A Good Innings

 Hello there,

Last week my granddad, always known to us as Grandpop, died. So, my commentary on the South West has got a bit delayed. 

Instead I give you this little poem I wrote all about this incredible man who I shall miss.

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A Good Innings

92 years and 3 weeks is not a bad innings for someone who had sunlight treatment as an infant because he was failing to thrive.

It is not a bad innings for a kid who lived through the London blitz of World War II.

 *

It is not a bad innings for a charming young soldier on National Service,

who sometimes forgot to bring his cap, and had to travel all the way home again to be properly attired; 

and at other times won Athletics competitions,

whilst helping Hamburg rebuild after the War.

 *

92 years and 3 weeks is not a bad innings for a life-long Gooner and Eagles fan, who tenaciously gobbled up tennis and cricket, football and bowls.

The excitement of those victories, bouncing back from disappointment again and again. To relish the next fixture with equal excitement.

 *

92 years and 3 weeks is not a bad innings for a man who shared his house with his mother until the day she died…that requires perseverance and strength.

So too to love and care, full-time, for another in your own twilight years; because you said you would ‘love and cherish’, and you meant it.

 *

92 years and 3 weeks is not a bad innings with 5 grandchildren to worry about. Always anxious; that we were happy, enjoying our work, and being kind to each other.

Your parting cry of ‘If you can’t be good, be careful’ would grace us on departure as children. I didn’t understand it then, but I understood the love there, that we should take care, and have a lot of fun along the way!

 *

92 years and 3 weeks is not a bad innings for a man who boarded the tube in his seventies, and the bus in his eighties to go on adventures, to London, to school plays and museums, to cricket matches, and even the Ritz.

And its truly not a bad innings when you leave your home town permanently, for the first time, at the age of 88!

 *

92 years and 3 weeks is not a bad innings when you predate the NHS, and have two big brothers, when you believe in duty, but also in dancing; when all you really want to know for certain is that the kids are alright…

92 years and 3 weeks is a good innings.

Grandpop at the Ritz in 2009.

Summer 2020: North Wales and Snowdonia

Hello my friends! As promised here is episode 2 of my Summer adventures. This week I give you, North Wales and Snowdonia.

(Self-portrait beside Lake Bala)

Snowdonia

For my fortnight in Wales I was based at the incredible, Plas Penaeldroch in the heart of Snowdonia. Mike and Carrie are excellent hosts and the house manages both to feel enveloped in nature, and be a mere 10 minute drive south-west of Betws-y-Coed. Snowdonia National Park is full of beauty, especially in late August when I visited. There are walks suitable to every grade of walker, from the valley rambler to the serious climber. I used this book for a lot of my walks in the National Park and found my comfort zone was in the 'moderate' level walks, I left the 'hard' paths to the more adventurous! 

(Plas Penaeldroch)

In addition to hill-walking in Snowdonia I also really enjoyed some gentler rambles including around Llyn Tegid. This is Wales' largest natural lake, there are lots of watersports available on the lake, and I spent a lot of time thinking about Mary Jones. Mary walked 26 miles to a church on the banks of this lake just to buy a bible in Welsh! The other bonus of valley walks, such as that between The Ugly House and Betws, is the proliferation of coffee shops at either end. Coffee and cake is never far away, even at the base of the slightly more ambitious walk about Llyn Idwal. 

(Cwm Idwal)

A note on transport: It is possible to do Snowdonia by public transport but when I was there the buses were not running to timetable and there were significant delays (of upwards of 1 hour!). Whilst the towns and famous walking routes were quite busy it was always possible to find a quiet route and free places to park if you go 500m beyond the tourist hotspots. If you are visiting the parks in peak season do arrive early (before 9am) as they quickly fill up. Do also be aware that Snowdonia is famous for its hills, the roads can be narrow and steep.

(Gorgeous Snowdonia) 

Anglesey

I know plenty of family and friends who really rate Anglesey but I had never visited until this Summer. When it was raining in Snowdonia you could almost bet that it would be sunny on the island so I made a couple of trips across the Menai Strait. I was guided by my walking book to both Puffin Island and Newborough Beach. As with Snowdonia it pays to arrive early - getting out of Newborough by 11.30am was really challenging. Saying this, the sights are worth it in both cases. Sandy shores, glimmering water, and the mountains in the distance. These landscapes are steeped in peace and also offer plenty of historic interest. Although I only made a couple of trips to the island, I would like to return to explore it properly.

(Puffin Island)

  (The mainland from Puffin Island)

(Newborough)

Northern towns and their castles

Following the prompting of my walking book I explored a number of towns on the coast and their attendant castles. Here I will touch on just three: Caernarfon, Harlech and Portmeirion. 

An afternoon with the royal town of Caernarfon pairs well with a trip to Anglesey on the basis of location. They have a very nice thirteenth-century castle there, and you can pretend you are at the investiture of the Prince of Wales whilst you are there. When I visited there was a lot of construction work happening within the grounds of the castle which, in addition to COVID restrictions did limit the experience a bit but I'd still say it was a nice way to spend an hour or so. The rest of Caernarfon seemed dwarfed by the castle and I didn't find that much more to do there. 

                (Caernarfon Castle)                      

The same could not be said for Harlech. I don't think I would even have considered visiting Harlech without the walking book but I am so glad I did. This location does come with the warning that one of its roads was in the Guiness Book of Records for being the steepest road in the world! But Harlech has plenty to recommend it including but not limited to: castle, golfing range, incredible sand dunes, and WILDERNESS, which houses both a cafe and a wool shop - this is close to perfection for me! Needless to say I emerged from the shop with both cheese on toast and a couple of balls of wall. If cheese on toast isn't your thing Harlech has lots of coffee shops to find your fix. I concluded my visit to Harlech by doing a 7 mile walking route which took in the town, surrounding fields (I got so lost!), and a final stroll along the bay. Its a strong recommend from me.

(Harlech, really very steep, and very beautiful)

And finally, Portmeirion. I had a vague recollection that Portmeirion was famous for making pottery but I had no idea about the resort. Portmeirion was designed and built by Sir Clough Williams-Ellis over a 50 year period in the twentieth century and is inspired by villages in the Mediterranean. It is a slightly surreal experience where you know you are in Wales but the architecture doesn't match the context. I have never been to Disneyland, but I suspect its a bit like Disneyland. I had a perfectly nice morning in Portmeirion, but felt I had 'done it all' over 2 hours or so. 

(Portmeirion)

Well, that my friends was my experience of North Wales, honourable mentions to the towns of Bangor (perfectly pleasant but a bit beige), Porthmadog (nice indy ceramic shop!) and Towyn (so, so damp when I visited). Next time: The South West; Gloucestershire, Dorset and the New Forest. 

Summer 2020: County Durham and the North East

Well my friends, like most of you 2020 has not turned out like I planned. I did have quite an adventurous year plan encompassing Israel and Palestine and Vancouver. But then well 'the-changer-of-all-our-plans' broke in and turned everything upside down. Whilst travel abroad hasn't been possible for me this year I was determined to get in some adventures. So here is the first of my posts on travel in the UK 2020. Beginning with 7 weeks in County Durham and the surrounding areas.

Durham herself

Lending her name to the entire county, first up is Durham herself. I visited the city centre at least weekly during my 7 weeks in the North East and she has a lot to recommend her; but oh my goodness is she confusing to the unfamiliar driver! This was particularly the case when I visited as there have been a number of changes made to the local road network that Google hadn't caught up with yet. If you're going to travel by car I'd recommend the Prince Bishops car park, its a bit more expensive than the others but the directions to it are clear and you don't have to keep track of paper tickets etc. 

So, car rant over. What is there to do? Well, the cathedral is gorgeous and free to enter- you can still visit St Cuthbert's shrine and explore the nave, but NB the cafe and toilets remain closed. The covered market has also reopened with its full range of wares from watch straps to candles, fabrics to coffee. 

There are also a range of cafes to eat in. I particularly enjoyed my time at The Coffee House Durham and Leonard's. Cracking aero milkshake at the former, and fantastic sweet treats at the latter. 

Bamburgh

If you have the time and a sunny day I would heartily recommend a trip up the coastal road to Bamburgh. This small coastal town plays host to Bamburgh Castle - the inspiration for Cornwall's book (and now TV series), The Last Kingdom. The castle site has been occupied since ancient times, and you can see why when surveying the coast from the battlements. Having spent an enjoyable hour or two in the castle grounds you can make a day of it by, walking along the sand dunes, stopping for lunch in one of the many eateries along the high street, and paying a trip to St Aidan's church. St Aidan's is a 12th century church with a number of interesting features including the tomb of the unknown soldier. Unfortunately, the crypt - which contains the remains of 110 people from the 7th/8th centuries, was closed due to COVID. The coastal road to Bamburgh is a pleasure in and of itself, but if you happen to be heading that way from Durham I would also recommend a pause at Barter books or The Treehouse restaurant (sadly currently closed due to COVID), both in Alnwick.

Hartlepool, and Sunderland

I have snuck these two cities in amongst all the luxurious countryside and coastline because I feel they are much maligned in public culture. There are two faces to Hartlepool, and one of them is gorgeous - lots of Victorian architecture and the stunning exterior of Christ Church, built in 1854 but sadly now an art gallery. If you continue past the church to the marina you will spy a number of pretty boats and the majestic Royal Naval Museum. The museum was sadly closed at the time I visited but looked as if it would be a good experience. Hartlepool also has a drive-through Nandos. Need I say more.

Sunderland similarly has been unfairly dismissed as an ugly city. It is industrial and there is little to redeem the city centre, although have another look at The Elephant Tea Rooms as you go past. Beyond the city centre though there are some pretty spaces. Mowbray Park Gardens, for example, was created in the 1830's and won best park in Britain in 2008. Its a lovely place to spend some time. And the surrounding heritage areas make for a nice walk. 

Seaham and the Coast

Being in County Durham means proximity to a glorious coast line. There are beaches for every audience in County Durham. Roker has a beachside pub, Seaham has a sandy strand, but there are also several miles of quieter coastline. I really enjoyed an afternoon at Limekiln beach, and got quite lost exploring the coast at Hawthorne Dean. Seaham is a mere 15 miles from Durham city centre and has a Saxon church (sadly closed when I visited), many icecream parlours and a slightly strange WWI memorial. Seaham has several nice beaches and lots of free parking, its a strong recommend from me.

North Pennines and nature walks

Let's say for some inexplicable reason you are tired of County Durham's coast, what now? Well County Durham won't disappoint as there is plenty of natural beauty inland too. I did not visit Barnard castle (ahem!) but I did go to the North Pennines AONB and found it to be worthy of the name. As with the likes of Seaham there is lots of free parking in the area. There are walks to suit all types of walker. I did a little circular route of 7 miles, encountering cattle and horses, a river and the hill top. It was an enjoyable time but particularly facilitated by an afternoon tea in the nearby village of Quebec. 

So, that was County Durham and the North East - I found plenty to keep me busy in the seven weeks I was there. You would probably find more if you visit at a time the country is not plagued by pandemic. In my next instalment I'll tell you all about my fortnight in North Wales.