The last planned holiday of the long hauls. After this tour, we're going to focus on destinations closer to home, basically as much of Asia as we can handle. It's been great and we've seen so much and experienced much of Europe and it's history, culture and great food.
England, Scotland and Wales, were the last piece of the puzzle, Ireland was done a few years ago on it's own and still remains our favourite experience, and now we feel there isn't much more that area can offer us, with the exception of Malta, which is still important to us.
This trip saw us hire a car and travel from London return anti clockwise. a complete circumnavigation around the Island of Britain.
Map: 5600 km travelled over 31 days car hire.
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Our first day saw us train it into London for the day. |
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An arty farty sculpture just outside the train station. |
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The tower bridge just a short walk away. |
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Impressive to see in real life. |
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The view from the bridge, just as special. |
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Approaching the Tower of London and surrounds. |
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Great to see such a structure so well preserved. |
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Looking back to the bridge. |
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Traitor's gate. |
Traditional phone box still in use, by the All Hallows Church.
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So much detail in the stained glass window. |
St Magnus Monument.
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One of many pubs in the London area. |
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A modern London bus, still in it's traditional colours. |
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Making our way to St Paul's Cathedral. |
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A magnificent building in it's own right. |
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The Thames River was very low to the lack of rain and hot weather, exposing hundreds of years of old broken pieces of terracotta from even the Roman times. |
Southwark Bridge.
Yet another of several bridges crossing the Thames.
The London Eye across the other side.
The unmistakable Big Ben Tower.
Westminster Abbey nearby.
Loving life.
Various statues in the park nearby.
On to Westminster Palace.
We walked on to see 10 Downing St, home of the Prime Minister, but were met with this.
The Cavalry Museum.
The famous King's Guard.
The red squirrels were adorable.
Quite photogenic too.
Then on through Buckingham Palace garden.
Buckingham Palace.
Buckingham Palace, quite unassuming if I'm honest.
The gates are fancy though.
The Wellington Arch in Hyde Park.
Gardener's quarters.
The Marble Arch at the end of Hyde Pk.
Ending our full day, walking London in Little Venice.
A pretty corner of the city where canal boats congregated.
This poor old girl good do with some tlc.
This one was clearly loved.
After two nights in London, we began to make our way north to our next destination, Lincoln.
Along the way, we came across this stunning home, built over a lock on a stream.
Absolutely stunning and picture perfect.
Then a pretty little village with it's lovely church.
And what do you know? A pub!
Nice atmosphere for a drink in the sunshine.
The village had numerous traditional homes with thatch roofs.
We arrived in Lincoln, dumped our bags and car, then walked into the Old town for the afternoon.
So much history in this little town.
They liked their bright coloured doors here.
Although a little touristy, it was lovely to see and kept it's charm.
Yes it was very steep, the pic doesn't do it justice but you'll just have to take my word for it.
Much of it's city walls are intact.
And down the hill, more canal boats moored in the river.
So lovely in the sunshine.
Time to head back up the hill.
Time to check out the Lincoln Cathedral,
More beautiful architecture.
But then inside. Wow.
This place was incredible.
These graves in the lawns of the courtyard.
The organ pipes were enormous.
The tomb of Bishop Richard Fleming.
Time for a cool drink at the end of a busy day.
Lincoln was just a one night stay and the next morning, we made our way to Whitby, at the coast of the Yorkshire Moors.
The beauty of self drive travel is that you can stop and take a look at the sites whenever you please.
It was time for a break and this place looked lovely. Good to get out and stretch the legs.
Typical coastal terraces. Nice how they add their own touch of colour.
This was the Humber Bridge, a suspension bridge over 2.2 km in length.
In a nearby park, this amusing graffiti and an unused lighthouse.
Bridlington Harbour, another stop before Whitby.
The low tide is astounding, as it leaves the boats high and dry each time.
Lots of beach when the tide is out so far.
It turns out that this old rudder got pulled up in nets and was once part of an 18th century sailing ship.
Final stop before Whitby, Scarborough.
The Grand Hotel in Scarborough,
Scarborough Fair.
Very touristy.
Old mate wasn't amused.
After a night's sleep, we were off to explore the Yorkshire Moors.
This is the Britain we were looking for.
The first village in the Moors, was Lealholm.
The lovely traditional village didn't disappoint.
Cathy found a shortcut through to the other side of the village.
The stone homes were very pleasing to the eye.
No traditional village is complete without it's stone bridge.
The war memorial. very common in all villages.
More lovely homes in the distance.
True cottage gardens like only the British know how.
Our next stop, the village of Glaisdale.
About all they're good for.
This larger bridge carried the railway line, just next to Beggar's Bridge.
Much more photo friendly.
Small, but standing strong.
Entering the village of Goathland.
Also a picturesque village with it's own identity.
Complete with it's original police car.
Our final destination for the morning, Robin Hood's Bay.
These seaside villages are always worth a look.
Good to see some original timber boats still in use.
After our morning drive, we took a walk into Whitby, leaving the car behind at the BnB.
A lovely harbour, even though it rained on us.
We finally got to try the fish and chips. Fish was good but the chips were soft and rubbery. We found that quite common until we went into Scotland.
There's those low tides again.
Then the 199 steps up to see Whitby Abbey. Note how worn the steps are.
Great view over Whitby Harbour.
Almost there.
Whenever I see ruins like this, I can't help but think what huge amounts of work went into them.
Beautiful just the same.
Cathy picks up a little memoir of Black Jet from a Whitby Jeweller.
A walk along the jetty.
In commemoration of James Cook, and where the Endeavour was built.
A lovely old Manor House, also in Whitby.
Fuscia grow wild here, as it does in Ireland.
It was then time to venture further north, taking in the picturesque coastline along the way.
This is the historic fishing village of Staithes.
A beautiful village full of charm.
With it's own little pub, of course.
Such narrow streets that can be a hazard for visitors.
Note the old cobble street.
Something to see at every turn.
The Coquet Weir on the way to Warkworth Castle in Northumberland.
The 14th century Warkworth Bridge.
A section of the walls still intact.
Mam can not live on sightseeing alone.
Dunstanburgh Castle just a little further on.
Another old relic, approaching the border with Scotland.
A newer model nearby.
The new and the old.
Then this, The Royal Border Bridge.
Still loving life.
Yet another castle ruin close by.
This inventive way to create a sculpture'
Finally crossing the border, just a little up the road.
Our first stay in Scotland, was a two night stay in Dunbar.
We took an afternoon walk down to the harbour.
The harbour with what's left of Dunbar Castle in the background.
Beautiful in it's own right.
This is the castle wall close up. So many rocks of assorted sizes.
Looking back toward the village.
The Dunbar Battery just across the harbour.
The next morning, it was time to visit Edinburgh, with a guided tour of the famous Castle.
Our meeting point in the city.
Entering through the main gate.
This was an incredible engineering feat for it's time, built on solid granite.
Making our way through a secondary gate.
St Margaret's Chapel, within the castle.
So much valuable artworks throughout.
It's battery was well equipped for it's time too.
As you can see, there were quite a few tourists around.
Various displays were well presented.
Lots to see within it's walls. Here you can see the bedrock upon which the castle was built.
The view was special too.
The barracks are still used today by the way.
Heading back out to the city.
Leads directly to the castle.
So busy with tourism.
Thirsty work this touring thing.
Very old, original homes are still around, if you look.
Holyrood Palace at the other end of the Royal Mile.
Queen Mary's bath house within a nearby garden.
Back at the railway station, we spot this guy playing a publicly available piano. Pretty cool, we thought.
The next day, we were on our way to Aberdeen, taking in lovely sights along the way once again.
This is the village of Ceres.
A historic stone carving. The Provost.
This beautiful stone bridge was quite special, complete with cobble stones.
The town itself was lovely too.
Next, a stop at St Andrews Castle and nearby cathedral in Fife.
Yes, we did take the time to see so many castles and abbeys, because they're all so different in their own ways.
Being near the water, makes it even more picturesque.
Looking up from the water's edge.
Then, St Andrew's Cathedral and Abbey. First built in the 12th century.
We were certainly blessed with blue skies.
Now and again, I try and get creative.
Part of the old city walls, still standing.
Time for lunch. A cold beer and a bite to eat.
Heading further north, the coastline became more dramatic.
Lovely homes overlooking the ocean.
Then, Dunnottar Castle. So dramatic on it's own rocky outcrop, over the ocean.
Probably, one of the most spectacular on our drive.
The walk down, then back up with all the stairs was well worth it.
Still on our way to the entrance.
Loving life.
Almost there.
Even Ol mate, William Wallace attacked this castle.
The main watch tower.
One of the many huge fire places within the complex.
Views over the coastline were incredible.
Here, you can easily see where the timber floors would have been, separating the two levels.
This place was huge with so much to see.
It's own chapel.
The large well still holding water.
The main kitchen.
Water collected from down pipes into the barrel.
Did someone mention bread oven?
Our first night in Aberdeen was in a pleasant pub.
A day trip from Aberdeen, took us north then back south along the coast, as part of the North Coast 500.
First stop, Fyvie Castle. A functioning property, often used for events.
Today, there was a large car enthusiasts get together.
The servant's quarters.
Then this. The Turra Coo, in Coo corner, Turriff.
Next stop was in Banff.
We definitely didn't come for the beaches.
Banff harbour.
The local cemetery.
The town was surprisingly quiet.
Heading East along the coast to the tiny village of Crovie. Walking access only.
A hidden gem and no tourists around.
Barely anyone around.
I can't help but wonder how the cottages fair with rough seas crashing over the tiny break wall.
Next stop, Fraserburgh. A major fishing town.
These trawlers pictured, are enormous.
The next leg of our tour, took us further north to Nairn, just outside of Inverness.
This is the picturesque coastal village of Lossiemouth.
Once again, we were blessed with perfect weather.
This structure is a break wall of sorts, erected to tame the waves coming in too rough.
And it's harbour.
This mural depicts a fisherman's wife waiting for her husband to return. My pic does not do it justice.
Just along a little further, we find the Covesea Skerries Lighthouse.
The quarters are occupied by a family, so we needed to be careful not to be intrusive.
On to Burghead, we find the remains of the Harvest Reaper, a historic wooden fishing boat, that was struck by a Firefly plane.
Flowers are often placed in spots where loved ones spent time.
Finally, Burghead Harbour.
This statue, a tribute to the fishwives of Nairn.
A break wall housing the Nairn Harbour. A quick visit before checking in to our BnB.
Indian for dinner, which we grew very fond of in the UK.
The next day was dedicated to a drive around Loch Ness and whatever else we came across along the way. This is the beauty of self drive touring.
This site is a very well preserved, bronze aged cemetery about 4000 years old.
As with many of these aged structures, they were built to line up with an annual solstice, which generally line up with large marker stones.
The Culloden viaduct near the famous site of the battle of Culloden.
Beginning our drive around Loch Ness.
It was cold but still lovin life.
A huge lake but no monster to be seen.
Spoke too soon. We found her.
We took the opportunity to buy two small paintings as gifts for a friend that knitted us our beanies, that were very useful in Scotland.
His work station had years of paint and tissue build up which amused us.
At the southern most end of Loch Ness, is Fort Augustus.
This village has a series of five locks, enabling boats to pass down through to the famous loch.
Leaving, Fort Augustus, we make our way back along the east side of Loch Ness, which was a totally different experience.
Our first taste of the beautiful Scottish Highlands.
Seemingly wild and untamed.
What do you know, a pub appears from nowhere.
Thirsty work this travelling thing.
Quick stop at the falls of Foyers.
We returned to Inverness in time for a quick look see, before returning to our BnB.
Inverness Castle.
The view across the river down to the cathedral.
Looking back up to the castle.
The next morning, we began making our way to Ullapool, stopping to see Fort George on our host's advice. Excellent advice actually.
Access is limited due to it being an active barracks.
Fort George is large and picturesque due to it being on the water's edge.
We were there early, so once again, no one around.
Built in the 1700's, it's still standing as strong as ever.
The views from it's mighty walls were stunning.
There was a seal basking in the sun but too far to photograph.
Heading further west, through the foot of the Scottish Highlands, the landscape is simply perfectly Scottish.
September, the start of Autumn and the leaves began taking on their colours.
Salmon Leap is a great spot to watch salmon migrate up the river to spawn.
Trying to capture them on camera is almost impossible, as it all happens so quickly.
Skelbo Castle, well, what's left of it.
A well weathered bench seat, just across the road.
The rugged shoreline of Loch Fleet.
Our next stop. Carn Liath Broch. This is what's left of a round house, typical to Scotland.
From the inside, looking out to the entrance.
Moving along, the scenery just gets better.
We love the old stone bridges.
Simply stunning and not another soul in sight.
Finally arriving in Ullapool, we were surprised to see a passenger liner docked in the harbour.
The terrace homes lined along the harbour were so typically British.
Dinner in Ullapool.
Not much to do in Ullapool, so the next day we took a cruise around the surrounding, Summer Isles.
Uninhabited and unspoilt.
The cruise, was planned around seeing the local wildlife, but all we managed was a few lazy seals.
The crew tried their best to look out for whales, dolphins and the like.
A large scale salmon farm.
Not much wildlife put on a show, but the landscape certainly did.
Apparently, Scotsmen are a breed of their own.
Back on shore, we took a walk around town.
The next morning, it was time to keep heading south toward Skye. This is Fain Cottage, an abandoned stone building we came across along the way.
People do strange things, but there you go.
We really enjoyed the peaceful drive.
The beautiful scenery seemed endless.
Another stone house left to the elements.
Mooreland heather. This patch was particularly photo worthy with a white stone farmhouse in the background.
Approaching another lakeside village.
Heading south along the west coast of Scotland, the lovely village of Poolewe sits on the shores of Loch Ewe.
It's so good to be on your own drive and deciding when and where to stop to suit yourself.
Travelling further south on the west coast, Cathy looks out a lookout.
A lovely sandy beach and no one in sight.
Another lovely old bridge, Gairloch.
Near Charlestown, edging closer to Skye.
As we draw nearer to Skye, the highlands make an appearance in all their majesty.
Still on the coast, we still can't get used to that drastically low tide.
The next two nights are spent near the beautiful seaside village of Fort William. Here we visit the remains of Strome Castle so close to our BnB.
The beach down below.
The nearby residents didn't seem to be bothered by us.
We made a reservation at a nearby pub, for dinner and were greeted by this wonderful, personal touch.
Not to mention how good the food was.
Today, was all about a day trip to the Isle of Skye.
Throughout our trip, we'd been looking out for Highland Cows and finally, we got to see some at a café on Skye. Even if we did have to pay.
Easy to identify, with their long horns and long hair.
The Isle of Skye is a beautiful place but crawling with tourists. To be truthful, the landscape was just as nice driving into the region and out.
The coastline was dramatic though.
The left pic shows Mealt Falls with Kilt Rock in the far distance.
The old bridge at Sligachan.
The statues of Collie and Mackenzie staring out to the distance.
No Colourbond fences here.
I spotted these derelict old boats from the road, and just had to stop and photograph them.
Unloved yet so perfect.
Finally an opportunity to capture a white stone house with a water background.
This morning saw us leaving our wonderful hosts, Sharon and David. We grew quite fond of them as they were so warm and inviting in their lovely home on the banks of Loch Shiel.
We were certainly spoilt with this incredible breakfast. Sharon was in the catering business in the day.
Our perfect hosts, Sharon and David.
We left Sharon and David quite early and decided to take advantage of the perfect morning in Fort William, as we had driven through it both ways, to and from Skye.
What a beautiful little village we almost missed.
What a perfect morning, with the morning light mirroring the mountains on the loch.
Even better.
The local memorial to the town's fallen soldiers.
Our next stop south, Dornie, to see Eilean Donan Castle.
Another dry harbour.
This one was well intact and worth the stop to take a look around.
Loving life ........ still.
I often wonder why some castles survived the years yet so many didn't.
Eilean Donan Castle was in perfect condition.
Again you can see the solid bedrock this place was built on.
On another stop, we stumble across this boat that seemed to be someone's permanent home, complete with outdoor garden.
They were even giving it a clean and a fresh coat of paint.
Eventually we arrive in Fort William, with time for a quick look see around town.
Apparently, Cath likes being driven around.
St Andrew's Church built in the 1800's.
They say that the roofs of these churches were made by boat builders, seeing as though they resemble an upside down hull of a boat.
Dinner at the local.
The next morning was dedicated to seeing the train made famous in the Harry Potter movies.
Our BnB was just a 15 min walk to the viewpoint overlooking the famous Glenfinnan viaduct.
It drizzled a little, but cleared in time for us to enjoy the show.
Waiting patiently for the "Hogwart's Express"
And so was everyone else.
Here the train driver slows down before gunning it to send huge plumes of steam up into the air.
It was a great show and we all felt like children once again.
We made our way back down the hill, being careful not to slip in the mud, and to visit the train museum, but first a quick visit to this church.
Even the view from the church was quite special.
Another tribute to the fallen.
The Glenfinnan Station and railway museum.
Ticket machines of yesteryear.
Models and old station signs.
Luggage carts.
Old carriages converted into accommodation.
A small honesty trailer where you could purchase refreshments, however it was guarded by security cameras for the dishonest.
Leaving Glenfinnan, we made our way south though Glencoe and it's Hidden Valley.
This was one of the highlights of our tour.
The scenery through the valley was absolutely gobsmacking.
Taking our time to love life.
Mistakenly, the Scottish highlands at it's best.
No parking? No problem.
I love this pic, showing the isolation of the stone house amongst the mountains of the Highlands.
So what is the Firkin Point?
It's a small recreation area on Loch Lomond.
Nearing our next accommodation in Greenock, we stop for a look at Newark Castle.
We then took a closer look at the pier in the distance.
Gated off due to safety concerns.
A sculpture, resembling the hull of a ship, nearby our accommodation.
Loving our Indian meals in the UK.
The next day we took a little drive along the coast, as we had no wish to visit Glasgow.
This is Cloch Lighthouse, which seemed to be privately occupied these days.
A quick stop at a nearby beachside park.
These wire caged dolphins were filled with plastics to send home the message of the danger of plastics to marine life.
The town of Largs, where a ferry transits passengers and vehicles to surrounding islands.
Known for it's Viking heritage, however some twat thought it funny to throw a traffic cone on the Viking statue's head.
Another hint of Viking Heritage.
Yep, and she's sticking by it.
Turning inland and back north, we visit Kilwinning Abbey.
Yet another beautiful ruin to admire.
Maybe those rock solid walls, aren't so solid after all. Notice the numerous smaller rocks making up the inner wall.
Main gates from the town centre.
Leaving Greenock, we travelled south to the Lakes District, but taking a few hours to visit friends, Thomas and Rena, in Cumnock, whom I haven't seen for 28 years. It was so good to make contact once again.
Today's day trip, was all about the Lakes District.
It didn't disappoint.
Narrow country lanes and beautiful homes, characteristic of the area.
And let's not forget the locals.
A cast iron postal box embedded in one of the stone walls.
On to Glencoyne Bay, famous for it's beautiful resident Swans.
Then on to Glenridding. This is the Ullswater Inn.
So many villages in the UK have picturesque streams running through them, particularly here in the Lakes District.
Splashes of colour simply top it off.
A little further, we come across another lovely old church, seemingly in the middle of nowhere.
We love the Celtic cross.
The lakes District, also has it's highlands. Just as picturesque as those of Scotland.
We really enjoyed these roads. So beautiful to see, even in the wet.
This road leads down to Lake Windemere.
Landing in Lake Windemere.
Busy with tourists but maintaining it's beauty.
We even managed to find a pub.
Thirsty work, this travelling thing. Notice how low the beams are in the pub.
Beatrix Potter based many of her stories in the area.
A great way to repurpose old boots.
Splashes of colour are often added to homes, to take away from the grey colour of the stonework.
A short stop in Keswick.
The next day, it was time to continue south into Wales. Here, the farmer was moving his cattle to another paddock.
They actually came uncomfortably close to the car.
Here, we visit Flint Castle in North Wales.
Built in the 1200's on the Dee estuary.
We were truly blessed with gorgeous weather.
What a stunning view over the estuary.
Eventually we arrive in Colwyn Bay, to our BnB. This was just a one night stay.
The next morning, we leave early to head further south, but visiting Conwy Castle first up. The castle is situated on the harbour.
Conwy Castle is huge and it's walls still surround the town.
The bridge takes you to the castle and we could walk around it.
This place was stunning.
This is Beaumaris Castle in lovely nearby Anglesey.
Built in the 1300's.
Yet another beautiful example of the architecture of yesteryear. The reflection in the water was special, I thought.
In all it's glory.
Loving life, and yes, I collected my hat pins from England, Scotland and Wales.
We then took a stroll along the water's edge.
There were few people fishing for small crabs off this pier.
Looking back toward the town.
It was a Sunday, and further along we found the small town of Tremadog, off the main road to find somewhere for lunch. It always pays to travel the roads less travelled, because we both enjoyed the best Sunday roast, complete with Yorkshire pudding.
Yum, just YUM!
Here we continue through Snowdonia National Park, still in Wales.
Again, so picturesque.
Sometimes it's nice just to say nothing and soak it all in.
Not a tourist bus in sight.
Further along our way, we come across an old mill.
This little waterfall, once powered the mill.
Water flow was diverted to the huge water wheel, creating the force needed to spin it.
To the right of this pic, you can see the straight, narrow trough cut into the rock, which took the waterflow directly to the mill. The mechanism in the foreground is a small lock, which adjusted the amount of waterflow required. Quite simple but ingenious, I thought.
The coastline of Wales, also stunning, with it's own characteristics.
Arriving in New Quay.
The next day we toured the Pembrokeshire coast.
Cardigan Bay in Wales.
The homes seem to change just a little, with each place we visit.
Further along we find this little gem. Church of the Holy Cross, overlooking Mwnt Beach and built in the 1200's.
So simply beautiful.
A lady we had just had a chat with, just laid these offerings inside the church.
The surrounding views were incredible. What a find!
The Cardigan Bridge
A little further on, we get to visit the Church of St Thomas and it's Abbey.
Although the church is still functional, the abbey has seen better days.
A sample of the surrounding homes.
A nearby bay, once again, it's low tide.
Next stop was a good one. The Pentre Ifan is the remains of a Neolithic burial chamber, situated in an incredible spot with stunning views.
What you see here is a tomb that would once have been buried within an earthen mound.
A metal sculpture of a seahorse, overlooking Fishguard Bay.
Fishguard Bay.
This, now BnB, in Llanwrda, was a pleasant sight to see, on our way to Gloucester.
A lovely collection of memorabilia surrounded the yard.
They even had the old station out the back.
A peaceful stream flows along side the BnB.
We arrive in Llywelyn, looking for a light breakfast and take a look at this interesting sculpture in memory of a Welsh landowner, who led English forces on a decoy chase to protect Welsh rebel forces.
The remains of Llandovery Castle, overlooks the town.
Breakfast of a hot pastry and flavoured milk.
A quick pic of Llywelyn before we go.
Llywel Church.
Our next stop, the village of Skenfrith
This is St Bridget's Church with nearby Skenfrith Castle.
A river passes behind.
An old corn mill remains nearby, being taken over by the surrounding vegetation.
Eventually we arrive in Gloucester, back over the border in England.
These are the Docklands, where canal boats were moored.
There wasn't much to see in the area, so we found a pub and had a quiet drink together.
We then took a walk to the older part of Gloucester, where things got interesting.
This is the grand Gloucester Cathedral.
Now this place was so special.
The intricate detail in the carvings were extraordinary.
And it was huge.
It's hallways were just incredible.
So were the many stained glass windows.
The artistic work was unbelievable.
The cathedral housed the tomb of King Edward II.
Also the tomb of Bishop Charles John Ellicott.
The choir seating with the pipe organ in the rear.
Leaving Gloucester for a day trip to the Cotswolds, the next morning.
Starting with the village of Bibury.
Some of the prettiest parts of the UK, with typical cottage gardens and peaceful, flowing streams. This promised to be another highlight of our tour.
Arlington Row was built around 1830 as a wool store. One of the most photographed places in the UK.
Then on to Burford, where we had a late brekky with the local ducks.
Quite pretty, but more about the tourists and shops.
Here we arrive in Bourton on the Water, Cheltenham.
Now this village is special and what the Cotswolds are all about.
This perfect stream ran right through the village.
Full of colourful English gardens.
Photos simply don't do it justice.
Only in the UK can you get away with this.
Arguably, one of the prettiest villages in the Cotswolds.
All the walking and warm weather made us thirsty. Time for a drink and watch the world go by.
Next stop was Lower Slaughter, Cheltenham.
Yet another pretty village of the Cotswolds.
Some very expensive homes here.
A full day of exploring, happily ends with a nice meal and a quiet drink together.
Yes, it was as good as it looks. Tomorrow, we leave the Cotswolds for Exeter, stopping for a long awaited visit to Bath.
We made a very early start today to get to Bath before the crowds, but there's so much more to this place than just the famous Roman Baths.
Al though the baths themselves are original, the surrounding structures were built later to protect them and present them authentically.
With a great view of the nearby cathedral.
This is the main original bath, but more was added to the complex as it's popularity grew.
The top walkway was well decorated with ornate stone carvings.
The cathedral in the background.
A model of the original complex.
An attempted reassembly of the temple pediment, with what was left.
President Trump was around then too. Apparently.
Artifacts found in and around the area.
A beautifully preserved tile mosaic.
An original staircase collapsing with time, with an image of how it once was, to the left.
The original water supply still flows today. It's crystal clear but the solidified sediment is orange in colour.
The feeder channel to the great bath.
No bath today, but still loving life.
The supply channel entering the great bath with one of the massage rooms to the right.
A smaller bath created later, just for women's use.
Exercise/training rooms
The heated room floor was raised on these piers while small fires were lit beneath, like a steam room.
This "The Circus", townhouses built in a complete circle, around a circular grassed area.
Then, a little further on, the Royal Crescent.
It seems they liked building in circles.
These rows of shops are actually built atop an old bridge, pictured below.
This spectacular weir below, designed to regulate the flow of the river.
Very picturesque.
Taking a closer look below.
A quick look at the cathedral, before returning to the car and continuing our drive.
A quick lunchtime beer to quench the thirst.
We hightailed it to Exeter from Bath, as we had a lot of ground to cover, to get to our BnB in Exeter.
We leave early the next morning to discover the Cornwall Peninsula. Tintagel Castle, our first stop.
We were the first on site, and it was a pleasure.
Not much left of it, but the surrounding area was ruggedly beautiful.
The castle was built over two areas with the suspension bridge joining them.
The beautiful little bay below.
We decided to make our way down for a closer look.
We took the steps down to Merlin's Cave.
Merlin's Cave doesn't look like much, until you make your way inside.
The force of the waves has carved it's way through both ends.
These Llamas, on the way back up to the village.
I couldn't get over the unevenness of the roof line, but it is still standing and being used.
We saw a sign claiming the best Cornish Pasties, so we gave it a go.
It was large, so we only needed one and it was excellent.
Another quick photo stop in a seaside village, along our way.
Bright colours always make for a great pic.
Eventually, we make it to Padstow, a popular seaside town full of tourists. Parking is always a problem in places like this.
This stumpy little fishing boat amused me.
We stumbled upon Rick Stein's restaurant. Some of the locals blame him for ruining the area, and making it unaffordable for locals to buy a home.
We chose the pub for lunch and an authentic experience.
One last stop in Saltash, on our way back to the accommodation.
Proud much? Pity it wasn't open.
The next morning we made our way back out to tour a different area of the peninsula.
This is beautiful Brixham Harbour, a fully functional fishing harbour that remained true to it's identity and so much more pleasant to walk around than Padstow.
So much colour and once again, blessed with perfect weather.
Moving along, we arrive in Goodrington Sands. Most of the promenade was lined with these colourful beach huts. Some rented and some privately owned.
This lovely couple, lived nearby and were so nice to talk to and taught us a lot about this arrangement.
A lovely place to visit, but once again,we definitely didn't come for the beaches.
We arrived back in Exeter early afternoon and had time to visit the town.
It was a relief to lose the car and do some walking to stretch the legs.
Another incredible work of art.
Those stone statues are just incredible.
Notice the different colour of the original homes. Local stone was used, that differs in various areas.
This one had a German look about it.
Not much left of St Catherine's Chapel, built in the 1200's.
People were considerably shorter back in the day.
An early dinner before ending our day.
The next morning we leave for Salisbury. Here we take a look at the seaside village of Lyme Regis, Dorset.
Adds a new meaning to the term "Pebbly Beach".
Even the storm water drain has character.
This whole southern coastline of Britain is well known for it's fossils. When there are rough seas, parts of the cliff faces are eroded, exposing numerous fossils.
The large white home atop the cliff, looks tiny, compared to the cliff face.
On to Abbotsbury to visit this barn, built in the 1300's, which serviced an adjoining abbey.
What's left of the abbey nearby.
A charming thatch roofed home nearby.
There was even it's own swan lake.
Further down the road, we came across a solitary pub serving Sunday Roast.
The roast was perfect and the beer cold.
Sandsfoot Castle built in the 1500's, heavily eroded by the sea and strong winds.
Arriving in Salisbury, we had a quiet evening to prepare for an early start to visit the famous Stonehenge.
It was a beautiful early morning stroll to the site, along a path amongst the fields.
We were so early that the fog hadn't lifted, but there it stood, as it has done for thousands of years.
The view improved as the fog began to lift, although the fog gave it an eerie feel.
This angle shows the marker stone that, when aligned, indicated the summer equinox.
It was so pleasant to be there without hoards of tourists around.
The whole area had a very spiritual feel to it.
Cold, but still loving life.
An old distance marker to London, from the site.
With our visit to Stonehenge done, we took a walk in to Salisbury, leaving the car at the BnB.
What a pretty place this was.
Lots to see and all on our doorstep.
All picturesque towns and villages in the UK, often have a lovely stream running through them.
And a great pub or two.
Then this, the "Bishop's Mill" was gorgeously maintained.
With it's perfect little stream running beneath it.
With it's own family of swans.
Great pub actually and not as expensive as it looks.
The lovely scenery just kept coming, strolling along the river.
More Old English charm.
You know you're in the old town when you find architecture like this.
Salisbury Cathedral was another awesome example of Gothic Architecture.
It housed an original copy of the Magna Carta.
This cathedral reminded us a lot of the cathedral in Gloucester, with it's beautiful architecture and awesome stained glass windows.
The sculpture in front of the cathedral, is a bronze called the "Walking Madonna"
Leaving beautiful Salisbury, we make our way back to London to return the rental car, but not before enjoying another cool drink, celebrating our incredible tour of Britain.
This trip was incredible and we got to experience so much more than you ordinarily would with an organised tour. We travelled over 5600 km over 31 days, without any mishap or misfortune. It pays to put some effort in to travel plans so that you can come away with nothing but great memories and to meet some great people.
