Water, water.

I assume that Cancer is a water sign, I seem at my happiest and most relaxed when water is a part of the picture.

Today started again with the full heart attack on a plate but it was too big and I mean who can eat four slices of fried bread and black pudding as well as all the usual suspects, tomorrow I may just go for the cereal.

We were on the road by 9am and first stop was the Royal Navy museum in Hartlepool where the main attraction for me was the Trincomalee a Royal Navy sailing ship built in India in 1817 just 2 years after the Battle of Waterloo. It was a dream come true to see an actual 46 gun ship of the line from my hero Hornblower's era and the various other displays in the recreated 18th century dockyard only added to the experience.

Another trip exploring remote villages eventually brought us out at High Force waterfall in the upper Tees valley, I had seen photos and indeed I took some of my own but it is hard to capture such a physical force of nature in words and photographs.

Very little walking today but I have racked up over 18 miles since last Friday and fingers crossed I will be standing on the top of Roseberry Topping tomorrow morning.

This trip has opened my mind to UK holidays, I knew Britain was a beautiful place but to realise how much there is to see and do has brought it home to me. I know it has been helped by the good weather but now I can see no reason to go abroad during the summer months.

3 NT

Today started perfectly, full fry then programme the Tomtom for the shortest route to Hardcastle Crags and she took me on a wonderous journey through town centres, back streets and unused country roads including the full cobbled length of Heptonstall. The valley Hardcastle Crags are in could be a good day out with possible walks of 6+ miles and facilities close to hand, I did the short Crags Constitutional which was a level people free walk with wildlife all around.
The next stop after negotiating a manically busy Hebden Bridge was East Riddlesden Hall which turned out to have interesting grounds and a number of keen volunteers with a huge knowledge of the place but not really my kind of venue. Now Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal Water Gardens were something else entirely, the abbey ruins again amazed me how the people in those far off times could build such huge and intricate structures without modern aids such as cranes and the water gardens were peaceful and beautiful, if one tenth of my photographs come out well I will be very pleased.
I am now in Welbury in North Yorshire for three nights, the locals have been friendly and offered lots of good advice and recommendations for my next few days, so watch this space.

England road trip.

It feels good, we are together again, Harry is made up to be up in the north of England where it seems his heart lies, Marmalade on the other hand is back being mardy I think she wanted to be travelling internationally, hopefully Harry and I can talk her round and stop her sitting there contemplating her navel.

First stop today was Knott End a tiny place on the end of a peninsula in north Lancashirewit a huge bay to the north and east across the mouth of the river Ribble from Fleetwood, the last time I was there was over fifty years ago when my sister's father in law took me there to show me the man who's job was to sweep the sand off the end of the Fleetwood ferry ramp, since then the Knott End cafe had been rebuilt but it was the same greasy spoon inside and serves up a huge all-day breakfast. Next stop was Ribchester and its museum covering the history of the Roman fort that was the reason for the growth of the town, it is a lovely setting with quaint honey stone built cottages and houses. From there we zigzagged acros country to tonight's overnight stop at the Old Stone Trough Country Lodge & Inn which for £30.00 per night B&B is outstanding value for money, I think all the patrons are working locally but far from home so far I have detected accents from all over the UK.

Tomorrow we cross the border into Yorkshire for three days.

The team.

The Saga rep in Scilly is the manager of the Atlantic Hotel which is run by the St Austell Brewery. Our tour guide is Chas, an incomer of 18 years standing who has an unlimited store of one liners and stories about the islands, his wife Cathy runs Scilly Walks and she is the resident archaeologist, so both good contacts for any future visit. This trip I am definitely the youngest Saga lout, the eldest lady is 94, she and the other sixteen are all interesting characters with their own stories to tell.