I made it home. And I even managed some sleep on the flight from Singapore - first time ever! Time to unpack, wash and settle back into home life. But undoubtedly a home life enriched and improved by some wonderful experiences. Through the people, events, achievements and encounters of this adventure I feel I've regained a little of the self confidence that had been waning before the trip. Thank you.

One of my first posts in this blog was about my search for heritage. In the end I didn't really explore heritage but the concept of belonging popped up time after time, in a number of different contexts. And for a while I thought I was going to come back with more questions than answers, but then a wise man told me earlier this week (paraphrased) that he thought the most important thing was to belong with/in/to yourself. I like that. That's something I can work on.

Until next time ... 

I'm in Singapore after the longest leg of my journey home. It got off to a smooth start and on time. Heathrow was busy. Check out the line up. 

There was only light cloud so I had a good view as we flew over south east England. 

Before crossing the coast.  

As before, the food was amazing. As if I don't have enough excess weight to lose! 

I watched a couple of movies (The Dressmaker and How to Be Single) before trying to get some sleep. This was the first time I tried out folding the seat down to a flat bed. It was really comfortable and I certainly rested for a few hours but I don't think I got any sleep. Just too much noise or movement. The last few hours of the flight were a little bumpy too which didn't help. 

They woke us a couple of hours before Singapore for breakfast. After more delicious food I was able to get out my proper camera and catch some of the sunrise.

And the lights of Singapore as we approached. 

I had time for one more movie so I watched The Danish Girl. Glad I finally got to see it.  

So I've got about 14 hours to wait around in Singapore before boarding the final flight home. Time to freshen up and maybe read the book I bought at Heathrow.  

I don't think I've ever felt this sad to catch a plane. Usually, by the end of a holiday I'm ready to come home. To return to the comfort and familiarity of home, the routine of work, the company of family and friends. This time I'm not ready. Not at all.

My flight leaves Heathrow at 11:25am. I decided to get to the airport as early as possible and then relax there. I'll be able to use the Singapore Airlines lounge. I woke at my usual 5:00 and had my coffee while reading the social media feeds. Because the hotel is so close to the Picadilly line it made sense just to catch the underground. I was on the train by 7:00. The last carriage was only half full.

Getting out at Terminal 2. 

The check in and security processes were quite quick. Walking to the gates and lounges however, seemed to take forever. But I'm here now. I had a good breakfast and now it's just a matter of waiting. 

Looking back, I made a list (of course): 

• 36 days (38 by the time I get home) 
• 7000+ photos
• 7 flight legs
• 7 intercity train journeys
• 11 hotels/apartments
• 0 delays
• 0 cancellations
• 0 booking stuff ups
• +10 kilos of books and other purchases
• +2-3 kilos of me (too many full English breakfasts, morning teas and pints)
• Countless memories

Au revoir England. See you again very soon, I hope. ❤️

Today was my last full day in England (insert sad face, mournful violins and distant sobbing sounds). The weather was overcast. I had originally planned to visit the Imperial War Museum as Duxford but my friend Jerome suggested I might enjoy Hampstead Heath so I headed there instead. I took the tube (2 lines) to Hampstead. From there it was just a short walk through some lovely streets. 

When I reached Hampstead Heath my first task was to find Parliament Hill. Jerome said you get great views of the city. He was right.  Epic!

From there I wandered around the Heath. It's essentially a large park but with a really natural feel and right on London's doorstep. 

After about an hour of walking I was feeling tired and decided to head back. By the tube station I noticed this telephone box cafe.  

And there was a really cute walk off the Main Street. 

Though, this was a little out of place. 

Shortly I'll start the task of packing my bags. I've bought quite a lot so there will be much reorganisation. Lucky I have a generous allowance on my flights.  

Its been an amazing holiday! I feel like I've been away for ages - months - and I've seen so much. I'm not ready to come home but I know I have to. If I could, I would move here without hesitation. But I know that's not possible. So I plan to keep coming back and exploring until I can get it out of my system. I've already started working on next year's trip! 

Last night I caught up with friends Emma and Sibs for dinner at a Peruvian restaurant in Shoreditch. It was great to see them and the food was fantastic. On my way to the restaurant I spotted this building and had to take a snap. I think the way they've played with perspective is brilliant! 

Last night wasn't late, but after Sunday night's effort it was still difficult getting myself activated this morning. I only had some very vague plans for the day so I headed towards the Thames. The walk took me through Chelsea and then along the Thames until the Houses of Parliament. I don't remember walking along that part of the Thames before.  

It was a perfectly clear morning and the browns and reds of bricks and tiles against the vivid blue sky looked stunning.

I passed this bike slowly being digested by the undergrowth.

The tide was exceptionally low on the Thames with many boats beached along the shores. 

The walk along the embankment took me a couple of hours but it was nice to stroll and take photos of things as they caught my eye.

I spent a little bit of time sitting in one of the parks along side the Thames. Luckily, I don't think I broke any of these rules. 

At one stage there were two very large and very loud black army helicopters hovering over part of the city. I haven't seen anything that beefy over the city before and it was a little unnerving

Eventually I made it to Covent Garden. I wanted to get a print I'd seen at the start of my trip and to visit the London Transport Museum. When I first arrived I went to the open day at the London Transport Museum depot not realising that there was actually a museum in the city. So today I checked it out. Understandably, it was teeming with school kids so navigating around was a little tricky. But worth it all the same. 

This is the inside of one of the older tube trains. Very different to these days. 

There's currently a design exhibition on and this model of Picadilly Circus station was fascinating. I really got a sense of how complex the network of tunnels is below the surface.  Quite mind blowing that it all works, actually.

By this time my energy was waning. I checked my map and discovered that a tube station nearby would take me directly to Earl's Court where the hotel is. It was a sign. Now I'm resting up before heading out to catch up with another friend. 

Tomorrow is my last day in England and I'm trying my hardest not to think about it.

The plan was to go to Horse Meat Disco last night and check out the new look and sound system, stay for a couple of hours, then head home. Things didn't go according to plan (details not required) and today has been a very slow day as a result. Not that I'm complaining. Wouldn't have changed any of it! 

When I did eventually get out and about I visited the Victoria & Albert Museum. When I went there at the start of my trip there were some books I was interested in but didn't want to weigh down my luggage too early. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to find the exact books but did buy another one.

There was also a new installation there as part of engineering month. Thanks for the tip off Andy, I wouldn't have looked for it otherwise. There's a robot/machine that is spinning this structure out of carbon fibre over the course of the month.

I took a few photos on the way to the museum and back but nothing worth posting here. Tonight I catch up with friends Emma and Sibs. We're going to a Peruvian restaurant. 

The weather settled down last night so I was up early to see what the lake would offer me this morning. She didn't disappoint. I could have spent hours taking photos as the light changed. 

But I had an appointment with a train to London. Before leaving, I took some photos of the light from the skylights in the hotel. 

The trip was a little convoluted due to maintenance work. I had a bus trip from Windermere to Oxenholme. Another from Oxenholme to Lancaster. Then finally the train to London. It was express for more than half the journey and very comfortable. The scenery was a mix of what I've seen so far. I took this photo on the bus.

The train was operated by Virgin. Nice to see Virgin still have a sense of humour over here. I think Virgin Australia have lost that, which is a shame because I feel it gave them a point of difference to the competition.

My final hotel is in Earls Court. Very handy location. The room is tiny, but very funky and cosy. Will do nicely for the end of my trip. 

This morning when I woke up it was wet, grey, blustery and cold ... perfect! The kind of day that I could finally sit inside and potter around without any guilt of not being out doing something. Having said that, I still found it really difficult to just sit and be in the moment. But by the end of the day I definitely began to feel a sense of calmness that I know I needed. Even when the weather improved and my itchy feet forced me outside, I managed to stroll instead of the usual gallop.

This morning I took the opportunity to take some pictures of this lovely hotel. Once I started, small details began popping up in front of me everywhere I looked. I only stopped because it began to get busy with people and I didn't want to become conspicuous or a nuisance. 

Tomorrow I take the final train trip back down to London for a few days before starting the trek home. 

The weather was looking a bit grey when I got up and it started to rain around 10:00. Luckily I only had one thing I really wanted to achieve today. Not that I couldn't do lots more, but I want to make sure I keep time to wind down - the last 4 1/2 weeks have been non-stop.

On the last leg of the train journey from York I noticed scenery that was a little different to what I had seen elsewhere. But the train was so packed that I couldn't get a good enough vantage point for photos. To fill in the missing part of my photo journal I wanted to retrace the steps. I won't be able to do that on the trip back to London because I will travel that part by bus.

So I caught the bus to Windermere. There is a bus stop right outside the hotel but busses aren't all that regular so I had to plan my journey. I walked around Windermere a little. As with the other towns around here, so many of the buildings are faced with slate.

Then I took a return train ride to Oxenholme. In order to get back in time for the bus back to the hotel I had to travel there and straight back. 

Elsewhere I've travelled in England the fields are all neatly (or not so neatly) outlined with hedges and the occasional dry rock wall. But around here grey (slate?) walls are everywhere and hedges are rare.

As the train came into Windermere two airforce planes came in low over the lake.  Along with the fly pasts the other day I'm surprise how visible and active the airforce is in this really touristy area. 

I caught the bus back to the hotel. By this time it was only 2:00 and the sun was actually shining. I was feeling guilty for not finding something else to do. Doing nothing while on holiday is a skill I'm yet to master. But I don't want to get home and feel that I still need a break. So, a quiet afternoon it is.  

The forecast for tomorrow is rain all day. That would be a recipe for guilt-free slothfulness. Fingers crossed. 

It was an impossibly prolonged goodnight. Each time I looked up, expecting you to be done, you were still present. Slightly faded from the last time but still lingering. In no hurry to be finished with the day. 

But now you've finally fallen into the darkness. And I sit with the lights off, watching you rest like a parent watching in wonder at the peaceful sleep of their newborn child.

This is a bit different. With no evidence of any other life it feels like you and I are the only two left in the world. And you are in slumber. I keep watch alone. At least, that's what I like to think. I know there's really life inside you, hiding beneath the shadows. 

This would be the ideal time to make my confessions. But I just sit. Trying to hold on to this feeling for as long as possible. Afraid to fall myself. Determined not to squander this rare moment or surrender it to the numbness of sleep. 

In the early morning, when the first sunbeams sneak around the edges of the curtains, you are the first thought to enter my mind. What is your morning look? And though my eyes are heavy from insufficient rest, I can't resist the desire to peek. 

But you aren't ready. You maintain control and composure, shrouding your modesty with white mist. You force me to be patient and close my eyes for a little bit longer. 

Soon enough I try again. This time you're ready to greet me, though you rise just as gracefully as you fall. Gradually blossoming as the increasing light reveals your features.

We share a moment. 

And then, in an instant, that moment is over. Family surrounds us, darting across the sky and heralding in full voice. Exercising flight and song as if they were new discoveries being tested for the first time. Vying for our attention.

Time to go our separate ways. For a while at least. 

Have a nice day. See you tonight. x

After a delicious breakfast overlooking the lake I hit the road. I had two soft targets for today: visit Ambleside and retrace the train trip between Windermere and Oxenholme for photographs. 

I walked to Bowness-on-Windermere as that's where the cruises leave. Ambleside is at the top of the lake whereas Bowness is midway down. I wasn't sure what to expect in Ambleside but I knew the landscape in the north was more mountainous. 

In Bowness, these boats were tied up near the piers for the cruises. 

The cruise takes about 25 min each way. 

Ambleside is a mile inland from the lake. On the way I spotted these sheep under the cover of the bushes. Not sure what they were taking cover from as it wasn't raining at the time.

Ambleside is pretty. Lots of buildings made from slate and some great views of the surrounding hills and mountains. 

This two room building over a stream was curious. 

I passed a small gallery with some lovely local paintings and prints. They had a series of prints which were a good size for my place so I bought a couple. 

Other than that I did anything BUT amble around Ambleside. I had it in my mind to get to part two of my day and I knew that was kind of dependent on catching the 1:05 boat back. So I kept up a rapid pace. In hindsight it might have been nicer to wander. 

Anyway, I made the boat in time. On the way back it started to spot with rain that became constant by the time we docked. Faced with the prospect of getting a little wet my resolution to continue on disappeared completely. After checking timetables I found a bus was due in a few minutes that would take me past the hotel. Bargain.  

So, even though it's only 3:00 I'm staying here in front of the fire in the bar. I've had some warming soup. Time to relax.

I wake up early. This morning, as warm and comfortable as the bed was, I couldn't wait to peek outside and see the early morning lake. 

After a quick coffee I had to go and explore. 

Today it was time to leave York and head to my final destination before returning to London then home. It had rained quite a lot overnight and was still drizzling in the morning. It would have been an inside kind of day anyway. 

I got to the station early and my train was in time. 

The first train was to Manchester. Then a change to Oxenholme Lake District. Finally a change to Windermere. The first train was relatively empty. The second was busier. The last train was packed. We passed a beautiful selection of countryside.

Unfortunately I wasn't able to get shots of the last leg because I wasn't by a window. The landscape was distinctly different. Hopefully I can get some photos later.

Windermere was packed with people. Much busier than I'd expected. The taxi driver told me this is nothing compared to mid summer. My hotel is out of Windermere and nicely secluded. It reminds me of a hotel Emily and I stayed in in Ireland. I have a window with a fantastic view of the lake.

The hotel is a converted manor house.

After having a sandwich in the Drawing Room (take note Emily) I got my things together to start exploring. I walked to the nearest town Bowness-on-Windermere. It took just under 45min. It was getting late when I got there, already 4:00pm but they were still running lake cruises. The weather had improved greatly so I seized the opportunity to do a short one.

The light on the walk back to the hotel was perfect for taking some more pictures. 

Just enough time to freshen up and have dinner with the lake as backdrop. Sun very slowly fading. Occasional swan gliding by. Amazing food and wine. A lovely end to the day.

Part of my plan for coming here was to wind down. I'll probably do a little exploring tomorrow, but then I think some lazing around the hotel will be in order.

I woke up after one of the best sleeps I've had on this holiday. It's was early, but I felt refreshed. After breakfast my first plan was to have one last go at photographing some of the older buildings in the city and then explore some more of the wall. 

Capturing the feel of the buildings is challenging. The streets are so narrow its often difficult to fit the whole building in and the streets are so dark that the contrast created by any light makes getting the right light balance tedious. I got some shots that I think will come out all right in post processing, but these two are OK as they are. The second one is meant to show just how ramshackle some of the buildings are. 

I picked up the wall from the eastern side and followed it around. It was still early in the morning and there were some great views. The wall is fascinating to walk and it's punctuated by gates and towers.

It was a beautiful clear morning and by the time I'd walked around the wall I was getting warm so I popped back to the apartment to change into lighter clothes. Then it was back to visit the Merchants Hall I had seen on my wall walk. It was built in the 1400s and was a guild hall for merchants. 

Somewhere on my walks I came across these cute goslings. There are quite a few geese in the rivers of York. I'm not fond of geese so I always make sure to keep my distance. 

From the Merchant Hall I made my way to Clifford's Tower. This used to be part of a castle. 

After grabbing some lunch I made my way to the main destination for the day - the National Railway Museum. 

They have a series of Royal carriages. This was the setting inside one of them.  Luxury.

They even have an authentic bullet train from Japan.

And some historic British trains. 

Probably the most fascinating was this cutaway steam train. I never realised that the round tank at the front contained all those pipes. I'd assumed it was just hollow. 

I spent quite a few hours wandering around before buying some great things from the shop. One is a book of transit system maps from around the world. It may sound a bit boring but I think some of these maps are mini works of art. I've always been a fan.

After popping back to the apartment again to drop of my purchases I walked my aching feet to one last destination - the York Museum. I had considered giving it a miss but I figure tomorrow is a train day and my feet can rest then. 

The museum was really well presented and gave a great insight into the history of York from prehistory, to Roman, Viking, Anglo and Norman. I took a photo of this tile because of the stamp. It just made it a whole lot more personal and real to think that someone placed that stamp there 2,000 years ago. 

That was a jam packed day. My feet aren't talking to me right now but I will rest them. Tomorrow I head on to the Lake District. 

Today I visited the National Railway Museum. At numerous times I experienced a feeling of nostalgia. Seeing this picture was just one of those occasions. The rounded booths selling newspapers and refreshments seem so familiar. But the reality is I've probably never seen them in real life.

As a kid I was into trains and making models. The catalogues all contained English and European railway scenes and I think I grew up with those scenes imprinted in my memory rather than those of Australia. 

It felt weird to feel so nostalgic about something I've only experienced secondhand. 

One of the reasons for staying in apartments during some of this trip was so I could do some washing. Last night I put on a load. By the time I went to bed it was still going. I went to bed anyway, thinking it would finish soon. This was about 9:00pm. I was tired and fell into a deep sleep. When I woke around 1:00am the washing machine was still going!  I reckon it got itself stuck in some kind of loop. I tried changing the cycle to drain the machine but it just kept filling itself up. So I turned the water inlet tap off. Finally, the machine drained. I was able to spin the load but I couldn't get the drier to work. I went back to bed to leave it for the morning. This morning I tried again with no success. I was going to have to dry the clothes in the room. I was worried that might take a while so I cranked up the heating. 

I wanted to visit York Minster today, so after messing with the washing machine and having my breakfast I headed out. I intended to be there ready for opening time at 9:00am. 

In the early morning I was able to walk through the city. I discovered a number of narrow streets lined with quaint shops in varying styles, some dating back to the 1400s. With hardly anyone around, it should have been the perfect time for pictures but the light wasn't very helpful. I took better pictures when I came back later in the day. 

There are lots of sweet shops. 

When I got to York Minster it was hard not to be impressed by the grandeur. It was equally hard to fit into one photograph! As I marvelled at the size I reflected on how much more imposing it would have been in the 1400s when it was finished and the buildings around it would still have been small. 

As impressive as the scale of the building is, the architecture has an unsettling side to it. I couldn't help seeing the structure as an instrument of power and control over the people. 

Inside was equally as impressive. Again, it was difficult to capture the scale in a single picture and what should be the most cavernous part was inaccessible due to stage and seating being constructed for upcoming performances. Nonetheless, I managed to see most of it. These are only a few of the shots I took. 

Beneath the Minster is a crypt with interesting artifacts including parts of earlier Roman buildings. 

It was possible to climb the 276 steps to the central tower, which of course I did. The steps were really narrow all the way up. 

Half way up we walked along the roof line. Check out those flying buttresses.  

The views were spectacular. 

In one direction I could zoom in to make out the silhouette of a massive power station on the horizon. 

I ended up spending a couple of hours in the Minster. Longer than I'd expected. Afterwards I walked back through the streets which were busier by now. There is an open air market, part food and part crafts. I bought a little print of a painting by a local artist. 

At some stage I needed to pick up tickets for my next train trip on Wednesday. I had purchase them in Australia but needed to pick them up from the station. I also need to reserve seats. Unfortunately, I accidentally left my credit card in the machine (more about that in another post).

I rang the apartment agency regarding the washing machine. They were understanding and are trying to get someone to look at it. They gave me some tips on how I might be able to get the load I've done dry and they're drying nicely now. It will be nice to have some clean clothes.

Around 2:30pm I made my way to the river to join a 45 min river cruise. It took us a little way along the river in each direction. The guide was very informative, but there wasn't an awful lot to see that I hadn't already seen on foot. 

I spent the remainder of the day wandering around, taking more photos. I won't post them here due to slow wifi. 

All things considered, it was a good day. Just a couple of bumps along the way. 

Today I had by first travel mishap. Luckily it was resolved and there should be no lasting problems. 

It began when I went to the train station to collect my tickets for my next train journey on Wednesday. I needed to use a machine that required me to insert the credit card I had used to book with. I had a bit of difficulty entering the correct booking code and got a little flustered. Subsequently, I left my credit card in the machine by accident. It wasn't until much later in the day that I realised the credit card was missing. I assumed/hoped that I'd left it in the machine - I figured it would have been my best chance of recovering it. 

I made a beeline to the train station and asked. Yes, someone had handed it in. Unfortunately, their policy is to destroy cards if they aren't claimed within 10 min. I can understand and appreciate that policy. At least they confirmed that the card had been handed in and was now destroyed. 

The card was really only a backup anyway ... and I have a backup backup credit card just in case! The only thing I definitely needed it for was to collect my final train tickets. Luckily they were able to do that for me since they knew the card had been destroyed. So all good. 

I guess, considering I have organised the entire trip myself, I'm doing pretty well if that's been the only hiccup so far. 

My stay in Cheltenham and the Cotswolds has come to an end and today it was time to head north to York. After yesterday's troubles I checked the train website first thing in the morning. Everything was running on time. My train didn't depart until 1:10pm so I had some time spare. I was still up early - I'm not usually one to lay around in bed. It meant I could have a quiet breakfast in the restaurant before the hordes arrived. Then I stepped out into the beautiful clear crisp morning to take some snaps of Cheltenham. Funny but I found it difficult to find much that I really wanted to photograph. It's not that Cheltenham is an ugly town - quite the opposite - it's just a bit vanilla. 

The train arrived more or less on time. But unlike the train from Plymouth a few days ago, this one was packed due to the line damage and maintenance works. When I boarded there was someone already in my seat. It's possible to buy a ticket without reserving a seat. That just means you look for unreserved seats when you get on. Clearly mine was showing as reserved but he thought he'd try his luck. All good though, he was very polite about it and I was in my reserved seat in no time. 

I took some photos on the journey just to document the changing landscape but it didn't actually change all that much. We passed through a couple of major cities: Birmingham, Sheffield and Leeds.  Overall though, I didn't enjoy the journey as much as my last one.

The train arrived in York on time and I hurriedly got my bearings through the very impressive building. I will come back to take photos later. Finding the apartment was quite easy and only about 15min walk. It's basic, but will do for this stay. I'm really looking forward to some simple food and getting heaps of washing done. 

After a quick dash to the supermarket for supplies, I headed out to explore before it got too dark. By this time it was already gone 5:00pm. At first I thought it was odd that the city was so quiet but then I realised it's Sunday - I've kind of lost track of days. 

I took a few photos. I won't try to post many because I think the wifi here is going to be a bit problematic. 

Two impressive features of York are the towering York Minster and the wall that surrounds much of the old city. I walked along some of the wall today. I will visit York Minster tomorrow.  

First impressions are that its going to be a very photogenic city. 

On my way back to the apartment I passed a little pub tucked away in a side street, so I popped into The Achorne for a pint of "beardo" golden ale. 

This morning as I was heading to the train station it occurred to me that it had been only a week ago (last Saturday) that I got back from Scandinavia. It feels so much longer. I guess I've packed an awful lot into the last week. That's a good feeling.

Today is my last full day in the Cotswolds. I had two alternative plans. One was to head north to Tewksebury. The other was to head south to Stroud and Painswick. As I was checking train times this morning I discovered that there had been an accident on the line to Worcester that I would need for Tewksebury and the line was out. Decision made. 

Of course, the problems with the train line were a little more concerning because that's the line my train will use tomorrow. I started to make alternative plans just in case I had to get to York via a different route. 

Once organised, I headed to the train station to take the train to Stroud. There was a degree of chaos there regarding the line problems but the staff were doing a great job and appeared to be managing the situation as best they could. My train was only partly affected as extra people needed to travel south in order to catch a different line north. 

I wasn't quite sure what to expect at Stroud. What I found was a bit of a mishmash. Some very old buildings some newer. But what I saw didn't have the charm of the other towns I've seen.

What was different, and most impressive about the town were the views of the countryside from within the town. 

There was a busy market in an area of the town called The Shambles, mainly farmers market but there were some craft stalls dotted around. I wandered a bit.

One stall had some amazing mounted photographs of the Cotswolds. I was tempted to buy one but decided to get it on the way back through Stroud at the end of the day (unfortunately plans changed and that didn't happen). I did, however, buy a delicious chocolate and lemon cheesecake brownie from a brownie stall. And the waistline expansion continues.

I didn't stay in Stroud long though. Instead I took the 61 bus to get to Painswick.  Painswick had a completely different feel. The buildings were reminiscent of the other villages I've visited, but with similarly spectacular views to Stroud. Like yesterday, utterly breathtaking at times.

One shop had this cute tiny window display. 

St Mary's church is in the centre of the town. A cemetery with numerous topiary trees surrounds it.  I saw a photograph of the village in a window that I think would have been taken from the base of the spire. There was a mist over the buildings and it just looked magical.

I wandered around so much that I missed the bus I had intended to catch back to Stroud. So instead I popped in to the Falcon Inn for delicious beef and ale pie followed by salted caramel chocolate tart with salted caramel ice cream. More expanding waistline.

Lunch didn't seem that much but I found it hard to move afterwards. Instead of returning to Stroud I decided the easiest option would be to continue with the 61 bus on to Cheltenham.  As the bus reached the edge of the town an incredible vista of the surrounding hills opened up. If only I had walked a little bit further!

By the time I got back to the hotel I felt I needed to walk off lunch a bit more so I wandered around the area by the hotel a bit. By this time it was about 4:30. So many trees are in blossom. There is one kind in particular I have noticed. It has cones of blossom pointing upward. This picture doesn't show the shape all that well, but it was the only tree I could find with the right light for a photograph.

So, the last three days have exceeded my expectations of what I would find in the Cotswolds and I understand why they are designated as an AONB (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty). 

Also, it looks like the train line to the north has been cleared, so I'm hopeful that tomorrow's journey will be able to proceed as originally planned. I'll check again in the morning to be safe.