There are a number of walks around Grasmere, including ones that take you towards another lake. After yesterday morning's experience I decided to set out on a similar adventure this morning. I was out of the hotel by 5:30am. This time there were a few other people out and about by then, so I didn't feel quite so freakish. This morning was a clear blue sky, so the mist was more patchy. But it created some beautiful effects in the woodlands. 

Before heading off on today's major event I wanted to walk into Grasmere village. I needed to pick up a couple of extra t-shirts as well as look for some acclaimed gingerbread that I'd been told about. I found a shop that appeared to be selling the gingerbread but the shop assistant was upfront and admitted that it wasn't the "famous" Grasmere gingerbread. It was more a ginger shortbread. It still sounded interesting and I was impressed with her honesty so I bought some.

From there I hopped in the car and headed towards Keswick. On the way I planned to stop off to view (lake) Thirlmere if I got the opportunity. Thirlmere is actually a man made reservoir formed from two existing lakes, but is still impressive. A parking spot did present itself along with a short walk to a view point. 

After that brief interlude I continued on to Keswick. In total it was only about 30 min drive from Grasmere and I was beginning to become familiar with the road. 

First stop in Keswick was a visit to the Derwent Pencil Museum. The Derwent Pencil Factory used to be in Keswick and I believe they used to do factory tours. The factory has moved so I figured the museum would be the next best bet. It has been closed for renovations and today was the re-opening date. It was interesting in that it explained how pencils were manufactured but it was a little bit lightweight. 

After that it was on to the physical activity for the day, and probably the last big walk of the holiday. Latrigg is a viewpoint overlooking Keswick that is meant to be spectacular. I had downloaded a map from the internet that indicated I should be able to walk there and back in about 2 hours. 

As I started the walk I looked at the fell (barren mountain feature) ahead of me and could make out people at the very top (see arrow below). 

Surely that wasn't where I was going? Not only did it seem like a hell of a hike, I didn't see how I could get there and back in 2 hours. Surely Latrigg must be a lookout part way up the fell?  It wasn't. Latrigg was the summit and the climb was surprisingly manageable. Having said that, it was still hard work.

On the way up I passed some sheep and goats who were, I assume, totally oblivious to their beautiful surroundings. 

The final stretch of the walk snaked up the side of the fell. 

And the view at the summit did not disappoint. I provided nearly 360 degree views. The main being Keswick and Derwent Water.

There were fields, fells and other lakes in other directions too.

At Latrigg there was a viewing bench occupied by a couple of ladies for the entire duration of my stay at the top. I can only assume that they were determined to make the most of the effort it took to get up there. 

It was interesting to see the architecture of Keswick from above. 

Perched at the top of the fell, I reflected on where I was. It was a definite "pinch me" moment and feeling of intense gratitude.

At the top I met a couple and we exchanged some stories of our ascent as well as adoration for the view.

I spent a good 30-45 min at the top, finishing by taking some photos I hope to be able to stitch into a panorama. Then it was time to descent. Fortunately, a much less strenuous activity. I made it down to Keswick just before 2:00pm. My parking was due to expire at 2:30pm so I topped it up to give me a little time to wander around the town. Quite by chance I made it down to the water's edge. 

On my way back to the car, the image of these grand houses and the mountains behind caught my attention. 

On the way back to the hotel I made my second attempt to find the famous gingerbread, having done some extra research. This time I found it. The shop is tiny and adorable (should have taken a photo) and clearly well known with a steady stream of customers. As for the gingerbread, as described it was quite different - hard to describe how - and quite delicious. 

One more night, then the final leg of my holiday down to London. The food at this hotel has been outstanding - the best of the trip so far - but I've definitely felt conspicuous as a solo traveller here. The place is teeming with couples. It makes it a little bit tougher but I haven't let it spoil my time.

For the second time in a row the day didn't pan out as I expected. The original soft plan was to go for a stroll along a nearby walking trail for a couple of hours, come back and freshen up, then head to Whitby and/or Robin Hood's Bay for a second attempt at early evening light photography. To cut a long story short, the walk was so amazing and I was enjoying it so much that I just kept going. 21.6km later I've got some wonderful memories and two very stiff and sore legs.

So back to the beginning. The Cinder Track is a bike and walking track along the old disused train line between Scarborough and Whitby. Being a former train line, the walk is relatively easy with a mild gradient. After a slow morning I headed towards the start of the track at about 11:00am. The track was pleasant from the start but it took over an hour before I reached the outskirts of Scarborough and neighbouring Scalby.

The further away from civilisation I got, the more beautiful and peaceful the track became. Towards Scarborough there was a steady stream of parents wheeling prams but after that the track was only punctuated with walkers and cyclists. A couple of hours in I realised that this was what I wanted to do for the rest of the day. All around me was incredible birdsong with the occassional bird darting on to the path in front of me. I recorded as much of the sound as I could, when the singers weren't being shy on me.

The terrain changed as the track continued, as you'll see from the photos. Every path in front of me was a picture - a work of art - inviting me onwards. 

I realised that this was the most "in the moment" I have been on this holiday. 

Initially, the path was reminiscent of so many of the other paths I've explored on this trip.

I noticed the shine on the leaves of this tree. 

As well as a large number of perfectly formed dandelion flowers. 

Towards the town of Burniston, the path opened up. 

More verdant green fields. 

There was one section of trees decked out with accommodation for fledgling birds. 

And more fields. 

The path started to become more woody. 

Then opened up again. I noticed this wall snaking its way up the hillside.

All along the track there are the bridges that use to pass over the train line. They add a unique feel to what is now a pedestrian or cycling way. 

I noticed these unusually shaped gates in a number of places. 

I passed a number of fields with cows. In this field I first noticed a white cow scratching her chin on a post but then paused to meet the rest. I thought this was the most photogenic. 

For a while the track cut through dense woods. 

Before revealing glimpses of the sea. 

This was a former station on the line. The station building is now a residence and you can see the platform on the right. I encountered 3 other stations, but they were in far worse shape. 

Eventually the track opened up completely. 

Near Ravenscar I passed ruins of a WWII monitoring station. 

At Ravenscar I paused at the visitor information centre. While relaxing I chatted with a couple who were staying in one of the villages I had passed. We talked about many things including how beautiful the countryside is. Robyn, you'll be pleased to know there ARE some english folk who appreciate what they have! 

I was considering a couple of options for the final leg of my journey but the couple convinced me to stay on the Cinder Track. I'm so pleased that they did. Soon after leaving Ravenscar the view opened up to this incredible vista. 

What a place for a picnic!

In the distance I could see Robin Hood's Bay. 

From here on it was downhill, which was lucky because my legs were really complaining by this stage. Ideally I would have ended the walk an hour before, but I had to continue in order to meet the bus route for my return journey. 

My walk terminated at Fylinthorpe. As I reached the town I passed a caravan park with this reassuring sign. 

The weather was stunning and the light was brilliant. My head was tempted to turn right to Robin Hood's Bay but my body told me otherwise. When I reached the bus stop it was 5:26pm and the next bus was due at 5:36pm. It was a sign. I hopped on board and hobbled off at Scarborough 45min later. 

I feel so incredibly privileged to have experienced such a wonderful path through this country.  

Seeing the Larpool Viaduct inspired me to make a "small" diversion when I reached the end of the train line at Whitby. By this time it was around 1:30pm. My original plan for the day had been to spend the afternoon exploring Whitby, grab some dinner there and hopefully take advantage of the early evening light before catching the last bus back to Scarborough. But now I really wanted to find the viaduct and explore it a bit. At the time it seemed easy enough and shouldn't impact my overall plan.

On my map it appeared easy to get near where the viaduct was and I estimated it should only take 30-60min to get there. As I walked away from Whitby there were opportunities to take some snaps.

I managed to find the viaduct quite easily. It used to carry trains across the valley when the train line ran from Whitby to Scarborough. Now it's part of a bike and walking trail. 

On one side the river bends as it heads towards Whitby. 

On the other side I could see the train line that carried me earlier. I knew there was a walking trail on the river side of the track. I just needed to figure out how to get there! 

I found one walking track off the viaduct and weaving below. Totally unexpectedly, I came across this horse hitched to a tree with no one else in sight. At the end of the day I would see the same horse with rider as the bus turned into Robin Hood's Bay on the way back to Scarborough. 

I continued on my mission to get to the river side train track. My map app had some tracks marked on it so I had a strong feeling I was going to succeed. In the end it became clear my only option would be to walk to the nearest village Ruswarp where there was a crossing across the train line. 

So I walked. 

And walked. 

And walked. 

Before reaching the crossing and getting on the river side of the train track. 

Although it was a long and unplanned walk, it was lovely and I made sure I paced myself to enjoy the journey and not just anticipate the destination. 

Eventually I made it to the viaduct and it was worth it. 36m high, 279m long, 13 arches and 5,000,000 bricks, it was very impressive. 

From there I continued on the river track back to Whitby. I noticed the triangles of the roofs on the buildings on one side of the town as they cascaded down to the northern bank of the river. 

Captain Cook came from around this area so there are quite a few Captain Cook themed museums and buildings in Whitby. 

Whitby contains a number of streets preserved in time and thankfully devoid of parked traffic. I wandered around as I headed towards the famous abbey on the southern side of the river. 

Leading to the abbey are the famous 199 steps.  

At the top of the steps is St Mary's church and graveyard. It struck me that these stones were like the souls of the departed still looking down and keeping an eye on the inhabitants of the town below. I can't decide whether that's comforting or creepy. 

Next to the church are the ruins of Whitby Abey. These ruins date from the Benedictine abbey constructed around the 13th century. I hadn't been all that interested in exploring the abbey because it seemed quite decayed. But since I was there I decided to get a ticket and look around. 

The lush green grass was like a luxurious carpet connecting the ruins.

I was surprised at how substantial the abbey had been. 

By this time it was about 5:00pm. My original plan would have involved finding some dinner and then wandering around to do some photography in the late afternoon/early evening light. But I was exhausted. The extra walking to find Larpool Viaduct had not been in my plan and I'd used up my energy. The light was starting to look fantastic, beautifully lighting up the sides of the buildings but I couldn't bear the thought of wandering around for another hour taking pictures. I decided to listen to my body and head back earlier than planned.  

I caught the 5:43pm X93 bus back to Scarborough. On the way back the light on the fields and moors was better than I had seen so far, but I just couldn't get the camera out. I was done. I have one more day here tomorrow so I will probably try to hatch a better plan. 

Today was another one of those days that turned out quite different from the original plan. The day got off to a good start after a less noisy night and a better sleep. I went for the buckwheat pancakes and berry compote for breakfast and they were fantastic. As I enjoyed my breakfast I reflected on how it feels like I have been away for an eternity. That's a really nice feeling to have. And there's still just over a week to go! 

I also reflected on a funny trend I've noticed. The few times I've engaged in conversation with locals I've often remarked on how beautiful I think the UK is. The standard response has been along the lines of "yes, but you have better weather". Like they can't recognise what they have. When I respond that I'm not a fan of the hot weather they don't know what to say next. 

I headed off quite early. I needed to get to Pickering at one end of the North Yorkshire Moors Railway. I briskly walked the 10min to the train station where the 128 bus to Pickering departed. I was there in plenty of time for the 9:10am bus. Pickering isn't that far if you travel direct but the bus did dart in and out of a few villages, something I was very happy with as it gave me more insight into the area. We passed through more green fields and villages with lovely stone cottages. The bus was a double decker and I decided to be brave and sit up top at the front. I say brave because last time I did that was in a bus from Windermere to Bowness last year and I really didn't enjoy the experience. But this time was OK and I got a great view. 

Pickering is a small town with a generally vintage feel. There was an open air market with a variety of things on sale, but nothing I was overly interested in. 

I headed straight away to the train station to get my bearings and secure a ticket. The station and surrounding areas purposely appear frozen in time, like this tea room. 

After wandering around Pickering for a little while I decided to head back to the station. My train was due to leave at 12:00pm and I got back there just as the 11:00am train was departing. 

The platform is decked out in 1930s style. Others on the line reflect other eras including the Goathland station which has been used for the Heartbeat TV series and first Harry Potter movie. 

I had some morning tea in the tea rooms at the station and bought a book from the gift shop while waiting for the train. Shortly after 12:00pm toots heralded the train as it rounded the bend into the station. 

This train was more substantial than those on the North Wales railways. The sound of the steam as the engine gained speed was so iconic. We even got a free fine layer of soot blown in through the windows.

The scenery along the line was quite varied. There were buildings dotted though the countryside and green fields. 

As well as stretches through the barren North Yorkshire Moors. 

This row of houses appeared out of nowhere with no evidence of other buildings to form a village. 

Part way along the trip I noticed a "passenger" hitch hiking on the outside of the window. He held on for quite some time, helped by the leisurely pace of the train. 

All up the journey took about 1.5hr. Towards the end the train went under the massive Larpool Viaduct. I wasn't able to get a great photo from the train but that led to the changes in the rest of the day. 

After Robin Hood's Bay, I decided to head to Staithes. This was another village I had seen gorgeous photos of. I took the bus from Robin Hood's Bay on to Whitby then caught the 12:43pm X4 bus towards Middleborough. The timetable indicated that it would stop at Staithes. The bus was similar to those in Wales in that it announced each bus stop. I eagerly watched and awaited Staithes. It didn't happen. I realised quite quickly that I'd missed the stop and got off. I had a short wait before a bus came the other way and I realised the mistake. The timetable said Staithes, but the actual stop was shown as Dalehouse - Captain Cooks Close. No wonder I missed it the first time!

Like Robin Hood's Bay, there was a walk down to the village. 

And more gorgeous streets and pathways. 

I was able to walk out to the breakwater to get some shots back towards the village. 

And then I climbed a path on one of the hills to the side of the village to get a bird's eye view.

As beautiful as both Robin Hood's Bay and Staithes were, reality didn't match the images I had seen back at home. I've come to realise that those pictures benefit from perfect lighting and timing and a bit of photoshop touching up. Very glad I visited both though. 

I walked back to catch the 3:34pm bus back to Whitby but realised when I got there that the particular service only operates after 28 May. Luckily the next was only at 4:04pm. I bumped into 3 gentlemen who had made the same mistake. My "insider" knowledge sparked a nice chat while we waited together.  From Whitby I took the 5:06pm X93 bus back to Scarborough. After a very long day it was nice to have a delicious meal in the restaurant. 

I had a few places in mind to visit while I used Manchester as a base. Last night I did my research, working out train and bus times. But today didn't work out anything like I expected. 

When I awoke this morning the sky was quite clear. I decided to head to Hebden Bridge. I was going to spend a couple of hours walking around there before making my way to Haworth. Then on to Keighley and maybe take the train back through Leeds.

After putting a load of washing on I headed to Manchester Picaddilly station. When I got there I couldn't find details of any trains heading to Hebden Bridge. After checking my rail app I realised that they leave from Manchester Victoria station! I couldn't work out which train to catch to get to that station so I decided to walk. Many Manchester streets are at an angle which I must admit does my head in. I kept veering off course but luckily the map on my phone helped me get there eventually. The weather was so lovely I was tempted to stop and take some city photos but the weather report was dicey and I didn't want to squander the good weather. 

I caught the 9:16am train to Hebden Bridge. It only took half an hour.  The first thing I noticed was a canal through the village.

And then this unusual bench and, like the other day, boots being repurposed as pot planters. 

Some girls were feeding geese and goslings in a square. I took the opportunity to get some shots. 

In the main street of Hebden Bridge, the Yorkshire Soap Company was blowing bubbles from the top window above their shop. 

The village itself was very cute. Lots of grey stone buildings. 

And an open air market. 

I stopped for some morning tea from a bakery. I've noticed a particular bird a couple of times recently and one just happened to perch nearby. 

Then I set off for what I thought would be a short walk. The path was beautiful and the sun was shining through the occassional cloud. 

The pathway eventually led to this lane way. 

But it wasn't all flat walking. On a number of occasions the path lead me either up or down steps like these. 

The path followed one of the streams that fed into the river at Hebden Bridge. I decided to have a go at trying to create a misty water effect by choosing a slow shutter speed. This required me keep the camera very still. I bought a travel monopod (like a tripod but with only one leg) before leaving Australia in the hope that it would help in these kinds of situations. This was my first opportunity to try it out. The result would have been better with a tripod, but I'm still happy with it.

This part of the woods had a wonderful array of grasses and plants. 

I eventually made it to Hardcastle Crags, an outcrop of rocks that you can climb. 

From there I made my way back to Gibson Mill which I had passed about an hour earlier. The path took me back to the stream.

There were numerous weirs along the length of the stream. 

When I made it back to Gibson Mill I immediately went to the mill pond to get a photo. I had tried to get this shot when I passed the mill on the way to the Hardcastle Crags. Just as I had the shot ready two ducks landed in the middle of the pond creating ripples that destroyed the reflection. Little pests! So when I came back this was my top priority. Afterwards I had a late lunch in the mill cafe. By this time it was 3:00pm.

Then it was time to make my way back. I decided to head to Hebden Bridge but would see how things went.  I noticed how tall the streets were.

I also noticed the roots on this tree. Holding on for dear life. 

In the distance I could see the end of the park containing the Hardcastle Crags. 

As I walked towards Hebden Bridge the landscape opened up. 

For a while the path ran along side the road which was built up with this wall. I reflected on how amazing it is that people built these structures in the middle of nowhere so many years ago. 

Before getting to Hebden Bridge I decided I had enough energy left to divert to Heptonstall, a village on the hill near Hebden Bridge. It was more challenging than I had expected. The paths climbed steeply up the side of the hill. 

When I first got there and I entered the village I noticed these shoes waiting by one of the doors. 

The village was adorable. Actually, very similar to what I was expecting to see in Haworth. So finding it was compensation for not having made it to Haworth.

This little square was by a ruined church. The blossom from the tree looked just like snow. 

After walking around the village I noticed a bus that was going back to Hebden Bridge. I seriously considered taking it as my feet were getting really sore. But then I decided to follow the path back to Hebden Bridge. It took me to the edge of the village and then this magnificent view. 

The path followed along the side of the hill all the way into the valley. It was so worth the extra pain I was feeling in my feet and provided a breathtaking conclusion to my walking adventure. 

I passed by these rocks on the side of the hill. 

Every view was spectacular. 

I eventually made my way down to Hebden Bridge. 

From there I caught the 6:08pm train back to Manchester.  

Although I'd only achieved a little bit of my original plan I had a wonderful day. It was great to take a slower pace and not try to stick to an itinerary. 

This country is so incredibly beautiful. 

One of my "must do" activities in Wales was to ride on one of the heritage steam trains through Snowdonia. The weather would have been perfect on Sunday, however limited public transport options made it almost impossible for me. I had to wait until today. Even then it involved getting on the number 5/5C bus to Caernarfon at 7:30am in order to get there in time to catch the 10:00am train.  

There were two steam railways I was interested in. One goes between Caernarfon and Porthmadog and the other goes between Porthmaog and Blaenau Ffestiniog. The route maps are at the end of this post. Rather than choose one line and make a return trip it was possible to create a kind of circuit by travelling one way on both. To complete the loop there is a mainline train from Blaenau Ffestiniog back to Llandudno.

I got to Caernarfon in plenty of time to get a ticket and find a good seat, though I had no way of knowing which would be the best side. Plus, single seats were only on one side so I didn't really have much of a choice. The weather at the start was grey and lightly spotting with rain. Not ideal, but OK. 

There was a sense of excitement as the train arrived at the station. 

The initial landscape was similar to what I've already seen though there was a lot of a rust coloured grass that was a nice contrast against all of the green. 

About 1/2 hour in it began getting more mountainous. Unfortunately the weather started getting worse. The combination of misty mountains, rain on the windows, smoke from the train and generally low light made photography very difficult.

I wasn't able to get any good shots of the really dramatic mountain tops. It would be spectacular on a clear day. 

We ran by and crossed a number of rapidly flowing streams and rivers. 

Towards the end of the first line the area had clearly flooded as the water level was coming up to the top of the fence line. 

The first trip took just over two hours. It was definitely a case of the "pensioner express" which made me feel a little bit younger than usual. I managed to get a shot of the carriage as we were alighting. 

As well as a better picture of the engine. 

And the full train. 

I had roughly an hour and a half in Porthmadog before the return trip but the weather wasn't all that pleasant. I did a quick trip down the high street. I noticed that the clouds/mist was slowly coming down the hills at the back of the town. 

Good to see the tide in for a change. 

At 1:35pm the second trip began on a different train. Again, I wasn't really on the best side for photographs of the dramatic landscape but there were other things to capture. 

Polution aside, it was quite mystical to see the train smoke occasionally wafting between the trees. 

Or when another train approached. 

At one stage the line loops over itself. 

Which gave me my best opportunity to get a shot of the front of our train in motion. 

There were a number of dramatic waterfalls down the sides of the mountains. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to capture the largest ones. 

The second train journey took about an hour and a half. In theory that would leave 20min before the next mainline train to Llandudno. We must have been running late though and there was a train waiting and ready to depart. We needed to dash to make it because the next one was over 2 hours later. 

All in all it was a great journey and I'm really glad I did it. It's the first serious steam engine I can remember going on and the scenery was spectacular. It would have been so much better in clearer weather or combined with some walking at one or more of the stops. In summer the trains are more frequent which would make getting off to walk for an hour more viable.

The forecast for today was rain. And that suited me perfectly. As usual, I've been setting myself a ruthless pace on my holiday. Today is roughly half way through and I'm exhausted! I needed a slow day to recharge and rain is good for making me slow down. 

For the first time I savoured breakfast and took my time. Only then did I realise how quickly I'd been trying to get through it on the other days. Last night I was too tired to write up my blog so I spent sometime sitting down in the lounge this morning writing up the entries. After that I was feeling quite sleepy so I decided to have a late morning nap - something I rarely do. I slept for nearly 2 hours! That's unlike me so I know I must have needed it.

When I awoke I could have happily stayed in the hotel but the weather outside was OK, grey but it wasn't raining. I had been doing some reading and had found something I wanted to explore. I've seen that there is a cable car going up to the Great Orme, the rocks/hill to the side of Llandudno. I'm not keen on cable cars at the best of times. But this morning I discovered that there is a cable tram that also goes up there. That sounded OK and fairly unstrenuous, so I decided to give it a go. 

The tram takes you up in two parts. Halfway there is a cable house and you change trams. 

At the top it was blowing a gale and lightly spitting of rain. It wasn't enough to get wet, but it was enough to wet my lens when I pointed towards it. All the same, I managed to get a few OK shots. It would be spectacular up here when the sun is out. 

On the side of one hill were hundreds of names and messages made out of stones. I liked the idea - a much less destructive and more transient way of leaving your mark. 

There was a cafe at the top which was a great refuge from the wind and ideal for coffee and some cake. 

There's a cemetery up there too. 

As well as masses of this yellow flower. Unfortunately, I didn't get close enough to be able to get a good shot. The best I could get was from the tram while it was moving. 

When it came time to come back down I made sure I secured prime seating position as determined on the way up.  

That was quite enough activity for the day. Tomorrow I'll be getting up early to attempt a steam train adventure, so I'm planning a very early night tonight. 

Talking to the man on the train from Bangor to Llandudno Junction, I asked if he thought I would get any good sunset pictures at Llandudno. He thought so and suggested a few spots. 

As it was already getting on by the time I got back to Llandudno (or so I thought) I decided not to go straight back to the hotel. Instead I grabbed some fish and chips to eat by the sea. The serving was HUGE - way too much for me, but very tasty.  

After that I wandered around in hope of a colourful sunset. Of course, I had no idea how long that wait might be for and it ended up being longer than anticipated. Never mind though, it was a nice way to spend the evening. Although it was quite chilly by the end. 

I started by walking back to the western side of the town to take more photos of the landscape I had photographed when I first arrived. 

Walking back to the eastern side I came across this chap keeping watch. 

Unfortunately, the colourful sunset didn't eventuate. However, in the "golden hour" it was possible to get some nice shots of the foreshore. 

This shot shows you just how long the promenade is. 

As I walked back from the end of the pier I managed to get just the right angle to show buildings on the promenade and the mountains in the distance. 

I awoke at 5:55am to what sounded like someone rustling in the room next door. When the sound didn't stop I realised there must be another explanation. It was the wind blowing something on the scaffolding at the front of the building. It had been raining overnight and was just grey and windy now. I headed down to breakfast at "opening" time in anticipation of a weekend crowd.

Last night I tried to do some planning. Although on paper all my destinations are accessible via public transport, sometimes when you get to the detail you realise things might not work out. My ideal plan wasn't going to work so I had to come up with alternatives. 

Today, the decision was to visit the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct. Getting there would take some time and this was going to be a day trip. 

I started by catching the 10:08am train to Llandudno Junction where I then caught the 10:25am Birmingham train to Ruabon. On the way we passed what looked like a massive castle built into the side of the hills. Why had I not seen this place in my research? When I checked tonight I discovered it was actually a manor house built in the 19th century to look like a grand castle. Imposter! Not so interested now. 

At Ruabon I caught the number 5 bus to the town of Trevor where it was only a 15min walk to the aquaduct.  

I had to admit when I first saw this sign I only noticed the part at the top and did think it was a bit discriminatory to only allow Anglo Welsh parkers. It was only later that I realised Anglo Welsh was the name of the business. Oops! 

Next I came across the canals that connect to the aqueduct. 

And then the aqueduct itself.  I've seen it on TV and it was built in 1805 so that a canal system could cross over the valley of the Dee river. It's 307m long, with 19 arches up to 39m high. It's near Llangollen which is in the mid-north west of Wales.

And of course, barges float across it, high above the river below! 

With greats view of the surrounding country. 

In the distance was another engineering feat, a viaduct for trains. 

I'm not usually very good with heights but surprisingly this didn't bother me. Maybe it's because I was more worried about falling in the canal as people tried to pass each other on the narrow foot bath. 

After walking across the aqueduct I was on a mission to get a side on view. The options were limited from the immediate area around the aqueduct. 

So I started walking towards the small bridge I had seen from the top. It didn't take long to get there but the large trees in the valley obscured most of the aqueduct. So I tried walking the other direction. I walked almost to the railway viaduct but unfortunately encountered the same problem. I really wanted to get a shot that showed how wide it was, but had to settle on this one.

On my walk to find a view I came across this bright fungus. 

And an avid wildlife photographer pointed out to an uncommon duck he had seen. I would never have noticed as it was over the other side of the river but I was able to zoom in and get a decent snap. 

In all I spent a couple of hours walking around the site. When it was time to return I caught the 3:10pm bus back to Ruabon, the 3:38pm train to Llandudno Junction and the 7:26pm train to Llandudno. I must admit I think I could easily have fallen asleep on the train. But I didn't and instead got this shot of Conwy Castle which is near Llandudno Junction. I will be exploring it at some stage while I'm staying here. 

When I got back to my hotel room the sunlight was just right to illuminate the massive wind farm off the coast. 

When I awoke it was another blue sky morning, but the weather report was saying that it wouldn't last. I had hoped for a more relaxed start to the day but realised that in order to get to my planned destination while the weather was still good I would have to set out early.

Today's destination was Castle Combe. Not a castle, but a small village on the way to Bath from here. I know of it because it has somehow managed to remain relatively untouched from its medieval beginnings and is particularly picturesque. 

To get there would involve catching the 8:13am train to Didcot Parkway and then the 8:41am train to Chippenham. When presented with the huge array of fare choices I opted for the conservative option which finished up being very expensive. I think I diddled myself there. 

On the train I noticed how tired I was feeling. It's been go go go for the last 8 days and I'm beginning to feel it. I will need to slow down a bit. 

By 8:30am it was starting to get a bit cloudy. I reached Chippenham at 9:13am to connect to the bus which was due at 10:00am according to the timetable I downloaded a couple of days ago. However, when I got to the bus stop there was a notice with a change in times. Luckily it was just a delay until 10:16am, though that means I could probably have left Oxford a little later. 

The bus arrived on time with only one other person on board for the whole trip. When I arrived, the village looked exactly as I expected and picture post card perfect views were around every corner. 

Though I really wish they could find a better place for those two wheelie bins! 

As I walked to one end of the main street I noticed a foot path heading up the hill. I decided to follow it. 

I could tell where I was from the church tower. 

Beneath the trees was a sea of white wildflowers. 

When the path rejoined the road I was greeted with these words of warning. 

The bus back to Chippenham wasn't due until 12:39pm which was actually quite good because it meant that I had to slow down and take things in. I began to look at the village in another way and pick out some of the finer details. 

I noticed the pattern on this guttering. 

The bus arrived on time. By this time the village was quite busy with tourists. I assume they had all driven there or were part of tours. The weather had held out too with patchy cloud and occassional periods of sun.

On the way to the station the bus went under this impressive via duct for the train. Incredible how solid it looked. 

I had a short wait for the train back to Didcot Parkway at 1:55pm. This time the fare was a lot cheaper which reinforces my belief that I stuffed up this morning. From there I caught the 2:49pm train to Oxford. 

After returning to the hotel I decided I had enough time to go shopping for replacement walking shoes. I located an outdoor gear shop and purchased some more more suitable shoes. My feet are thanking me already. 

Tomorrow morning I leave Oxford for my next destination. It's been 5 nights but I feel I could definitely see more if I were to stay longer. Oh well, a different adventure awaits. 

This morning when I woke up the sky was blue for the first time since I arrived in the UK. I had plans for another trek in the Cotswolds, so wasted no time getting to breakfast. As I was getting ready to leave I noticed that the soles of my boots had almost worn through! Too much walking. I will have to get some new ones but my other shoes would have to do today. 

I needed to catch the 9:00am 853 bus to Burford. Well, technically I wanted to get off a little outside Burford near Little Barrington. My plan for the day was to follow two walking maps I found online.  

My first challenge was to find the bus stop in Oxford. I found it online OK but when I got there it wasn't marked. After a little bit of concern I noticed the bus arriving. As I boarded and requested my stop the bus driver was also a bit confused. He doesn't drive this route often and wasn't familiar with the stop. Luckily the lady behind me was after the same stop and had additional information. So off we went.

The bus trip took just under an hour. Here's the map for the first walk.  I got off the bus at #1.

I located the foot path and got on my way. 

The walk took me through Little Barrington and then to Great Barrington. Both had typical cottages and buildings for the area. 

It's been a long time since I saw milk delivered at all, let alone in bottles. 

As with the other day, the walk took me through all sorts of terrain. 

After my walk around the Barringtons the main part of the journey took me along a quiet country lane to Burford. The walk took about an hour and I only encountered one car. The lane way wound through hedges and occasionally opened out to beautiful views of the surrounding farmland and the River Windrush meandering along side it.

And I encountered quite a bit of wildlife. 

Even though I only encountered one car, there were a number of bike riders enjoying the sensational weather. Speaking of which, by this time it was definitely t-shirt and sunscreen weather for me. 

After a delightfully leisurely walk I arrived in Burford. Another picturesque town. Unfortunately, all the car traffic made it difficult to get a good photo to do the town justice. 

After a quick wander down the main street I grabbed some lunch and headed off on my second walk. 

Although this is intended to be a walk from point #1 to Burford via one of two alternative routes, I decided to walk it as a loop. I started at Burford and walked towards #2 then backtracked through #5-7. 

Throughout the day I noticed a lot of airforce traffic. I assume there must be a base nearby. 

This walk followed the River Windrush more closely.

Near Swinbrook there was a mill. 

Shortly after leaving the mill I encountered a young chinese girl also looking for the way to Swinbrook. You can see her up ahead in this photo. We chatted for a while and walked together until we successfully made it to Swinbrook. 

Swinbrook was another quaint village. I continued further to Asthall. On the way there the footpath went through a field with cows. A sign said to beware as the cows can be protective of their young. As I passed a herd, one was keeping a very close eye on me and started "tapping" a hoof. I passed by as quickly and calmly as I could.

Of course, Asthall was yet another quaint village. 

From there I had to backtrack to Swinbrook before heading north. I was following the footpath described in my directions until I came across this field. The directions indicated to walk across it but it was fenced off. The fencing appeared recent and temporary. It also appeared electrified! I found another way instead. 

Along my alternative route I encountered more beautiful cottages. 

Before entering Widley Copse.

The other day and today I've recorded fragments of birdsong. It was particularly beautiful in these woods. I'll try to post some of the recordings when I get a chance. 

Out the other side of the woods I needed to walk across field after field of crops. Luckily there was a very clearly marked path to follow. In the distance I noticed an animal on the path. When I zoomed in I discovered this guy. 

The lines of crop were so regular. 

A bit more walking got me to Fulbrook and then back to Burford. By this time my feet and legs were aching. Not as badly as the other day, but bad enough. I came across the Cotswold Arms and decided to rest my feet while enjoying a well earned pint. 

From there I just needed to find the bus stop. I passed more of the beautiful streetscape. 

When I got to where I thought the bus stop should be, it only mentioned the 233 bus. Confused I set out to find help. I asked a passerby who confirmed that the 853 stops there also. Phew! I double confirmed by asking the lady who was also now waiting at the stop. She was lovely and we had a chat up until the bus arrived. 

I got back to the hotel shortly after 6:00pm and straight into a nice hot bath. 

I have lots of photos to share in this post. I walked close on 20km yesterday and my body isn't happy with me. Last night I felt I may have pushed myself too far, but luckily I'm feeling OK today.

But back to the beginning. I was up early to avoid the breakfast rush. The service here is fantastic and I filled up on a hearty breakfast to give me fuel for the day ahead. It was a grey morning but I expected that to clear. After spending a bit of time making plans and downloading timetables I made my way to the station. On the way I passed my first squirrel of the trip. But he was too nimble for me to catch with my camera. 

I bought a Cotswolds Discoverer pass which is a really cheap way to get unlimited train and bus travel within the Cotwolds. Unfortunately you can't use it until after 9:00am so my enthusiasm to get to the station was somewhat wasted. In the end I caught the 09:24 Hereford train to Moreton-in-Marsh. 

I visited Moreton-in-Marsh on my trip last year but only on my way elsewhere. This time I saw a bit more as I made my way to the start of my walking trail. 

In the Cotswolds, as with all of England, there are public footpaths which are signposted walking trails through the country. They're really easy to follow and, as you'll see from the photos, they take you through all types of terrain.  I found some great maps of the footpaths in Moreton-in-Marsh. You just need to keep following the markers.

The start of the journey took me through some beautiful wooded fields. 

I came across this little farmhouse early in the walk. 

The winding paths enticed me onward. 

In Kent I saw huge expanses of bluebells but didn't manage to photograph any. I made sure I captured the few I saw on this walk. 

After about an hour of walking I approached Blockley.

The buildings in the town were of the typical honey coloured stone of the region. 

I stopped for lunch in a little cafe before continuing my walk. Between the fields there were usually gates but sometimes there were stiles like these. 

As I headed out from Blockley towards Broad Campden I reached this field and my one and only lost moment. The field is quite steep and when I reached the top the gate looked different and had no markers. Every other gate so far had been clearly marked so I worried that I might have headed in the wrong direction. So I walked all the way around the perimeter of the field looking for another exit. When I got back to the start I came across a group of walkers coming down the field who confirmed that the gate I first encountered was the exit after all. And when I got through there were markers just past it!  

I passed another farmhouse on my way. 

Just under an hour after leaving Blockley I reached Broad Campden. I visited this little town last year and it has some beautiful little cottages. I didn't take many photos as I had taken so many last year.

From Broad Campden it was only a short walk to the larger town of Chipping Campden. I wasn't the only walker. 

Walking through the streets of Chipping Campden to the centre of the town, I came across some more beautiful houses. 

Finally I made it to the main street. It's hard to get a picture of the street without cars but I managed this angle. 

I took the Cotswolds Way out of Chipping Campden on my way to Broadway Tower. This bird house high on the side of a tree caught my attention. 

As I reached the top of a hill outside of the town I came across this man leaning against the wall painting. I first saw him from the other side. I would have liked to take a portrait photo of him but didn't have the courage to ask. I settled on a more anonymous shot later on. 

From Broad Campden I started to encounter sheep on my journey. And usually very vocal sheep. 

There were some stunning views from Dover Hill. 

This letter box was a flash of red in an otherwise verdant green lane way. 

Then more beautiful vistas. 

Sometimes the foot path went around the edges of working fields. Other times it went right through the middle. 

Or through woodland. 

Towards the end of my journey, when my legs were cramping and aching, I reached one of my destinations - Broadway Tower. The tower is a folly, meaning a building constructed for no particular practical purpose.

Despite feeling that my legs might give away at any moment I couldn't resist the urge to climb to the top.

And the view made it worth the pain. 

From the tower it was just over another mile to my final destination - the town of Broadway. 

And through fields of sheep. 

Broadway is a beautiful town. Had I reached it earlier (with fresher legs) I would have loved to explore but my legs and back were really in a lot of pain. My plan was to catch a bus back to Moreton-in-Marsh but I had about 45min to wait. I headed in to the Lygon Arms for a well deserved pint and a rest for my legs. By this time it was coming up to 6:00pm. 

As I waited for the bus I noticed this fellow "hanging around". I assume he was lost and waiting for his owner. 

I caught the bus back to Moreton-in-Marsh. I had planned to catch an earlier bus which would have connected perfectly with a train back to Oxford. But early on I realised the walk was going to take longer and I made the conscious decision to maximise the walk rather than rush to meet a schedule. The downside was that the bus I caught did not connect with a train and I had another hour to wait. In need of some warmth and comfort I stepped into the Redesdale Arms for a lovely Steak and Ale pie for dinner.

When I finally got back to the hotel in Oxford I immediately slipped into a long hot bath to smooth my well earned aches and pains.  After a grey start the weather had improved. For much of the walk I was comfortable just in t-shirt without my jacket. I even caught a little bit of sunburn when the ferocity of the sun caught me by surprise.

Finally, here's a map showing the towns I visited. 

I had trouble deciding what to do today. I had a number of options but most had a downside I wanted to avoid. Yesterday I purchased a National Trust membership so I decided to consult their book for ideas. I settled on a visit to an estate known as Knole just outside Sevenoaks. 

Being the weekend, it was busy at breakfast but I managed to get through fairly quickly and head to the train station to catch the 10:02 direct to Sevenoaks. From the Sevenoaks train station it was a 20 min walk up a hill to the estate.

As soon as I arrived I came across a number of herds of deer. Luckily with my telephoto lens I could get some good pictures while keeping my distance. 

The grounds were expansive. Over 1,000 acres. I only covered a tiny fraction of them but the terrain was still varied. 

The "house" itself was suitably grand. My membership allowed me free entry. 

And there was (another) tower to climb with great views from the top.

In the middle of the building were a couple of courtyards.  As you can see from the photos, the sky momentarily cleared from the overcast it had been most of the morning.

Inside, a number of the rooms had been restored so I had a wander around. Unfortunately, photography inside was not allowed. The interior was very ornate with massive works of art everywhere. 

After a light lunch I headed back to Ashford. I wanted to buy some wet weather over pants for Singing With Nightingales tonight. The forecast is a bit ambiguous but we have been advised to be prepared. 

On the train back to Ashford I managed to take some more photos of the Kent countryside. This is typical of the farm houses I saw today. 

When I got back to Ashford I figured my best bet for the wet weather gear was the local "designer" outlet. It's a massive oval shaped collection of stores. 

Luckily, among the label stores there was an outdoor shop with what I was looking for. 

So now I'm all prepared. All we need now are the nightingales to show up! 

I slept solidly again last night apart from waking up around 3:30am. Actually, the waking up is a good sign because that's what I tend to do at home - so I must be adjusting well. Actually I haven't experienced any jet lag to speak of at all. 

After another good breakfast and some planning I headed back to the station. The weather was grey with some blue patches. I think it had rained again overnight. 

My first destination was a little town called Rye. I've seen some photos and thought it would be a quaint place to visit. 

On arrival I was treated by yet another city gate. 

I wandered around the narrow streets with many Elizabethan and medieval buildings before reaching Mermaid Street which is by far the most picturesque. 

After some morning tea in a tiny tea room I headed to the main church which was advertising climbs to their tower. 

The stairs to the top were definitely the steepest and most narrow I have ever experienced. At one stage I could only proceed by walking side ways with my camera bag in front of me. Luckily the views were worth it. 

It was incredibly gusty at the top. I wondered how these birds could be so calmly perched in that weather. 

After the tower I made my way back to the train station past the river. The tide was out, which seems to be a recurring theme for me.  But it did make me giggle at the sign. 

I only had a short wait at the station before my next train to Hastings. 

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. 

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. 

The places I visited yesterday were beautiful but I still felt that I had only scratched the surface of Cotswolds beauty. After all, I hadn't seen a proper thatched roof cottage yet! So today I decided to go even more off the beaten track. I picked up some good walking maps from Bourton-on-the-Water yesterday and planned a trip around a place called Chipping Campden.

First up I needed to catch the 801 bus again but this time all the way to Moreton-in-Marsh. I had to change buses at the train station. The signal box at the station was very cute. 

Next I caught the 22 bus to Chipping Campden. The bus wound through Bourton-on-the-Hill, Blockley and Broad Campden. All of them looked gorgeous but only Broad Campden was going to be easy enough for me to get to. By the way, I think the names of these places are just as beautiful as the places themselves. 

Chipping Campden was another large town, but with lots of very historic buildings in the honey coloured stone of the Cotswolds. I wandered around a bit, but it was very much a sense of more of the same as yesterday. And it was already busy with tourists. 

I was keen to get back to Broad Campden so I headed off down one of the walking paths. 

Broad Campden was exactly what I felt I had missed so far. Small, charming, no tourists ... and a good smattering of thatched cottages. 

I noticed this on the top of one of the thatches. 

All of the walking paths around the village led to beautiful views. 

On one edge of the village was a field with sheep grazing. It was great to be able to get up close. 

My original plan had me walking on to 2-3 other villages. But with this village I really felt that I'd seen what I'd been looking for, plus it was lunch time, plus I was getting a bit tired of walking. So I popped into the Bakers Arms for lunch. 

I had a delicious spiced parsnip soup with crusty roll. Coincidentally, the Bakers Arms was the local bus stop so I decided to stay there to wait for the bus to start the journey back. As with yesterday, connection times for the return trip weren't so good so it took a long time to get back to Cheltenham. This time I was able to take part of the trip by train (via Worcester) which gave me some time to research options for tomorrow's adventure.

I must admit, there were times today when I turned a corner and lost my breath at the beauty and surprise of the scene that appeared before me. Truly stunning. 

The reason for staying in Cheltenham was to use it as a base for exploring the Cotswolds. It's just outside the main Cotswolds area but very accessible. Though based on what I've learnt, next time I would/will stay in one of the small towns to get a more complete experience.

My original plan was also to drive but I've gone off that idea completely. The roads around here are as narrow as Cornwall. So this morning I checked out all the resources I could to plan an itinerary using local buses. It took a bit of jiggling but I came up with a plan that looked good on paper. But would it actually work?

First off I needed to make my way to the train station. Firstly to buy a Cotswolds Discoverer pass which would give me unlimited train and bus travel. And secondly to catch the 801 bus to Northleach. 

Northleach wasn't a final destination. I needed to change buses there. But it was still a good introduction to the feel of the Cotswolds.

From Northleach I caught the 855 bus to Bilbury. Getting off the bus I overhead a woman with an Australian accent asking where the bus stop for the return journey was. I took the opportunity of speaking with her to find that out for myself too.

Bilbury was prettier than Northleach, with a small river running through the centre. 

I wandered around town for a bit and then to the edge of town.

Not the kind of wildlife signs we're used to seeing in Australia.  

The bus back to Northleach and on to my next destination didn't leave until 1:17, so I decided it would make sense to have lunch. There were a couple of options, but the Swan Inn looked the best and was in view of the bus stop, just to be safe. Had a delicious pulled pork burger. 

Also at the Swan Inn was the Australian woman I had spoken to after getting off the bus. Our paths had crossed a bit while wandering around town and we had a chat while we waited for the bus. She is from Newcastle visiting her daughter and having a holiday at the same time. She gave me a good tip for something to see at my next destination. 

We caught the 855 bus back to Northleach and then waited for the 801 bus to Bourton-on-the-Water. This town had yet another feel. By the time I got there it was about 2:30 and it was packed with tourists. Still pretty though.

I had plenty of time before the final bus back to Cheltenham so I followed up the advice I'd been given which was to walk from Bourton-on-the-Water to Lower Slaughter. I know, the name sounds terrible but it's an old word for "miry place". The walk took me along a public walkway between the towns. I bought some maps with these walkways and am considering doing a bit more walking tomorrow. They're really good paths and it's a great way to get off the beaten track. 

And Lower Slaughter was delightful. 

All in all, the day was a bit like stepping back in time. The towns and villages feel like they have barely changed. Only the road signs and occasional modern conveniences remind you that it's 2016.  

The bus back to Cheltenham left Bourton-on-the-Water at 5:10. By now my feet were killing me. It was nice to sit on the bus for a while. The journey took about an hour and a half. I managed to catch some more shots of the scenery on the way back. 

Time for a shower, a drink and some bangers and mash in the bar.