A month in the UK

A sunny late winters walk along our local canal

We've been back a month now and haven't done a blog. We've been doing lots of other things instead though.

Brian spent a long time planning a trip to Japan, which we have now put on ice. It feels a little foolhardy to be planning a trip in that direction just at the moment, so instead he's now looking at Canada which may not be much better cost wise with increased fuel prices!

Followed by lunch in our garden with Luna, next doors cat

We've been out walking with Brian and Keith. The first week Brian planned a walk along the length of the, nearly 2 mile, Netherton Tunnel which we have walked through in the past. This was different in that we followed the length of it from above to find all the pepper pots that mark the ventilation shafts. 

At one of the ventilation shafts of the Netherton canal tunnel. There were, I think, 7 in all and we had to visit all seven, even though they were all very similar. The advantages of a Tuesday walk!

We couldn't do this in a straight line however, with roads, houses and private fields in the way, but it certainly made an interesting outing. John, sensibly had a dental appointment, so met us at the Vine, a great Bathams pub attached to the brewery. 

Some of them were somewhat difficult to get to, but Brian and Keith are not one's to be put off! 

And when we got there it looked very similar to the others. I won't bore you with the other 5 (one of which was in the middle of a roundabout in a housing estate and another in someone's front garden!)

But it was a splendid walk through countryside

Finished with a few pints at the excellent Vine pub attached to Bathams brewery in Brierley Hill

The following week he was working and Brian was away so Keith drove Brian and I to the Cotswolds to walk around Belas Knap a Neolithic long house which we had been to before, Brian while walking the Cotswold Way, and both of us with Denise and Paul on a walk I think when we were house-sitting near Cheltenham. Another good walk with more restrained pub visiting. This was 'undone' on Friday when we were struggling with the crossword only to get a WhatsApp, of what turned out to be the back of our heads. John and Keith were hiding behind the car, giggling, like small children. We joined them at the Weighbridge for a few very enjoyable drinks! 

Out walking the following week with Keith to visit Belas Knap

With a couple of pints of Butcombe Rare Breed after in the Lion Inn in Winchcombe

This was  tainted by a message from John when he got home saying that little Emma cat wasn't well. After a trip to the 24 hour vets it was decided that she had FIP which her sister died of when he'd not had them long, so sadly the decision was made to put her to sleep.

Little Emma cat when we were looking after her while John was away

We had only just returned home after a couple of nights away in Buxton. Having seen good weather forecast we impulsively booked a short trip. Keith recommended the Monsal Trail, an 8.5 mile cycle path to Bakewell on an old disused railway. It was a good cycle, lots of other cyclists and walkers all taking advantage of the good weather. 

Cycling the Monsal trail near Bakewell, Derbyshire

We left the bikes for a while to climb this hill for a classic view of Monsal Dale and the Victorian Monsalhead viaduct

Before cycling through the long Headstone tunnel to get to Bakewell

We enjoyed a Bakewell pudding (not tart, that's the modern version apparently) and cycled back. I'd been looking forward to a Thai meal in a restaurant close to our Airbnb and was quite surprised to see it looking busy when we walked past for a pre dinner pint. We booked a table, though actually it probably wasn't necessary, the tables emptied not long after we arrived as the occupants headed off to the Buxton Opera House to see Spitfire Girls. Not an opera, but a straight play that sounded quite interesting, so we decided to see if we could go too. We finished our meal and had 20 minutes to get down the hill, buy some tickets and make our way to our seats. Talk about spur of the moment.

Bakewell pudding with custard which followed our first course of Derbyshire Rarebit, both firsts for us. We ate them in the restaurant of the 17th century 'Old Original Bakewell Pudding Shop' in Bakewell. We're told the pudding was invented by accident in the town and the recipe was, in 1860, secured by a Mrs. Wilson who started to produce them here. We thus ate Bakewell pudding to the original recipe in the building in which they were originally first produced. Others in the town, however, claim that's all rubbish and were originally produced in their shop! Believe what you will, it was a nice experience

The very splendid Buxton Opera House, where we attended a performance, in the centre of fabulous Buxton with its array of grand Victorian buildings built because of its supposed health giving Spa waters that bubble up nearby

The following morning before coming home we headed back to the Monsal Trail to do the Cheedale stepping stones walk. 3 miles by the river, very pretty, if not a bit muddy. Lots of dippers flying about, though I'm not sure he managed to get a good picture.

A lovely, spontaneous, few days.

Back to the Monsal trail next day to walk a bit we'd cycled the previous day to get to the Cheedale walking trail. At the bridge over the river crowds of people were gathered to abseil off the bridge to the path by the river below

Setting up their ropes for their abseiling day. Abseiling to us is just part of rock climbing and is a convenient way of getting back down. Here its an event on its own

Walking through the scenic Cheedale and, as usual, we were looking up at the crags either side to check out climbing routes

My best photo of a dipper. Its not very good as I didn't have my proper camera with me only the phone camera

Jackie heading over one of the two groups of stepping stones we had to negotiate

We've also walked from Church Stretton on a mountaineering club walk, though it turned out to be just us, with Alex and Rob and Taaibah, the walks secretary. A very atmospheric walk and a late pub lunch. Ideal. 

Our Solihull Mountaineering Club outing on the Long Mynd, led by Taaibah (in the white coat) with Rob and Alex

At Pole Bank in the mist, the highest point on the Long Mynd. Not the best day for a view!

A walk with Denise and Paul around Birmingham topped off our walks. They had a little puzzle booklet they'd bought to entertain the grandchildren in the summer, that they'd managed just less than half of. I think we enjoyed it more than the kids did and we saw some interesting bits of Birmingham we've never seen before despite walking past many times! Again, a pub lunch to finish the walk in the Old Joint Stock, there's a definite theme here!

Out with Denise & Paul on our puzzle walk through Birmingham City Centre

Solving one of the clues in a part of Birmingham we'd never been to before

We've seen Sunday club, Monday club and Terry and Sue. Been climbing and done lots of life maintenance - hygienist for me and hospital for Brian after his drugs trial. Financial advisor and much time spent trying to fit my awkward feet into some new walking shoes. He's even built a set of bookshelves in the bedroom, in a completely wasted space. I have filled it immediately, but it brings us a step closer to being able to change the unit in the living room. While he's been planning I've done lots of gardening and cooking, some really good meals though I do say so myself. I finally roasted the leg of lamb I'd bought at Christmas so a proper Sunday with John, before a Moroccan flatbread dish, lamb biryani and shepherd's pie, all of which stretched to feeding us for 5 days. I love leftovers!

Talking of which, it's getting around to that time again....

I sent him that, but he didn't get round to it, so a little more. Yesterday we went to RAF Cosford with John and Brian, not our usual walk, and it wasn't even Tuesday, but interesting nonetheless. I haven't been since mum and I took Charles and Caroline maybe 15 years ago and Brian has never been. There is no pub there, but when you are with people that know, we broke our journey in Wolverhampton and went to the Great Western for a hot pork sandwich and a few pints, so somethings stayed the same.

Yesterday's Tuesday walk on a Monday to Cosford RAF museum with Brian and John. It's a really interesting, large museum that has free entry (places to make a voluntary donation are available in many places). It was made even more interesting with John's amazing knowledge of aircraft and defense equipment

Jackie and Brian check out the oldest surviving Spitfire while John checks his phone