Mike and Ruth’s Trip Journal

Easy Pace Britain – Insight Vacations

Day 1 – Thursday, 15 September

Atlanta to …..

Today was mostly getting ready to go. Our flight is not until 10pm tonight and we have all day to finish packing, take the dogs to the kennel, etc. At 4pm, the Limo driver arrives to take us to the airport. Getting through security and the like is a real breeze. Unfortunately, our flight is delayed about an hour so we have about 5 hours to spend in the airport. The good news is that we are flying business class so we have a separate lounge that we can wait in. This leads to a series of combat cribbage games with Ruth that was quite entertaining. Finally, we board the aircraft and proceed on our way.

Just a final note on this day…… First class is definitely the way to head to Europe.

Day 2 – Friday, 16 September

London!

Arrive well rested at London’s Gatwick airport. First class was definitely the way to travel as we got about 5 good hours of sleep on the flight. Once we cleared customs and immigration (a real hassle) it was on to find the transfer agent. Once we hooked up with all of the folks heading to London, it was off to the train station and then to Victoria Station. There we met with the van that would take us to the Hotel (the Copthorne Tara hotel), arriving about 2pm.

A little word of advice for those with larger than double beds. Do not ask for a double bed when you arrive. The bed is small and makes for difficult sleeping, with what is ahead of you, opt for the two single beds.

So, what did we do on the first day in London? Well, we headed to the local tube stop (High Street Kensington) and took the subway down to Parliament (Westminster). From there we took copious photographs of the parliament building and Big Ben’s tower. Walking down Victoria Embankment, we then crossed the Thames at the Golden and Jubilee Bridge to head to the London Eye. The London Eye was well worth doing and the thirty minutes it takes to go around gives you a great overview of the city.

When we completed the tour, it was around 5pm and we were both getting hungry. Deciding it might be nice to walk over to Piccadilly Circus and find some fish and chips. Unfortunately, most of the restaurants in that area are American chained. So about 7pm, we decided to eat at a place called the Scottish Steak House. The food was very good and we were able to have our fish and chips! Finally, we took the tube back to the hotel for a well earned nights sleep.

Day 3, Saturday, 17 September

London

Today is our first day with the Insight tour. We received our wake up call about 7:30 and we are to meet the tour group at 8:30. So a quick shower and breakfast (continental… Toast, Cereal, Lunchmeat, cheese, etc) and try to hook up with our tour. Here was our first challenge. There were several groups with Insight and Trafalgar at the hotel and finding which group we are supposed to be with was fun! Anyway, we never did find the group we were supposed to be with, so we hooked up with a tour that had extra spaces.

The tour was called “Royal London” and covered what you would expect. This is what we saw in order.

• Kensington Palace
• Prince Albert Memorial
• Westminster Abbey
• Parliament and Big Ben’s Tower
• Buckingham Palace

It is probably worth saying at this point that you do not get a chance to visit any of these places. You stop, you take pictures of the building, the tour guide speaks for a moment and you get back on the bus. It would have been nice to get into some of these places.

Once this tour was complete, we were given a chance for a couple of optional tours. We chose the “London City Tour” which covered;

• St. Paul’s Cathedral
• Tower of London

Fortunately, we were able to enter both of these places. St. Paul’s was tremendous because being a history buff, both Admiral Lord Nelson (of Trafalgar fame) and the Duke of Wellington (of Waterloo fame) are interred there. Having a chance to see their tombs and see some of the history of these men was incredible.

The Tower of London was equally incredible and we spent a couple of hours looking around inside. This was not near enough and probably would have taken the entire day to see all that it had to offer. We did get a chance to see the crown jewels and that was very interesting.

Once this tour was over, it was back to the hotel to find our evening meal. One the way back, the Thames was covered with thousands of rowing vessels ranging the gamut of kayaks to whaling boats to crews. The tour guide mentioned that there was a water festival the next day and that this was the start of it. So after and good meal of pasta, it was off to another well earned sleep.

Day 4, Sunday, 18 September

London to Bath

Today started with an early morning phone call and a mad dash to get our bags packed and out of the door so the valet can take them to the coach (for us in the U.S., read bus). There are two different tours leaving this morning, so it is a little easier to find the coach we are to be on. We are introduced to our tour director (TD) Derrick and our coach driver (CD) George.

First off, the coach is not the most comfortable in the world for me. I am over 6 foot tall and the coach seats are meant for someone much smaller. Because of this, I had a sore back for most of the trip. However, you are never on the coach for more than two hours before you get out and have a chance to stretch.

OK, editorializing aside, we traveled from London down the Thames to Windsor castle. Along the way, Derrick pointed out the place were King John signed the Magna Carta at Runnymede. We also had the JFK memorial pointed out (note, we did not stop, it was pointed out as we were moving). Our first stop was at Windsor. This place is absolutely huge and we could have spent an entire day exploring. But, alas, we only had 90 minutes to poke around. This is definitely on my “visit again” list.

Leaving Windsor, we headed to Oxford, home of a number of colleges. This was an interesting place for Ruth and me to visit because C.S. Lewis taught there for a number of years. Other than that, while picturesque, it was a place I could well have skipped.

Leaving Oxford, we then headed into the Cotswold (not a specific place, just an area) to visit Bourton-on-the-Water which is an enchanting little village on the Windrush river. Again, we had about and hour to explore and this was plenty of time to see all that the village had to offer.

Once we got on the road again, we headed into the city of Bath. Entering the city via a circuitous route to get an overview was a real eye opener. All of the buildings are built out of the same style of honey colored stone. This made most of the building look alike at first view which will lead to confusion later.

We are staying at the Hotel Francis on Queens Square. This is a centrally located hotel within walking distance to all of the major attractions that Bath has to offer. Dinner is provided at the hotel tonight (for the first time) and afterwards Ruth and I toured around the area near the hotel. Once again, a late evening and a well deserved rest.

Day 5, Monday, 19 September

Bath

Today we start with our first real English breakfast. This consists of eggs over easy, bacon (not the American kind, kind of a salted ham), sausage, baked beans, grilled tomatoes, grilled mushrooms, black pudding, potatoes, and an assortment of fruit and pastries. Whew, one could gain 30 pounds on breakfast alone.

Once breakfast is complete, we all gather on the coach for a quick trip around the city to see the Crescent house, the Circus, the Bath Abbey, the Pulteny Bridge and more honey colored buildings than you can shake a stick at. Once the tour is complete, Derrick takes us into the Roman Baths. The Baths were originally built by the local folks and then rebuilt by the Romans when they were in southern England. Once the Romans pulled out of the area, the baths were left to decay and crumble. In the early 18^th century, they were rediscovered and opened up as a health spa prior to once again falling into disrepair. Most of what is seen now is from that time frame. However, the water pool, and some of the surrounding structures date back to the Roman period.

The rest of the day was at leisure for us to explore as we would. Each of the folks on the tour headed their own way to visit and see what interested them. Ruth and I had a little lunch in the plaza surrounded by the baths and the abbey. Once finished, we headed down into a local garden park where we strolled amongst the flowers and the water. Bath is a city known for its gardening and its presentation of flowers. We then took the opportunity to head back up to the Circus (this is a series of 4 buildings that form a perfect circle around a central park) and then over to the Assembly hall and to the museum of costume. This museum contains original clothing outfits dating back hundreds of years. They are preserved and shown behind glass on a series of mannequins. Every now and again, they change out the outfits for others that are held in storage. The museum was also holding an exhibit on the films based upon the books of Jane Austen. They showed the costumes that the actors wore in the films presented next to period clothing that inspired it. We spend most of the rest of the day here.

Once finished, we headed back to the hotel to change and out to find some dinner. We ate at the Litten Tree Free House pub (a note about the free house designation. In Britain, may of the pubs are tied to a brewery and must only server the beer from that place. A free house can choose to serve whatever it wants). I had pasta again (yum) and Ruth had a hamburger (ugh, tough and tasteless). Once dinner was complete, an evening stroll around the city and then to the hotel for an evenings rest.

Day 6, Tuesday, 20 September

Bath to Bowness-on-Windermere (the Lake District)

Today is mostly a travel day, so it was up early again. Do the mad dash around the hotel room to get the bags packed and into the hallway, followed by a quick breakfast and then onto the coach.

Our first stop today is the town of Worcester. Most people don’t know they even know this town, but it is the place where Worcester sauce was invented! It is a nice little town on the river Severn with a beautiful town square. We are only here for a water closet stop and a leg stretch. This is really too bad because this looks like a lovely place to explore. Off of the main square, there is a pedestrian mall that is loaded with shops and coffee houses. Across from that, there is an impressive looking church building with loads of character. Oh well, it looks like a place to be added to the “visit again” list.

On the coach again, I can’t wait to get on the coach again (set to Willie Nelson) and it is off to the Wedgwood Pottery factory. This is an impressive factory and the primary reason for stopping here is to grab a bite to eat and allow the women of our party a chance to shop for the porcelain. Again, for me, this stop could have been left off of the tour as it was a fairly boring place. I will admit, that if we had of had the time to do the factory tour, I might have changed my mind.

So, leaving Wedgwood, we get on the smooth motorway (in the US, read express way) and we head up into the Lake District. Although the scenery was outstanding, it was a long time to get to the hotel (the Windermere Hydro).

Once checked in, we headed up to our room to find a view of the room of the building behind us. Not a big deal as all we expect to do in this room is sleep. As a side note, the bathroom here was TINY. Again, I am a big guy and I had to leave the door to the bathroom open to brush my teeth!

Dinner tonight is provided by the hotel and is fairly tasty! So, once dinner is over, a quick stroll around the hotel grounds and off to bed.

Day 7, Wednesday, 21 September

Bowness-on-Windermere (the Lake District)

Today we will visit the south side of the Lake District on Windermere. After an English breakfast, it is down to the docks and our morning ride aboard the Swan to head south to Lakeland. This is a peaceful ride on the lake which is smooth as glass. Lots of views on every side of the ship and loads of Swans, Sea gulls, and other water fowl on the lake. Once we arrive at Lakeside, we then board a steam train to the town of Haverthwaite. This is really small town, but the train station is wonderful. This is a fine opportunity to capture that once in a lifetime photograph of a steam train billowing smoke as it heads towards you!

Once complete, we then board the coach again to head to Levens Halls and Topiary gardens for Lunch. Unfortunately, once we had our lunch it was time to board the coach again. Ruth and I really wanted to visit the hall and the gardens so Derrick suggested we just stay because the coach was just heading back to the hotel. This was a God-send. The house was very interesting and was showing its age. But things like the hand tooled leather wall paper and some of the old oil paintings made it worth the visit. However, the gardens were the thing to see. Levens Hall is in the Guinness book of records as having the world’s oldest topiary gardens. Once inside the gardens, I can understand the desire for these. There were several different gardens, like the vegetable, the rose, the topiary, the fountains and such, each prettier than the last. We also had our first experience with a ha-ha wall. This is wall built up at the edge of the garden that is about a 4-6 foot drop and was designed to keep the livestock out of the gardens. This allowed the owners to have an unbroken view of their fields around them without worrying that their sheep or such would eat on their ornamental plants. The term ha-ha wall was explained to us via a story. It seems that some folks were come home from the pub late a night and a little tipsy and would forget that the wall was there and fall over it, and, well, you get it!

The visit to the house and gardens was by far the highlight of the trip so far. Of course, we then had to find our way back to the hotel from here. Asking a question of the ticket taker, he pointed us to the local bus stop. Here we caught a bus into Windermere (a town up the street from Bowness). This leads to another story. We bought our ticket on the bus. Once we reached Kendall, the bus driver gets off of the bus and locks us in! We weren’t real sure what was going on, but there was an older lady on the bus with us that explained that the drivers all change busses in Kendall and another driver would be coming along soon.

This is a good chance to speak about the people we met along the way. There were very friendly and helpful if you would just ask. We did not meet a single person who did not go out of there way to help us when needed.

Anyway, back to the narrative. The bus let us off in Windermere where we stopped at a local grocery to pick up an item or two. While checking out, we asked the cashier for the location of the nearest ATM. (remember how friendly I said folks were?) she pointed us to the location and off we went. Once rearmed with cash, we located a nice restaurant for dinner. I had the roast beef with Yorkshire pudding and Ruth had the fish which were both incredible. After the meal, we took a taxi to the hotel.

So once again, off to bed for a WELL DESERVED nights sleep!

Day 8, Thursday, 22 September

Bowness-on-Windermere (the Lake District)

Today it is time to tour the northern part of the Lake District. Because one of the ladies on our trip injured herself at the start and was not able to get to Stonehenge, Derrick has arranged for us to go to Castle Rigg stone circle. This is a circle of stones similar to Stonehenge and has been dated to around 3200bc. Although interesting, the views surrounding the locale were stunning. It was also quite a shock when we were low level buzzed by a British Tornado Fighter Jet. Apparently, they use the hills around this location for low-level flight training. Another interesting thing was that the stone circle is in the middle of a sheep pen and the owner let’s folks wander in among the sheep to see the circle.

Once finished with Castle Rigg, we headed on to Grasmere which was William Wordsworth’s home village. It is a rather small place that we stopped to have lunch and a bite of homemade ginger bread (yum, YUM). It only takes about 15 minutes to walk from one end of the village to the other, but the views are spectacular. There is also an arboretum here as well as Dove cottage (Wordsworth’s home).

Leaving Grasmere, we head on to Hawkshead, which is another small village in the northern Lake District. We stopped here for a quick cup of coffee and a little shopping and a lot of photographs. There is a very imposing church nestled atop the hill in this village. The cemetery has grave markers dating from the 1600s.

Once finished here, we head back to Bowness for a free afternoon. Ruth and I spend the afternoon shopping for little souvenirs and postcards. Finishing shopping, we have dinner at a Swiss Italian restaurant, which was different but might good.

Now for one of the most interesting things that happened on the trip. Once at the hotel, we decided to have a nightcap prior to going to bed. So into the bar for a half-pint and a diet coke we met up with a group of folks from Wales that were on holiday. These folks were all in the mid 70s and were farmers. We had a great time getting to know them and learn about their lives and their country. We were invited to come to Wales and stay with them the next time we were in country. It was a wonderful couple of hours getting to know them.

After visiting with them until about 11pm, we all decided to say our goodbyes and head to a night of dreamless sleep.

Day 9, Friday, 23 September

Bowness-on-Windermere (the Lake District) to Edinburgh

Another frantic morning of packing and repacking and making sure we didn’t lose anything, then on to breakfast and into the coach again. Leaving Bowness (and again a place for the “visit again” list) we head onto Birdsowald to visit Hadrian’s Wall. This wall was ordered built by the Roman emperor Hadrian in 122 AD as a marker of the northern extent of the Roman Empire. Parts of the wall and forts can still be seen in the area and to be able to actually touch and roam around it was mind boggling.

After leaving Hadrian’s Wall behind, we head on to Scotland. Our first stop in Scotland is Gretna Green. This is the place where folks from England would elope to get married without the consent of their parents. Scottish law, which was recognized by England, allowed the master of any craft to perform marriages, as long as there were two witnesses and the couple declared their love for one another. Gretna Green is still used for marriages today and one was occurring while we visited.

We also managed another round of shopping at the Edinburgh Woolen Shop and other stores in the area while also having lunch.

Leaving Gretna Green, we head on towards Melrose Abbey. This allows for a quick cup of coffee and a chance to see the ruins of the abbey. Unfortunately, the ruins are only mildly visible from the road and to get an appreciation for them will cost you about $10 U.S. So mark this place for the “visit again” list.

Heading on from the abbey, we finally head into Edinburgh and to the Holyrood Hotel. Once checked in, we head to our room to find the best room of the entire trip. Although on the first level and overlooking the loading dock, it was still a very spacious and comfortable room. This leaves us just enough time to unpack, take a quick shower, dress up and head out to the “A Taste of Scotland” at historic Prestonfield.

This was a dinner and show featuring singers, dancing, bagpipes, and fiddles! It was quite an entertaining evening and the presentation of the haggis was incredible. Ruth and I even tried the haggis and really enjoyed it. Of course, having a wee draught of the highland Scotch whisky probably didn’t hurt!

Day 10, Saturday, 24 September

Edinburgh

Yet another early morning with, this time, a Scottish breakfast. (Same as the English breakfast, but let’s get it right!). This morning we went on a tour of the city with a local tour guide. Ingles showed us around Edinburgh and pointed out all of the key sites from Arthur’s seat to old town to new town. While driving around, Ingles would tell wonderful stories and give the history of what we were looking at. Once we finished the overview, he took us to the castle. Edinburgh castle is on top of a large slab of volcanic rock and has a commanding view of the city below. The forecourt of the castle was still set up for the military tattoo which we unfortunately missed (a definite “visit again” list). Entering the castle, Ingles stopped at several places and gave the history of the buildings. At the top of the castle, he let us go explore. Ruth and I took this chance to visit the cathedral to the fallen Scottish soldiers. During WWI, Scotland lost over ¼ of its male population and each of their names is listed in books in this cathedral. Each of the regiments has its own altar and there are altars for each of the supporting military groups as well. This is a very sobering place and Ruth and I did not have dry eyes upon leaving it.

Edinburgh castle is also home to the Scottish crown jewels and they have quite a history. I am not going to repeat it here, but if you have a chance, read up on them.

This afternoon is free for shopping and Ruth and I take full advantage. Ruth keeps taking me into kilt shops and she keeps trying to get me to buy one (I think she just wants to see my knees and finally find out what is worn under the kilt!). After an afternoon of shopping, we head out with the group to a restaurant at Queens Ferry, which is outside of the city. The queen in Queens’s ferry refers to queen Margaret of Scotland who used to cross the Firth of Forth here. This is now the location to a massive railway bridge and a road bridge that looks like the Golden Gate Bridge.

The restaurant was a nice peaceful evening with a nice selection for the meal. I tried the fried haggis balls in gravy as an appetizer and they were quite good. So, again, after a long day, it was time to crawl between the sheets into exhaustion and oblivion.

Day 11, Sunday, 25 September

Edinburgh

Today is the day of the optional trips and we will be starting by going to St. Andrews. Yes, I know, it is the home of golf and neither Ruth nor I play. But, there is also the university and other ruins there. We start off by visiting the ruins of the castle and abbey which are situated right on the coast. These are mighty impressive but really run down. Apparently, when King Henry VIII destroyed the abbeys during his reign, the local town’s people scavenged the rock from the abbey to build their own homes. This, basically, left the foundation, some walls and the steeple still standing. It was eerily beautiful. Moving on from the town, we headed to the Royal and Ancient golf club to visit for about an hour. Ruth and I walked up the coast where the opening scene to Chariots of Fire was filmed. We also walked upon the first and eighteenth holes taking the obligatory picture of Ruth on the 18^th green.

Next on the agenda is Stirling Castle. Like Edinburgh castle, this one is built upon a shelf of volcanic rock and gives an imposing view of the country side. It is said that whoever held this castle, controlled Scotland. I can certainly see why. Ruth and I enjoyed our walk around the battlements of the castle and would definitely like to visit it again for a more in-depth view (another added to the “visit again” list). From the castle, you can see the William Wallace (you may know him better as Brave Heart) memorial in the distance rising up on a hill across the valley.

Next on the agenda is a visit to the Bannockburn battle field. On this field of battle, Robert the Bruce’s forces defeated the English in 1312 leading to the independence of Scotland and making him King. There is a memorial there to Robert the Bruce astride his horse on the field of battle. For those of us with Scottish heritage, a very moving place.

Next, it is back to the hotel to get ready for our last evening as a group. The provided highlight dinner, while nice, was not very memorable. It was the last time many of us in the tour group would see each other, so our goodbyes were said and a group photo taken.

So, after dinner, it is back to the hotel for a frantic evening of packing and getting ready for our 6am coach ride to the airport.

Day 12, Monday, 26 September

Edinburgh to Atlanta

Not going to say a lot about this other than the transfer to the airport was uneventful. Unfortunately, our flight out of Edinburgh was delayed long enough that we had to rush through De Gaul airport to catch our flight into Atlanta. Arriving in Atlanta after 9 hours of flight left us both tired and grumpy.

Conclusion

So, would I do it again? Absolutely! While there were things I did not like about the tour such as the coach seats and the size of the shower in Bowness, there were more good things than bad. Our travel mates were outstanding and outgoing. The local people were friendly and helpful. And our tour director and driver were both knowledgeable and skilled. All things considered, I can recommend this trip to anyone.

Also, I can see I left out about everything. I left out how much I enjoyed getting to know the people on the trip, how much I enjoyed the conversations with George, our driver and especially how unable I am to convey the feelings and sense of awe as we saw things. This is one trip whose memories will last a lifetime.