Tag: travel

Scottish, and Spanish, sunshine!

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Admittedly not all of my weeks after leaving the campsite were beautifully sunny, but the majority of the time I was still blessed with amazing weather, so I was very lucky. Part of my route planning was trying to visit as many National Trust for Scotland properties as I could. There are so many in the areas around Aberdeen, so I could do the interiors of properties on the less sunny days.

Fyvie Castle visit was on a bit of a grey day, the exterior reflected this, looking very somber. Like many Scottish castles, there are a number of towers that have been added to over the years, which gives them this very distinctive look.

Most of the castles I visited you joined a tour, rather than it being a self guided visit, and while I often prefer to be alone, usually as I need more time to look at the textiles than everyone else 😉 the tour guide was really interesting and knowledgeable, and really made the place come alive.

Even though it looks fairly modern from the outside, and the beautiful plaster ceilings are reproduction, rather than original Jacobean, it has a long history. Charles 1st spent time there as a young boy, and Charles 3rd, our current king, had his 70th birthday party there.

There were some great textile treasures there. I have seen so many different interpretations of this embroidered jacket, there is an original one in the V and A museum in London, known as the Layton Jacket, after its owner. This one belonged to the daughter of James 1st of England, Elizabeth of Bohemia, so dates from the same period.

There was also a gorgeous, and very pristine, whitework bedspread featuring the Scottish thistle, no provenance, but I would imagine a member of the family.

On a more modern note there were a set of co-ordinating needlepoint cushions in one of the lounges which all used the same colourway, and which were so pretty.

There was so much needlepoint on my tours of the castles and houses, and while it is so time consuming, I am really tempted to make a cushion at some point. I gave up needlepoint for cross stitch when my children were small, due to time constraints, but am tempted to try it again!

The following day the sunshine was restored so I went to Pitmedden Garden, not only a very good example of different types of planned gardens, but also home to some very interesting sundials. The gardens date from the late 1600s, when the ‘new’ technology of sundials was very popular, and reflects both the historic layout of the parterre gardens, and more modern interpretations featuring less structured planting.

It was a very beautiful and relaxing place to spend the afternoon. I am now back in Spain, so have been enjoying the autumn sunshine here. It is a very nice 22 degrees today, I have replanted all my pots so that I have some colour on the terrace, and am back to my favourite way of spending the early evenings. The sunsets have been so gorgeous this week, such pink skies, and I have been lighting my candles and enjoying a glass or two of wine and a good book.

I have just updated the reading journal that I started when I retired, and I have read 354 books in the last 4 and a bit years, that equates to 88.5 a year, or 1.7 a week, although I read far faster in Spain than I do anywhere else. I just love it, and have so many happy hours of reading on the terrace planned for the next few months.

I will be going on a few day trips with my Mum, but the next few months are all about relaxing, crafting and writing, as well as some cycling. It is lovely to be back, especially after 6 months away. This is the longest that I have spent away from the house since I bought it 19 years ago, and I really appreciate having this lovely place to live. I am looking forward to next year so much, being back in Lotte the caravan, and Katy, but it is lovely to have my own bathroom, and my sewing machine!

Hope you are all having a lovely life, see you next time, and thanks for visiting.

A different kind of history

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As you know, I love visiting historic houses and castles, preferably with lots of lovely textiles. However I also enjoy different types of historic buildings, and though I wouldn’t consider myself particularly into military history, I do love star forts.

These were popular during the Napoleonic era, as their design makes them able to defend against attack more robustly.

I have visited quite a few in Spain, and on the way back from Rosemarkie went to Fort George, on the Moray Firth not far from Inverness. This is more of an elongated star, but still has the distinctive pointed outer ramparts.

Although it was built in 1746, after the Battle of nearby Culloden, to house troops to suppress the Jacobite Rebellion, by the time it was finished it was no longer needed for that. It9 is still a working army base, as well as being a historic tourism attraction, and the site of the Highlanders Museum.

It was quite strange seeing the modern mess, cars parked outside the barrack blocks, and groups of young recruits doing their morning runs, with backpacks, around the ramparts, in and amongst all the visitors.

It has an amazing location on the coast, directly opposite the Rosemarkie campsite, in the photo below you can just see the lighthouse I walked to when I was there. It also famous for dolphin spotting.

It was a really interesting visit, there is some interpretation in one of the barrack blocks, showing aspects of soldiers’ lives throughout the different eras.

These folding beds were really interesting,  this is from one of the rooms for single men in the early 1900s.

At one point in its early usage, wives and children used to live in the rooms with the men, four families to a room, which was also used for cooking.

There is also a beautiful Chapel, the last building to be completed, and a nearby exhibition about Scottish gardens.

Of course there were textiles as well, the modern poppy tributes in the Chapel, as well as beautiful flags and banners there and in the museum.

A really excellent place to visit, for its location, and the sheer scale of the construction, especially when you consider when it was built. It took 22 years to complete and I can only imagine how that was done in the 1700s without the mechanisation we have now. 

The exterior walls and ramparts are so impressive, and it was fantastic to see a fort in almost the same condition as when it was first built, as the restoration really helps you visualise what it was like for those early soldiers. 

Well worth a visit, if you are ever in the area, sadly no dolphins when I went, but amazing views.

I have been on the Yorkshire coast again, just a little further south than the previous site, and still enjoying the fabulous walks in the area. Such an incredible environment, which I will share in a future post.

I have also enjoyed being back in the luxury of a static caravan, which is very nice after a few nights in the tent. I have a very lovely fake fire keeping me warm! However I am now in Wales on my final camping trip of the year, with my sister.

Until next time, have fun and thanks for visiting. 

The wind and the waves

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After I left Speyside I went to the coast. There were so many beautiful places that I wanted to visit, and some park ups that I had on my list for my coastal tour. I will talk about the park ups in a later post, this one is all about the power of nature, and the importance of the wind and the waves.

I started my day with the most amazing sunset, and stood and watched as the early morning surfers took their boards out at Lossiemouth. The power of the waves was just incredible, after the stormy conditions of the previous day, but these confident surfers were out there loving it.

This part of the Scottish coast has some unique rock features, developed over time by the power of water against stone, wearing away in such minute steps, over millennia. Bow Fiddle Rick, just outside Portknockie, was my first stop on this journey.

The day I visited was very windy, but beautifully sunny, perfect for watching the waves crashing against the rocks here. Most of these small towns are also fishing ports, most now only used for leisure, rather than commercial fishing, superseded by the large Atlantic trawlers.

However the wind, and the waves, are still important here, it may not affect livelihood in the same way as when hundreds of fishermen lived here, but this area has a number of offshore wind farms, and the coastal town of Buckie is a centre for the offshore support.

The towns of Banff and Macduff, separated by the River Deveron, are still important ports, but I had come to see a lesser known area, just a bit further along from the port of Macduff.

The Needle’s Eye rock formation is another magical creation of the sea, and a little further on is somewhere I had been alerted to by one of the many van lifers I follow on Instagram.

The Tarlair Open Air Swimming Pools were built in the 1930s, and was open until the 1990s. The gorgeous Art Deco cafe has been restored and I had a very nice lunch there. The cafe is run by volunteers, has a great photo display of the pool’s history, and it is hoped that the pools will be open again at some point soon.

There are also open air pools at Gourock, a place I briefly visited last summer, and at Stonehaven, my destination a few days later when I went back to the coast. It was another gorgeous sunny day, for my cliff top walk along to Dunnottar Castle.

There is something so magical about watching the waves against the cliffs, knowing that this landscape is not permanent, that over time it will change, and that we won’t be here to see much of that change.

There is such a thrill at being at the edge of the land, just staring out at the horizon. I can’t imagine what it must be like to have never seen the sea, to never feel this wind, or watch the waves. It is such an amazing and mesmerising thing to do.

However, wind and waves can also destroy. I had a brief visit to Crovie, or to the cliffs above the village. It was too windy to walk down to the village, which was badly flooded in the 1950s, leaving it devastated as a fishing village.

It is a reminder, as we see almost daily on the news with severe storms and flooding, of the power of nature to obliterate.

I am currently at another incredible coastline, in North Yorkshire, enjoying more cliff top walks, which I will tell you about in a future post. Meanwhile enjoy life and thanks for visiting. 

The magic of the sea

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Maybe it’s because I am a water sign, or maybe it’s something else but I just love being beside the sea. Even if it’s just having a glimpse of it as I travel, or the little view from my house in Spain. It just instantly makes me feel calm and happy.

I was lucky enough to have four sets of visitors this summer, and so spent more time at the coast again with them, revisiting some of the coastal beauties of this part of the UK. 

I did have sometime off for some of these visits, though not when Dave and Louise came from Somerset.  We did have the evenings together,  and my first bbq of the season. 

This really is an undiscovered area for me, I had no idea how stunning these places were, and will always feel blessed that my first job with the club was in such an amazing area.

I now know where I am.going to be next year,  it was a surprise to me, and everyone else, and I shall reveal all in a bit.

Most of my coastal trips were beautiful weather, however the only inclement one was when my sister, Jacky, and her dog Ryan arrived at the end of July. This was the week before that very big storm that hit Scotland, and poor Jacky was in Orkney by then!

We had a visit to Spey Bay, to the dolphin centre there, and although it was grey and damp, and there were no dolphins, it was still a lovely place for a walk, at the mouth of the Spey River and the start of the Speyside Way. 

When my friend Sharon arrived from Yorkshire we were a lot luckier, and visited the fishing village of Buckie, and then on to Findhorn again, for glorious views. I think Findhorn may be one of my favourite places on this coast, but there are other strong contenders.

Maggie and Peter, also from Yorkshire,  and the previous owners of Lotte my lovely caravan,  also came that same weekend,  and we went back to Cullen, to do the coastal walk, on a wonderful hot, sunny Sunday.  My photos just don’t do justice to this amazing coastline. 

At the very end of my contract, on the last weekend,  I used my welfare nights to go to Rosemarkie, one of our sites on the Black Isle above Inverness.  Rosemarkie is famous for dolphin spotting, and I did see some, but the choppy waves made it difficult to photograph them.

It was a beautiful evening walk to the lighthouse though,  and more chance to.practice arty photography. 

I also took a trip to Cromarty, at the end of the Black Isle, one of the many historic fishing villages in this area, now home to oilfield pipe terminals, and a cruise ship port in the Firth.

There is still so much to see and do in this area, and I will come back at some point. I am now on my end of contract busman’s holiday, making my way down the coast, via Northumberland to Yorkshire for a catch up with friends, before I fly back to Spain at the end of October.

However I won’t be back next year,  as my contract is going to be at Glencoe! I was really surprised, as thought I would be staying but am so excited to be given this site. I stayed there for a few nights last year so know a bit of what to expect.  It is going to be a very busy site, and very different to Speyside. This will be my office view though, so I think I am going to have an amazing time there. 

Lotte has been moved to winter storage, and I am going to be back to pick her up in early March. Meanwhile there are historic houses galore, and the excitement of getting back to Spain and planning more adventures. 

So I hope that you are all still enjoying life as much as I am. I can’t tell you how brilliant this summer has been, and I am so looking forward to next year.  See you soon and thanks for visiting. 

Highland highlights

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I have so enjoyed being in this part of Scotland for the summer. I love the gentle forested hills, the sparkling rivers, and the stunning coast with its layers of misty blues.

I will find out in a few days where my contract will be for next year. Fingers crossed it is here, as there is so much more to explore, but anywhere in Scotland will be fantastic. 

I have spent some more time in the local village of Aberlour recently, firstly doing the walk up to the Linn Falls. This takes you past the distillery, and you can just get a glimpse of it through the trees.

You can see one of the huge copper stills at the back of the distillery, as always the smells are amazing.

The village itself is very pretty, it is a planned development built in the 1812 by Charles Grant, and named after one of his sons.

Its full name is Charlestown of Aberlour, and there is a smaller village just up from our campsite, named Archiestown, after his other son.

As well as being the site of a great local Co-op,  butchers and deli, it also gives you access to the river and the Speyside Way.  There are many of these beautiful bridges over the river here.

Like many of the places round here Aberlour hosts a Highland Games, and I was lucky enough to be able to visit, as I have had weekends off.

It was amazing, all of the surrounding towns and villages support each others’ games, so there were dance, athletic competitors, and pipe bands from the local area. This meant there was a great attendance and atmosphere, and thankfully fantastic weather.

My favourite part was definitely the pipe bands, there is just something about pipes and drums that touches your soul, and the drum majors were particularly impressive.

The Highland Dancing, and ‘heavy’ competitions such as tossing weights and hammers were also wonderful to watch. I can finally say I have a seen someone toss a caber, and it is very impressive!

I have also been being creative during my time off, and have painted lots of stones to decorate the campsite. These are some of the types of campers that we have had visit this summer, and they are on display near our facilities block.

I got chance to do a little bit of caravan upgrading as well, with fablon covering the kitchen area. You can see the original surface in the second photo. I have also bought new fleeces and cushion covers for the colder evenings. It is starting to feel very autumnal here now. 

Sadly my trip to Dingwall, that I wrote about last post, did not end well. It  was the week of Storm Floris, and although I got there OK on the Friday, the weather was bad again on Saturday, so I decided to come home, getting a split pole in the process of taking the tent down.

I have another welfare weekend planned next weekend, at one of our coastal sites, so hopefully that will go really well, and I can share the photos of that, along with some more coastal trips in my next post. 

Meanwhile I hope you are having as much fun as I am. Thanks, as always for visiting, and putting up with the less than frequent posts!

Paddles and pebbles

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I don’t wish to start this post with a complaint but it has been so hot in Scotland whilst I have been here. As you may know, I can’t tolerate heat, which is part of the reason that I leave Spain for the summer.

When I got the contract through for a season in Scotland I was expecting a cool, and damp summer, which was fine. I ordered lots of practical uniform, such as waterproof overtrousers and fleecey layers.

However it has been a consistent 24 to the dizzy heights of 32 degrees for the last few months, and I have been sweltering!

Thank goodness that the coast is only a short drive away, so I can not only get cooler weather, but enjoy the amazing scenery.

My first coastal trip was to the village of Portsoy, for their annual traditional boat festival. As well as the boats on display, there were related events, such as skiff rowing, a raft race, and demonstrations and displays of boat building. 

There was also lots of music, dancing, and a food festival. It was a wonderful introduction to maritime Highland culture.

The town is centred around the 17th century harbour, which has been beautifully restored, and has an amazing coastline.

I stayed overnight at an aire just a few minutes drive away, at Cullen, birthplace of the fish soup, Cullen Skink. The aire is in a gorgeous location, right on the coastal path.  I spent a very happy evening watching the sunset.

I also had some very delicious locally smoked Mackerel for tea.

My next coastal trip was on the hottest weekend so far, to Lossiemouth for a very welcome paddle. Lossiemouth was a key part of coastal defences during WW2, and still has the concrete blocks put there to prevent tank invasion. 

The views across the Moray Firth were just gorgeous.  Over the water is Caithness, part of Scotland I have yet to explore.

Last weekend I had another overnight, at the aire at Findhorn.  This open expanse of beach leads to the bay, and the River Findhorn, and the village was an important harbour in the 1700 and 1800s.

So many beautiful pebbles, the variety of stones were amazing. I have brought some back for some painted stones I am doing for the campsite, that I will share when they are finished.

There is a very interesting little heritage centre, with some great interpretation and photos. 

I have plans to visit more of this coast in the next few weeks, I only have 7 weeks left of my contract, but am then spending the rest of September in this wonderful country.

I love it so much, and am so happy to have had the chance to explore more. Love the job, love living in my little caravan, very, very happy 😊

I hope you are all happy whatever you are doing, thanks for visiting and see you soon.

Highland beauty

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This area of the country often gets overlooked, there is so much else in Scotland to see, so it is easy to miss. That has lots of advantages though, as roads are quiet, and it is easy to park, unlike at Glencoe last year!

I have been doing some exploring of the local area, in between the domestic duties. The nearest supermarkets are about 30 mins away, though there is a little Co op in the nearest town 5 mins drive. That means trying to combine my fortnightly shop with other adventures.

Much of my time has been spent along the beautiful Spey River. The Speyside Way runs from the coast down for about 70 miles, using parts of the old railway line, and provides brilliant forest walks and cycling.

The above photos were taken on one of my first walks, at the little town of Charlestown of Aberlour, our nearest place. One of the features of these rivers are the gorgeous Victorian bridges that cross them.

Yesterday I went to visit one of the most famous. Built by Thomas Telford and erected in 1814, it was the main road crossing at Craigellachie until the 1970s.

The area is also famous for it’s distilleries, using water from the Spey. There are over 30 in the area, and while I don’t like the taste of whisky,  the smell when they are roasting is lovely. 

I recently went on a walk near the Tamdhu distillery, which is next to the old railway station.  Such a gorgeous forest trail with glimpses of the river.

Life has been very busy, the last two weekends I have been away, firstly to a very interesting training course, where I met lots of other new staff. It was fun to hear about their experiences so far. Last week I went to the coast, so will tell you about that in the next post.

I have also visited my first castle of 2025. I hope to see many more after I finish working, as there are lots in the areas I am travelling to then, but this was the lovely Brodie Castle, near Forres.

The castle was closed as there was a function on, but the grounds and the lake were enough to keep me happy.

I really am so happy here, I love life in my little caravan, and really enjoy the job. I am meeting so many people who love exactly the same things that I do, and feel so blessed to be able to do this in this gorgeous place.

It may not have the dramatic scenery of other places I have visited in Scotland, but it is a wonderful place to call home for the summer.

I shall hopefully be able to post again sooner than a month from now. The app is so slow that this has taken me nearly two hours, with waiting for it to respond, so it is not that I am neglecting the blog, it is just technical issues. Thanks for bearing with me, and fingers crossed see you soon.

Semana Santa – part one

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Being a Catholic country, Spain celebrates Semana Santa, or Holy Week, in the most wonderful ways. I have shown you some of the fiestas before, however this year I got to visit a new one.

Palm Sunday is celebrated very uniquely in the nearby city of Elche, with a procession of palm sculptures.  The palms are wrapped in bags for month beforehand, to bleach the fronds, then woven into the most incredible tall sculptures.

Some are abstract patterns, some represent scenes from the Bible, but all are detailed, taking around two weeks to make.

The slow procession is accompanied by bands, and an icon of Jesus, around the centre of the city, before finishing in the cathedral. 

A wonderful morning, and well worth seeing, the sheer dedication of the weavers is incredible. 

There are of course many magnificent gold work banners to accompany the parade.

Hope you are all having a lovely time whatever you are doing, and thanks as always for visiting.

Meet the latest member of the family!

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Well of course you should have been reading all about the gorgeous fiestas I went to in Spain in this post, however I have skipped ahead for very good reasons.

I will get back to my time in Spain as soon as possible, but on the day that I was scheduled to post, we had a major power blackout that affected most of Spain, Portugal, and other parts of Europe. 

That was ‘interesting’, and made you quickly realise how very much we rely on having working phones, access to the Internet, ATM etc. 

One of my main concerns was that I was due to fly back to the UK two days later on the Weds, to be reunited with a very special new addition.  I have previously hinted at changes for this year but I would like you to meet Lotte.

Lotte is a ‘new to me’ 33 year old caravan, that I bought from my very good friends, Maggie and Peter in Yorkshire, last year. There have been lots of preparations in place surrounding the purchase and subsequent removal of Lotte to Scotland. Here she is on the haulage lorry in Yorkshire, and arriving in a very sunny Speyside 🌞

I needed a caravan to live in as last year I applied for, and was successful in getting,  a post as a Site Assistant with the Camping and Caravanning Club! The interview process started in October, and involved me flying back to the UK in early December for a recruitment day, and I got a job 🙃

I was so thrilled as this has been a long held dream post retirement from teaching. I was over the moon when a couple of days before Christmas I found out my post would be in Scotland.   

There have been a few stressful moments along the way. In the same week I had the blackout, finding out that the caravan towing company wouldn’t take her to Scotland last minute, and Katy having a seized handbrake and having to spend two days in the garage. However all got sorted and a day later than planned I set off for Scotland in Katy.

Lotte arrived last Wednesday evening, and I have been spending the last few days moving all of my new things in, and sorting everything out.

She is absolutely gorgeous and I already love living here in her. I have a lovely staff pitch, very shady, with lots of trees and birds around.

I have a fixed bedroom, which is great, with so much storage space.

Also a cute little kitchen area, and most exciting, a bathroom.  I have a toilet, and running water and everything 🙃

Also a lovely comfy lounge area, so I can sit and craft in the evenings as I listen to the birds. It is all just perfect and I am over the moon about it all.

I start work tomorrow, which I am so looking forward to.  Most of this week will be training, and at the moment I have the weekends off, so I will still be going out exploring this gorgeous part of the country in Katy. I plan to use the many stop overs and aires here.

I am further north than I have been before, just above Aviemore, so really looking forward to exploring. I took 10 days to make the journey up to my site, so got to visit some new places.

My first stop was at The Nook Cafe, in the beautiful Northern Pennines. They offer overnight camper stops for £5, with use of toilets if wanted. I had a very peaceful evening, watching the sheep graze.

I then stayed overnight with my very good friends, Sue and Chris at their house, before going on to the Oban campsite for four nights. 

That is a very pretty site, in a walled garden, with beach access across the road, and a beautiful set of forest walks next door in Sutherland’s Grove.

I also had an afternoon walk around the headland at Port Appin, with stunning views across to Mull and Lismore.

Then it was on to Loch Ness Shores campsite for another four nights.

The weather has just been amazing all the time I have been here, I am so lucky. On my last day I did the forest walk to the Falls of Foyers.

One of the best things about being here in May is that the rhododendrons and gorse are blooming, so gorgeous.

So here is one very happy little camper signing off. I will be back as soon as possible, work and lack of WiFi may slow things a little, but thanks as always for being here for my new adventure.  Hope you are all having fun and enjoying life.

On top of the world in Wales!

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My Welsh adventures continued with a visit to somewhere that is very special to me. When I retired, nearly four years ago I went on a bus and train camping trip, for seven weeks. Having not passed my test, due to delays caused by Covid, I had a wonderful time, visiting Devon and Wales with my new tiny tent, and all my possessions in a rucksack and a large bag.

All the time I was hoping, and dreaming about passing my test and getting a little van. As you know it all came true, and this visit I came back to the last place I camped at, Fairbourne, near Barmouth, to stay at the new aire they now have!

I saw this being built when I was last here, and though it may not be the most glamourous of park ups, I was so happy to be there in Katy. I sat and watched the little trains go past, and had a lovely peaceful night there.

My next location was in West Wales, a stunning drive from Barmouth to Aberystwyth for supplies, then on to New Quay. I remember being on the bus four years ago, just marvelling at how beautiful this part of the country was, and was so excited to spend more time here this year.

My accommodation was a very luxurious three bedroomed caravan, on the Haven site at New Quay, just outside the town, again a wonderful bargain. I had a very large lounge, TV, and a beautiful kitchen, with sea views.

It was a really gorgeous site, overlooking the bay, and once again I was so lucky with the weather.

I managed to get a few more miles of the Wales coastal path done. The first walk was along the beach from the site, only accessible at low tide.

My aim was to get to the cliff top part of the coastal path, not only were the views wonderful, but I was also lucky enough to see dolphins, and seals on the same trip. No pictures of the dolphins as they were too far away and moved off quickly, but here is one of the seals. They were so close I could hear them barking to each other.

I love taking pictures of the signs for paths, and there was this wonderful old one hidden in the gorse bushes along the route.

The coloured houses in New Quay make it look so pretty from across the bay.

I also visited Aberaeron, another place I remember from the last trip, again with lots of beautiful painted houses, old Georgian buildings, and a pretty river walk. The town was once a thriving ship building community and port, and this is reflected in its gorgeous architecture.

I was only in the area for a week, so not too much time for exploring, but lots of lovely coastal and woodland walks.

I will definitely be back, and am very much a fan of the bargain Haven stays. I love caravan life as well as van life, and am looking forward to the ones I have booked for autumn in Northumberland and Yorkshire.

I was headed across Wales, en route to my sister’s in Worcester, again an area that I have never explored, and the drive was wonderful, so much so that I had to stop and take photos.

My next park up was somewhere I had heard a lot about, a bit of a legend in the van life and camping community, Coco’s Wild Camping. My photos really don’t do it justice, it is one of the most beautiful places that I have ever been to. Just miles of stunning views, from what feels like the top of the world.

I can’t tell you how happy I was to be there in Katy, especially as the road up was very steep and quite rocky in parts, but we made it!

I am so proud of myself for having these adventures, and challenging myself. Facebook keeps reminding me at the moment that a year ago I was driving back through France in Katy. Even though I wanted to learn to drive for so long, I never thought that I would end up having so many amazing trips, so many wonderful park ups and such fun, though sometimes I end up on some very scary roads!

After a very relaxing two days at Coco’s it was time time to hit the road again. I had a stop off, and overnight park up, in Hay on Wye, somewhere else that has been on my list for along time. You can park overnight for free in the main car park, which is very convenient. I forgot to get a photo, but again it was a nice peaceful night, just a couple of other motorhomes there.

Hay on Wye is famous for its bookshops, and is such a pretty place to visit, with the castle and lots of gift shops and eateries. I was really good and only bought six books, restocking the box in Katy for the summer. There were some beautiful shops though, look at these gorgeous books! One even had a craft area with a display of Liberty fabric and I managed to resist that, on the grounds that I have so much here in Spain already.

My last stop before Worcester, was to two villages in Herefordshire, on the black and white villages trail. Weobley is one of the bigger villages in the area, and has its own heritage trail, with info boards about the buildings.

Eardisland is not only gorgeous for the black and white houses, but also the little river running through it, the Georgian Dovecote which is now the village shop, and the quintessentially English church. A stunning spring day, with drives through some gorgeous countryside.

I have already decided that I will come back to Wales next year as part of my spring adventures. There is so much still left to see, and it was a brilliant trip. There is so much beauty in the world. I know it can often get lost in all of the horrible things that are happening, but trips like these help me focus on all the loveliness, rather than the bad.

I have been having a very busy and sociable time here, with Easter fiestas, all of the wonderful things that Spain does so well, so will be back soon with that to share with you. Have also been doing some crafting in readiness for the end of the year’s fundraising, so will show you that as well next post.

Until then hope that you find joy in the little things, and happiness in what you do. Thanks, as always for visiting, and see you all soon.