Neptune Fountain from 1892

Composer Gustav Holst born here in 1874

If you've read Lorna Doone you will be familiar with the window of St Marys Church, Oare. There is a plaque on the church wall dedicated to R D Blackmore, the author

WESTON-SUPER-MARE

                                                                                               

Liked Weston (WSM) a lot Pics. are new pier and old pier. The rocks are where the Beatles were photographed in 1963 with a plaque above it. R is Premier Inn WSM

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On the way to Barnstaple we visited Ilfracombe - not worth visiting really. The grotesque statue in the harbour was designed by Damien Hirst. The clock tower (Albert Clock) at Barnstaple has 4 faces which tell different times and is known as the 4 faced-liar - originally the 4 faces were not synchronised and the tradition stays. The r pic is Premier Inn, Barnstaple - the town is not particulary exiting !

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LYNTON and LYNMOUTH

                                                                                      

              

Stopped off at Lynton (top) and Lynmouth (bottom) We walked down to the harbour and came back by the Funicular Railway, opened in 1890 and is the steepest and highest totally water-powered in the world - worth a visit. On 15-16 Aug 1952 a flood occured taking 34 lives. The 1st photo is the river coming down from the hills. We then motored on through the Valley of the Rocks - lovely scenery

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Samuel Taylor Coleridge, great poet, rented this cottage from 1797

Premier Inn, Minhead and the bay

Premier Inn, Cheltenham

 

 

CHELTENHAM, MINEHEAD, BARNSTAPLE, WESTON-SUPER-MARE and ROSS-ON-WYE

                                        Sept / Oct 2024

 

Down south this time. Unfortunately we had to curtail the trip after Exeter as Vicky was poorly but the next 2 stays were re-arranged (Barnstaple and Ross-on-Wye) for a later date.
OXFORD, BOURNEMOUTH AND EXETER

                      June 2024

A funicular railway connects the lower town to the upper main area. It was built in 1892 and was originally operated by water balance and electryfied in 1944

Stayed at Premier Inn, Telford

2024 bought us a very odd year. Unfortunately Vicky developed Menieres Disease and suffered attacks so going abroad was out of the question for now, so we resorted to having little breaks at Premier Inns in the UK which were no less enjoyable.
BRIDGNORTH

  April 2024

The town hall which hosts a market on Friday and Saturday. All in all, a nice little town.
Premier Inn, Bournemouth and the pier. Weather was lovely.The beach hut was the first eve. no. 2359 made in 1909 (Edwardian era) The statue is of Lord Robert Baden-Powell at Poole Harbour. He took his scouts to Brownsea Island across Poole Harbour which was the start of the Boy Scouts Organisation in 1907. 

Thomas Hardy's cottage, Higher Bockhampton near Dorchester where he wrote classics such as Far From The Madding Crowd and Tess of the D'Urbevilles.

Premier Inn, Oxford (Cowley) - nice surroundings

Exeter Premier Inn

The Cerne Abbas Giant near Dorchester and the information about it.

The front of the house -Imagine

Sandbanks - Panorama Road. The brown house was Harry Rednapps and the 2nd white one was John Lennon's Aunt Mimi. The original bungalow was demolished. More details in 'More Beatles Stuff'

Poole Harbour Marina

Red Arrows sculpture, commemorating Jon Egging, a Red Arrows pilot, who died in the Bournemouth Air Festival in 2011

                                                         
On the way to Ross, I wanted to see Clifton bridge - it's very high up there ! We then visited Tintern Abbey, an impressive Cistertian Abbey
                                                                                

 

2nd visit to Stratford upon Avon. Pictures are of the River Avon, Shakespears Cottage and Statue, the Holy Trinity church and sign and Premier Inn    

 

 

                                                                              

Off down to thed Cotswolds again, and stayed at Premier Inn, Chipping Norton
Whilst here, we motored down to Clarkson's Farm near Chadlington. Pictured is his house and the farm shop.
Milk dispenser !  Front of farm shop - it is quite small. Rear and burger area of farm shop. The Grand Tour Tent at The Farmers Dog
                                                                                                                 

 

 from 1131. Onwards to Ross-on-Wye - nothing really to say about the place ! 

 

 

LET'S GET AWAY 2024
Returning to the Lakes in 2025 and intend to snap pix of more Lakes

Premier Inn,

Boats on Windermere and Andrews partial final resting place

 Kendal

LAKE DISTRICT

November 2024

 

 

 

 

                                                                                          

Stan Laurel's house where he was born in Ulveston in 1890

Laurel and Hardy museum, Ulveston and a statue of one of my favourite comedy performers.

 

 

 

                                                                                           

Coniston Water, where Donald Campbell died attempting the water speed record (around 300mph) in 1967

Paddington in Penrith

William Wordsworth grave and Dove Cottage where he lived from 1799 to 1808

STRATFORD UPON AVON and THE COTSWOLDS

December 2024