

The train line runs parallel with the coast all the way from Mchyllwyth to the base of Snowdonia where we hopped off at Porthmadog - AKA Woof.

See how, as the train line goes over the bridge around the corner, it is so close to the water.

Lunchtime

12 March 1012 ELAN VALLEY Monday

Being greeted by thick fog was not conducive to exploring, but explore we did!  Along to Rhayader for the habitual coffee and then our highly recommended and anticipated walk in the Elan Valley.  We started at Caban Coch

 and walked the mile or so to Garreg Ddu, where we found the Nantgwrrg Church and went for a little forest ramble.

DON'T ASK

A welcoming warm sunshiny walk back to our car so we could drive further along the lake into a more forested area and back to Rhayader for lunch.

We arrived at Gigrin Kite Feeding Farm, keen to see the multitude of red kite's circle, swoop and dive for their lunchtime feed on the farm grounds.  We were ensconced in a hideout with the seriously togged out birdwatchers and felt like real birdo's too, with our binoc's and camera diligently poised on the graceful antics of these protected birds.  The feeding started originally with just two pairs and now they have 500 tagged kites feeding periodically.

Quite a sight to see.





11 March 2012 ABERYSTWYTH Sunday

We drove through Cambrian countryside with more impossibly cute (excuse the bad typo before) lambs in multiple pastures, whereupon I declared never to eat lamb again (I can hear you Jen).  Our destination, Aberystwyth in Cardigan Bay was perfectly drenched in sunshine on the Promenade, after thick mist in the mountains and valleys on our drive there.
We strolled to the end of Marine Terrace to the cliff railway up Constitution Hill for far reaching 360 degree views across Cambrian coast and countryside.

Thereafter, we had a most delicious, quintessential British Sunday carvery for lunch with uninterrupted oceanfront views.  I remembered too late, my vow never to eat lamb again and felt much remorse at having lamb roast for lunch - well, no more, starting now!

Post lunch, the whole of Aberystwyth was on the Promenade, from oldies, youngies, unies, babies, kiddies and doggies to boot! creating a wonderful community atmosphere of everyone enjoying their place in the sun.

We had a browse around Aberystwyth castle, built in the 1300's, now in ruins, but no less impressive and thoroughly loved the Old College building with it's fairytale turrets.



King of the Castle

Lovely drive home with a lamb and horse-feeding stop of course.





10 March 2012 NEWTOWN Saturday

We were adamant to get a run in, so attempted the roadside, but that proved too difficult, then we tried the cottage owners property along the Severn River, but that proved too slushy, then across the temporarily unused grazing field and that was good but too short, so across the road to visit the ever so cute lambs, that road, too, was too short, plus Al was called a "bad man" by a little boy in the caravan park who was desparately hollering for his daddy!  We also had to stop and feed the "nay"bourhood horses.  All in all, a good fun run.

Later, a short-lived sun soak on our little patio as the sun sneaked out behind the clouds, and a fair bit of rugby and reading.  Mmmm