Tuesday 31 May

Lords and Ladies

Nick was due to head back to London this afternoon so we thought it best to stay close to home this morning. We decided to visit the National Trust site Knightshayes. The house sits on the hill over looking Tiverton and there are a number of parts that can be visited. As we drove up to the house we noticed that there was a game of cricket going on at the club inside the gates. Well, that was the end of Dad having any interest in historic homes! He dropped us off at the entrance and headed back down to have a look at the game.

Aunty Louise and Nick decided that they would have a look at the kitchen garden and then get a cup of tea while Mum and I toured the house. The house itself is a Victorian gothic mansion that was built to replace an earlier Georgian house. It was designed by William Burges, an architect renowned for elaborate embellishments including detail exaggerated to the extreme, heavily carved features, and an abundant use of rich textures recreating a medieval atmosphere. The owner, John Heathcoat Amory, decided to go with something a little simpler in most of the rooms, partly for simplicities sake and partly because the cost of fully implementing Burges' design would have been enormous. The family lived in the house until 1972 when it was acquired by the National Trust. The restoration has attempted to balance showing the house how it was and how Burges imagined it. One room for example, a bedroom, has been restored with a bird frieze designed by Burges that makes the room feel like a very haphazard jungle with birds from around the world and one monkey. The National Trust has also borrowed Burges designed furniture to give a sense of how he envisaged the house. The family is represented though with for example, the Golf Room reflecting the golfing career of Lady Heathcoat-Amory who as Miss Joyce Wethered was a four-times winner of the Ladies Open in the 1920s. There is also a large formal garden which is considered one of the finest in Devon. It has many picturesque corners and Mum and I wished we had longer to explore both the house and garden.

The kitchen garden that the others had been visiting has been recreated in all its nineteenth century glory as a flagship example of sustainable gardening. Starting in 2001 the garden has been restored and re-planted using organic principles and an irrigation system fed by recycled water. The crop from the garden is used by the on-site restaurant and any left over is available for the public to buy. In addition to culinary plants, the garden is expanding to include plants that would have been used by the Victorians for medicinal purposes, disinfectant, perfumes and insecticides. These include Virginia tobacco for insecticide and woad used to make blue dye. There is also a 220 foot herbaceous border which provides a wealth of cut flowers that are used to decorate the house as would have been the case in the houses' Victorian heyday. I think Nick wanted to go home and grow his own after seeing what had been achieved!

We walked down the hill to meet up with Dad. On the way we managed to have an encounter with some local sheep who were grazing in the paddock next to the cricket club's unfenced car park. Apparently, they didn't want to be friends though. Not even the little lambs :( It turned out that Dad was watching a schools tournament game. The boys playing were about the same age as the ones he coaches in New Zealand so I think he was really enjoying it. Unfortunately, we arrived to pull him away with our demands for lunch. We popped back in to Tiverton where we had lunch in the local vegetarian restaurant before Nick and I wandered off for a further quick shop. Nick managed to find some nice new jeans. Then it was time to drop Nick at Tiverton Parkway Station for the long trip back into Paddington.

Having walked Nick in I returned to the car to discover that it had been decided that we were going to make a quick run into Exeter. Dad had spotted a store that he wanted to visit that hadn't been open on the Bank Holiday Monday. The store in question was a gentlemen's outfitters and Dad managed to acquire another beautiful shirt. So once again we headed back off to Tiverton, for dinner and bed.

Posted by Hayley

Monday 30 May

Mystery and intrigue await. No not really, just more shopping

We were all in need of a sleep-in and what better excuse than a bank-holiday Monday. We had decided that we would head into Exeter to have a look at the shops and possibly the Cathedral. Nick is due to attend a wedding on Friday so he thought he should try and find something to wear for the big occasion. We were also desperate for a Sainsbury to top up our supply of rice bread which had sadly dwindled to none. Having split into two groups, Nick and I and Mum, Dad and Aunty Louise we set about these two tasks. Having walked the length of Exeter main street looking for shirts we were feeling rather despondent when we hadn't found anything that actually fitted Nick (I had found two very nice pairs of sandals but that is a whole other story). We had found some very nice shirts but they were all either too large or too small. Sometimes being a common size is a real pain. We were just about to give up when we found one last surf shop. Nick managed to get a shirt and some shoes as well as blag some stickers. The most interesting thing about this particular surf shop was not its clothes or staff but rather some unusual residents. Smack bang in the middle of the store was an aquarium with live, very colourful crabs in it. Following some research, we think these were rainbow crabs. Anyway they certainly livened up the store! Having successfully made our purchases we met up with the others again. They had managed to have a delicious sounding lunch, including cajoling the staff in to toasting some of the aforementioned rice bread so Mum could have some toast. Having had a quick look inside Exeter Cathedral we headed for the car.

On the way home we decided to call in to the vineyard we had seen sign-posted on our visit to the restaurant last night. English wine does not have a startlingly good reputation, partly I suspect because of the fickle weather. The vineyard we visited, Yearlstone, is the oldest one in Devon, having been planted in 1976. We were greeted by two very enthusiastic canines. On site is a delicious looking cafe, as well as the vines and some cider trees. Nick and Mum had fun trying the various wines they produce and then we all wandered out to look at the plantation. There are spectacular views out over the lower valley of the river Exe. We sat in the sun and contemplated the view before embarking on the quick trip back to Aunty Louise's.

Posted by Hayley

Sunday 29 May

Plants! Plants I say!

We had an early start this morning. We had decided to head down to the Eden Project in Cornwall. The project's aim is: 'To promote the understanding and responsible management of the vital relationship between plants, people and resources leading to a sustainable future for all'. It has been developed in an old china-clay quarry near St. Austell where over 100,000 plants representing 5,000 species from many of the climatic zones of the world live both outside and in a series of huge geodesic domes, known as biomes. These have been specially constructed and heated to create both a tropical environment and a semi-arid environment. There are even a few birds, insects, and reptiles living amongst the plants.

We started with a wander through the tropical biome. It is extremely hot and humid and gets more so the higher you climb inside the dome. The information says it gets up to 28 degrees but it feels much hotter than that, perhaps the humidity level contributes to making it so very tropical. This biome seemed to be a favourite with most of the visitors and the dome became quite crowded, adding to the heat. At the top of the biome is a giant man-made waterfall which tumbles down the 'hill-side' giving off welcome cooling spray. Even though you know it is completely artificial it is still a breathtaking sight. It is fascinating to see plants, such as banana, rubber, cocoa, coffee and rice, that produce products that you use everyday and take for granted growing in close to their natural conditions. The temperature drops again as you descend the hillside and you can take a little more time to take in the size of the dome that soars above. If nothing else the domes really are feats of human engineering. The tropical dome, for example, is 15,590 metre square (1.55 hectares), 55 metres high, 100 metres wide and 200 metres long.

Following our tropical soujourn we decided we needed lunch and probably more importantly plenty of cold water to drink. The cafe, situated conveniently between the biomes follows the principles of the project, aiming to use local (in some cases on-site), organic produce as often as possible, using washable cutlery and crockery and recycling where ever possible. Having recovered we headed to the second dome, the warm-temperate biome. This dome recreates the climate of the Mediterranean and deserts of America of and is much less busy than the tropical dome. There is a reddish tint to the soil here, reminding you that you are almost somewhere foreign. This biome is smaller, 6,540 metre square (0.65 hectares), 35 metres high, 65 metres wide and 135 metres long and you can see the walls of the quarry much more clearly because the vegetation hasn't grown so high. The plants are also more familiar, cactuses, lemon trees, grapes and olives abound and the presumably local robins seem to have really taken to the climate.

We finished our trip with a walk or ride back up the hill and a visit to the shop. Again the shop follows the Eden Project principles stocking a range of environmentally friendly products from around the world, local produce and souvenirs to remind you of your visit. There is also a plant shop. Aunty Louise and Nick both had an ice-cream to round out the day.

While we had been jaunting Liz booked a table for the six of us to have dinner at a local pub over looking the Exe River, The Fisherman's Cot. It's main claim to fame is it is the pub at which, according to urban legend, Paul Simon wrote 'Bridge Over Troubled Water'. The truth of the matter seems to be that he DID stay there but DIDN'T write the song during his visit. Apparently, the pub also has a ghost, although we didn't have any close encounters. We had pre-dinner drinks outside under an umbrella watching the river flow past. It was a really lovely setting. We then adjourned inside for dinner and jazz. Happily, Sunday night is jazz night. The food was your standard pub fair, including a carvery, with a little bit of extra flair, Dad, for example had wild boar terrine and goose-liver pate. A very pleasant way to spend an early summer afternoon.

Posted by Hayley

Saturday 28 May

Shopping and ponies

We headed out to Exmoor today after carefully co-ordinating showers and breakfast for six people. Aunty Louise had planned an itinerary for us that included a visit to Dulverton, a walk at Tarr Steps and then lunch at Tarr Farm Inn. Dulverton is a lovely little village that calls itself the southern gateway to Exmoor. It has quite a few boutiquey shops that sell jewellery, clothes and shoes. As you may have noticed from this blog we have a reasonable interest in just such things. So, according to tradition we managed to spend a few pounds in the shops. One of the really nice things about the shops was that they each did their own unique packaging that was in its own way special. So we got parcels in leopard print, ones that tied with ribbon and other ones that were beautifully presented in tissue paper. It just made it all seem a bit more special.

Having satisfied our retail urges we set out again. Dulverton is only a few miles from the Moor so it didn't take long until we were in the national park proper. It is amazing to think that Britain has such diverse landscapes. Much of Exmoor is flat, open moorland. It was not the warmest of days and so on the drive we didn't see a lot of other people. We did, however, see Exmoor ponies. We pulled over so I could have a better look and Nick and I went off for an explore and to see if we could get closer. The ponies didn't seem terribly worried by us, continuing to munch on tussock and grass. There were a variety of different sized foals amongst the group and none of the adults were terribly keen that we approach them. They constantly sidled away from us whenever we got too close! The foals were very sweet and one was particularly curious about us, peeking out around its mother to watch us as we moved. Exmoor ponies are an endangered species, although with the number of foals they had the lot we saw seem to be doing their best to boost population numbers. They have been inhabitants of the Moor since at least 1085 when the Domesday Book recorded 104 Exmoor brood mares. It was nice to see one of the larger native mammals in its home surroundings.

When Nick and I returned to the car we continued on to Tarr Steps. The Tarr Steps are a clapper bridge crossing the River Barle. It was once believed to be prehistoric but the general consensus now seems to be that it was a medieval construction. There is a beautiful walk down the banks of the river in the surrounding reserve. The reserve itself is mainly oak woodland but it also has pockets of ash, hazel, sycamore and beech. The area is also seen as important for its moss, liverwort and lichen populations. Also, in the spring visitors to the woods can see extensive carpets of bluebell. Unfortunately we were too late to see the bluebells in their full glory and I'm also not sure how many of the other flora specimens we saw. I'm pretty sure we saw oak - but who knows my botanical knowledge is rather limited. I later found out that dormice and otters call the area home but we definitely didn't see either of these. It was warmer down here off the blustery moors and the walk was thoroughly enjoyable with the sounds of the water running through the river. Mum was brave enough to put her fingers in but it wasn't warm enough for her togs to appear! We rounded off the walk by enjoying a late lunch at the Tarr Farm Inn. We also all enjoyed a well deserved cup-of-tea. We headed for home and a fish dinner.

Posted by Hayley

Friday 27 May

Standing stones, standing still

We awoke to a beautifully fine day. The first really nice day of summer. We had carefully printed out AA directions of our route and these proved to be a lot more reliable than the RAC instructions we had used in Scotland. As a slight detour, we had arranged to meet Elaine, a friend of Duncan and Karen's, at the waterski club where Duncan had worked for a couple of years. It was the ideal day to be near the water and we were even treated to a guided tour of the lakes in one of the club boats. We also managed to subsidise the shop next to the club by making a number of purchases. Having spent longer than intended lapping up the sun we decided to have lunch at the club before heading out on the road again.

I'm not sure whose bright idea it was to drive down on the Friday before a bank holiday (oh right, I do know whose idea it was but I'm not owning up to it!) but when you never drive you forget just how boring it is sitting in a car not moving in a traffic queue. The problem seemed to mainly be caused by roads alternating between dual-carriageway and single lane roads. Just when you got used to the dual-carriageway everyone would have to merge back down to one lane. Fortunately there was only one really bad patch and the aforementioned air-conditioning continued to keep us all cool. The highlight of the drive was the view of Stonehenge.We had plenty of time to see it as this was where there traffic seemed worse. Oh well, I suppose there are worse places to be stuck. It did take considerably longer to get there than we had planned and we didn't arrive until dinner time in the end. Aunty Louise had made us a delicious roast dinner and Liz, Nick and I sat outside in the sun enjoying the meal. After dinner, Aunty Louise, Mum, Dad and I went for a walk by the canal. We were gone quite a lot longer than we expected and I think Nick and Liz were starting to think we had got completely lost as it was very dark by the time we got home. We all headed to bed for a good night's rest.

Posted by Hayley

Thursday 26 May

Fever Pitch

We had a much early start to the day today as I had booked tickets for Mum, Dad and I to do a tour of Highbury, Arsenal's home ground. The upcoming season, 2005/06, will be the teams last season at the old ground before they move to a new stadium at Ashburton Grove. We arrived a little early for the tour so we had time to have a wander around the official shop where we couldn't resist making one or two small purchases. Although, the kit for next season hasn't been officially launched we were able to get a sneak peak at photos of the maroon strip. The team are returning to the colour for the first time since 1924 in honour of their last season at Highbury. The tour itself was very interesting. It begins in the Marble Halls, which really do have marble floors dotted with Arsenal logos and club insignia. The ground was first used in 1913 and is starting to show its age around the edges. Next you wander through the home teams dressing and shower rooms and it is here that the first of many reasons for the move to a new stadium becomes apparent. The dressing room is tiny, I can only imagine how cramped it must feel with the players and coaching staff attempting to get ready for a game. Maybe it helps keep the pep talks short! The away dressing room is apparently even smaller. A visit to the trophy room, directors box and press room is also included in the tour and it concludes with a walk down the players tunnel. We were warned not to stray anywhere near the grass, as the groundsman (in common with many of his colleagues around the world) is fiercely protective of his pitch. Mum had fun pretending to be Arsene Wenger at various points on the tour, including in the media room and in the players area! I suspect she may need to figure out a few of the finer points of the game before she is quite up to his standard. The tour price also included the museum so we spent some time learning about Arsenal's history culminating in a film detailing the clubs highlights and some of its less glorious years. The tour was well worth it and we may have to repeat it on Mum and Dad's next visit so we can see how the new ground compares.

In order to start the comparison process we walked back to the tube via the new ground. I hadn't actually been that close to it despite it being next to one of the university's campuses. It was much larger than I had expected and it has really sprung up. It is hard to believe that not that long ago it was a recycling plant, a few businesses and derelict land. There is still much building going on but the bones of the structure are now in place and it is easy to see that it will be a world-class stadium when it is finished.

We jumped on Piccadilly Line and headed for Knightsbridge and Harvey Nicks. We were all getting hungry and I thought the food court would be ideal for grabbing a bite to eat and so it proved. Mum and I were able to get fresh smoked salmon and avocado salads and Dad a roast beef and horseradish sandwich. I also introduced them to the delights of the cake counter, where dad got a toffee pecan tart. We went across the road to Hyde Park to have a little impromptu picnic. We sat in the sun and relaxed. Mum and I found a squirrel to play with and some other tourists came and took photos of me feeding it. Unfortunately we had to cut our little break short as we had to head to Kingston to pick up the rental car. Following two tube and one bus ride we arrived at the rental depot three very hot, tired and grumpy people. It was a relief therefore, to discover that the car had working air conditioning that cooled us all down immediately. It was an even greater relief that I could navigate home from Kingston with no hitches. We spent the evening packing before heading to bed reasonably early in preparation for our trip to Devon.

Posted by Hayley

Wednesday 25 May

Don't stop me now

Back safe and sound in London we had a small sleep in. We started the day with some household chores, mainly clothes washing, so we would be prepared for the trip to Devon later in the week. We then ventured into town to visit the British Museum. Neither Mum nor Dad had visited before and like everyone I have taken there they were amazed by the Great Court. We started with a tour of the reading room before seperating so we could visit different parts of the museum. There is, of course, too much to see in one visit. Mum and I started with the Egyptian statuory downstairs including a look at the Rosetta Stone, which the Museum had inconsiderately moved since my last visit! So what if it is staring you in the face when you go in to the area I still missed it not expecting to see it there. We then continued upstairs to the other part of the Egyptian display. Mum was fascinated by the mummified cats, she was tempted to take a postcard of one home as evidence for Gypsy if she misbehaved. We then went on a flying tour of the upstairs past the Sutton Hoo ship-burial, the Lewis Chessmen (again), the Lindow Man and many other treasures. However the object which had sparked the whirlwind tour, a clock in the shape of a galleon, was in a closed gallery. Oh well, Mum will just have to see it next time.

All this frenetic activity meant we thought we deserved a snack. So we sat in the Great Hall to eat. As with all trips the outing wouldn't have been the same without a quick trip to the souvenir shop. We then headed back out into the afternoon sunshine. A slight detour took us past Trafalgar Square and Nelson's Column and down part of Pall Mall before I discovered the way to Piccadilly Circus. Of course, I knew where we going the whole time I just thought a walk around London would do us all good! For a laugh I took them to Kiwifruits, the New Zealand Shop just behind New Zealand House. And then onto Piccadilly Circus where we had arranged to meet Nick for dinner.

Nick and I had decided that our best bet was to head to Ten Ten Tei, where we had eaten previously. This entailed a quick diversion to the Brewer Street Fresh and Wild, where we managed to locate boxes of the only brand of packet Miso Soup that comes without onion in it. This was a cause for great celebration as we had been looking for months having used up our supply. Dinner was delicious with a variety of dishes arriving to the table including sushi, yakitori and gyoza. Then we headed back to The Dominion Theatre for We Will Rock You. Dad, in particular, had been looking forward to seeing it following glowing reviews from my uncle. The music certainly had us all tapping our toes and singing along and you have to admire their ingenuity at weaving disparate Queen songs into an overarching narrative. It was, all in all, a fun way to spend an evening.

Posted by Hayley

Tuesday 24 May

In which Nick dies brutally at the hands of the King

We began the morning with a trip to Stirling Castle. The Castle sits high on the hill overlooking Stirling and it was said that he who held Stirling Castle, held Scotland. We went on a guided tour with a guide who was a real character. Poor Nick was mock stabbed and thrown down the stairs in the guides re-enactment of one scene from the Castle's history. The Castle is undergoing on-going restoration. The most magnificent of the restored buildings is the Great Hall, which dates from 1501-03. The hall had been used as a barracks by the British Army until 1964. The Hall is, rather disconcertingly, a bright yellow colour. Apparently all the buildings in the castle would have been decorated in this way, using a limewash which had had the colouring Kings' Gold added to it. The interior ceiling is made of Oak and is done without the use of nails. The inside is naturally lit through stained glass windows listing influential families of the court. Mum and I tried out the royal thrones. We also visited the chapel royal, the site used by Mary, Queen of Scots, to baptise James VI. Here there are examples of contemporary tapestries, from the cycle known as the Unicorn Hunt, which are being recreated on site to decorate the royal apartments which are currently undergoing a major refit not due to be completed for another few years. We went and saw the on-site workshop and it is hard to believe that the weavers can keep track of the various complicated patterns. The cost of recreating these tapestries is enormous, something like £10 per square centimetre.

The Castle also houses the Regimental Museum of The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. The regiment was housed at the castle until relatively recently. It is one of the units that is proposed for disbandment in the current round of retrenchment of the armed forces. Our favourite part of the museum was a newspaper clipping that told of two soldiers who had been released by the Nazi's after being captured. The men had spoken only in Gaellic and the Germans couldn't find anyone who could translate it. In the end they decided that they must be from a remote part of Russia and therefore not worth the effort of detaining them!Also included in the Stirling Castle ticket was Argyll's Lodging. This is a romantic Renaissance lodging built by Sir William Alexander of Menstrie (later the first Earl of Stirling) in circa 1630. Unfortunately we only had time for a flying visit as time was getting away on us.

As we headed towards the airport we wanted to stop and see the Falkirk Wheel. The Wheel is the world's only rotating boat lift and is used to get canal boats between the Forth & Clyde and Union canals. It was built as part of an effort to revitalise the Scottish canal system by allowing coast to coast travel for the first time in 40 years. It replaced a series locks that had previously been demolished to make way for housing. Its design is really clever and relies on both ends of the wheel being equally weighted to pull them through the turn. Mum was very keen to have a go, as they take guided tours on a canal boat. However, we realised that any trip would cut our time fine so chose against it. We were very relieved when as we watched there was a massive delay in getting the wheel to turn due to unbalanced weighting. I think Mum would have been decidedly unimpressed to have been left in Falkirk while we flew off home! The local wildlife seem to like the Wheel too. As we watched a pair of Crows had a fine time, stealing open packs of butter, foil and all from the tables around us.

We made it to the airport with plenty of time to spare. Dad and Nick returned the rental car and Mum and I sat and wrote postcards. Following an uneventful plane ride home we were all pleased to be back at base.

Posted by Hayley

Monday 23 May

Squirrels and Osprey

We awoke, and following four HOT showers, had our suspicions confirmed the chickens did indeed provide eggs for breakfast and even better pancakes were on the menu. The tea also came in collectors teapots - we had a Royal Mail Postbox and a telephone box. A lovely start to the day. Suitably fuelled we set out on the long drive from Dores to Stirling. Having driven for at least two minutes we arrived at the Pringles Mill. This Mill, established in 1798, is one of the oldest working weaving mills in Scotland. There is a brief exhibition on the top floor that focuses on tartans and their production and downstairs is a large factory outlet for James Pringles Weavers. Dad managed to buy some Robertson Tartan which he plans to have made into a waistcoat, Mum and I got Robertson scarves and I got some beautiful earrings. So I think Dores did ok out of our trip there

We decided to visit the Osprey Centre in Boat of Garten on our way down to Stirling. This was more because we heard that there might be some red squirrels rather than from a desire to see Ospreys. Having followed the sign posts we successfully located the centre. We were lucky enough to see a variety of birds and a very gorgeous red squirrel, who seemed most taken with the peanuts available in the bird feeder. It was less sure about the bird seed though and after taking one mouthful of this, from a second feeder, looked in disgust and returned to the peanuts. I was surprised by how much smaller than grey squirrels red squirrels are. They are really quite tiny. It is not hard to see how they would have been cha

The Ospreys didn't let us down either. When we arrived neither of them was on the nest but a little later on the female, EJ, returned and began her vigil for Henry, the male. There was no sign of him when we left but the staff said he was probably off fishing and would catch something to woo EJ with. There were no eggs yet and it is getting pretty late in the season so nobody was sure whether they would get a clutch or not this year. The lack of eggs was the result of some dramatic early season goings on. EJ had arrived back from Africa with no sign of Henry. She began the mating rituals with another male and got as far a laying some eggs before Henry turned up. He arrived looking very bedraggled, and his breast looked as though it was stained with oil. The staff suspect he was blown off course, perhaps to the Irish coast. When he turned up he kicked the eggs out of the nest and the whole cycle began again, rather later than normal. So in all in all a rather dramatic soap opera. Before we set off Nick and I used the long-drops which informed us they were a new innovation for recycling human waste. They looked like bog-standard long-drops to me (excuse the pun) but one never knows.

We completed the trip into Stirling with only a brief stop for a late lunch/afternoon tea. Nick had more scones with jam and cream, I'm starting to worry a little that he may expect this treatment at home. Instead of staying in Stirling proper we had elected to stay in Bridge of Allen, a suburb just outside the city. The bit we stayed in was rather posh. The houses and gardens were huge. It was quite a change from Edinburgh and Glasgow! Another pub dinner beckoned and then home for a quick board game before heading up to bed for sleep to get ready for our last day in Scotland.

Posted by Hayley

Sunday 22 May 2005

Aye, Black Pudding

This morning we all awoke to NO hot water. At breakfast we discovered that one of the other guests had had her early morning coffee in her nice warm bath so we suspect the hot water tank just wasn't up to it! Breakfast, however, was delicious and Nick even got up the courage to try black pudding. Not something he will be repeating in a hurry.

We headed into the Highlands today so the scenery was spectacular. The comparisons with New Zealand's South Island are very accurate. The area really is extremely sparsely populated, although we did see our fair share of cows and sheep. We were, however, amazed by the numbers of hikers we saw traversing the West Highland way. Our route took us through Fort William and past Ben Nevis before driving up the North Side of Loch Ness to Inverness before heading a short way down the South side to our B and B in Dores.

Following a brief supermarket pit stop in Fort William we headed on to Ben Nevis, the highest mountain in Britain. The plan had been to ride the gondolas up the mountain to see the panoramic views of the surrounding countryside, including the nearby Bens, Glens and Lochs. By the time we arrived we felt we had climbed sufficiently on the road to have had stunning views of the scenery without the expenditure on a gondola ride. In addition, the mist was starting to set in (meaning that Ben Nevis was living up to the English translation of its Gaelic name, cloudy mountain) and we weren't sure how much we would really be able to see anyway. Instead we decided to watch the mountain bikers who were careening down the slopes. Many of these were international riders preparing for the following weekends round of the Mountain Bike World Cup. We saw some riders get really good air and also some rather spectacular crashes, including one guy who broke his crank and subsequently hit the ground with a bone jarring thump.

We set off again on our journey. Mum, who was in charge of planning the sight seeing, had found a Commando Memorial for us to visit. This memorial is a bronze statue commemorating the men who trained in the area during World War 2. The statue also has a beautiful view of the surrounding sweep of moor and mountain and offers a chance to look back on Ben Nevis. As we arrived the skies opened and the wind whipped. So the visit turned out to be shorter than it might have been under better weather conditions. Mum, was most impressed by the statue and thought it captured the faces of the men beautifully.

Just down the road Mum had also located The Old Pines. A restaurant described as a foodie haven by the Scotland rough guide. It certainly turned out to be this as well as a welcoming place to spend a rainy afternoon. We all ate extremely well, mum, Nick and I all opting for the platter of Smoked Venison, Smoked Ham, Smoked Salmon, Smoked Trout and Smoked Cheese with relishes and bread (Nick did well out of the relishes and bread) and Dad choose a Smoked Venison sandwich. We finished with dessert in the lounge where the boys had scones with homemade raspberry jam and cream with tea and Mum and I had fruit including some gorgeous fresh raspberries. We all wanted to stay on for the evening but unfortunately we had to keep on moving. Our break had allowed the weather to clear and we emerged into a sunny, if damp underfoot, day.

The next part of the drive took us up the banks of Loch Ness. Nick had been particularly forward to Nessie hunting. The Loch is twenty three miles long and very deep and the road runs along side it offering spectacular views of its 'deep, mysterious and foreboding' waters (as described by Nick). We called in at Castle Urquhart, from where most of the photos of Nessie have been taken and utilised their 'customers only' carpark to sneak some quick snaps. However, none of us saw her rear her head today, unless she can be seen in the photos we took when we have a closer inspection.

From here it was on through Inverness, past its pink crenelated very-distinctive castle and on to Dores and our B & B for the night, the Pottery House. I think this was the best B & B we stayed in in Scotland and heartily recommend staying there if you get a chance. We think the wardrobes were bigger than some of the rooms we stayed in in other places. They also have a beautiful garden full of bird feeders and there was a gorgeous woodpecker who visited the one outside our room. We are also assured that there are red squirrels in the forest around the house and we guess that the chickens will provide free range eggs for breakfast. Conveniently there is also a pub nearby which does dinners. This is located right next to Dores beach, the only sandy beach on Loch Ness. We thought it was the ideal spot for Mum to get out her togs and have a dip but for some reason (perhaps the temperature....) she wasn't even tempted. The Loch looked at its moody best as we ate dinner and of course the long evenings meant we could watch as the sunset over the water.

Posted by Hayley

Saturday 21 May 2005

Things to do when you're dead in Glasgow

Today we explored some more of Glasgow's sights (this time not retail orientated), but first we had to shower and get ready. This was perhaps slightly easier said than done. While we had a disgusting shower, it was at least in possession of hot water. Jane and Ian's room was more palatial but lacking in the afore mentioned heated H2O.

This minor calamity aside we headed out to Glasgow Cathedral. Built in 1136, destroyed in 1192 and rebuilt shortly after. The Cathedral strikes an imposing figure over the surrounding buildings, which now house among other things a museum of religion and art and the oldest house in Glasgow. The Cathedral has a rather impressive Crypt which is home to the tomb of St Kentigern (affectionately known as Mungo) and a number of chapels. My favourite Chapel was that of St. Nicholas. This chapel had been used as a Sunday School in decades past and had on display a letter from a gentleman who had once attended Sunday school there. The letter stated (in a none too serious tone) that he had thoroughly enjoyed his lessons, although he often failed to turn up till the finishing hymn, all creatures great and small, a hymn he could still remember the words to. He had none the less had a wonderful time and that the food on the Sunday school picnics was the best.

Across from the Cathedral is Glasgow's oldest house. The property dates from 1471 and has been used as an ecclesiastical residence as well as an inn. The doorways were very low, but surprisingly the ceilings in the rooms were of a most generous height and concussion was avoided by all. The house was in possession of a fine set of assassin proof floorboards - they squeaked with every step. In the backyard is a physic garden complete with gargoyles.

Behind the Cathedral is the Necropolis. Constructed in 1833 and based on the Père Lachaise in Paris this garden of death is a wonderful assortment of Mausoleums, tombstones, urns, obelisks and catacombs covering several kilometres with a great view over Glasgow for all its residents. It felt like we were taking a stroll through one of Sunnydale's many cemeteries, only without so much vampire related hijinks.

From Glasgow we headed north to Loch Lomond. There is a visitor centre at the south end of the loch with an array of information about the national park area surrounding the loch as well as many walks through the forest and wetland, and a couple of cafes to boot. We enjoyed a sandwich and a cup of tea while gazing out over the water. We discussed going for a boat trip, but it really wasn't that warm so we contented ourselves with a stroll instead.

We set out on the road again driving up the side of Loch Lomond, this time I was behind the wheel so that Ian could relax and enjoy the scenery. Yes, relaxation is possible while I'm driving. Our destination was Crianlarich, a small town at the top of Loch Lomond. Well actually it's a really tiny town, well really town is probably too strong a word to describe it, but you get the idea. We found our B&B without any trouble then headed back down the main street to find Ian a pub as the FA Cup final was on and his beloved Arsenal were up against those evil Mancunians. With a suitably tuned television found we left Ian to the game* and went for a stroll round the area. Jane wandered off briefly, but after a stern talking to she acknowledged the error of her ways and agreed to be a good girl.

Dinner was at the pub across the road from our lodgings and was delicious hearty fare of the kind not found in large cities. We retired to our rooms after dinner and promptly fell asleep.

* Arsenal won by the way.

Posted by Nick

Friday 20 May 2005

In which we are historic

Following a full Scottish breakfast (well more full for some than others) we set off on our days adventures. Mum and Dad wanted to show me the shop where my great-grandmother (my father's mother's mother) had lived as a child. It is now a second-hand and antiquarian book shop. We are not sure what type of shop it was when my great grandmother and her family lived there, I might need to do some further digging! Mum and Dad located the shop last time they visited but again it was closed for the holidays. This time we were in luck. The shop was just opening as we arrived and the owner couldn't have been kinder. She showed us copies of the deeds she had received, including a description of the property as held in the archives. She also allowed us to have a good poke around and showed us where the fireplace and stairwell had been as well as the communal garden. Of course, it was also fun because second-hand bookshops are always fun and you never know what you might find. Nick found an early addition of Alice in Wonderland and this has been added to our collection.

We decided that we should a least do a drive-by of the new Scottish parliament building given all the fuss and expense. I was most intrigued to see the pods that have been built into MPs offices for quiet reflection time. The building has won a number of awards for its architecture but I can't say I was particularly taken. In particular I thought the wooden screens on the windows were just odd. Perhaps it needs a little time to mature into itself. The others liked it more than me though I don't think any of us will be taking a design lead from it.

As our last hurrah in Edinburgh we had decided to visit the Museum of Scotland. This is the newest Museum in Edinburgh and covers the history of the Scottish people from pre-history to the present day. It also has a roof terrace from which you can view a panorama of Edinburgh which is well worth the visit on its own. We decided, time being short, to go on a guided tour of the Museum. This focused on pre-history through to the prime of the Scottish kingdom. The thing that most fascinated me was the elaborate stone carving that was undertaken throughout the period, this later extended to work in precious metals. I also hadn't realised the complexity of the makeup of early Scotland's tribes. Other highlights included a series of Lewis Chessmen, a full sized Steam Engine, a large Whiskey Still and The Maiden, Scotland's guillotine in use before its famous French cousin.

The next thing on our schedule was the drive into Glasgow. This is not exactly a taxing proposition clocking in at around an hour total driving time. Well, presumably that is if you know what you are doing. We managed to find Glasgow no sweat but decided we would find somewhere to lunch before heading for the B and B so went off at an earlier motorway exit. We soon encountered a mall but couldn't find parking for love nor money. In the end we ended up around 20 minutes walk from the mall. This was fine as we headed towards the shops but the torrential downpour that arrived as we headed for the car ensured we were all soaked by the time we got back to the car. The shops were fine, there are certainly plenty of them and should we return they may warrant further investigation.

We located the B and B successfully. Being the kind daughter that I am I offered to let my parents have the downstairs room thinking that we would have the one upstairs (in my imagination one flight of stairs) to save them lugging the bags up. Well it turned out they were very grateful for this as our room was up three very steep flights of stairs. If I had known I would have been tempted to leave the luggage in their room and just take enough clothes for the next day up! We were, however, pleased to discover that the B&B was very close to a major restaurant area. Just a short walk down the hill. Again this was very steep and was certainly more challenging on the way back up! So we had a very pleasant dinner followed by an early night for us while Mum and Dad went for a stroll to see a little more of the city.

Posted by Hayley

Thursday 19 May 2005

Beam us up Scotty

This morning we flew out of Gatwick bound for Edinburgh. Security has got so complex now that it would be easy to forget that this is simply an internal flight. The rigmarole is amazing. We successfully picked up the rental car and headed into town and into the confusing one-way system they have introduced to channel traffic away from Princes' Street. I can honestly say we were at no stage lost, we knew where we were and where we wanted to be we just had now idea how to get there given the number of streets that were one-way and in this case going the wrong way. We got there in the end though and found the B and B, on Minto Street, with its, as promised, parking. The rooms were not the biggest I have ever seen. In fact they were rather tiny and the bathroom was inside what could have once been a cupboard but they were clean and handily located near a bus stop with buses into town. A must since no way were we taking the car back into that mess!

We headed off on the bus which dropped us at one end of Princes Street. As we got off the bus we were greeted by a piper. Mum and Dad were keen to have a look at the shops as during their previous visit (Hogmanay 1998/1999) everything had been shut because of the public holiday. They were particularly interested in the traditional Scottish shops with their tartans. We also wanted to see Jenners, an Edinburgh institution and until recently the oldest independent department store in the world, having been founded in 1838. We chose to have afternoon tea in the tea rooms there. Nick, in fine style, had a scone, jam and cream as well as his tea. He also selflessly tested the various types of fudge available so that I could choose a suitable box for my colleagues!

Following our tea break we headed down to the Princes Street Gardens. The gardens provide a stunning view of Edinburgh Castle perched high on the rocky outcrop overlooking the city. The gardens were built following the draining of Nor' Loch (part of the Castle's defensive moat) in the 1750's. The land has been protected for public use following an 1816 Act of Parliament which protected the site from commercial development. It also effectively acts as a divider between the old town and the new. We were lucky enough to have a sunny afternoon and the gardens were in full bloom with an amazing array of azaleas and rhododendrons. Dad sat and watched the view while Mum, Nick and I went for a walk around the gardens. Apparently in winter they set up an ice rink in the park along with other entertainments. In summer regular concerts are held in the bandstand. It is also a popular place to watch the fireworks let off from the castle at various times of the year. On our walk we discovered the Ross Fountain. The fountain was built of iron in the mid 19th century. It was cast in the Durenne ironworks at Sommevoire Haute Marne near Paris for the Great Exhibition in London in 1862. It was then bought for Edinburgh by local gun-maker and philanthropist, Daniel Ross. It was transported in 122 pieces and reassembled in the Gardens in 1872. Over time it fell into disrepair but was refurbished in 2001 and now works as it did when it was designed. This is the fountain you see in many pictures of Edinburgh Castle taken from the gardens!

By now we were more than a little peckish. So we decided to go on a hunt for somewhere to eat dinner. Having found a few places that met the criteria (Hayley and Jane could eat something, not too much chicken on the menu) we decided to eat in style at the Edinburgh Hilton. The others started the evening with a drink in the bar, Champagne for Mum and Nick, before we retired to the dining room to eat. It was a lovely meal and Mum and I got our first (if by no means our last) taste of Scottish Salmon. We headed back to the B and B with very full tummies indeed.

Posted by Hayley

Wednesday 18 May 2005

London, city of shopping

This morning we decided to head into town to have a look at Carnaby and Oxford Streets. We started at Liberty, where we struck immediate success. I think Dad had rather got into the swing of shopping in Norfolk as he made a number of purchases through the day. At Liberty he found a beautiful paisley shirt. The Liberty shirt display is always impressive with rows of beautifully coloured shirts and ties. We did also look at womens' clothes but I am firmly of the opinion that the mens' clothes there are much better value than the womens'. We of course, couldn't leave without having a quick look at the chocolate shop - just because it has some beautiful chocolates and sweets and not because I seriously thought any of us would be tempted!

We then headed down Carnaby Street as Dad was on the look out for vintage Arsenal shirts as sold by a sports shop a the end of the road. We did however get rather distracted by shoes. Mum and Dad were both impressed by the range and quality of the shoes available here. I think they were doing their bit to prop up the retail trade which has apparently had the worst Spring it has had for quite some time. We narrowed the choice down to a few pairs but I thought it was time for lunch so we head to Pret a Manger where I knew we all could eat. Mum and I had Sushi and Dad had one of their delicious looking sandwiches and a baked (not fried) doughnut. We then headed back so Dad could pick up two pairs of casual shoes.

As we wandered past Mum and I popped into the Palladium on the off-chance that there would be a Wednesday matinee. As it turned out there was! So we purchased tickets for Chitty Chiity Bang Bang. It didn't start until 2.30 so I thought that left just enough time for us to pop down the road to Hamleys to visit their six floors of fun. The highlight was the remote controlled cars which we raced around the track. I might add I (the only one of us who doesn't drive a real car at all regularly) was the only one who could get the car around the complete track, and when I did it repeatedly I think they thought I was just showing off! As we headed back towards the theatre Dad spotted another couple of shops he wanted to look in. Before we left him he had managed to buy 3 polo neck t-shirts and 2 cotton jerseys. Mum and I left him to it while we went to the show.

I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. I have, of course, seen the movie too many times to count but had never seen it done as a live show. The staging was spectacular, many of the sets having complicated moving parts. Each of the scenes was extremely colourful and the dancing was beautifully done. There are more than a few laughs and the flying car is extremely well done. The only worrying moment was when as Chitty came up to do her curtain call at the end she nearly ran over Caractacus! I was a little worried that the matinee would be full of children but there didn't seem to be any problem. We had really good seats, better than what we paid I expect. The only downside was we nearly drove Nick and Dad insane singing 'Oh you pretty Chitty Bang Bang. Chitty Chitty Bang Bang we love you'!

We found Dad again (he had purchased a pair of dress shoes and a couple of cups of coffee) before heading for the tube for home with much of the rest of London. On the whole though Oxford Street and Carnaby Street were much quieter than I am used to. Perhaps I should always go shopping on a Wednesday!

Posted by Hayley

Tuesday 17 May

Arrival

Mum and Dad arrived this morning at 5.20am. I, however, was not at the airport to meet them. That was okay though as I had figured out that the earliest I could possibly arrive was 6.30. Having told them this I thought they could entertain themselves with bag retrieval and immigration for a while. We met up safely after I had negotiated District and Piccadilly lines and the tube replacement bus to Terminal Four. It was an equally uneventful trip back to the flat. I tried to keep them awake for as long as possible. Mum did really well but Dad, having had a hectic time in Norfolk Island, succumbed at around 4.00pm. They had a lovely time in Norfolk, despite their bags going missing for four days and therefore a few unexpected shopping trips. Before Dad headed for bed we managed to sneak in a walk down to Wimbledon. They wanted to stretch their legs a bit having spent quite some time sitting on the planes. Also, I needed to stock up our cupboards a bit with Jane-friendly food so we slipped in a trip to the health food store as well. It was an uneventful afternoon and evening though Nick did appreciate his Shihad CDs and TWO bottles of Absolut Vanilla Vodka. It is lovely to see them and I am looking forward to spending time with them over the next three weeks.

Posted by Hayley