Newcastle June 2012

Our first visit to Newcastle was very interesting despite the wet weather!  Transport is very efficient here.  To get into the city from the airport, there is the metro.  The path leads directly into the metro station where ticket machines require feeding and then onto the metro.  Each station is announced both by typed messages and voiced over. 

The river views are amazing on a good day, and there are so many things to see.  The shopping malls, the plaza areas where big screens and free deck chairs encourage use of space, castle, Granger Market etc and the Angel of the North is a bus ride away.  Ouseburn Farm and Victoria Tunnels add interest to the visit. 

Jedburgh Mill

Tewkesbury

Another delightful town, with an abbey dominating one end and the River Severn on the other.

Coombe, (National Trust) near Pershore

This National Trust property took us by surprise, as the entrance was an old war time building.  However, once through a small path surrounded by bushes, the land fell away to reveal the house and grounds with orangery and follies. The 6th Earl lived here and Capability Brown designed the gardens.

The Orangery

Upton upon Severn

This small town was badly affected by the floods 4 years ago and is trying hard to attract tourists back again.  It is a delightful place with some unusual individual shops so well worth visiting!

Croft Castle, nr Ledbury, Herefordshire

Exploring the area around The Malverns, took us north west towards Ledbury and to Croft Castle (NT)

The views of the surrounding area were outstanding.

Malvern Hills, Worcestershire

Just an hour's drive from Birmingham and the Malvern Hills dominate the skyline.  The town of Great Malvern is partly built on the hill and so the walk upwards doesnot seem so bad.  The Worcestershire Beacon is the highest point of the Malverns.

Great Malvern town with North hill in the distance

St Ann's Well half way up the hill, where the spring water flows into a marble font ( through the archway)

Worcestershire Beacon, the highest point of the Malverns

The view from the top of the Worcestershire Beacon

looking down the spine of the malverns

The view from the top of the British Camp ( an ironage fort) on the Herefordshire Beacon, looking towards North Hill , Worcestershire Beacon, Perserverence Hill and Pinnacle Hill

The Malvern Hills are 8 miles long and are the source of the town's springs and wells.

New Blog

As I am going to be walking all over the place, why restrict a blog to a county!  watch this space!!