Greetings from Thaxted

Well if yesterday was living in a fairytale...Today is like a film set.  Thaxted is s strange largish village with higgeldy piggeldy buildings buildings warped by the centuries...As are the locals.  I half expected Simon Peggy to come screaming around a corner chased by zombies (Shaun of the Dead) lol.  This morning though... Definitely a scene from Fawlty Towers.  Breakfast was advertised from 7 onward.  So at a decent 7.30 the Badger and I toddled down. Found we had been locked in... Yikes so after pressing the button on the door... Assuming it was a security thing... We let ourselves into the dining room... Blarpblarpblarp!!eeeorreeorrr! Alarms left right and centre!!! We scooted back upstairs quick sharp and looked pleadingly out the window awaiting help...1/2 later the deafening racer was still blasting away... No doubt awakening the whole village... Yet not a soul to be seen.  Finally a couple of bodies appeared and rescued us.  Very very blurry eyed young individuals obviously nursing heads...also obvious that these were also the culprits partying on outside until dawn...arhhhh the sweet smell of revenge! Hehehe.  Breakfast was indeed delivered Basil Fawlty style.  What a hoot! Sorry Badger though...even with the comedic value... 5/10 for this one. The door to the rooms needed a sign....'guests will remain in their cages until the zoo keeper arrives ' lol

Greater Barrow and Bourton on the Water

Bourton on the Water today....and it  is like living in a fairy tale.  This village is so beautiful, so old, so quaint...so relaxing.  Tinkling brook, little ducky families swimming, birds chirping, sun shining, sweet little shops,  little bridges, fords, picture perfect buildings...
It has been 27 years since I was here and it is just as lovely  as I remember.  We are staying tonight in the Old Manse Inn..an ancient pub....lovely plump bed and fluffy doona...sorry 'duvet' ,huuuuge bath..magic. Ten out of ten again Badger.
As for yesterday and the day before....
I will grade 8 out of ten for our last accommodation in Great Barrow.  Originally I gave the Badger a 5 out of ten when the heating was off and it was nearly zero overnight...both nights... and no hot water the first day.  However....last night I was forced to reevaluate ...we popped into the bar for a night cap just as the bar was filling up with the locals and bare in mind this was a teeny weeny little public house. The locals accepted us as if we had lived there for years. After 2 glasses...very generous glasses of red...and more than a few laughs...it was time to head up the wooden hill to Bedfordshire.  Our lady publican was reluctant to let us go but after hugs, kisses  and well wishes we were on our way and left her on 'our' side of the bar continuing to drink her own profits.  Such a hoot and so I give the Badger an 8 out of ten and remind myself that this is why we choose to book these sort of places instead of sterile hotels....and anyway a cold shower in almost freezing conditions is good for the constitution. hehehehehe
Tomorrow the plan is to hang around here as long as possible before reluctantly exiting this bliss and head back to London.

Burton on the water

Arrived in the Cotswolds today, it is a beautiful place.

Mold, N Wales

Lucky enough to visit Mold on market day.  Main St is closed to traffic.  Some slight changes since I used to attend Secondary School here.  Then back to Chester for a walk all the way around the roman walls.

Chester!

Had a great two days in Sheffield and then made it to Chester.  Hasn't changed much since I last saw it but it is a lot more pedestrian orientated now.  Just got up today to a freezing cold shower and no heating so it is a bracing start to the day.  The weather has been great up to now with sunshine and no rain.  It reached 15 yesterday so tshirt and beer weather, hic.  Went to bed a little worst for wear after visiting the Albion (a real Coronation st looking pub in chester, The Stamford Bridge and finally a nightcap or two at the White Horse where we are staying.

Greetings from Greater Barrow!

Left Yorkshire yesterday and drove on to Chester. Discovering pubs along the way...its a hard life. The drive through the Dales was magical, today more sight seeing in Chester which is truly beautiful! Photos to follow.

Just a bit more

How pretty is Yorkshire!

Day 3...a bit behind... Issues with internet basically because this Daft Bat is well... Daft, what can I say.

Day one started as you can expect...if you know me at all. Alarm went off,  showered, dressed, bags by the door...car keys?  Arhhhh no car keys!!! Frantic search is on, drawers,  cupboards, clothes turned inside out and up and down. The house I had spent all week spring cleaning to an inch of it's life is now looking somewhat disheveled, as am I.  Finally occurring to me that this Daft Bat in her diligent commitment to home security had locked them in the safe. Jeeeszh! Finally got away albeit a little late.. But we were on our way.
Skip now to arrival in Sheffield...because I think like childbirth...I'd rather forget the pain of the journey, especially the flight from China to Paris. :-P Arrived here and had a brilliant evening and meal with cousins Steven and Beverley...thank you so much to two truly lovely people. X
Today we had a day with my wonderful UK  family.  It has been a whirl wind visit and so grateful for the support of these special people.
Tomorrow we reluctantly leave Sheffield, but also excited to see Chester. Wish we had planned more time here but we will return!
10 out of ten to the Badger for the accommodation...see photo. Kenwood Hall is really nice.
So... Will we get lost tomorrow? Will the Badger survive 6 weeks 24/7 with the Daft Bat?  ....stay tuned.