Tuesday 14 April 2015

Almost half way through April already - Where's it going?

I can't believe that we are almost half way through April already. At least the weather is improving and at last I'm able to wear less clothes and am even thinking of getting out the t shirts that have been packed away in a box under the bed since last year! I've heard people say it's going to be a warm few months, but 'feeling' will be believing.
Life@number 6 has been busy as usual and is revolving round Charlotte and Angus's move to their own house - hence the constant change of plans, which is why we went away at Easter and why I am not working my normal shifts at the clinic and sitting writing this.
They first thought they would be moving at Easter so our plan was to go down with the caravan to help them. It became apparent that that was not going to happen so we decided to take the caravan and join our friends at Broadway in the Cotswolds. We had a lovely time down there, overcoming the problems of no electrics working on the little site we were on and frozen gas due to cold nights.


 This was our view taken on various days - never quite clear but still spectacular.




 We were on a 5 van site behind a really lovely, well stocked  farm shop and cafe which provided us with fresh coffee for breakfast, as with no electrics we couldn't use our coffee machine.
Broadway was about 4 miles down the road. I didn't recognise anything about it, although am sure I must have been there caravanning with my Mum and Dad. It's a wide main street with gorgeous honey colour buildings which positively glow in the sun









The flowers were everywhere and really vibrant (my photos don't do them justice) 



David and I decided that we would walk to Broadway Tower on a round walk, about 6 miles and climbing 800 feet to second highest point in the Cotswolds. The tower was the brainchild of Capability Brown who realised his vision with the help of James Wyat, the architect. It's said you can see the Welsh mountains in one direction and Buckinghamshire in the other, unfortunately for us due to the mist we couldn't see that far. Even so the views were amazing. 
This was our route


and here are some things that caught our eye as we were on our way up




The sign was on the gate of the house below


Wild flowers at the side of the path



  We always like a good wood shed!


Modern shepherd's barns as holiday lets - I wasn't sure about those as they look too new and not in the kind of setting I would want to be, very close together


At long last the cafe at the top and a well earned coffee!


You have to walk a little further to the tower




and this was the view we had




just too misty but you get the idea.
Going down was on the Cotswold Way which was much quicker than our climb up through the woods. Suitably place benches provided the perfect picnic place



An ice cream was the reward for reaching Broadway again



plus a wander past the Easter decorated shops



Our final day down there saw us going to Chipping Campden - another real traditional Cotswold village full of more lovely buildings








We came upon the place below. Staying in'Crafty Cottage' certainly appeals to me



Photo of Crafty Cottage 

I could just imagine sitting in this tiny garden with a glass of wine


Can you see the mincer on the fence?


and the mangle?



On our return it was to be busy, busy, busy as Charlotte's move was scheduled for this Friday and I had still curtains to make. I swopped shifts at work, booked a couple of nights at Waves as there wouldn't be room this time at Charlotte's due to the packing up. Unfortunately for them, when trying to finalise the moving details, they found that the valuer hadn't been to value the house for the morgage so there would be no chance of them moving on Friday after all. A real disappointment which also threw up all kinds of difficulties for them and has also meant that we (due to commitments we can't get out of ) now can't get down to help them when they do expect to move. However they are very lucky to have a real good group of friends who will rally round and help them sort out the difficulties. As for us, well we are now going down at May Day weekend which does mean I can do something that I have always wanted to do and that is go to the Obby Oss celebrations in Padstow which take place on the 1st of May - can't wait!!!

Well despite having time I didn't expect there are still the curtains to be made and my sewing machine is calling. 



Wednesday 1 April 2015

Woodhall Spa

At last a little about our trip to Woodhall Spa the other week.

Woodhall Spa is a civil parish and village in the East Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England within a wooded area on the Southern edge of the Lincolnshire Wolds, about 6 miles south-west of Horncastle - Wikipedia



It's a really lovely 'genteel' place, full of traditional shops




 and a deli selling enormous croissants


plus Archie's independent coffee house - and you know how I love independent coffee houses!


It also boasts a 'Kinema in the Woods' extended to provide two screens!


It is the home of the Dambusters memorial



 The 617 squadron were based at RAF Scampton, moving to RAF Coningsby in August 1943 and moving again to RAF Woodhall Spa where the officers were stationed at what is now the Petwood Hotel.

Our site was about a 30 minute walk into Woodhall,  in 16 acre arboretum and woodland garden




It was very peaceful and very beautiful. 

We spent Saturday in and around Woodhall Spa, travelling to Horncastle where we spent a couple of hours going in and out of all the antique and second hand shops there.



Sunday saw us here


and it certainly was bracing! However we still enjoyed our walk on the beach there






I love the beaches when they are deserted.
We then moving on to the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust's Gibralter Point, where after a car picnic we walked around the nature reserve.




 a little desolate and very windy but good to be in the fresh air.

We had very little time the day we left, just a quick walk in the woodland opposite the site which was on the edge of RAF Woodhall Spa and even now has some of the original buildings and roadways.





I have been meaning to find out more about it since I got back but time has run away from me as it is now, There is a link here for anyone interested.

But for now I must go but I'll wish you a happy Easter and leave with a spot of baking and our Easter decorations this year