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  • Eric Baddeley
  • Eric Baddeley

Back to the UK

A 60-day adventure by Eric Read more
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  • Trip start
    June 27, 2023
  • Eric BaddeleyBack to the UKTraveler

    Jet-lag, what jet-lag?

    June 30, 2023 in England ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    Not much happening today. Rain expected, and we're readying the boat to head off on the Thames tomorrow. Did a bit of local shopping in Reading and catching up with relatives tonight.

    Spotted a "Banksy" on the wall of the now disused Reading Jail once occupied by Oscar Wilde (hence the typewriter). The Banksy has been covered by perspex for protection. This, coupled with me taking the photo from a moving car, has resulted in a blurred image, sorry!Read more

  • Eric BaddeleyBack to the UKTraveler
    See you Rascal
    1Out of the marina and turn right.Old mate fishing. We probably passed 50 anglers today.11The pub is just along this path. Stinging nettles to the left and right

    On To The Thames Proper

    July 1, 2023 in England ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    Ok. What a day! After being waved off by Rascal on a neighbouring boat, and Jenny feeding the wildlife one last time, we left the marina and hit the Thames proper.

    Five locks and unbelievable countryside, 2hrs of chugging under an overcast sky; followed by 4hrs of warm sunshine and we've parked up under the trees on the western bank of the Thames in Wallingford.

    Fantastic day. Narrow boating is literally the fastest way to slow down.

    Passed a beautiful pub about a mile back, and we're about to walk the dogs (Millie and Milo) there for dinner.

    Tomorrow, another day on the Thames.    Read more

  • Eric BaddeleyBack to the UKTraveler
    1Ready to get underway again.
    This shows how narrow the Thames becomes the further north we travelled from Reading Berkshire11The Lancashire Rose1

    The Thames is getting narrow

    July 2, 2023 in England ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    Up early today (Sunday) to make sure we got through the 1st of 4 locks before the other weekend boaties. Turned out we had the river mostly to ourselves for the 5 hour trip to Abingdon, Oxfordshire.

    Abingdon is England's oldest, continuously inhabited settlement. A very compact town in that everything orbits the original market square. Some pubs (and there are many) even share an adjoyning wall or courtyard.

    Sadly, for Jenny and I, this is where we leave Wine Away the Hours. It's been a terrific start to our UK holiday, but Stuart and Jayne have to hit the canals from here to get the boat to Stone, Staffordshire, moored and settled in time for their August wedding.

    Tomorrow, I pick up our hire car and we head to Wigan, Lancashire my father's birth place.    Read more

  • Eric BaddeleyBack to the UKTraveler

    Nothing but rain and driving

    July 5, 2023 in England ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    Our last 2 days have seen rain and M6 traffic. Nothing of interest and zero photo opportunities.
    For the next 7 days, we're in the Cotswold village of Andoversford, Glostershire, so watch this space.

  • Eric BaddeleyBack to the UKTraveler
    2Found him!Christ ChurchThe last thing I expected to see.1Bridge of Sighs, Oxford1Wizard wands. It's an Oxford thing...11

    It's an Oxford thing...

    July 6, 2023 in England ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    Fantastic day. We meandered, tramped and traipsed around Oxford for a full day.
    The history of this place was everywhere we looked. The buildings, footpaths and alleys just oozed old and the languages we heard as we walked, informed us that we shared our day with travellers from all over the world!Read more

  • Eric BaddeleyBack to the UKTraveler
    1
    2Then Jenny said, "Hey everyone, the village idiot is right behind me"What she's painting is in the next photo.

    Bourton-on-the Water, Cotswolds

    July 7, 2023 in England ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C

    There has been a human settlement at Bourton for over 6,000 years! The word 'Bourton' is of Saxon origin, derived from 'burgh' meaning fortification or camp and 'ton' meaning estate, enclosure or village. Taken together, you have 'the village beside the camp'.Read more

  • Eric BaddeleyBack to the UKTraveler
    1Ancient yew trees stand like sentinels to this even older, iron studded door.1Not a happy Labrador this fella.

    Stow-on-the-Wold, Cotswolds

    July 7, 2023 in England ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C

    Jenny and I last visited Stow-on-the-Wold in early 2019. We went back today primarily to go inside St. Edward's Church, which was closed on the day of our last visit. Unfortunately, we arrived today to find a private memorial service underway and our entry naturally barred. When we returned after lunch, the Church was closed for cleaning...must have been a messy service!Read more

  • Eric BaddeleyBack to the UKTraveler
    'Bath Abby' founded in the 7th centuryTree planted in 17761CR = Charles Rex.Bath sits on the river Avon

    Bath, Somerset

    July 10, 2023 in England ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    Again, a pleasant, though coolish day. We'd been to Bath on previous trips though each time in the cold of winter.
    Today, we had crowds and tour groups by the coach load.

  • Eric BaddeleyBack to the UKTraveler
    Magic street this. This is a shot of the section where workmen weren't digging.
    This Church, old as it is, has a 'For Sale' in front.

    Winchcombe, Gloucestershire

    July 11, 2023 in England ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    Another little market town steeped in history. Very narrow streets, but unfortunately, there were work crews digging up the main street to lay fibre optic cable for high-speed Internet. Seems inevitable, I guess, but a shame all the same.Read more

  • Eric BaddeleyBack to the UKTraveler
    Oliver1'Elizabeth' given to the Queen by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.1Our friend Jo. Lead the Queen's funeral procession on 'Oliver'Saddle covers. Each horse has own saddle, bridle, bit etcBaby Shampoo for 'Yonkers'??New 'CR' (Charles Rex) bridle badges are already on orderUkraine 🇺🇦 President of Ukraine was recently housed in the old Scotland Yard buildingKids and tourists are no longer able to climb on the Trafalgar Square lions

    Cotswold to London

    July 12, 2023 in England ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C

    Said goodbye to our friends from Denver and Brisbane. They journeyed to Heathrow and home; we journeyed to London via Didcot, where we returned our hire car.
    Boarded the high-speed train to Paddington Station, London; and having left Andersford at 9am, we checked into our hotel in Kensington at 1pm.
    Our (new) friend from our canal boat trip, Jo, a Police Constable with the London Metropolitan Mounted Police, had invited us to have a tour of the old Scotland Yard, Police stables if we could be there by 2:15pm...gotta love the Underground Rail. Got there at 2:13pm!    Read more

  • Eric BaddeleyBack to the UKTraveler
    The number 27 got in the way of a good photo opportunityDoor and door frame from around 1530A number of different locks used or nobody could work out keyhole placementPair of doors from 1200-13001All glass. But horrible IMO!

    Rain, rain, go away

    July 14, 2023 in England ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    It's raining. Caught a bus and stayed on it for an hour to Hampstead. Located the house where Jenny's Aunty Ruth lived back in the 70s.

    Caught another bus for an hour's ride and wound up at the Victoria and Albert Museum along with every other wet tourist that London owned that day.

    Do I like Museums? 👎    Read more

  • Eric BaddeleyBack to the UKTraveler
    2Say 'Cheese'1

    Much ado about nothing...

    July 15, 2023 in England ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

    Took the 'Tube' to Tower Hill. 9am and it was standing room only! Got to the entrance to Tower Bridge to be advised we can't get up to the viewing platform walks until 11:30am.

    Went walking the back alleys and streets of Southwark. Not a blade of grass to be seen.

    Fascinating viewing of the bridge, its build, and workings (see Jenny's FB post). Later that day, we walked the streets of the 7 Dials district (Covent Garden and Soho).

    Dinner in a Burmese restaurant (OMG!!) And then onto see Agatha Christie's "Mousetrap" at St. Martin's Theatre (now in its 70th year of continuous showing.    Read more

  • Eric BaddeleyBack to the UKTraveler
    1
    21I was disappointed in how this came out1Built in 1380

    Tintagel, Cornwall

    July 20, 2023 in England ⋅ ☀️ 16 °C

    According to ledgend, King Arthur (round table and sword from a stone) was born here, in a cave, inhabited by Merlin his number 1 wizard, BFF, and bodyguard!
    As these photos are self-explanatory (castle, caves, headland etc) I've not captioned any (other than the last two)Read more

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