Since leaving work and my little flat in Loudwater, I have had the unprecedented pleasure of visiting friends and family around the country. It has been such a special time and I have enjoyed so much the luxury of spending time without the pressure of returning to work or the requirement to fit the visit into a particular time. I have been particularly impressed with the beauty of England and reminded myself of how much exquisite countryside exists. May, of course, was the best possible month in which to see all this. I walked amongst ancient oaks and chestnuts in Sherwood Forest, climbed to the top of an ancient Iron Age hill fort in Shropshire, sat beside the quiet waters of Lake Vyrnwy in Wales (photos attached) and in the shade of very old trees in ... read more