GLOBUS TOUR "BRITAIN IN DEPTH"

Day 1, Thursday, September 2

Ride to airport with S. Gilliam. Flew US Airways through Philadelphia to London Gatwick. Long bus ride to our Hilton Metropole. Nice hotel.

Day 2, Friday, September 3

Got in about noon, so had the afternoon to walk around. Went down Edgware Road from our hotel, the Hilton Metropole London, to Hyde Park. That is about 6 or 8 blocks and you would think you were in Lebanon. Nothing but Lebanese shops and restaurants. Amazing concentration from another country. Hyde Park is big and open; lots of grass but not too many flowers.

Day 3, Saturday, September 4

Morning sightseeing with our tour director, M. Benoit, for the usual things: Royal Albert Hall, Kensington Palace, Knightsbridge with Harrods, the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben beside the River Thames, and Westminster Abbey. Main stops were to see St. Paul’s Cathedral and the changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace.

In the afternoon we took a bus to Harrods. They had a Lower Ground floor, the Ground Floor, which is usually the first floor for us, and 5 upper floors. We made a quick visit to all 7 floors. Prices are high, and we are not going to get much for our dollar on this trip! Interesting that in their sporting goods section they had lots for riding and playing polo. It is a horsey country! That evening we went to a pub, "Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese", and took in a comedy at the Criterion Theater, "The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged)"; three guys doing some pretty slapstick stuff, but entertaining.

Day 4, Sunday, September 5

Started our real tour with a visit to the Ornamental Gardens of Henry VIII’s Hampton Court Palace. The palace is still used for visitors and President Reagan stayed there when on a state visit. Very nice flowers.

Then on to Chartwell, the family home of Sir Winston Churchill from 1922 until his death in 1965. The home was restored to the 1930's style by the National Trust. Found out that Winston had written several books, even won the Pulitzer Prize in Literature, perhaps for his "History of England". He also painted extensively, over 500 paintings, and many were on display in a separate studio building. For relaxation, he must have liked to build walls, as some around Chartwell were of his doing.

Later, we crossed the South Downs to the Regency seaside resort of Brighton where we went through the Royal Pavilion, a lavish oriental palace built for the Price Regent in the early 1800's. Our biggest impression, though, was of the rocky beach. White rocks, most just smaller than an egg, made for a beach that we were not used to!

Day 5, Monday, September 6

Going west through the "West Country". In Winchester, the ancient capital of Wessex, saw an immense Cathedral. King William Rufus and novelist Jane Austen are buried there.

Stopped at Cerre Abbas, a 180-foot tall giant Celtic fertility figure carved in the chalk hillside 2000 years ago, maybe... Getting there was an experience. We were on narrower roads with very high hedgerows right up to the road. And we met a big truck. There was a traffic jam for some time until the truck found a slightly wider spot in the road and we could squeeze past. In general, I think English drivers are pretty considerate.

Went through Thomas Hardy’s Dorset to Honiton, known for lacemaking. Saw a Free House, which is like a pub (Public House) that was built in 1540. Most of the roof was thatch, but that in the very front was now tile. Then we went on to Torquay on the English Riviera. Had a great view of the bay from our balcony!

Day 6, Tuesday, September 7

Toured through Dartmoor National Park. High country, misty and cool. Lots of heather and gorse mixed in among the patches of grass. We visited a nice little village, Widecombe in the Moor. It is the setting for Conan Doyle’s Hound of the Baskervilles. On to Plymouth and saw the Mayflower Steps from where the Pilgrim Fathers embarked in 1620 for the New World. Had a Harbor Cruise to the Royal Naval base of Devonport. Enjoyed the Torquay harbor and had an excellent, but expensive, meal at a local restaurant, the Fish Bistro.

Day 7, Wednesday, September 8

Went to Glastonbury with its association with King Arthur. Then the Georgian city of Bath with its flower-festooned streets and the excavations of the Roman Baths.

Crossed the Severn Road Bridge into Wales where we saw Cardiff Castle, Cathays Park, and civic buildings. Stayed at the Vale Golf and Resort Hotel. Nice course; site of the Welch National, got a couple golf balls.

Day 8, Thursday, September 9

Headed north from Cardiff through "The Valleys", whose iron ore and coal were the raw materials for the Industrial Revolution. On through Brecon Beacons National Park, land of salmon rivers and the Welsh mountain pony. Then to Llangollen, home of an annual international contest for poets and minstrels.

Stopped at the walled city of Chester, a historic county town on the River Dee. Walked the Roman wall and saw pieces of stone the Romans had used in their buildings. 

And the archeologists were still at work! There were a lot of black and white half-timbered buildings and two-tiered shopping arcades call the "Rows", too.

Staying two nights in Buxton, in the heart of the Peak District National Park. Buxton is an old tourist town and we stayed at a grand, old hotel. Of course, the lift, that is what the British call an elevator, quit working.... We saw kids leaving school and some got on the train to go home.

Day 9, Friday, September 10

Drove through the National Park to Chatsworth House, the stately home of the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire. Very opulent. Tremendous paintings on the walls and ceilings. A Rembrandt just happened to be one. A large room full of sculptures.

The gardens sort of duplicated those at Versailles. 

Great view of the rolling Derbyshire countryside from the house. We went to a pub for dinner that evening, The Packhorse Inn. Very good food.

Day 10, Saturday, September 11

Headed north past Manchester, once know as "Cottonopolis". Go into the scenic Lake District for a visit to Grasmere, home of the poet William Wordsworth, father of the Romantic period. On to Birdoswald Roman Fort on Hadrian’s Wall. The Romans built this barricade, over 20 feet high and at least 6 feet wide, from coast to coast, over 80 miles, to keep out those northerners, raiders from what is now Scotland. They had towers every 1/4 mile and a troop garrison every few miles. Not much left, none over a few feet high, and some foundations of old forts.

Stopped at Gretna Green, just inside the Scottish border. There a blacksmith used to wed runaway couples, until they changed the age law and ruined his business.... Drove on though the Lowland Hills to Glasgow, Scotland’s largest city.

Day 11, Sunday, September 12

Followed the "Bonnie Banks" of Lock Lomond into the Highlands. Saw Wild Rannoch Moor, Glen Coe, where the MacDonalds were treacherously massacred. Went by Lock Linnhe, and Fort William beneath Ben Nevis, Britain’s highest mountain.

Too windy to take the ferry across the Sound of Sleat to the Isle of Skye, so drove north and crossed the bridge to visit the Museum of the Isles at the Clan Donald Centre; 13 centuries of clan history. Back on the Mainland, saw Eilean Donan Castle.

Drove along Loch Ness, but no monster seen, and on to Inverness, the Highland capital.

Day 12, Monday, September 13

Crossed the battlefield of Culliden Moor. Visited the Glenlivet whisky distillery, but Edie liked the ducks and the "Wee Beastie", the native cow breed.

Visited Crathie Church. Drove through Braemar, home of the royal Highland Games for over 900 years. Went by Dundee to St. Andrews and stopped at the Royal and Ancient Golf Club, the Old Course. And I got another golf ball. On through Fife and over the Forth Road Bridge to Edinburgh. Had a Scottish evening with Highland dancers, bagpipers, and the Ceremony of the Haggis.

Day 13, Tuesday, September 14

Saw the 200-year-old "New Town" and heard of famous scientists, inventors, and novelists. Then in the "Old Town", we went up the narrow Royal Mile to Edinburgh Castle and Scotland’s Crown Jewels.

Then on to Holyrood Palace, the Queen’s official Scottish residence. That afternoon we visited the Royal Yacht Britannia, which for the Queen was once the perfect royal residence for glittering state visits and family holidays. It had a tremendous, long dining room and a couple of our presidents have dined there.

Day 14, Wednesday, September 15

Boarded the east coast line Express Train for a scenic ride from Edinburgh to York, England’s most complete medieval city. And I left my camera on the train! Felt stupid for days after that!  

We went to the York Minster, a large church, and then through the quaint streets, including the narrow Shambles. 

We also went to the National Railway Museum; they had everything from the Rocket Replica, built in 1829 with three major advances for steam trains, to the Royal Train of about 1910, to the Mallard that averaged 126 mph on a run in 1938.

Day 15, Thursday, September 16

On to the Duke and Duchess of Rutland’s Belvoir Castle, but they call it "Beaver" Castle as they don't want it to sound French. Had a tour by costumed household staff member.  This castle is one of England’s grandest stately homes of about 1825. Even had a lunch of Leicestershire specialties served in the Servants" Hall, which was the kitchen, too.

On via the ancient route of the Roman Foss Way to Stratford-upon-Avon to see Anne Hathaway’s Cottage and visit Shakespeare’s birthplace.

Day 16, Friday, September 17

Drove through the Cotswold Hills to a several villages, Chipping Campden, Moreton-in-Marsh, and Broadway. Shopped in the afternoon. Later, we went to Warwick Castle, which was set up like a wax museum, except for the ghosts that haunted one tower. It was very realistic and informative. Then we had dinner at a pub. Had a much poorer meal and service this time.

Day 17, Saturday, September 18

Went to Bladon and saw the grave of Sir Winston Churchill, former Prime Minister and wartime hero. On to Oxford and had a tour of Christ Church College and the Church. The spire dates to 1320 and is the oldest such in England. The dining hall was interesting and has many connections with Lewis Carroll’s book "Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland".

That night we went to dinner and to the "The Lion King", a very impressive musical production.

Day 18, Sunday, September 19

Back to Gatwick, Philadelphia (finally found our luggage), and Raleigh. Cab home. Was a long trip, but a good one!

PS.  Sorry, but forgot about some pictures of the countryside and interesting signs: