To read about this trip from the beginning – click here.
Gloucester
After a week of scoffing yummy food we knew we had better do a Parkrun. The weather was much better and we both did the Newent Parkrun, then went back to the guesthouse and watched James Martin’s cooking show while washing and getting read to go to Gloucester. The key sights – also known and the Gloucester 12 are: –
Gloucester Cathedral
The New Inn
Gloucester Folk Museum
St Mary de Crypt
Gloucester Docks
The Old Bell
Beatrix Potter Museum
26 Westgate Street
Blackfriars
Roberts Raikes’ Inn
Brunswick Square
St Oswald’s Priory
Gloucester Cathedral
There was the Crucible art expo on at Gloucester cathedral so we popped in there. Apparently some of the Harry Potter movie scenes were filmed in the Cloisters. Then we had lunch at the Guildhall. The Guildhall was having a One Direction special and was swarming with teenage girls. Then we took a stroll over to Gloucester Quays. Here old harbour warehouses have been restored and you can eat, shop, watch narrow boats tie up for the night, explore preserved old boats or read info boards scattered about giving info on how the quays worked in days
Bourton on the Water Cotswolds
gone by.
We headed back into town and had a take-out jacket potato at award winning pie shop just before they closed. We needed to have an early supper before going back to the B & B.
Sunday morning our guesthouse owner had come to terms with the demise of her cat and all the traumas of traveling so we decided to have her award winning breakfast. It was good. And good value. They do tend to go on about award winning this and award winning that in the UK. Almost every place had some award
Bourton on the Water Cotswolds
whether it was biggest pub, best pub, smallest pub, most loved pub, widest selection of beers pub. Basically every second place had won some award or other.
After breakfast our host kindly lent us a book on scenic drives in The Cotswolds. I don’t know why we thought we could do it in a day. It’s not a massive area (100 miles from north to south) but there are a LOT of villages and you mostly travel along narrow lanes which slows the trip right down. Houses in The Cotswolds have a distinct character, many built in honey coloured Cotswold stone. Timber and thatch also feature in local architecture. Development is limited to preserve the historical ambiance. You can also cycle or go walking through The Cotswolds. Go to www.cotswolds.com for more info. Sundays are busy and families flock into the region to wander around the villages, shop, eat ice-cream, have lunch,
Burford Cotswolds
visit museums about local industriess and characters, or just hang about. If you fancy something completely different try the – Museum of Mechanical Music – www.mechanicalmusic.co.uk .
The area in and around Gloucester has such a wide variety of things to do. From our walks in the Wye River Valley next to Wales, The River Severn, the country fair and book expo near Cheltenam, Gloucester itself and the historical buildings to The Cotswolds. We got to see a lot. The following morning we headed back to London to my husband’s aunt. She had a fortnight without us and I can say hand on heart, was pleased to see us. If only for a few days.
For more on other places to visit scroll to My Holidays and Trips.
To read about this trip from the beginning – click here.
Turnip Tossing Championships
The following day we planned to do a Parkrun in Newent. We woke up to rain, but ever hopeful, got dressed and drove to the Parkrun venue. It carried on raining so we abandoned the idea, despite plenty other enthusiastic runners not shy to get wet. Back at the guesthouse they mentioned on BBC1 News it was 10th anniversary of Parkruns. All the clubs had brought cake and were celebrating. We missed out! BTW Parkrun is a free 5 kilometre run that occurs globally in parks around the world.
We watched Saturday morning cooking with James
Old fashioned cider press
Martin on telly and then decided to visit to Cheltenham. Why Cheltenaham? On TV they mentioned there was a literary festival there. Also it was a much bigger place than Lea and we needed to do a bit of shopping. We headed straight for the Tourist Info and asked for a brochure or guide. They wanted to charge us for it! Not a lot – but that was a first for us. We declined and wandered around the town poking our noses in alleys and walking up
streets. We also popped into the book fair.
Forest Showcase Food and Drink Festival
After a few hours on our feet we headed for Wetherspoons where we had a beer and supper. They were having their International Beer Festival and were promoting beers from all around the world. Some really interesting beers to be had. Wetherspoons are a chain of pubs known for bargain prices. We couldn’t exactly complain. One pint of beer, 1 large glass of red wine and 2 jacket potatoes with bean chilli and a mixed salad with dressing came to £12.
We stopped off at a Mini Tesco, bought snacks and a local TV guide, went back to room and watched BBC – much better than our local SABC!!! We had asked the owner of the B & B if we could buy a salad and eat at the communal table but she wasn’t happy about it. Which is why we ate at Wetherspoons.
The next day we set off to the Speakhouse Hotel to
Lydney Outer harbour
do the Forest Showcase Food and Drink Festival in the Forest of Dean. It’s a big event with over 70 stalls. The stands are a mix of (HOOF) Hands off our Forest activists and Citizens Advice Bureau to a cider press in action and lots and lots of cider stalls. And there were craft beers, bespoke bakers, cookery demos, harvest crowns, children’s play areas and heaps more. We also got to watch the annual Turnip Tossing Championships – you read that right.
Info on River Severn
Once we had enough we drove to Lydney Harbour to see the River Severn. Who knew it’s the second most tidal river in the world? It has a range of up to 15 metres! From there we popped into Chepstow in Wales. We were so close, how could we not? The Tourist Info lady gave us a map and marked out a drive we could take that would deliver great views of Chepstow and the river. We also wandered around the ruins of Chepstow Castle. Then we headed back to our B & B for an early night in anticipation of our raw food course.
Monday to Friday we did the Feast 2014 course at Harts Barn Cookery School in Mitchelsdean. Wow! What a life changing experience. When we decided to go vegan we wanted to go the whole 9 yards and
Chepstow Castle
eat raw as well. Our reasons for becoming vegan are ethical. We cannot reconcile the horror inflicted on animals to satisfy our appetites. In addition – going raw is a healthy choice. Man is the only species that eats cooked food. If we had to subject our body parts to the temperatures we apply to our food we would have 3rd degree burns. So why do we cook? I don’t know. Here’s what we do know. Cooking destroys most (not all) nutrients and compromises others. (Protein is way less digestible after being cooked) That “caramelisation” that we love on oven baked and roasted food is plain old burning and apparently a
Raw cookies
known carcinogen. Yikes! We wanted ways to eat more than a salad. And we certainly learned a lot. Read more on my husband’s blog – Meat Free Everyday on Blogspot.
The course was hands-on. We watched how to make food. Then made it ourselves. Ten of had us had our own stations in the kitchen complete with blenders, food processors and utensils. We got to work with a sous vide machine, a dehydrator, high speed blender, a mandolin and a spiraliser. The techniques used in creating raw versions of regular foods were shared with us. A person can imagine raw mueslis, salads or smoothies without too much of a head twist. But
Raw cheese, raw bread, raw chutney with thinly sliced fruit
how about soups, cheese, pizza, biscuits, yogurt, gnocchi, custard tarts, bread and Phad Thai? The flavours of raw food are much more powerful since they have not been damaged. Apple pie and cream, chocolate truffles and creamy pastas don’t have to be bad for you if you re-invent them as raw treats. And are even more delicious than the cooked versions. What I most liked was we could take a recipe and customise it. We were encouraged to play with flavours.
We ate all the food we made – a bit tricky with our evening meals as our B & B wasn’t keen on us using a table. Also we were all inadvertently detoxing. I cannot honestly say we eat raw all the time now, but I don’t cook nearly as much as I used to. I try to steam or blanch food rather than use our oven but we certainly eat a lot more raw food meals now.
Read the next bit by – clicking here.
Find our experiences of other places by going to the My Holidays and Trips page.
To read about this trip from the beginning – click here.
The Brits are a nation of passionate ramblers and the Ross on Wye area is full of walks – long and short. You
Boat Inn cider stop
could do the Offa’s Dyke National Trail which is 177 miles. It meanders between the Welsh/English border. Or you could try one of myriad much shorter walks. We did the Puddingstone and Pubs Walk on our first day which is a 3 mile circular hike. The guide brochure suggests you allocate 3 hours to complete
Prisk Wood on Puddingstone walk
it. It’s an unbelievably beautiful route. Puddingstone is a particular granite that is gritty and hard wearing. It was made into millstones and used to mill amongst other things – apples to a pulp. The area is well known for it’s ciders and there are two pubs on the walk where you can sample local ciders. I had a Black Dragon and my other half had a Hazy Daze. I also ate my body weight in blackberries which grow wild on the walk. A person can see why the Welsh have dragons and faeries in their folklore. The countryside lends itself to fantasy.
The following day we decided to explore towns in the area. We also needed to catch up on comms so found a cafe with wifi. There’s not a lot for vegans or vegetarians listed on happycow.net (vegan website) so we decided to self cater from the second night on. Just because we have a limited diet does not mean there isn’t good food for other people. There is a food
Angidy walk
route you can take which has artisan bakers, craft beers and ciders and organic cheeses. After lunch we set off to Symonds Yat (East) to take in views. Symonds Yat trail is only 1.4 miles which is just as well as we started late in the day. No idea what a yat is but at Symonds Yat Rock you can apparently see 7 counties! I can’t say I spotted the counties but it is a wide view.
The GPS went berserk en route to the yat and took us down a steep and narrow road. So narrow we had
Tintern Abbey
to pull in BOTH side mirrors and ended up driving into someones property! They have road signs telling you to ignore GPS signals. Pity we only took notice of the signs AFTER our experience.
On our third day in the area, we checked out of hostel and set off to do Angidy River Walk and see Tintern Abbey. I don’t know why I expected to see an Abbey. I guess because it wasn’t described as a ruin. Which it is. Tintern is an ex abbey. Apparently King Henry VIII dissolved abbeys, priories and monasteries between 1536 to 1541. He removed roofs, helped himself to valuables and destroyed beautiful and historical buildings. Not very nice of him if you ask me. No different from some current despots.
Angidy Trail takes in an old wire factory and meaders
Wire smelting on Angidy walk
along the River Wye. You can download walks in the area free from www.monmouthshire.gov.uk. After our walk we drove to Lea and checked into Lea House B & B. The owner was on holiday but a neighbour let us in. Not a lot to do in Lea and we didn’t feel like trying to find a place to eat so we munched on snacks in room and watched telly. The owner arrived late and was stressed about lengthy delays to her flights. Unfortunately her cat had been run over and expired. She wasn’t happy.
Move on to the rest of this post by clicking – here.
And read about other places we have visited by clicking on the My Holidays and Trips page.
I said at the beginning of this feature that I had NO idea how much SANParks is investing back into
A must-do is this lady’s talk about the tip of Africa
South Africa and its people. It’s not only what they do but also the associations they form within areas to preserve environments and create opportunities.
The next part of our day was spent visiting Nuwejaars Wetland SMA, which is a Special Management Area. SANParks are engaging with 25 local farmers who own 45 600 ha of
Lunch at the Black Oyster catcher restaurant
land near Agulhas. The goal is to manage the environment with a social and sustainable approach to ensure the land is cared for. They help fund alien vegetation removal and reintroduce indigenous plants. Alien vegetation is a huge threat to local fynbos and unless tackled will wipe out plants that only exist in this region.
There is also a program whereby farmers allocate land to breed the almost extinct
Black Oyster Catcher wine
kwagga as well as buffalo and hippo. Read more about this initiative on the website – www.nuwejaars.com.
Lunch was hosted at the Black Oyster Catcher restaurant. We were treated to a sumptuous lunch with bottles of Black Oyster Catcher wines which are produced from locally grown grapes in Elim. Read more about them on their
SAN Parks Junior Rangers arrive on a bus
website – www.blackoystercatcher.co.za. Our lunch was a leisurely affair and we took a rain-check on a planned boat trip to Struis Baai (Ostrich Bay). The weather also conspired against us as it had been blustery since the morning. We all took advantage of the gap in the programeand once back at Agulhas National Park either went for a walk or had a rest.
Other activities to consider in the area are: –
hiking
whale watching
birdwatching
wine tasting
museums – Shipwreck Museum in Bredasdorp,Heritage Centre in Elim and Lighthouse Museum in L’Agulhas
By supper time we had eaten plenty good food during the day. Most of us had smaller portions. We ended up talking
Buffalo breeding initiative
about our country and it’s history. Yet more interesting conversation and an early night.
Our last morning we were collected by our trusty bus driver and taken to the very tip of Africa. We all took snaps of ourselves at the actual spot which marks the tip, and then made
Southern-most tip of Africa
our way to a restaurant in Agulhas where we had a full breakfast. Bellies full and much wiser we made our way back home.
My husband and I travel a fair amount in Europe but we are always bragging about our beautiful home country. I could never refuse an opportunity to enjoy our local spaces, particularly the chance to spend time in a wild natural environment. This weekend made a big impression on me.
Apart from being able to enjoy an area of such beauty, I left feeling inspired by the genuine desire of the people at SANParks to make a
Greenie and husband at the land mark spot
difference. And the love of fellow travelers and journos for South Africa. We shared special places to visit and travel ideas and tips.
To read about other places we have visited, open the Holidays and Trips gallery at the top of this page.
We had a light lunch after the opening ceremony, then headed back to our chalets for some down-time. My husband and I were allocated a single chalet which was brand spanking new. I had to give the soap dispenser a good few pumps to get it going. The ethos of sustainability is again reflected in the chalets. They are beautifully decorated in natural materials and neutral colours. I absolutely love
Lagoon House
the smell of a thatch roof and wooden decking. Our bed was enormous with pristine white linen. The chalets are self-catering which is particularly great for us as we are aspirant vegans. However, SANParks provided all our meals for this weekend.
SANParks charge a room rate which is typically around R900 to R1000 for two people sharing. The rates vary depending on which park you are staying. They charge a nominal rate for extra people or children. If you work out the cost per head, it’s affordable. Google –
Inside Lagoon House
www.sanparks.org – and browse their site to see all the parks, check tariffs and availability. You might want to consider a Wild Card, which allows unlimited access to over 80 parks around South Africa, special offers and discounts as well as their newspaper and on-line newsletters.
You might also want to consider subscribing to the SANParks Times,
Jean Daneel WinesParks
a newspaper packed full of beautiful photos and news relating to conservation and environmental issues. Contact -SANParkstimes@RNAD.co.za for more info.
Around early evening we walked to the
Jean Daneel Wine
Lagoon House for a wine tasting. Lagoon House is a historical Cape Dutch farm house that has been kept intact but refurbished. It’s now an 8 sleeper unit a stone’s throw from the sea. Because these chalets are in a national park you’re not surrounded by concrete and noise. You have nothing more than yourself, plus a few fellow visitors, and the environment as God intended. Peace. Bliss.
A vintner from nearby Napier was given an opportunity to present his wines with cheese and biscuits. We were able to ask questions and sample 5 wines including a 5-star
Turquoise lagoon
wooded Chenin Blanc. Apparently it takes around 1kg grapes for him to make a 750ml bottle of wine. Grapes vary in size, wine grapes are usually smaller than eating grapes. The alcohol content of a wine is largely affected by the region it grows – hotter weather increases the alcohol percentage. Find his wines at www.jdwines.co.za.
Breakfast fruit pancakes
I was impressed that SANParks are forging relationships with locals. Not only was the vintner given a chance to showcase his handiwork, but another local lady made our meals for the weekend. We ate well. Very well. After a lovely supper and chatting to other media folk and SANParks staff, my other half and I left to walk along a white gravel road – under a full moon – back to our chalet. With no development for miles around the Agulhas National Park, the moon was brighter than I have ever seen her before. We slept like babies in the big bed with the sound of the waves rolling softly in the background.
The following morning we walked back to
Fruit piled onto home made pancakes
Lagoon House for breakfast taking in a few snaps of the turquoise blue lagoon en-route. Brekka was another sumptuous affair. Fruit piled high on delicious pancakes. My husband and I got a special veggie breakfast with yummy mushrooms. I’m not sure if it was the common interests of the group or if we just had a great group of people. The conversation was always interesting and everyone had something to say – that was worth hearing.
After breakfast we all piled into the bus and drove to the landmark L’Agulhas lighthouse. I regret to say I didn’t climb the 71 steps to the
L’Agulhas lighthouse
top and gaze out at the dividing line – 20’E meridian – where the Atlantic and Indian Oceans meet. I’m scared of heights but my husband ventured up. A delightful local lady gave a talk on when the lighthouse was completed – 1848 – and more about shipwrecks, past occupants, and to quote our lady guide when she ran out of words – blah, blah, blah. I loved how she captured the gist of L’Agulhas as the very tip of Africa. Behind is the rest of Africa, ahead is Antarctica.
We saw a bus which had brought Junior Rangers to the area. This is yet another SAN Parks initiative whereby teenagers visit various national parks. They are taught about local flora and fauna as well orienteering skills. A bit like girl guides or boy scouts. They have regular meetings and graduation programmes.
Our goal is to see as much as we can of the inland waterways of Europe. We’ve been boating in The Netherlands for the last 2 and a 1/2 years. Not the whole time obviously. In winter the canals freeze over, the smaller canals shut down and there are limited bridge opening times.
Also, as a South African, I am limited to a maximum of 90 days per annum.
We planned to explore Holland first since we bought the boat there. My husband and I originally thought we would be in and out of The Netherlands. It’s not such a big country after all. How wrong were we? We fell in love with the Dutch people. It’s possible we may fall in love with other countries? It’s not hard to when a person explores a place from the waterways. You get up close and personal with the people and go to areas other visitors would never see.
Large working barges have right of way
However, if we are ever going to see Belgium, Germany, France, Poland, Denmark, United Kingdom and all the other countries linked to the European waterways – we have to move on.
Hopefully more family, friends and acquaintances will join us. Will we be able to share more of our experiences?
Meanwhile, I thought I would share my boating tips. Hope you find them useful.
Make sure to pack the following: –
weatherproof/windproof/waterproof/warm jacket
peak hat/sun hat
non-slip lightcolouredsole shoes
slip slops for the communal showers
running shoes
sunscreen
sunglasses
biodegradable shower gel/shampoo
scarfs that double as sarongs
cheap gloves for handling the ropes
heavy duty bags that double up as laundry bags, toiletry bags, shopping bags etc
cash – cards are not accepted in all countries – Netherlands is one of them
small change for the showers and water and electricity supply – usually 50c
plug adaptors for any gadgets – think mobile phones or tablets
comfortable clothes for climbing on and off the boat
phrase book or app with the local language
consider loading maps.me or similar app on your phone
And for boaters: –
maps of the waterways in the area either on-line or hard copies
required waterway books
your local flag and any other required flags
mini binoculars to read signs/buoys/boats on the waterways
My Top Boating Tips are: –
Traditional Dutch boat under sail
1. Take gloves. I use cheap gloves from the hardware store. Even if your hands aren’t tender. Thick course ropes can shred your skin when you tie up for the night or secure your boat in the locks.
2. Do try and learn basic phrases in the local language. Most Europeans speak a lot more English than they let on. However you are in THEIR country where they have been speaking their mother tongue for eons. It’s only polite to make an effort to speak the local language and not expect them to accommodate you. Besides you will need to buy provisions, read notices or maps and ask questions of the lock keepers and locals.
3. Pack sun-hats and sunscreen. The sun does shine in Europe. It can get quite hot.
4. And a warm windbreaker. It also needs to be weatherproof/waterproof. It rains a lot in Europe. It’s usually colder on the water than on land.
Dutch cash card machines
5. It would be wise to have some boat handling skills. And perhaps get to know a few boating terms like cleat, bollard, port, starboard or fender? No formal qualifications are required but a boat can be unpredictable in currents and wind. If the “captain” is speaking in boat-ese, it helps to know what s/he is saying.
6. Pack light-coloured sole shoes so as not to mark the boat and make sure they are non-slip. Leaping on and off a boat for locks and moorings is required. Make sure your shoes won’t be falling off.
Waiting for a bridge to open in Leiden
7. Bring a cap, top or something to connect you to your home country.We have met expats and made new friends by flying our South African flag. People greet their fellow countrymen with gusto abroad. And we have made friends when people recognised our flag and shared memories of a trip to South Africa. Or they enquired where we are from. But we have also met locals who love it that we are taking an interest in their country.
8. Pack running shoes. A walk exploring the town or a run along the tow path is a great way to relax at the end of the day to stretch your legs. Besides you never know how far away the nearest supermarket will be?
9. It is mostly older and retired people who do these trips and while they aren’t strenuous they do require some effort. You will be jumping on and off boats and heaving ropes. You have to walk to the shops.
Bus service in Haarlem
10. Go easy on the water when on a boat. Most boats come with about 200 litres tanks – which is not a lot. Get into the habit of re-using water for dishes. When showering use the spray to wet yourself. Switch off while you soap to conserve water. And only turn the tap on again when you need to rinse. Save shaving and shampooing for when you are in a marina where they have facilities. We try to use marinas when we have visitors on our boat.
Weather report Lelystad
11. Learn a few basic knots. Fenders have to be moved up and down depending on the mooring. A Clove Hitch, Round Turn and Two Half Hitches are a good place to start. And it helps to know how to make a figure of 8 on a cleat to secure the boat so it doesn’t float away.
12. Boating is NOT glamorous. Pack comfortable clothes that you can move in and make sure you don’t mind if they get a bit grubby. Your clothes will be washed in a communal facility. You are going to be using basic facilities in a communal ablution block.
Essential guide books
For more on other places we have visited, go to the top of this page and open – My Holidays and Trips.
