Forest of Dean, South of the Severn and Ibiza

Picnic area in the Forest of Dean, near Symonds Yat, Gloucestershire, England, UK
Picnic area in the Forest of Dean, near Symonds Yat, Gloucestershire, England, UK

Look at this very hairy retriever. He may be old, he may be fat, but he is up to his knees in mud – still having fun!

Sign for the Hand Ferry at Symonds Yat, with the boat in the background, Gloucestershire, England, UK
Sign for the Hand Ferry at Symonds Yat, with the boat in the background, Gloucestershire, England, UK
People crossing the River Wye on the ancient Hand Ferry at Symonds Yat, Gloucestershire, England, UK
People crossing the River Wye on the ancient Hand Ferry at Symonds Yat, Gloucestershire, England, UK

Teenagers in this area have a choice – they don’t have to work the checkout in Tesco, they can haul tourists over the river on the hand ferry! Yes, they haul on the rope to get the boat over to the other side.

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Anybody know what these things hanging over the river are? Kelby?

The Monnow Bridge across the River Monnow with its gatehouse on the bridge, Monmouth, Monmouthshire, Wales, UK
The Monnow Bridge across the River Monnow with its gatehouse on the bridge, Monmouth, Monmouthshire, Wales, UK

The only bridge in the UK which still has its gatehouse.

Monnow Gate, a medieval gatehouse standing on the Monnow Bridge, Monmouth, Monmouthshire, Wales, UK
Monnow Gate, a medieval gatehouse standing on the Monnow Bridge, Monmouth, Monmouthshire, Wales, UK
Monmouth Shire Hall, with its statue of Henry V, born at Monmouth in 1387, and also Charles Rolls, co-founder of Rolls Royce, in Agincourt Square, Monmouthshire, Wales, UK
Monmouth Shire Hall, with its statue of Henry V, born at Monmouth in 1387, and also Charles Rolls, co-founder of Rolls Royce, in Agincourt Square, Monmouthshire, Wales, UK
Shopping in Monmouth, a view from Agincourt Square into Monnow Street, Monmouthshire, Wales, UK
Shopping in Monmouth, a view from Agincourt Square into Monnow Street, Monmouthshire, Wales, UK
A FV721 Fox armoured car and a FV180 Combat Engineer Tractor outside the Headquarters and Museum of the Royal Monmouthshire Royal Engineers (Militia), the most senior Regiment of the British Army Reserve, at Monmouth Castle, Monmouthshire, Wales,UK.
A FV721 Fox armoured car and a FV180 Combat Engineer Tractor outside the Headquarters and Museum of the Royal Monmouthshire Royal Engineers (Militia), the most senior Regiment of the British Army Reserve, at Monmouth Castle, Monmouthshire, Wales, UK.
Defibrillator in an old red telephone box in Monmouth, Monmouthshire, England, UK
Defibrillator in an old red telephone box in Monmouth, Monmouthshire, England, UK

Now there’s something different! Recycling in action.

Ross-on-Wye and the River Wye, Herefordshire, England, UK
Ross-on-Wye and the River Wye, Herefordshire, England, UK

I’ve seen this view of Ross on Wye many times, it turns out to be just about the only thing there worth a photo.

View from the cloisters, looking north-east, of Wells Cathedral, Somerset, England, UK
View from the cloisters, looking north-east, of Wells Cathedral, Somerset, England, UK

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A scissor arch, a 13th century answer to subsiding foundations.

The oldest residential street, with original buildings surviving, in Europe, Vicar's Close, Wells. Somerset, England, UK
The oldest residential street, with original buildings surviving, in Europe, Vicar’s Close, Wells. Somerset, England, UK
Panorama of the outer walls and moat of the Bishop's Palace in Wells, Somerset,England, UK.
Panorama of the outer walls and moat of the Bishop’s Palace in Wells, Somerset,England, UK.

We really wanted to go back to Wells, but it will have to wait for another time.

The medieval square in Axbridge, Somerset, England, UK. The half timbered building is King John's Hunting Lodge, now the museum.
The medieval square in Axbridge, Somerset, England, UK. The half timbered building is King John’s Hunting Lodge, now the museum.

I don’t know why it’s King John’s hunting lodge, it was built a couple of hundred years later, and was a wool merchant’s house.

Shoppers in the Broadmead Shopping Area, Bristol, England, UK
Shoppers in the Broadmead Shopping Area, Bristol, England, UK

This is about as photogenic as Bristol gets. M&S, the location of a very senior moment for me.

People sitting outside the Llandoger Trow, which dates from 1664, now a Brewer's Fayre pub in King Street, Bristol, England, UK.
People sitting outside the Llandoger Trow, which dates from 1664, now a Brewer’s Fayre pub in King Street, Bristol, England, UK.

We also went on board the SS Great Britain, which was very interesting. It’s very crowded in and the weather was miserable, so no good shots.

Cheddar Gorge Cheese Company, Cheddar Gorge, Somerset, England, UK
Cheddar Gorge Cheese Company, Cheddar Gorge, Somerset, England, UK

We tried the cheese, but we actually preferred the stuff we get from the supermarket. Sorry, Cheddar!

Rock climbing in Cheddar Gorge, Somerest, England, UK
Rock climbing in Cheddar Gorge, Somerset, England, UK
Two people crossing the causeway which contains the Marine Lake between Knightstone Island and the mainland at Weston super Mare, Somerset, England, UK. Instagram type filter added.
Two people crossing the causeway which contains the Marine Lake between Knightstone Island and the mainland at Weston super Mare, Somerset, England, UK. Instagram type filter added.

This is where the miserable weather set in, we will just have to come back another time.M2016_06_0010

Rob turned up dressed as a Kiwi, had to borrow that red fleece from Colin. He was a bit embarrassed about looking so unfashionable.

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Rob and Caroline with Amelia. Imogen didn’t want to be in the photo.

However, now for the good weather:-

Puerto de San Miguel, Ibiza, Spain.
Puerto de San Miguel, Ibiza, Spain.
The beach at Cala Bassa, Ibiza, with beach vendor, known as looky looky man, approaching.
The beach at Cala Bassa, Ibiza, with beach vendor, known as a looky looky man, approaching.

Yes, he is wearing a mini umbrella on his head.

The beach at Portinatx, Ibiza, Spain.
The beach at Portinatx, Ibiza, Spain.
Las Boas apartment building, by Jean Nouvel, Ibiza, Spain.
Las Boas apartment building, by Jean Nouvel, Ibiza, Spain.

We should have gone inside the hedge, there is a big pool.

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Rob points out the superyacht he is going to get for Caroline.

The Dalt Vila, the old part of Ibiza Town, dominated by the Cathedral, and seen from the town walls.
The Dalt Vila, the old part of Ibiza Town, dominated by the Cathedral, and seen from the town walls.
Ibiza old town and harbour, Ibiza, Spain.
Ibiza old town and harbour, Ibiza, Spain.

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Rob, Mike and Sue.

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It’s hard to know which of them looks best in the hat.

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Caroline with Charlotte and Anne.

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Rob loves his crosswords.

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Rob makes a splash.

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The Wind Surf, one the the largest sailing cruise ships in the world.

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The Ilona – it’s flying an Australian flag, so we Googled for the owner. It’s owned by the guy who owns the Westfield Malls.

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The Hippy Market. It’s very big, but as Rob pointed out, only really needed about 5 stalls, as there was lots of repetition.

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Modelling her stock.

Back to Blighty, where the weather hasn’t improved much. What chance has Weston Super Mare, when Ibiza is only a couple of hours away. No wonder all the British seaside places look run down,

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A smidgin of sunshine in Glastonbury. Those two are Jehovah’s Witnesses. They obviously work shifts, as there were two different ones later.2016_06_1394The Abbot’s Kitchen, Glastonbury Abbey. And inside…M2016_06_0621

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By far the most interesting thing about the abbey, IMO. We had a cream tea on the lawn, not produced in here though!

So, today we are off to Wales. As I said, poor weather in this area means we will need to come back some time, we didn’t do half what we wanted to.

2 thoughts on “Forest of Dean, South of the Severn and Ibiza

  1. I wish my parents would do blog posts like this while they are in the UK, I’ve only been getting the odd hastily written email with no pictures! Maybe they are posting all their pictures on that facebook thing 😉

    No idea what the cables are for, I’ve seen electric fences spanning small streams with farmland on either bank, but the river is wide, the banks are forested, and there are too many cables for an electric fence.

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