Back on the Road and Three Months Behind!

For family and friends following this blog, and those who know me well, may realize that I’m about three months behind writing this and trying to catch up to the present day!  Since the last post was written we left Arizona on the 4th May and have driven just over 5,000 miles from Tucson, through New Mexico, Kansas and Nebraska to South Dakota, Wyoming and Montana, where we are now parked in a very pleasant RV Park in Missoula in the northern Rocky Mountains. 

I’m including some photos of our 5th wheel home.   Here are several that I’ve taken of our RV (recreational vehicle) and one of “Rex”, the name we chose for our 1 ton Ford F350 tow truck.

The following entries will show you some of the highlights that we enjoyed during these months and give you an idea of why we love to travel, why we live as we do and why we chose this way of life.  It’s nearly always about the journey; the people we meet, the small town curiosities, the vast expanses of countryside, the variety of landscapes, the places we stay and the freedom that makes this possible.  

Until I catch up, I’ll try to omit the happenings of our daily activities and focus on where we’ve been, but it’s often in the details of the unexpected or conversations with strangers we meet that are a source of delight to us.  I hope that you will find the meanderings enjoyable too and please comment either way.  I’m open to constructive criticism and helpful advice.

Pashley Manor Gardens

The best time to visit this beautiful, award winning garden in East Sussex is probably summer when the borders are filled with a mass of perennials of all colours, but we were there during their tulip festival and it was still a delight.  The property was originally a moated Manor house, but this family home which we see today, was built in the Tudor style during the mid 1500’s and is not open to the public.

We loved wandering through the various gardens hidden behind walls and sitting on the terrace eating lunch under the magnolias while ducks from the lake below walked through the flower beds hoping to be given tidbits, which of course some people did. Some were not amused by the ducks' antics! 

We strolled down the hill to the lake with it’s black swans and uphill again to come upon the unexpected, like the lovely pool shown in the photo.  

Visitors can amble anywhere around the gardens and admire the intricate bronzes and abstract sculptures that are dotted throughout the grounds. Many were outstanding, such as the bird on the gate post we saw when looking through the arch into the open fields beyond.  

There are hundreds of gardens, Manor homes, castles and even historic villages to be found all over Great Britain and we feel privileged to be able to visit them when  we’re there.  We’re also thankful that so many buildings have been saved from falling into ruins or from demolition for future generations to admire.

Eastbourne, Sussex

Our last few days in England were spent on the south coast with our very good friends, Chris and Dave.  Here they are with Howard on the waterfront at Eastbourne harbour. 

The marina's impressive with four inner basins and one outer tidal harbour for the many sleek boats and large yachts, some that can easily cross the Channel to Europe. 

Numerous flats (apartment buildings) overlook the area with its constant flow of activity. The waterfront offers a variety of shops and restaurants including a very good chippy (fish and chip shop). 

A stone’s throw between the footpath and water’s edge, a mute swan had built her nest and was guarding her eggs protectively until her partner came to take her place so that she could waddle off to find food until it was her turn to take over again. They weren’t at all fazed  by the proximity of humans gawping at them.

We couldn’t have visited Eastbourne without a tour of the famous Victorian Pier built in 1870, but now sadly in need of restoration.  It still has a tea room,  kiosks and domed ballroom. This was probably once very attractive in its heyday but has now been converted to a typical amusement arcade for present day tourists. 

This day was overcast and windy but we could still admire the meticulously manicured gardens between the pier and popular bandstand along the Parade.

One of the most well-known white chalk headlands of Britain is Beachy Head, a paradise for walkers, kite fliers and para-gliding - not for the faint-hearted!

Arundel, West Sussex

Lying between the rolling hills of the South Downs and the sea, and only about 90 minutes from London, Arundel Castle dominates the town.  It must be one of the most splendid castles in England, built near the end of the 11th Century. According to the literature, it has been inhabited for over 900 years by the Dukes of Norfolk and their ancestors. 

Our time in Arundel was so limited that we were unable to tour this magnificent castle with its exquisitely furnished rooms, the delightful new formal garden opened in 2008 or the amazing, fantastical structure called “Oberon’s Palace” built in 1611. Instead we took a delightful walking tour of the town. 

The map shows the extent of the castle and grounds.

It was St George’s Day, the 23rd April, when we arrived and the English flag is shown outside the Norfolk Arms Hotel on the High Street.

Within the Tarrant Street arcade, Howard bought a folding walking stick from the only shop we’ve ever seen dedicated to walking sticks and umbrellas of every type and style imaginable.  

Here are a couple more quaint stores:

The town is very close to several designated areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and historical homes, and also not far from the seaside so it is a wonderful area for tourists.

Tiverton and Arlington Court, Devon

In Tiverton, a historic market town on the River Exe where my very best friend Jenny lives, we stayed at nearby Lodgehill Hotel and enjoyed both the hospitality and a large room with a view of the countryside.

This is Jenny with her daughter, Louise, and Howard having a pot of tea in the garden.

Tea shops are not to be missed on a visit to England so we had lunch at the “Four and Twenty Black Birds” the oldest one in town. So many flowers in the window too.

Just look at those cakes? No wonder we came back with more weight and not only in the luggage! 

Always wanting to tour different places of interest, we drove to Arlington Court near Barnstaple, another National Trust property, passing some Jacob sheep and peacocks on our way to the house. 

The exterior of this 1820 Regency Manor is fairly plain but the interior contained some magnificent rooms including this beautiful entrance hall much of it with shipping memorabilia. 

Other curios and tapestries were mostly collected by the Chichester family one of whose descendants was Sir Francis Chichester who sailed solo around the world in Gipsy Moth IV.O

The gardens are informal and include a Victorian flower garden with conservatory and a walled kitchen garden which grows produce for their tea-rooms. 

The stables house the NT's collection of about 50 vintage carriages and visitors can take a ride in this C19 carriage with these lovely old horses; one of these two still working at 30 years of age.

Toby Jugs

How can one visit England and not have a meal at one of the old and often profusely decorated Pubs found in almost every village.

The Failand Inn near Tyntesfield was no exception with its myriad collection of brass plates, horse brasses and a considerable amount of Toby jugs.

These pottery jugs originated in the 1700’s and were made either in the shape of a head and shoulders often of a famous person of that era, or of a seated figure in C18 costume.  These figures are usually depicted with a pipe and tricorn hat (usually the spout) and often holding a mug of beer.

There are various theories of how the name came into being: some say that it was named after a Shakespearean character or “after a notorious 18th century Yorkshire drinker, Henry Elwes, who was known as "Toby Fillpot" (or Phillpot)” quote from Wikipedia.  Another theory is that it was named after the popular  song, “Little Brown Jug” first published in 1761 because the first jugs were then made of a brown salt glaze.  

Tyntesfield

If it weren't for the National Trust, a charity that owns, protects and preserves not only centuries old buildings but also gardens, woodlands, coastlines, countryside and so on, much of these historic sites would have been lost forever.  We love visiting these various properties and one such place is Tyntesfield in North Somerset, not far from Bristol.

This exceptional house was bought by William Gibbs who transformed the exterior around 1860 into this ornate Gothic style which we see in the picture. 


It is presently covered in scaffolding while years of restoration work is taking place, but visitors can still explore many of the wood panelled rooms, admire the vast library, dining room and a later addition of a billiards room.


He was also a devout churchman and paid for either the reconstruction or building of over 19 chapels, churches or cathedrals in the southwest, including the famous Keble College Chapel in Oxford and his own chapel, finished in just two years, at Tyntesfield.  It has a warm atmosphere, beautiful stained glass windows, detailed mosaics and elaborate stone carvings.

Mr. Gibbs became immensely wealthy through his profitable business of the shipment and selling of guano, otherwise known as bird droppings, a rich, natural fertilizer from Peru.  A little ditty was written about him during that time, which goes something like this,  "Mr. Gibbs made his dibs, by selling turds from little birds!" 

Charlombe, near Bath

Penny, my sister, and her husband, Alastair, always 

tell us that their home is ours when we visit and it truly is. They are always so warm and welcoming

in every way.  

This photo shows Howard and Penny standing just behind Alex and Rik's new baby, Ellie.  Alastair is holding 2 year old Jesse, and Alex is standing on the steps leading up to the patio and sun room at "The Old Farm".

The bedroom we stayed in looks down the lovely little Charlcombe lane where Alex is showing Jesse the horse riders.

We couldn't get all the family together, but we thought that their children, Innes, Alex and Fiona would like this one of Penny and Alastair.  Sorry we missed getting shots of Innes,  and Fi   and her husband Justin, plus Alex's husband, Rik, but hope to next time.  Oh, forgot the dogs too, Oscar and Haskier.

This one is for our children and friends who haven't seen an updated photo of us for some time.  We're also standing on the newly resurfaced driveway.

Banbury, England

Howard and I flew to England to visit friends and family in April. We always receive a wonderful welcome from everyone.  The weather was amazing - sunny and warm for most of the time although the spring blossom and flowers were somewhat late in arriving due to the exceptionally cold and rainy winter season, especially in the south.

Our first close up-view of the fields as we were landing at Gatwick Airport, a bit obscured by the thickness of the plane's window.













Driving on the left side of the road with manual gears (we're so used to an automatic) required a lot of concentration, especially on the M25 ring road around London heading towards Oxfordshire.

Our old home town, where we lived for many years.  Here's a view looking towards Banbury Cross at the town centre with St. Mary's Church spire shown further down on the right hand side.  On the left side, just past the blue sign of the Odeon Cinema is Whately Hall Hotel, where in 2002, Elisia, our elder daughter and her husband, Kevin, were married.

The photo of the back view of this beautiful, fine sculpture was taken in 2005, shortly after it was completed.

It was based on the famous nursery rhyme:
Ride a cock horse to Banbury Cross
To see a fine lady upon a white horse
With rings on her fingers and bells on her toes
She shall have music wherever she goes.

You can view the origin and history of this rhyme and many more  at www.rhymes.org.uk