UK Adventure

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Hi Travel followers.

We have been very slack in regard to our Travel Blog (where does the time go) and hence have decided to join a few together in an attempt to catch up to where we are at the moment. So much has been happening it is hard to fit it all in.

From Cradley we moved on to our 5th house sit at Wellington, but on the way we stopped in at Bath to check out some of the sights. We must also say our house sit at Tracebridge was absolutely beautiful and was first built in the 10th century as a Roman "barn" but has had a number of renovations every few hundred years to a saw mill and then to a house around the 1700's. The pets/animals we are also caring for are just wonderful too. Tracebridge near Wellington (Somerset) is such a lovely spot and great animals to care for. The Lurchers are very friendly and there isn't a lot of room on the lounge when Jim decides he wants a cuddle!!! I must also say the owners are OK with the boys in the house and on the lounge with us. In fact they have a lounge to themselves!!

100 meters up the lane from where we are house sitting, a neighbour who is a retired baker, installed a pizza oven in their back garden and started making pizza on a Friday night for family and friends. Before long it included neighbours and locals and has become so popular they had to limit the numbers to 80 and only allow locals, as people were coming from as far away as London. They charge 9 pound per pizza and they are absolutely beautiful! We were only allowed to go because we were house sitting for the neighbours and on special invitation. We turned up early to have a chat with them before the crowds started to arrive. Everyone there were so friendly.

We also had a great afternoon having tea, scones and chocolate sponge cake in a true English country garden with a couple of the neighbours and great scenery overlooking the hay fields and hills of Tracebridge. It just doesn't get any better. I was also working on a few projects for the owners. Straightened and lifted the barn wall. Built and hung a top door for the other barn and re-built and re-hung the garden gate down to the creek!

After completing another wonderful house sit for Kate and Anthony at Tracebridge we started our next one for Lorraine at Meopham - Kent (between London and Dover). What a lovely home it is too with Jessie the Cocker Spaniel plus Molly and Rosie the two cats to care for!

With only 1 lovely dog and two beautiful cats to care for, we managed to find a few hours to do a bit of touring the local area in Ightham Mote at Ivy Hatch, Sevenoaks, Kent. Ightham Mote is a medieval moated manor house first started in the 12th century and as you will see in the photo's has undergone a few renovations or additions over 800 years. Just beautiful. From there it was on to Knole House/Castle (also in Kent). Knole House was built within a deer property and construction commenced in the 1400's. It is also one of the largest houses in England with 365 rooms, 52 staircases and seven courtyards. Now that is a house. It is also part of the Sevenoaks township which is an absolutely beautiful old medieval township!!

On another beautiful day with a few hours to spare, we made good use of our English Heritage and National Trust annual memberships and visited Upnor Castle which was a 10th century riverside fort on the River Medway. Then on to Rochester and it's beautiful Cathedral and of course Rochester Castle. It would have to be the "tallest" castle we have visited at around 8 stories tall. From there it was on to Stoneacre house at Otham, Maidstone which is a beautiful Medieval home built in the 1500's and "still lived in" but on display on Saturdays by the National Trust. Just spectacular.!

Another magnificent day and we are now house sitting at Faversham (near Canterbury, Kent) for a couple of days. We are caring for one lovely little Shitzu cross dog (Bonny) who is elderly and sleeps most of the time so we have a few hours to explore the local area each day. First up it was Whitstable and the South East Coast, plus Whitstable Castle. Then we followed the coast line along via Herne Bay to the Recluver Towers which was originally built as a Roman Fort to protect against Saxon raids, but was upgraded in the 12 century with the towers etc. From there it was on to Canterbury and the famous Canterbury Cathedral. That is one enormous building!!! Apparently the largest and the "original" Anglican church in the UK. Henry VIII had a lot to do with the upgrade and size when he wanted a divorce from Catherine of Aragon to marry Anne Boleyn and abolished the roman Catholic church and had the St Augustine Abbey destroyed!! You made sure you didn't get on the wrong side of Henry VIII!

Sorry again for all the info, but we just had to catch up.

Hope you enjoy them.

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