Blogs from Wells, Somerset, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Today our plan was to go to Lytes Carey and a castle nearby, and then spend the afternoon in Wells. We set off for Lytes Carey, arriving just as the garden opened. The House wasn’t open for a little while so we had mourning tea and then explored the garden. It was part open plan and part formal garden In the Arts and Crafts style. It was created by the last owner, who left the house to the National Trust when he died in 1948. In the formal garden, there were a number of “rooms” each edged with a yew hedge. There was also the best croquet green we have seen in our travels. It even had lines marking out the edge of the court and another line across the middle. Plenty of space for the ... read more

This morning we packed up and left Ilfracombe. It was a good experience staying with Karen and Russ. Their hospitality was friendly and generous. We had decided to visit the Fleet Arm Museum at RNAS Yeovilton, near Yeovil in Somerset, on our way to Wells. We also needed to buy a suitcase for our excess baggage. After some googling, we found Debenhams were having a luggage sale, and there was one in Taunton on our way. We stopped and got our suitcase and kept going. The distances were not too great today, allowing ample time for a visit to the Fleet Arm Museum. The museum was quite surprising. It tells the story of aviation in the Navy. The area is divided into 4 halls, with Hall 3 being set up as an aircraft carrier. You are ... read more

Traversing the market square we passed through the Penniless Porch at the North East corner where true to its name sat two vagrants. One, bearded, attempted a Bob Dylan tune to sing for his supper or more likely to supply something to his ladyfriend sat beside him in a stupor. Her haggard face and distant gaze recalled better days. A long tatty dress covering multi-coloured stockings and leather boots seemed to freeze her in time. Two strays from nearby Glastonbury frozen in the 80s, waiting for the next festival to begin. The immense West front rose up before us, its horizontal central section adorned with stone statues reputedly the finest examples of medieval sculpture in the world. It's lucky that Cromwell's soldiers couldn't reach high enough to destroy these. The statues in the lower section within ... read more

The Route As chaotic as my trip appears I do actually have a route planned - I just have not committed it to paper yet. A boring task, but I suppose it makes sense. Its just not interesting to write about. I will use the godawful map facility on the blog site. Given the power of google maps I would have expected better than a straight red line between points, but it will give an idea. One thing I am less clear on is timescales so maybe I'll learn something by doing this too. The current route plan in words then is as follows (although subject to change.) a 1.Ferry Newcastle to Bergen, Norway 2.Bergen 3.Bergen Hardanger fjord and Hardangervidda plateau areas (where I am now) 4.Up by road and ferry to the Sognefjellet road (in ... read more

Day 29 Today was the longest day of the trip. We woke at 0330, got up, checked out of the hotel, then our driver was waiting to take us to the airport. We arrived at the airport, went through security. Mum had given me a bag of things to take on as hand luggage, but half of it was liquid, so the security officers took it off me, so Mum lost her alcohol! Serves her right! The plane left on time, we were all shattered, but I can never sleep on planes, just as well there were films to watch, and meal times to occupy you. Eight hours later we arrived at heathrow airport, back to normality and freezing cold! We had to wait for Janet to collect us, so had a coffee, almost fell asleep, ... read more