Way up North - land of the Celts June 10

Newtons manor closed Detour at York to see white cliffs and scarborough. Soufflé and pavlova perfect meringues Walk on beach Determined to make pies, meringues and soufflé when I get home.

Oxford to Cambridge June 9

Very big breakfast Shortest route not always the best route. Traffic circles Happy Patrick Kathy and Neil Lovely house Folks Small village Braai

Bath and Thames June 8

We spent the night in a hotel that occupies a row of five homes built in the Georgian style. It was too expensive for my tastes, so I talked mom into letting us skip their extravagant breakfast and eat breakfast at a sidewalk cafe. It was good to soak up the early morning sun while eating chicken and mushroom pie and eavesdropping on local conversations. We toured the Roman Baths and then explored the Bath Abbey. Archeologists have done a wonderful job in excavating and preserving the Roman remains. After one last gaze at the Royal Crescent - and dreams of Jane Austin's heroines, we were ready to move on to Oxford. We strolled the grounds of Radley College - a private boarding school on extensive grounds. Public footpaths crisscross the property and we were surrounded by cricket matches and tennis games. Three years ago, we had a wonderful family holiday on the Oxford canal system. We had docked near Radley to attend a wedding and eaten at the local pub. Clare and I had a lovely long walk along the Thames before dinner. She spoiled us by making a huge pavlova and coating it in thick English cream.

Penzance to Camborne to Bath June 7

We spent the night in a wonderful B&B in Penzance - The Estoril. It is in the quiet end of town and close to the promenade. After a big breakfast Mom and I took a long walk. We watched a lady brave the cold water to swim her daily circuit in the bay. I don't think I could be that dedicated! We could see St Michael's Mount in the distance. I love the fact that it can be reached by causeway during low tide, but only by boat at the high tide. The harbor at Penzance was full of boats and pretty busy. Workmen welding old hulls, others moving equipment and ferries leaving for nearby islands. On our way back to the B&B we investigated the run down cathedral and some tropical gardens. I am amazed to see how many South African plants grow in the southwest. We thought the mobile fishmonger was a great idea. The primary reason for visiting Cornwall was to see Camborne. We lived there during 1980. What good memories - lovely people, great weather, many day trips, and swimming in the cold Atlantic Ocean. We were surprised at how busy the main street was. Our apartment looked no different and "the fishy" was still at the same place on the other end of town. It was however closed so we could not treat our selves to eating fish and chips out of newspaper. Our drive up to Bath took us over the moors. A harsh but beautiful place to live. So many plants were in bloom. We were also close to the River Severn, so we decided to drive the toll bridge over the river - just for fun. Neither of us had visited Bath before and we were excited to see the Georgian architecture and Roman Baths. We parked downtown and strolled the street looking for "The Royal Crescent." An awesome sight. Closer to the baths we discovered a bridge built over the River Avon, modelled after the "Ponte Vecchio" in Florence. The shops on the Pulteney Bridge were quaint. A swan and her signets were peacefully gliding on the water under the bridge. Throughout our trip I have been feasting on British fare - Cornish pasties, sausage rolls, and fish and chips. Gorgeous!

Cornwall June 6

Steph and I started the day with a walk around Ivybridge. 8am in the morning is a noisy and busy time of day to be walking through town. Motorists do not yield for pedestrians so it can be difficult to cross streets. The river running through town, coming off the moor was full and noisy. After saying goodbye to Steph we drove into Cornwall and started exploring the cost. Getting down into the harbors was fun. The roads down to the waterfront are narrow and quite scary. Sometimes you get yourself into a narrowing road going nowhere, so one solution is to back up - a harrowing experience in this large car, but I turned around in the smallest of places just to escape the dead end. While travelling down to Charleston harbor we were just inches from people's front doors. This picture actually shows a particularly wide section of the road. When I was exploring the village I negotiated my way around the back of these houses only to find that the back door to the house is actually a door out of the attic window! Two floors above the front street level. These small fishing towns no longer rely on the fishing industry, but on tourism. As a result ice cream and Cornish pasty stores are everywhere. There were two tall ships in the dock at Charleston. Maintenance work was being done on both of the ships. I wonder if they play to sail them on the open seas. We ended our day at the Minack Theatre, near Lands End. Each time I am in Cornwall I return to the theatre, and I love it more each time. Last time we were here it was cold, windy and raining, and Michael added some entertainment by locking the keys in the car, this time was rather subdued. The weather was perfect, seats were superb, and play was good.

Mostly Devon June 5

Just outside the hotel we discovered on of the original "gates" into a pasture. The field was about four feet above the road so one had to climb a couple of stone stairs before climbing over the slab of vertical rock forming the perimeter wall. We concluded that the gate had been well used because the steps were worn down. Modern styles are simple but fun. I just wonder how the dogs get through from one field to the next. e discovered some beaches covered in pebbles, others covered in sand, and others with a mix of both. Walking over pebbles, and pebbles racing after a retreating wave create wonderful sounds. And best all you don't get sand in your shoes. Sandy beaches are good for building castles and running on. Quite a few kids playing on the beach. Cornwal and Devon have tested my driving skills. Lanes are often only wide enough for one car so you stop often to let other by, or backup to a wide spot if you land up nose to nose. Notice the tire marks on the road to get a sence of how narrow it is. Dinner in Ivybridge with Steph finishes a perfect day.

London to Somerset June 4

Rich was kind enought to loan me his Bose earphones so I made a point of watching a movie while crossing the Atlantic. The distraction of the movie and a quick nap made it feel as though the trip was almost over before it began! I quickly made it out to the rental car and was soon driving south to Surrey - and Mum. I am always so navigationally challenged here in the UK - no road is straight and they are all sorrounded by vegetation. After a quick cup of tea we were one the road - only to return an hour later to collect mum's walking cane. There was no way we could explore England without the forgotten stick. After a few wrong turns and many fields of bright yellow rapeseed, we made it to Salisbury. One could see the Cathedral steeple from far away. Am imposing view.The grounds of the Cathedral were full of people enjoying the beautiful weather. We entered the Cloisters of the Cathedral which enclosed two wonderful, ancient trees. The view up to the spire was gorgeous. We then walked into the Chapter house which houses the Magna Carta. Written in 1215 and sealed by King John. A document which inspired the US Constitution. We also saw the oldest working mechanical clock - built in 1386. Overall an impressive visit. We muddled our way down to Tintinhull, near Yeovil. A lovely, peaceful Inn amongst farms. I did a lovely walk on public footpaths amongst cattle and sheep. Dinner was tasty liver - yum! Plan to get in an early walk tomorrow morning.