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Europe 2018
  • Lou and Col
Apr – Jul 2018

Europe 2018

A 84-day adventure by Lou and Col Read more
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  • Lou and ColEurope 2018Traveler
    Donkey over the road
    Misty morningBags waiting for the bus1Still waiting for the busView from old town Hondarribia over to France

    Bus to Hondarribia

    May 28, 2018 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

    A nice sleep in then checked out of the hotel. Caught the bus into the town then the bus to Hondarribia. Misty rain all day and not that pleasant. Hotel Palacete was only a short walk from the bus stop and is in the old walled town. Hotel is in the style of an old palace but is just 50 years old. The first appearance of the old town is very nice despite the weather. We all had a crab scrambled egg for lunch at a pub around the corner. Found some dinner a bit later in town then off to bed.Read more

  • Lou and ColEurope 2018Traveler
    Hotel Palacete

    Hondarribia

    May 29, 2018 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    Had a quiet day in Hondarribia. The rain has eased up but it is still cool. Pat and Col went for a walk while Lou had a sleep in. The walled town where we are staying is very picturesque. It is a quiet and sleepy little place, ideal for a rest before the train trip tomorrow. Again, Hondarriba is situated on an inlet, however the other side is the French town of Hendaye from where we'll catch the train to Paris and connect to London.Read more

  • Lou and ColEurope 2018Traveler
    On the train
    1Also on the train

    Fast Trains to the UK

    May 30, 2018 in England ⋅ 🌫 15 °C

    We ordered a taxi to drive us to the French town of Hendaye for our train trip. Boarded the TGV and set off exactly on time. Very few on board but it's filling up tout suite!! Its a double storey train and has no stops after Bordeaux. We read the food on board is bad so we attempted to bring some fruit etc. The train travels at over 300kph so the scenery flashes by. Very smooth ride. Surprisingly, we got onto the train and found our seats ourselves and went all the way to Paris with no one checking our tickets!
    On arrival in Paris we had to catch the metro over to Gare du Nord to catch the Eurostar to London. Unfortunately the train went straight past the station we wanted and stopped at the next one. Gare du Nord underground was closed for renovation. We had to walk back about half a km to the main train station. By the time we got there and went through check in and immigation for the UK, we we called to board and were off again. Eurostar also zoomed along at over 300 kph and went through the channel tunnel.
    Arrived in London St Pancras International about 5:40 then had to get 3 more local trains to get to New Malden where we were staying with friends of Pat (Gary & Sue). Our hosts picked us up from the station then plied us with drinks and food before sending us off to bed for a well earned sleep.    Read more

  • Lou and ColEurope 2018Traveler

    New Malden

    May 31, 2018 in England ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    We woke quite refreshed from a good nights sleep went off with Sue visit Kew Gardens. Sue is a volunteer at the gardens so was keen to show us around.
    The gardens are quite something. One could spend a whole day there wandering around. The highlights are the herbaceous border and the recently restored Victorian glasshouses.
    Had a quiet afternnoon then went with our hosts to the White Swan Inn in Kingston for dinner. Nearby, we learned about Richmond Palace which was the scene of many intriques during the Tudor period. Queen Elizabeth 1 died there but unfortunately all that remains is the gatehouse and stables area. It is easy to imagine how it must have been though as it is right on the Thames and close by is Richmond Park which is a huge area now open to the public and still containing deer originally used for hunting. They say that the current herd is most likely related to the original stocks from centuries ago.    Read more

  • Lou and ColEurope 2018Traveler
    View from cottage
    Vineyard cottageEntry to cottageLower Broad StreetWheatsheaf InnTeme river after heavy rains night before

    Ludlow here we come

    June 1, 2018 in England ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    Today is our drive to Ludlow where we have a cottage booked for a week. We are looking forward to spending some time in one place and having a relaxing time. Sue drove us to the car rental yard close by. This was the first time we had hired from Enterprise Car Rental, and we were pleasantly surprised by the service and pick up process. They gave us a Nissan Qashqai (with satnav) which was better than the car I was expecting. We drove back to the house to pick up Pat and the bags then took off to Ludlow. The drive was about 5 hours mainky because the M25 was like a carpark for much of the first part of the drive. Once we got onto the more minor roads all went well.
    Vineyard cottage in Ludlow is more than we ever expected. It is down a little lane on the edge of town and is beautifully presented. We would like to stay here for the rest of our time in the UK.
    After unpacking we walked into town to get some food for brekky tomorrow then to the Wheatsheaf Inn next door for a lovely English dinner. The Inn was full of locals with broad country accents which added to the charm.    Read more

  • Lou and ColEurope 2018Traveler

    Ludlow

    June 2, 2018 in England ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

    On our first morning we found it difficult to get out of our very comfortable beds. Eventually we got up and made ourselves some lovely breakfast. The markets are in in town on Saturday so we walked up and got some supplies for the next day or so. Very buzzy in town with lots of people out shopping and sightseeing. The town centre has a great feeling about it with the old buildings leaning over the footpaths.
    Kept the day pretty quiet to build up some energy for the next 6 days. Cooked up a local chicken roast for tea which we all enjoyed.    Read more

  • Lou and ColEurope 2018Traveler

    Ludlow Day 2

    June 3, 2018 in England ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C

    Started today with a nice feed of Shropshire bacon and eggs all round.
    Walked up into town to the antiques market being held in the main square. Had a look around the cathedral in the centre of town. Stopped at the Green Cafe down by the river, it looked good so vowed to come back for a bite to eat.
    Took the scenic route back along the other side of the Teme River and stopped off at the Charlton Arms for a beer.    Read more

  • Lou and ColEurope 2018Traveler

    Ludlow Day 3

    June 4, 2018 in England ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C

    Today we got the car out again and went to explore the Shropshire country side. First stop was Bridgnorth where we walked the town centre, looked through the old Town Hall and rode the funicular railway. The railway connects the upper and lower parts of the town and is the steepest rail in Britain.
    Next we drove over to Ironbridge which has the first iron bridge built in the world. It is currently undergoing restoration and covered in a big plastic sheet. However they have provided a viewing platform to see the restoration works which gave a great insight into the construction of the bridge.
    After a late lunch in Ironbridge we moved on to Much Wenlock then home via Church Stretton.
    A good day out all round.    Read more

  • Lou and ColEurope 2018Traveler

    Ludlow Day 4

    June 5, 2018 in England ⋅ ⛅ 12 °C

    We started today by going into town to have a look at Ludlow Castle. On the way we called in to Dinham House which is next to the castle walls. This 18th century house is being used as a shopfront for slow combustion heaters, but has been set up like a museum so people can wander anywhere within the house. We had a good look around even into the basements.
    The Castle was well worth a look. Even though it is a ruin, there is enough left to give a good feeling of how it would have been when in use. The views from the towers over Ludlow and the countryside were impressive. We followed up with a visit to the Green Cafe on the edge of the Teme where a lemon scone with lemon curd and clotted cream was enjoyed. Yum!! We vowed to come back for lunch later in the week.
    Later in the afternoon we went for a short drive to see the towns and countryside to the west of Ludlow. First stop was Bishop's Castle which is another nice market town. We then drove on to Clun where we walked up the hill to the remains of Clun Castle. Not much left of the castle but great views over the town and cows in the fields around.
    On the way home we found a nice pub (Hundred House) where we stopped for a good dinner.    Read more

  • Lou and ColEurope 2018Traveler

    A day at the beach

    June 6, 2018 in Wales ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

    Today dawned fine and sunny so we headed of for a day at the beach at Aberystwyth in Wales. This is about a 70 mile drive so we packed our picnic lunch and hit the road. The route is mostly on minor roads and is a nice drive through the Wye Valley The country side and towns change as you drive into Wales (also the signs which are Welsh and English). After a two hour drive we arrived in Aberystwyth. It is a very pleasant seaside town in the old style. The beaches are a mixture of round stones and coarse sand. We had a good walk around the promenade and town and then headed home. We took a different route back to see some more countryside. It was a good choice. We started by heading to a place called Devils Bridge Falls. This is a chasm with waterfall. It was a bit late in the day to walk down into the chasm so we just looked from the bridge. The route from there took us through the Elan Valley. As we progressed the trees disappeared and we were presented with a wild green landscape dotted with sheep grazing on the open range. The road got narrower until it was only one car width and the scenery got more and more spectacular. Quite a drive. It took a good hour to drive the 20 miles or so of the valley.
    From there we carried on to the market town of Prestiegne where we stopped for a break. From there it was a 45 minute drive home.    Read more

  • Lou and ColEurope 2018Traveler
    Inside the cottage

    Last day in Ludlow

    June 7, 2018 in England ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

    Our main aim today was to have lunch at the Green Cafe down on the river under Ludlow Castle. This we achieved in some style with a delightful meal. The day came over a bit cool in the afternoon after a sunny morning. Spent the afternoon organising ourselves for the next part of our trip. Pat leaves us tomorrow for London and we are moving on to Shrewsbury for 2 nights them a farm stay in the Lakes District for 4 nights. Bought some fish for tea so a nice home cooked meal and an early night are in order.Read more

  • Lou and ColEurope 2018Traveler

    Shrewsbury, Dickens, and Darwin

    June 8, 2018 in England ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C

    Today we moved on from Ludlow and parted company with Pat. After our usual breakfast of local eggs (this time Welsh from a road side stall) we packed our bags and headed to Shrewsbury. Here we dropped Pat at the train station for his trip back to London. We then drove just down the road to the Lion Hotel where we have booked in for two nights. It was too early to book in so we walked back to the station to say a final goodbye to Pat. As we walked back we saw a statue of Charles Darwin. On investigation, we discovered that the building behind was the school he went to (now a library) so we went inside and had a good look. Amazingly, there were scratched names and dates of former pupils all over wooden cladding and both upper floor rooms retain original features though now being used as library study areas. Further up the road was St Mary's Cathedral which is the oldest church in Shrewsbury dating from the 11th century. Shrewsbury was one of the few medieval towns not to be impacted by the industrial revolution so it's original layout and many buildings are still intact. There are funny little alleyways and cobbled streets and ancient wooden framed buildings everywhere, each with its own distinctive features. Remarkably and wonderfully most are still in use for contemporary purposes and you can often venture in and wander upstairs for a meal or a geek. Great fun!
    The Lion Hotel turned out to be where Charles Darwin stayed before he left to join the Beagle for his world voyage. It is also where Charles Dickens wrote The Pickwick Papers. So we are staying in the middle of history.    Read more

  • Lou and ColEurope 2018Traveler
    Wilfred Owen Memorial

    A Day in Shrewsbury

    June 9, 2018 in England ⋅ 🌙 14 °C

    For our day in Shrewsbury we just about walked our legs off. Shrewsbury is quite compact but there is a lot to see. We started by crossing the English Bridge to look at the Abbey. We were not able to get inside as there was a funeral service being held. We did find in the gounds behind, a memorial to Wilfred Owen, who was a WW1 soldier and poet who lived in Shrewsbury and was tragically killed just a few days before the end of the war. His memorial is etched with his prophetic words " I am the enemy you killed, my friend" Across the road was an artist studio that was open so we called in there for a look. A French woman we met there had been commissioned to replace all the stained glass in a nearby church so we had a good chat about this and other projects. We then walked on and around the river (Severn) to the Dingle which is a lovely park that sits in the bend of the river as it goes around the town. Saw the rowing club and lots of walkers and families enjoying the lovely expansive lawns and trees. Back into the town found us lunch at a nice cafe run by volunteers supporting victims of domestic violence. Actually, we've seen lots of similar groups for all sorts of causes usually through their respective church organisations. Volunteering is alive and well in the UK. Another late twilight had us eating about 8.30-9pmRead more

  • Lou and ColEurope 2018Traveler

    Drive to the Lakes

    June 10, 2018 in England ⋅ 🌙 13 °C

    Had a leisurely start as checkout was not until 11. Packed the car to leave then found that some idiot had scraped the back of our car in the carpark. Another insurance claim!
    Drove via a town called Holt as we had seen a place to stay there which we may use on the way back. Nice enough town but not that exciting.
    Drive was mostly on the M6 so was not that much fun. Finally arrived at the farmstay about 4:30. Nice cottage a mile or so up a lane off the main road. The owner Neil seems a good sort who likes a chat.
    After a short rest we drove back up the road to the Plough Inn where we had a very good dinner.    Read more

  • Lou and ColEurope 2018Traveler

    Cumbria Farmstay

    June 11, 2018 in England ⋅ ⛅ 12 °C

    For our first day we had a good sleep in before driving over to catch up with Raelene and Geoff. They are staying at Geoff's brother Mikes place about 6 miles from us. They took us for a walk to the little church where they were married passing wildflowers, fields, cows, sheep, bumble bees and some very fruity aromas as we went. It was delightful and just fantastic to see St Thomas's. The area and little hamlet where they are is quite idyllic though freezing in the winter I'm told. In the afternoon we went shopping in Kirkby Lonsdale to get some food in. Again a very pretty village with a market square and a lovely river coursing through under perfect stone bridges. After a rest we travelled back to Mike's place for dinner with a few of their friends. We were spoiled with a beautiful meal and interesting conversations. A good night was had by all. The drive home along the lanes in the dark was fun!Read more

  • Lou and ColEurope 2018Traveler
    Chooks at Farmstay
    Drive out of farmstayRailway bridge Yorkshire Dales

    Yorkshire Dales

    June 12, 2018 in England ⋅ 🌙 10 °C

    Today we ventured into the Yorkshire Dales. We tried our usual trick of going the back roads only to be blocked by a closed bridge so we had to backtrack to Kirkby Lonsdale and go the normal way. It was a great drive to the town of Dent and the Dent Valley. Great scenery and a wonderful drive. Returned by a different route and saw a steam tourist train crossing a viaduct on the way then the same train on another viaduct 15 minutes later.Read more

  • Lou and ColEurope 2018Traveler

    The Lakes

    June 13, 2018 in England ⋅ 🌧 12 °C

    Today we thought we would get up early and drive up to Lake Windemere. Of course we didn't get going until after 12 as usual. Travelling is so tiring.
    Windemere is very pretty but is hard to get close to as it is surrounded by private reserves and hotels on the shores. The public access areas are crowded with tourists, even midweek. We stopped off at Ambleside at the end of the lake for a bite to eat and a quick look around. We then drove on to Conniston Waters and down to the coast at Broughton in Furness before heading home. We found the lakes a bit touristy for our liking and were glad to get back to the peace of the farmstay.Read more

  • Lou and ColEurope 2018Traveler

    Sizergh Castle

    June 14, 2018 in England ⋅ 🌬 13 °C

    Overnight and in the morning we were hit with a big storm with winds up to 60 mph. We battened down the hatches and stayed in until midday. Things eased off a bit later so we went and picked up Raelene for a visit to Sizergh Castle. The castle is really a large manor house located in a lovely spot with nice gardens and a farm shop just down the road. We all took our time reading about the family history (Strickland) and the various artworks and furniture acquired over the centuries. Interestingly, Katherine Parr lived there for a while and a more recent forebear Gerald Strickland was the Governor of WA, NSW and TAS at various times around the turn of the century. We noticed some authentic boomerangs, a kookaburra and some other Aboriginal artifacts in the foyer as we entered which made us curious?
    After the castle we returned to get Geoff and went to The Plough for a few drinks. The Plough is where Raelene had her infamous hen night before getting married. It's a great little pub and like most of them is so old and characterful.    Read more

  • Lou and ColEurope 2018Traveler
    Lou having tea with Wallace and Grommit
    Aysgarth Falls

    Wallace & Grommit

    June 15, 2018 in England ⋅ ⛅ 8 °C

    Moving on day has come around again and we are off to Sunset Cottages on a farm 19 miles from York. Taking the route through the Dales we came across the Wensleydale Cheese Factory and showrooms. In our stop there we were shown how to make cheese, watched it being made, tasted it, and bought some. Driving on we visited Aysgarth Falls and went for a nice walk to see them. Arrived at the new farmstay about 5. The owners, Richard and his wife Heather, were there to meet and greet us. They are both in there 80s but look pretty good for it. The cottage is in a converted barn and carriage store. The views from the rooms over the paddocks are quite special. Before dinner we walked up the road to check out the area. It looks lijke quite an upmarket and well to do farming area with some big estates around.Read more

  • Lou and ColEurope 2018Traveler
    Cricket on the green
    Hovingham

    A Quiet day out

    June 16, 2018 in England ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C

    A long sleep in this morning as we are both a bit weary from all the travelling. Early afternoon we drove over to the village of Hovingham. In the centre of the village is Hovingham Hall which was the childhood home of the Duchess of Kent. We took a guided tour and were lucky enough to be the only ones on the tour. The lady guide was very informative and seemed to enjoy being able to chat with us.
    Out the back of the hall is the oldest privately owned cricket ground in the UK, and there was a local cricket match on. Quintessential England!
    On walking into town we found the local bakery where Lou found a good coffee and we grabbed some pasties and cakes for tea.
    We then drove to Helmsley (a pleasant market town with a ridiculous number of tea shops) and the ruins of an ancient castle overlooking the village) On a second visit we went to the church and discovered a framed letter on the wall from David Livingston (I presume) thanking the local bishops wife for sending him a handmade mosquito net to Africa. Quite poignantly, he referred to the fact that he was returning to the lakes (I guess Lake Victoria of source of the Nile fame) the next day. Knowing that he ultimately died out there was sad. His writing was awful so suspect he was already very unwell. He had a sense of humour though and made a mosquito joke in the letter. The import of such a simple thing being available on the back wall of an obscure rural church was impressive on us and testimony to the English brilliance in record keeping from the obscure to the grandest of details.
    P.s. The pasties were yummy.    Read more

  • Lou and ColEurope 2018Traveler

    Mass and Dairies

    June 17, 2018 in England ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

    We got going early as Lou attended Mass at Ampleforth Abbey. Singing was superb and moving. The abbey is a Benedectine monastry and boarding school. Folliowing mass we walked into Ampleforth and had lunch at a nice cafe. Met a young guy on the path who had lived in Sydney. He had a very sweet cockerspaniel pup (Elvis) ? The dogs in this part seem to be spaniels mainly either gold and white or black and white. They are very well behaved generally as are most breeds we've seen.We then drove on to a dairy farm owned by the family of our cottage owners. They showed us their state of the art milking facility as well as new born calves and the whole farm operation. We were there most of the afternoon. On the way back we stopped for a beer and at the ruins of Byland Abbey. Another abbey destroyed by Cromwells Parliamentarian troops. Between Henry the 8th and him it's a wonder there are any liturgical sites left standing at all. York Minster was only just saved!!! Another story.Read more

  • Lou and ColEurope 2018Traveler

    Castle Howard

    June 18, 2018 in England ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    We spent an interesting afternoon at Castle Howard today. It's a very large pile belonging to the Howard family who despite many powerful forebears do not hold a title. From the outside it is similar to Blenheim Palace which is the ancestral home of the Dukes of Marlborough. That's where the similarities end. CH was partially destroyed by a big fire in the mid 20th century and the damaged rooms were essentially repaired by the makers of Brideshead Revisited on the condition they could use the sets and estate for making the film. Now these "false rooms" are still open to the public plus some real ones too; including a grand banqueting hall ( hired out for weddings etc) and chapel (over the top.....) The lands around the house are very extensive and lovely. There was also a quite interesting history of the family during the two wars. They lost a number of the sons in both wars and the woman of the family proved very good managers and community centred. The heir apparent had just married an American girl and the guide was keen to share the details of it all, including huge sums to fly Rod Stewart in for the reception. Ya gotta laugh...The best part was the walled rose garden. It was a picture and the climbing/rambling roses were particularly gorgeous. Actually, we have seen these climbing roses everywhere on our travels from little cottage entrances to the grandest formal gardens and they are equally beautiful everywhere. It was nice to return to our farmstay and normality.Read more

  • Lou and ColEurope 2018Traveler
    York Minster from Town Wall

    York

    June 19, 2018 in England ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

    We were up early today to have a big day out in York. We drove to the Park and Ride and caught the bus into the centre as parking is difficult and expensive in the town. Bus dropped us off near York Minster.
    First impression was the entry into the walled city over the bridge and through the old roman gate. The Minster impressivelly dominated the end of the street where we alighted from the bus. Decided to walk the town walls and city centre before visiting the Cathedral. The town is quite quirky. The area called the Shambles is full of interesting old buildings (and tourists). We saw a small church right next to the cathedral and a plaque indicated it was where Guy Fawkes was baptised. After lunch we did a tour of the Minster. Our guide gave us a great insight into the architecture and history of the building. Before we left we walked through the gardens where we met some birds of prey being shown by a conservation group.
    Jumped back on the bus to get the car and home.    Read more

  • Lou and ColEurope 2018Traveler

    The Peak District

    June 21, 2018 in England ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

    Packed our bags again for our move down to the Peak District. We have booked a cottage near Hollington in Staffordshire. Started the drive by picking up coffee and cakes in Hovingham then set off South.
    First part of the drive was mostly motorways but then we diverted through the Peak National Park. Stunning scenery again. Stopped for lunch in Buxton which is a spa town that once had pretensions to rival Bath. Stopped to ask a lady who was filling up drinking bottles at a natural spring about the water quality and she said it was the best. Unfortunately, we didn't have our drinking bottles with us so we'll never know!
    Arrived at the cottage about 4pm. We are in a little hamlet with about 6 houses and a pub. Cottage is well presented and comfortable with great views over the fields which includes the ruins of an abbey about 1 mile away down the valley. Can't wait to explore. Had dinner at the Raddle Inn only a couple of hundred yards up the road. Food was interesting, huge servings, average quality.    Read more

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