Helensburgh, SW Scotland.

by Miss Penny Black

Leaving the Lake District was saddening but we had family to visit in Helenburg, which I kept pronouncing Helens-bur-g (not with the ‘burg’ like the one in Edin-breh) until I realised my mistake. Pronunciation is a really tricky thing in the UK. Leicester is ‘Lester’, Worcester is ‘wooster’… I can’t think of any other examples but leave a comment if you can think of a good one.

Mum and I made a quick detour on our way north to visit Gretna Green. Probably not a noteworthy place to many these days, Gretna Green is right on the border of England and Scotland and for a long time it was the place to go if you were English, underage and wanting to be married in a hurry and without parental permission. My main reason for wanting to go was that it’s mentioned in almost every Georgette Heyer novel and I had to take a photo of it to show my friend and fellow Heyer-phile, Charmaine.

Possibly the least inviting place I could imagine getting married.

At least 20,000 people don’t agree with me.

Sadly nearly everything looks fairly new and there’s big roads and trucks and non of it looks much like the setting for a thrilling romance scene. Disappointed, Mum and I hit the road again.

We’d been trying to get Mum’s cousin Angela or her husband Rick on the phone since that morning but had no luck so we thought we’d just drive to Helensburg and see what there was to do. Initially we didn’t find much. Despite being by the sea Helensburg has an ugly pier, lots of road works and barely any charm. We had lunch at a cafe and then drove to our hotel a bit out of town.

The lady at the front desk was from Sydney. She said she’d bring her jar of Vegemite so I could have some on my toast in the morning, which was very thoughtful, and we had a laugh about how, while they allegedly speak English, Scottish people are pretty much incomprehensible. Unlike Australians, obviously.

Mum and I found a pamphlet in the lobby on open gardens in the area and spent a very pleasant afternoon admiring rhododendrons, azaleas and the last of the spring bulbs. There were some magnificent examples to be seen and I’ll take pity on you and only post a couple of photos.

Amazing azalea!

In the evening I went for a walk along the pebble beach in front of the hotel and walked out along the spit to see a magnificent view of the Scottish highlands bathed in afternoon sunlight. We’d had a brilliant day’s weather – a fellow at the farm shop we visited said it was the nicest day he’d had in 3 years. We really have had some pretty spectacular luck with the weather so far. Nearly all the rain has been on our driving days and sun on the sightseeing ones.

The following morning we went to look at another house and garden before heading around the bay to see our family. On the way we passed some nuclear missile storage facilities, which was a bit unexpected.

We arrived early and found Angela at home. Rick arrived back shortly later (it was his last day of working as an Anglican minister before retirement) and we sat down to look at some old photos. I wish I could put some of them up here. There were two that really stood out to me, one of my grandparents on their wedding day and one of Grandpa in his youth. He’d sent that picture as a postcard to his Aunt and so there is a stamp and message on the back. The photo is of him sitting in some grass and not even looking at the camera. It’s such an unusual photo for the time – 1936 is the postmark.

Angela, Rick, Mum and I went to a lovely restaurant for lunch and I felt like we had a very good catch up, despite being a bit short on time.

Delicious dessert.

Angela has lost some of her hearing in the last ten years and I could tell it must be difficult for her but in every other way she and Rick are almost the same as I remember them from my last visit – incredibly warm, caring and friendly people.

Family!

31May2013

Here Comes The Planet 23 – Ždiar

by Thorn

We move on to Slovakia, and the sleepy little town of Ždiar. We go walking over hills and rivers, with the snow-capped mountains a constant and fantastic backdrop. We stay at the cosy Ginger Monkey hostel, and enjoy spending time with everyone there, but especially with the hostel dog Wally! Unfortunately poor Wally gets in to some strife while we are there (be forewarned, there’s a shot of him looking pretty miserable!) but he has since recovered nicely and is already back to his rock-chasing self. 🙂

Also, I wrote the song for this episode over a few hours today. It’s rough and basic, but I kinda dig it! Enough to put it up on Soundcloud, anyway. 😉 If you’d like to listen or even download it, here’s the link: http://soundcloud.com/dominitus/the-ginger-monkey

Comments and feedback appreciated, as always. 😉 Enjoy!

29May2013

Lake District

by Miss Penny Black

Driving around the Lake District is like walking a tightrope in an art gallery. Death lurks around every tight, stone-walled, sheep-strewn corner but your eyes constantly stray to the epic vistas that surround you.

Today Mum and I drove through scenery that I’m sure I’ve seen in car commercials – mossy forests, windswept valleys, past tumbling waterfalls and cottages that are literally (and I do mean literally) from a Beatrix Potter book.

To see the Lake District in any weather is to understand why authors, poets, craftsmen, and artists find the place so inspiring.

Honiston Pass.

It is countryside made for walking and criss-crossed with thousands of trails. Mum and I spotted many walkers on high ridges and every car park was full of families in sensible clothing carrying rucksacks and walking poles.

Every track was enchantingly inviting.

Tell me you wouldn’t follow this path.

Next chance I get I’m buying an os map and some more waterproof clothing and heading out. Although possibly not in the school holidays.

I’m not done with you yet, Lake District.

29May2013

Here Comes The Planet 22 – Budapest

by Thorn

We arrive in the wonderful city of Budapest! After taking in the views, being serenaded and checking out the fantastic city spas, we head to an amazing ruin pub to catch up with some backpackers we met in Munich.

Also, Horsepuncher 2: Codename Horsepuncher!

29May2013

Dedham and Flatford (Luke)

by Thorn

Since we were in the area after having spent Sunday afternoon with Andrew’s parents, I called in at my uncle and aunt’s place, who live in Dedham with their two girls. I must say, it is an absolutely beautiful part of the country and a great place to raise a family. I stayed with them for a couple of days while everybody else headed back to Cambridge.

The evening I arrived we had a BBQ dinner (though I couldn’t eat very much after the amazing lunch we had been served at Andrew’s parents place), toasted marshmallows on the remains of the coals, then Mark and I headed down to the local pub for a pint and a catch up. We walked back to his house via the Essex Way, which is a public footpath / trail through both public and private property. One minute you’ll be walking through a farming area, the next around the side of a privately owned home. Although chilly walking through the fields, it was really lovely, and I must have seen a hundred rabbits bounding around. It was at this point I knew I had to bring Amanda back here so we could do this walk, but even better was still to come the next day.

View from Flatford looking back towards Dedham. You can see Dedham church in the distance.

There are several famous paintings by John Constable which are of the Dedham and Flatford area. My grandmother owns a print of one of these called The Haywain, and when I learned that Mark now lives in the area where it was painted, I decided I’d like to go and see the spot which inspired the art – to walk around in a painting, basically.

Around to the left is where Constable would have stood to paint The Haywain.

The area in which Constable painted, called the Dedham Vale, is now officially recognised as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and as such is protected from ‘unsympathetic development’ to preserve the natural landscape.

Looking back towards Dedham over the River Stour.

We were fortunate enough to have brilliant weather – the best I’ve experienced in England so far. We walked through wide green fields along the River Stour, trying not to scare the cows while we watched people navigating their hired boats down the river. We crossed the river and headed for Flatford, but not before stopping for a quick game of Pooh Sticks (came in second-last). Being as it was a bank holiday and fantastic weather, the area was full of families and couples out enjoying the sunshine and scenery.

The bridge to Flatford Mill, behind which lies the Haywain.

After visiting Flatford Mill, the area where Constable painted several of his most famous works, we walked back along the Suffolk side of the river. This path led past some very fluffy sheep and up on to a hill overlooking the valley. The hill was full of yellow flowers and dandelions. I’ve got some nice footage of the day which I will put up eventually.