Vibrant, Venerable Venice

I hadn't been to Venice since I was seven when I can just about remember eating ice creams in St Mark's Square and a Gondola ride. I'd always wanted to visit again as an adult, but Bro didn't really want to go having been three times already, so he was on dog sitting duties while a friend and I had two nights away.

One of our lovely tour operators treated us to a suite upgrade complete with champagne on ice, at our hotel the lovely Londra Palace, two minutes from St Mark's Square. After an early flight, we had a very James Bond style private water taxi arrival (again, courtesy of said tour operator), dropped our bags off and spent the afternoon wandering all through the main and back streets, loving all the little artisan shops. That evening we enjoyed a complimentary three course dinner courtesy of the hotel this time, which was absolutely delicious.

The next day we took the hotel's courtesy water taxi to Murano to visit the glass factory and wandered the tiny streets browsing the glass shops (yes, I did buy a couple of pieces!) then it was on to Burano, famous for its lace and brightly coloured houses, where we enjoyed an al fresco lunch and a glass of chilled, crisp Italian wine.

That afternoon was spent in the Doge's Palace (we had free tickets as part of our little package) which was stunning, but I found the prison more interesting; crossing the Bridge of Sighs and roaming the dark, narrow passages and peering into all the cells was fascinating.

On our final day we took a water bus the full length of the Grand Canal to the fruit and fish markets and walked all the way back to St Mark's Square, where we joined a pre-booked tour, a lovely generous present from my friend, to go into the secret passages and hidden parts of the Doge's Palace which was amazing!

We visited the medieval prison, the torture room, went up into the roof, saw Casanova's cell and heard all about his escape (I have subsequently read his book which I would thoroughly recommend) and explored the secret passages leading from the prison and the administrative offices to the grand rooms of the palace, where we literally popped out of a cupboard at the end of the tour. We loved it!!

Venice is so beautiful, so unique and so precious and I'm so pleased and thankful to have been able to visit again.

the grand canal

fascinating narrow streets

this was art rather than structural!

glass blowing in murano

colourful burano

houses of every colour in burano

one of the largest rooms in europe with a ceiling by tintoretto, in the doges palace

the bridge of sighs - beautiful from the outside, but it leads to the prison

the reason for the sigh on the bridge of sighs - the prisoners’ last glimpse of the outside

inside the bridge of sighs

casanova’s cell

the medieval leads - the cells just under the roof

the roof holding tintoretto’s ceiling up

Beautiful backdrops beat big birthday blues

the coast to coast path above patterdale

Well, the actual day of my 'big' birthday has just been and gone and I can’t quite believe it. Still, I reasoned that if it really had to happen, then at least I would be in my favourite place. As luck would have it, the weather at the beginning of October couldn't have been better. A slight crispness in the air, crystal clear light and wonderfully sunny with only one day of rain and even that didn't last long.

We had a fantastic week of high fell walking and bagged Great Rigg, Fairfield, High Street, Mardale Ill Bell, High and Low Pike, Skiddaw, Little Man and Lonscale Fell and it was one of those weeks (in spite of my now advancing age) that we both felt really fit and strong, didn't have any niggly aches or pains and could have kept going and going. One of those weeks you remember - despite the birthday (or perhaps because of it) - rounded off by a fantastic, if windy, day on Skiddaw.

On my actual birthday, we were on High Street and Mardale Ill Bell and it was truly magnificent; I genuinely didn't want to be anywhere else in the world, so thank you Lake District for making the day a truly memorable one! The best bit of the Skiddaw, Skiddaw Little Man and Lonscale Fell day was coming down to the parking area and seeing the 'Bean on the Fell's coffee van. Hot chocolate with cream, marshmallows, free dog treats and lots of like minded people discussing their day was just what was needed and a real treat.

GRASmere from the climb up to great rigg

great rigg on the left and the ridge to fairfield

what a place to be on your birthday! on mardale ill bell

low pike from high pike

the view from skiddaw’s blustery summit

Coastal paths and moorland

whitby abbey’s imposing position

My oldest friend and Uni roommate and her husband treated me to a long weekend for my forthcoming ‘big’ birthday, which was incredibly generous of them, so early September saw me on the other side of the Pennines for a change, on the north east coast, basing ourselves just outside Whitby.

I hadn't been to Whitby for what must be about 18 years, or Robin Hood's Bay since I was a kid, so it was lovely. As was the weather. The afternoon saw us wandering the town - up to the Abbey, onto the Prom to see the seals, meandering the narrow streets and browsing the little shops. Then it was across to the other side of the harbour, up to the whale bones, back to the car and on for a meal and something fizzy.

The following day we met up with my friend's sister and her husband (also old friends) who were camping on the cliffs above Robin Hood's Bay and the five of us walked down towards the Bay, but took the Cinder Track, joining the Cleveland Way Coastal Path to Whitby. The Cinder Path is the old Scarborough to Whitby rail line that closed in 1965 and it makes for an easy, flat walk with beautiful coastal views.

the beautiful cleveland way from robin hood’s bay to whitby

fantastic beaches

The Cleveland Way National Trail is a 109 walk from Filey to Helmsley and hugs the top of the cliffs. The views were stunning, especially coming into Whitby with the Abbey ruins looming spookily closer. After lunch on the pier, we took the Cinder Path back to Robin Hood's Bay and enjoyed fish and chips in the sun by the beach.

The next day, three of us went to Goathland, home of the popular Heartbeat series, and did a walk following West Beck up and down the valley to the Wheeldale Roman Road and back over the moors into the village for a cup of tea at the railway station, watching the steam trains.

The weather was perfect, the scenery was wonderful and the company was even better. A lovely way to kick start birthday celebrations.

fish and chip stop in robin hood’s bay

the moors around goathland

Wonderful Wasdale

the country’s favourite view!

We've just got back from another week in our beloved Lake District and this time we decided to stay near Wasdale and climb in that area. We mixed up some higher and lower fells, still picking fairly carefully as the dog is young, but hit a week of really beautiful weather and managed 14 summits in all, as well as visiting Ravenglass, St Bees and discovering some Roman ruins

I hope the pictures do justice to this beautiful and remote area.

a complete round of the six summits of devoke water and not a soul around!

devoke water - a perfect setting on a perfect day

big views down wasdale from little irton pike

a fabulous day climbing great worm crag and green crag - lots of boggy ground but stunning views

panoramic views from muncaster fell

ravenglass estuary

the romas bath house outside ravenglass - the tallest roman remains in northern england

WASDALE head from illgill head

views to the coast from whin rigg

st bees

one for another day!

Making Tracks

green lanes of the KENtmere valley

Having just discovered my first lonning in Cumbria last week, I though I'd look into old trackways a little more and it turns out to be a vast network; in fact the United Kingdom is crisscrossed with ancient paths and tracks.

As well as the longer, more well known paths, there are hundreds of small, secret, almost forgotten pathways that go by many different names: holloways, green lanes, barfs, sunken lanes, greenways, trods, byways, driftways, lonnens, loanins, lonnings, lons, droveways, pilgrimage routes, miners paths, trading paths, packhorse routes, reivers roads, military roads, turnpikes, shieling paths, boreens, bealachs, casans, smugglers paths, timber trackways, corduroy trackways, herepaths, herewags, heargways, toghers, slighes, ridgeways, watershed routes and many more

Huntingstile Lonning, Grasmere

TICKLE BELLY alley lonning, boot

ticklebelly alley

Many follow the natural contours of the landscape; rivers, ridges, valleys; perhaps more solid ground or firmer sand, over mountain passes and through marshy or boggy ground and to fording points of rivers and streams. Many have neolithic origins such as The Ridgeway which was in use 5000 years ago or the Sweet Track which is perhaps 5800 years old. Some are Saxon, some Celtic, lots are Roman such as the Fosse Way or Watling Street and were built over older trackways, some are medieval - the Long Causeway - and some are later still; 17th or 18th century such as the Keighley and Kendal Turnpike or the Sparrow Herme Turnpike.

However, these routes, which also include the Corlea Trackway, Icknield Way, Harrow Way, Pilgrim's Way, Mariner's Way, Saints Way, the Old Way, Broomway, Kennet Avenue, Ermine Street, Dere Street, the Peddars Way and the Devil's Causeway were all well used. The green lanes or lonnings or holloways were more rural; used for driving livestock, travelling between settlements, or were eroded by water, marked boundaries between two landowners and some do date back to the Romans and Iron Age.

Sunken lanes are characterised by quite steep sides and hedgerows, packhorse routes tend to be narrower, drovers routes are wide, trods are fairly indistinguishable, barfs are quite steep and green lanes were unpaved and sometimes only known to locals.

green lanes of the KENtmere valley

the Ridgeway

What is sad today, is that a lot are disappearing; either through a lack of use and have become too overgrown, some are being upgraded to byways, some have become proper roads, hedgerows have being grubbed up to make way for larger fields and these beautiful little corridors through the landscape have been lost  - occasionally just a rut in the landscape is all that's left.

Let's not lose them. Let's search them out and use them. Let's listen to Joni Mitchell and not go down the 'pave paradise, put up a parking lot' route; there are hundreds of better paths to choose.

old woodland paths

now this i swear is a hobbit hole

Favourite Fell Days: Dale Head and Hindscarth

setting off from honister slate mine

At the end of our annual two weeks in June last year, we decided to finish on Dale Head and Hindscarth. It was the most beautiful day as we parked in Keswick and took the Honister Rambler bus up to the Slate Mine which was a lovely, relaxing way to start, and they allow dogs.

Getting off at the mine, we decided to be civilised and have a cup of coffee first (in reality, an excuse to have a piece of their superb Rice Krispie cake). Suitably refreshed, we headed back towards the Youth Hostel and strode briskly up the path opposite; I say briskly, but we were sloshing with coffee and Krispie cake at that point, so it was more of a stroll. As you gain height towards Fox Fold, the views start opening out with Honister Crags dominating the near ground, but also over to the Helvellyn range and across to Bowfell and Great End.

the views opening out as you climb higher

the mine paths

dale head looking towards skiddaw and blencathra

just stunning

The path continued upwards hugging the fence to our left and wasn't really too steep although longish, and it was quite warm. As you begin the final pull to the summit, the path gets a little steeper, but it's soon over and you’re on the flat summit plateau. There's a huge, solid cairn and the views down the Newlands Valley and to Skiddaw are truly breathtaking.

After quarter of an hour or so, we set off along Hindscarth Ridge following a well trodden, easy path with the most amazing views all around us, especially of Fleetwith Pike, and the views down into our favourite Buttermere Valley. In the bright sunlight, it was all just stunning and such a pleasure. The route to Hindscarth's summit drops down off Dale Head but is otherwise flat and the summit was easily reached quite quickly. We spent some time there enjoying the views, the peace and the sun before making our way back to Dale Head again to spend more time there again, enjoying the views.

We had some sandwiches on the top, a bit of a fully clad sunbathe and an interesting chat with Duncan and Yvonne Booth, the organisers of the 10 in 10 challenge (www.10in10.org.uk) who were planning the next route. After that, it was sadly time to turn our backs on the beautiful views and begin the easy descent to the mine again, just in time for the return bus.

from dale head looing towards hindscarth

on the ridge to hindscarth

buttermere and crummock water views opening up from the ridge to hindscarth

hindscarth’s summit

back to the start again

A truly memorable day. Low on effort, big on reward, fantastic views, warm sun, peace and quiet. Just what you want.

Except more Rice Krispie cake.

Lakeland Part 2: The Low Hills

newton fell north looking towards the fells

STAVELY fell’s views of windermere. a fabulous little walk

As the dog is still so young and tends to get over-excited at, well, just about everything, we mixed up our walking days on a recent visit to the Lakes. We had one or two longer days, some non climbing days and tackled some of Wainwright’s Outlying fells which are ideal as they’re short, gentle walks for him and have great views for us.

We also had two or three days of torrential rain and so made those the non climbing days and these were spent in and around Grasmere and Ambleside and visiting Keswick Mountain Festival, which was a first for us and a lovely way to spend a morning. All in all, for the dog’s first proper walking holiday, a lovely mix of fells; 15 in all.

keswick mountain festival with ominous clouds - it closed in the afternoon because of high winds

windermere views from todd crag

lovely stone bench to sit and admire ullswater

beautiful ullswater from heughscar hill

newton fell north - on the way to the motorway!

Lakeland Part 1: The High Hills

views from harter fell

We've just come back from two weeks in the Lakes. It was the dog’s first proper walking holiday, and even though he's been three times already, he was too young to take on proper walks at those time. This blog focuses on the high fells and the next one will detail the lower fells we tackled.

The first day saw us climbing Sticks Pass to Stybarrow Dodd (which Bro and I had climbed before without a dog in a bitterly cold, sleety/rainy whiteout) and on to Watsons Dodd which completed the Dodds for us whilst enjoying fantastic views of the northern fells.

We did quite a long walk up to Caudale Moor and on to Hartsop Fell and back, taking refreshment at the Kirkstone Inn on the way back, enjoying the open fire and lots of like minded chat with fellow walkers. The dog did amazingly well on a fairly soggy day on Shipman Knotts and a howling gale on Kentmere Pike, and we enjoyed a great, sunny walk up to Harter Fell overlooking Haweswater, where we joined two ladies who were completing their round of the 214 Wainwright fells, taking their photos and celebrating with toffee vodka. A mostly sunny fortnight with a couple of days of rain made for great walking weather and we did 15 mountains.

The dog was brilliant; fearless, enthusiastic and unfazed by anything. Except sheep. And cairns. Oh, and boulders. And rustling bags…

the northern fells from sticks pass

on to watson’s dodd from stybarrow dodd

second time for us on stonycove pike/caudale moor

approaching HARtsop fell from caudale moor looking to ullswater

the KENtmere valley

the KENtmere valley

the gatesgarth pass from harter fell looking across to BRAnstree

haweswater from harter fell

PERFECT,,,,

Orchids and Nature Reserves

On late May Bank Holiday weekend, Bro and I did something we've never purposefully done before. Visited a nature reserve. In fact two nature reserves and in areas we know very well and have walked in many times over the years, but they're really, really tucked away; to the extent you probably wouldn't find them if you didn't know they were there. Which is exactly the way they want it I expect.

I also did something I've never done before which was to look actively for wild orchids. I can't remember ever seeing, or realising I'd seen one, before. I grabbed an information leaflet at the very small visitor centre and we set off, but, as is our wont, we turned the whole afternoon into a walk, trying to make it longer and longer as we were off the the Lakes a few days later.

poor dead mole

Consequently, we saw some beautiful views, vast woodlands we'd never visited and a huge area of wildflower common we'd missed, but we didn’t actually see any living creature or anything resembling a flower. The dog, crashing around in the undergrowth, blew any chance of seeing butterflies, deer or rabbits and the only thing we did see was a dead mole…

Back at the car, I was a little disappointed in my nature spotting abilities, when an older man came over and asked if we'd seen one of the three orchids that were in the reserve just under a bush as you left the car park. He also said he was bursting to show someone the other, rarer orchids he'd found, which was kind of him and I jumped at the chance.

We went through a small nature garden behind the little visitor centre, up to a tiny gate and there, behind a fence, was a small, delicate looking plant he told me was a Lady Orchid and next to it was a Fly Orchid. They were beautiful and so unusual. He suggested we visit another Nature Reserve nearby where there were great drifts of them including the very rare Monkey Orchid. We did go the following day and I must say it was a lovely way to spend two afternoons, seeing well known areas from new angles and spotting beautiful flowers. Even Bro can now identify a Common Spotted.

We just have to keep the dog and his great feet away - he couldn’t care less…

lady orchid - like ladies in bonnets

fly orchid

common spotted orchid

the very rare monkey orchid

twayblade orchid

beautiful pyramid orchid

hybrid lady/monkey orchids

Pen y Fan-tastic!!

views on the climb up

Three days after getting back from Halkidiki, Bro and I took advantage of a couple of mid week days off to go and climb Pen y Fan in the Brecon Beacons. It'd been on our to do list for a while and it's an area we really don't know at all, so it would be an interesting couple of days.

We booked into the dog friendly Craig-y-Nos Castle Hotel which is the very atmospheric, gothic former home of opera singer Adeline Patti, world famous in the 1800s. It's also haunted and the TV programme Most Haunted filmed an episode here. We weren't in the main castle building, but in what we suspect were the former stables, so we didn't hear, see or feel anything untoward, which was both a relief and a shame.

That afternoon the sun came out, and after lunch we walked in the 40 acre Craig-y-Nos Country Park in which the hotel sits. There are lots of gentle, well marked paths to follow, a visitor centre and tea room with benches and picnic areas, so it's a lovely place to spend an afternoon. We, of course, took the steepest, longest path up and above the park and were rewarded with some lovely views of the Upper Swansea Valley, then wandered back down following a woodland path through huge banks of wild garlic and bluebells next to the bubbling River Tawe, which was magical.

craig y nos castle hotel

river tawe in craig y nos country park

the upper swansea valley

huge drifts of wild garlic

The next morning we were up and off early so as to get a space in the parking area at the foot of Pen y Fan which we’d read can be really busy. Pen y Fan is the highest mountain in the Brecon Beacons and South Wales, at 2907ft, but it’s a straightforward and obvious path as part of the Beacons Way up to the summit, and one that requires no navigation.

It was a beautiful day and the clarity of the light was stunning. The path is easy but steepish and it's pretty much 2 miles up and 2 miles back. As you near the col between Corn Du and the Craig Gwaun Taf ridge, the path reaches its steepest, but then levels and runs along the base of Corn Du as you turn north eastwards for Pen y Fan.

The views were jaw dropping. Huge, glacial valleys dropped away on either side of the ridge and there were views right across to the Bristol Channel, Swansea Bay, the Black Mountains and the Cambrian Mountains. It was still and warm and perfect, although quite busy for a Thursday morning.

The last, easy pull brought us onto the wide, flat summit plateau of Pen y Fan itself, and its wonderful panoramic views. Beware the incredibly sheer, steep drops if you venture too close to the edge though! We spent a good half hour up there and made our way leisurely back down, in time for a pub lunch after a really enjoyable morning's walk.

summit panorama

cribyn from pen y fan

the steep side of corn du

beautiful views from the summit

huge glacial valleys

pen y fan looking to corn du

the path down

Halkidikilcious!

young olives

I've been very lucky and have just returned from a work trip to Halkidiki in the Macedonian region of mainland Greece. We flew into Thessaloniki Airport and stayed just outside Nikiti at the beautiful Danai Beach Hotel for two nights, then moved on to Ouranoupoli for two nights at the Eagles Palace Hotel.

The Danai Beach is one of the Leading Hotels of the World group and was a stunning, marbled oasis of calm and elegance set in beautiful gardens.  The nearest village is old Nikiti which is a sleepy little place of traditional houses and a thriving beekeeping industry, together with the ubiquitous olive trees for their fruit and oil. The coastline is unspoilt and quiet, with sandy beaches although it's a little early in the season for swimming in the sea - for me, anyway. I did brave the unheated pool at the Danai Beach, but it was painfully cold until I started swimming!

the view from my balcony at the danai beach

beautiful clear sea

the old town of nikiti

nikiti

Eagles Palace is a larger, resort style hotel near the town of Ouranoupoli in the north west of the region and we were lucky enough to have a villa with private pool each which was a treat. I was lucky to have an end villa, so I had a 360 degree panorama to look out onto from the living room, terrace, bedroom and even the bath tub!

the view from my villa at eagles palace

the small harbour at ouranopoli

From Ouranoupoli we had a morning's walk through olive groves and past small vineyards and farms to the ruined Zygou Monastery and on to the last beach on the Mount Athos Peninsula where women are allowed.

At the furthest point of the peninsula, 2000 monks live in isolation, the largest male-only area in the world. Even female animals are banned. We wandered down the beach and peered through a large chain link, barbed wire topped fence through to the empty beach on the other side and yes, police do patrol the area and yes, it would be up to 10 years in jail for breaching the rules. Male tourists are allowed to visit the monastery though.

I did catch a glimpse of Mount Athos in the distance and saw Mount Olympus near the airport with its snow covered top; in fact, the whole area is very mountainous and lush.

the ruins of the zygou monastery

young olives

i’m afraid this beach is out of bounds ladies

this one is fine though!

Lots of wonderful Greek food, Greek wine tasting and amazing hospitality made for a really interesting visit to a beautiful, unspoilt area.

A walk in the chalk

As much as I love the Lakes and the high fells, living as we do for the time being in the South and making the most of the area, I also have a real soft spot for the chalk uplands that characterise great swathes of Oxfordshire and which are fortunately within a 10 mile radius of home in North Berkshire.

The huge sweeping landscapes, big skies, skylarks singing in the summer and lots of ancient hillforts, longbarrows and burial mounds make for some really interesting walks. There are a number of long distance paths and in a walk last weekend in beautiful sunshine, we touched on three of them in a six mile circular route; the Swan's Way, the Icknield Way and the Chiltern Way.

big skies

The Swan's Way is a long distance bridleway (and we did meet lots of riders that day) that runs from Salcey Forsest in Northamptonshire, through Buckinghamshire and ends at Goring on Thames in Oxfordshire - a distance of 65 miles.

The Icknield Way is an ancient trackway that starts in Norfolk and includes the Berkshire Downs, the Chilterns and ends in Wiltshire.

The Chiltern Way is a 125 mile circuit taking in the Chilterns from north to south; from Ewelme in the south west to Chorleywood in the south east and the wonderfully named Sharpenhoe Clappers and Great Offley in the north east.

It really is a beautiful, pastoral landscape, with a palpable feeling of antiquity.

long views

golden fields

church of st mary, ewelme

jerome k jerome’s grave in st mary’s churchyard

The Blob...

the blob

I love anything weird, wonderful, odd, spooky and bizarre, and the Blob, also known as Star Jelly is one of those things. Nobody really knows what it is. It has been found all over the Lakes and only in the Lakes, and today has numerous websites devoted to it. It wasn’t frogs spawn, it wasn't in water, it was just sitting on the grass. It wasn't wet or dry (I didn't touch it), but it seemed moist and slightly rubbery, it had a solid form and was about the size and shape of a large potato. There was nothing moving in it and there wasn't any more of it other than this blob. Mysterious jelly from meteors, some sort of cosmic goo, Magpie vomit, the remains of partially digested frogs ? Who knows, but it's been around since the 14th century.

Outstanding and Outlying!

the awesome view from hampsfell

I'm officially fed up now. One day back at work and it's like I've never been away. The week in question was last week and we were in our beloved Lakes, staying in Ambleside. The weather was fantastic with just one day of mist and damp, but for early March it was a dream.

The dog, now a year old, was introduced to the fells gently and we tackled some of the Outlyers. For those of you who don't know, they are the 116 lower fells around the edges of Lakeland that Wainwright suggested people not able or inclined to tackle the high fells, enjoy for their shorter length, lower height and fabulous views and wow, he wasn't wrong.

We enjoyed Hampsfell, Grandsire, Nameless School Knott, Latterbarrow, Wool Crag, Beacon Fell, Reston Scar, Hugill Fell, Cunswick Scar and Scout Scar. We also scored through High Knott which, although we haven't climbed, the Wainwright Society will allow you to tick off as it's on private land and the owner will absolutely not allow anyone on it. The Society has had considerable discussions with the landowner, but to no avail, so they will accept your total of 115.

Anyway, they really are little gems. Dare I say it, but it's actually quite refreshing to have a shorter walk, a gentler gradient and an easier climb and yet still be back for coffee and cake or tea and cake depending on when you start. I think most of the actually walking probably took us no more than an hour, sometimes less, although the dog does like to mess around a lot and it takes us at least an hour longer to get anywhere! The views are just breathtaking.

Probably the favourites of the week were Hampsfell in Grange over Sands which has the most beautiful views over Cartmel and Morecambe Bay and a spectacular limestone pavement. Cunswick Scar is a dream of a walk with far reaching views over the Howgills and Pennines and right round the high fells to Coniston Old Man. Scout Scar (which you could literally toddle up in 10 minutes) has breathtaking views as well. Latterbarrow was tackled from Wray Castle with a lovely start meandering through the grounds then a fantastic, gentle walk up though woods and out onto the top where I was just stunned into silence at the panorama.

They really are such wonderful, smaller fells with the most astonishing views. Perfect for a gentle walk.

CARtmel from hampsfell

the misty boat house at wray castle

panoramic views from latterbarrow

windermere coming into view from the latterbarrow descent

the views from grandsire

the howgills from cunswick scar

sublime scout scar. just the place for contemplation!

Wiltshire Weekend

wiltshire views

We decided to have a couple of nights away to break up the month and we plumped for Wiltshire. It was really a case of looking for a decent, dog friendly hotel and The Moonraker Hotel between Bradford on Avon and Trowbridge had some good reviews, wasn't too far to drive and so sounded like an interesting option.

We love Wiltshire; great open, sweeping chalkland landscapes that have a palpable air of age and antiquity because of such historical sites as The Ridgeway, Silbury Hill, Avebury, Stonehenge of course, and numerous hillforts, longbarrows, white horses, stone circles and earthworks. There are also some beautiful towns; Salisbury, Marlborough, Chippenham and Devizes and numerous picture postcard villages.

the moonraker

kennet & avon canal towpath

The Moonraker Hotel, (nothing to do with Bond) was named after a group of local smugglers trying to avoid import duties on spirits by hiding barrels of contraband in church crypts or village ponds and who, one moonlit night, were caught trying to get those barrels out of a pond. Pointing to the moon reflected in the water, they told the officials they were trying to rake in wheels of cheese and they were believed although the officials did think the smugglers were just simple local folk...!!

The hotel was lovely and very comfortable, with the dog friendly rooms in a little separate courtyard area on the ground floor which was very convenient for late night walks.

That afternoon, we walked from the hotel down to the Kennet and Avon canal and along the towpath to Bradfield on Avon's wharf which was pretty, busy and bustling. We stopped for a while watching the boats and barges from a pretty, tiny tea shop garden right by the water. A little further along the path brings you to a 14th century tithe barn which was just magnificent and there were little cafes and shops surrounding it as well as a lovely park. A circular route down wooded lanes, across fields and through a narrowboat marina brought us neatly back to the hotel again.

bradford on avon wharf

the 14th century tithe barn

inside the barn

The following morning, after spying a white horse on a hill from the bedroom window, we drove to Bratton Downs. You can drive right up to the top and there are miles of walks to choose from starting from the car park. We had a walk round the 2000 year old earthworks and the Westbury White Horse enjoying the stunning views all around us.

We then drove back into Bradford on Avon for coffee and then lunch, but we also had a wander and found the tiny St Laurence Church, one of the only surviving, and most complete, Saxon churches dating from around 700 AD. We admired the Bridge Tea Rooms dating from 1502 and crossed the Town Bridge which was originally a packhorse bridge and has a curious building in the middle of it which was a tiny jail; it has a fish on the top of the weathervane, so if you were locked up, you were said locally to be ‘under the fish and over the water’.

WESTBURY white horse

the views FROm the white horse

plenty of walking

On the last morning, we drifted slowly home via Lacock, a beautiful National Trust village which is always used in period dramas as it's totally unspoilt by streetlights or overhead power lines. Lacock Abbey and its large tithe barn dominate the centre of the village. We also made a stop at Avebury although we’ve been many times, but it’s such a pretty village and has the largest stone circle in Europe, forming part of a huge neolithic complex including the mysterious Silbury Hill; in fact, there are longbarrows and burial sites all around this area.

It's certainly an area we'll go back to and explore as Wiltshire has so much to offer that is unique and unspoilt, and all against a landscape that's rich in history over the millennia.

tudor tea rooms

the only surviving saxon church

the tiny jail

lacock bakery

lacock abbey’s cloisters - harry potter was filmed here

AVebury stone circle

avebury

Favourite Fell Days: Ard Crags and Knott Rigg

ard crag summit

Last March we decided to tackle a relatively unexplored area for us, the Newlands Valley. We'd done Catbells, Maiden Moor, High Spy, Dale Head and Hindscarth, so we'd essentially walked some of the ridges above the valley, but this time we would actually be right in it. The weather was perfect; clear, sunny but cool enough just for a fleece.

We parked at Little Town and would have gone further to the spaces at the head of Rigg Beck but our Land Rover wouldn't fit easily over Chapel Bridge, so we walked the mile or so to where we would have parked, at Birkrigg Quarry. It was a pleasant, flat walk by Rigg Beck through the little valley of the same name, with Causey Pike towering over us to the right and Ard Crags looking huge and slightly menacing from this viewpoint.

An obvious crossing point of the beck and faint path diagonally up through the bracken signalled the beginning of the climb up to the foot of Aikin Knott (sounds like something a chiropractor could fix) as the summit of Ard Crags is no longer visible from this point. There is one enormous grassy bank to overcome and, in the heat of the morning, it was a real slog. We hate walking up grassy banks and much prefer a rocky path - concentrating on where to put your feet takes your mind off what you're doing! 

Ard Crags looking menacing

from aikin knott looking back at the huge grassy bank - you can just see the couple following us, right of centre on the path

Once we reached the bottom of Aikin Knott, there was then a narrow, steep path to negotiate which would have been straightforward if it weren't for considering the dog who wasn't as agile as he had been, so we had a few tricky rocky patches to get past, but they were easily overcome and he managed well. We were glad of the breeze once on the ridge as we’d worked up a bit of a sweat, as we were of the views which were magnificent; Causey Pike, Eel Crag and Sail to on one side and across the Newlands Valley to Dale Head, Robinson and Hindscarth the other, with the ridge ahead to Knott Rigg; Skiddaw and Blencathra behind.

The ridge was flat and wide and the summit of Ard Crags was easily reached. We had lunch there, cooling off, enjoying the scenery and chatting to the one couple who had followed us all morning, which was lovely. Then it was a simple down and up to Knott Rigg further along the ridge, with its wonderful views of the Buttermere valley and the High Stile range.

Almost at the summit of Ard crags looking into the NEWLands valley

keskadale farm, our return route, from ard crags

the ridge from ard crags to knott rigg

Knott Rigg summit

After a bit of a rest, some photos, enjoying the weather and the views, we set off following a faint but obvious path down towards Keskadale Farm in the Newlands Valley. The going was good; springy turf and heather and it was dry underfoot, so we made quick progress. The dog, at 12 years old, flew down like he always did, and before long we were half way down. The other couple, still following us, were soon a way behind. I stop to take more photos and admire the views than Bro, so it takes me a while to catch up, but we were soon over the stile by the farm's rather smelly dog kennels and out onto the road, where it was an easy yomp back to the car.

Just as we were changing out of our boots and having a quick drink, the other couple turned up and found they had actually parked next to us!

Unbelievably stunning views in all directions, perfect weather and a lovely couple to chat to on the way round made this a really memorable and wonderful day.

on the way back down - ard crags summit top left

stunning views of Newlands