CRICKET ST. THOMAS HOTEL

THE EDEN PROJECT

Three nights at the Plymouth Travel Inn followed by two nights at the Taunton Travel Inn

We travelled to Plymouth, having not visited for many years, to visit the Eden Project and the Lost Gardens of Haligon (which were both well worth the visit). Then it was back up to Taunton so that we could visit Exmoor and the North Devon Coast, especially Lynton and Lynmouth. The Travel Inns certainly offer good value for money and are always located next to a restaurant of a good standards.

Two-night break staying at The Menzies Waterside Hotel

We had driven through Bath on visits to the West Country but had never stopped and had a look round. This two-night break at the Menzies Waterside Hotel was ideal because the hotel is situated just five minutes from the town centre and we enjoyed a very pleasant break in this old Spa town and also enjoyed some great meals in the hotel. The weather turned out to be a great also considering it was the middle of February.

CHESTER’S MAIN STREET

CHESTER : May 19-21, 2004

Three-night break staying at the Macdonalds Craxton Woods Hotel

Having only ever visited this area of the North West once before (when I was about 14) it was all new scenery to us. The hotel was situated just north of Chester in about 27 acres of wooded land and it was perfect, especially the food. Chester itself is a very interesting and historic place with plenty to do and see and is also an ideal loaction for visits to North Wales, Liverpool and the Wirrel . . . visits that we indeed made. All in all a great break from the stresses of a retirement life!!!!!!

PLYMOUTH & TAUNTON : June 24-28, 2003

BATH : February 18 and 19, 2004

STOURPORT-ON-SEVERN : September 22-24, 2004

Two-night break staying at the Menzies Stourport Manor Hotel

Another first for us in this area of Worcestershire in the beautiful River Severn Valley. After booking into hotel we travelled down to the City of Worcester for a good look round there and then on the next day we travelled northwards up the valley into Shropshire and to the village of Ironbridge where the first iron bridge in the world was built over the Severn more than 200 years ago. Lovely scenery, lovely food . . .!!!

THE BULLRING

CUMBRIA : September 19-23, 2005

Five-day, 4-night coach trip to the Lake District, staying at the Shap Wells Hotel at Shap near Carlisle

This was an excellent trip by coach with everything included. We travelled with the sisters from Oz and brother and sister-in-law, Rob and Marian. The hotel was superb with excellent food and the excursions covered the Lake District, Hadrian's Wall, Carlisle, Hexham and the Cumbrian west coast. Mary even got in a quick visit to the Marks and Spencers in Carlisle (another one to tick off!). The weather was great and the Oz sisters really enjoyed seeing the beautiful scenery in that part of the Uk, as we all did!!

NORTH DEVON : September 25-29, 2006

Five-day, four-night self-drive trip to Lynton and Lynmouth in North Devon, staying at the Valley of the Rocks Hotel at Lynton.

This hotel is owned by the WA/Shearings Holiday company and our trip was booked through them. Travelling with brother Rob and sister-in-law Marian we enjoyed an excellent break in this beautiful part of the country. Good food and brilliant entertainment in the evenings and rides out to Ilfracombe, Coombe Martin, Clovelly and the Dartington Crystal factory made this a very enjoyable holiday. The weather was reasonable and we able to enjoy all the lovely scenery in that part of the country.

IRELAND : February 2008 (strictly speaking this was not a UK holiday)

Five-day, four-night self-drive trip to Ireland. We flew into Dublin and drove down to County Wexford and stayed at the White's of Wexford Hotel in the centre of the town.

The main purpose of this short break was to attend a surprise 70th birthday party for Simon's mother-in-law.Wexford is where she was born and where most of her extended family live. The party went off great, the hotel we stayed in was fantastic and we also had a good look round the south-east of Ireland visiting such places as Waterford, Kilkenny, Carlow, New Ross and the The Hook Lighthouse.

YORKSHIRE : July 25-28, 2008

Three-night weekend break to Yorkshire staying at the Nidd Hall Hotel just north or Harrogate. This is a Warner's Hotel which is set in beautiful parkland with well laid out gardens.

We travelled up to Yorkshire for this three-night weekend break and enjoyed fantastic summer weather all the time whilst visiting such places as York, Harrogate, Knaresborough, Pateley Bridge and Settle. The hotel was excellent with very good food and and entertainment each evening. In Harrogate we sampled a cake at the famous Betty's tearooms as well as travelling through the beautiful Yorkshire Dales.

Three-night weekend break in Somerset staying at the Cricket St Thomas Hotel. This is another Warner's Hotel which was again set in beautiful parkland with well laid out gardens.

We travelled down to for this three-night weekend break and again enjoyed good weather for the time of year. Brother and sister-in-law, Rob and Marian, accompanied us on this break and we enjoyed good food, good entertainment and good company at this very nice hotel set in the countryside. We also visited Lyme Regis on the Dorset Jurassic coast as well as taking in the scenery of that part of the country.

We travelled to Northumberland for this four-night break as a celebration of our Golden Wedding which was on June 13. We enjoyed some reasonable weather and visited Keilder Water, the Metro Centre at Gateshead and the outskirts of Newcastle. This was our first visit to this area and we enjoyed the lovely scenery and the coastal areas north of Newcastle. Excellent food and drink was enjoyed at the hotel.

NORFOLK : August 13-15, 2010

Two-night break in Norfolk staying at The Sprowston Manor Hotel and Country Club, Norwich, which has an 18-hole championship golf course. This hotel is one of the Marriott Hotel Group.

We travelled to Norwich on the Friday and on that day I had a golf lesson and 18 holes of golf whilst Mary visited Norwich. We enjoyed two great evening meals plus two full English breakfast served buffet style. This is a very comfortable hotel set in beautiful surroundings and close to the lovely countryside of the Norfold Broads.

THE COTSWOLDS : June 8-15, 2012

Seven-night break staying at the Charlecote Pheasant Hotel which is situated in the small village of Charlecote about five miles from Stratford-upon-Avon. This hotel is one of the Shearings Group Coast and Country Hotels.

As usual the accommodation, food, entertainment was excellent and although the weather was not the greatest for June we enjoyed a very pleasant stay. We had a good day at Warwick Castle and as well as seeing the sights at Stratford we visited Coventry, Worcester, Cheltenham, Stow-in-the-Wold and Boughton-on-the-Water during the course of the week.

SOUTH WALES : June 9-14, 2013

Another five-night break starting with one night in a Premier Inn at Cardiff in South Wales followed by four nights in The Imperial Hotel at Tenby on the Pembrokeshire coast. This hotel is one of the Coast and Country Hotels Group.

We drove down to Cardiff on the Sunday arriving at midday and spent the afternoon visiting this City for the first time and then on the Monday morning we travelled on to Tenby via a stop at Swansea and a visit to the National Botanic Gardens near Carmarthon. During the week we toured around Pembrokeshire and the weather was reasonably kind to us and we enjoyed some excellent meals and entertainment at the hotel.

NATIONAL TRUST VISITS : Throughout 2014 to present

Simon and Mary have gave us a joint membership of the National Trust for Christmas for the last couple of years and we have enjoyed visiting several of their sites during the year.

So far we have been to Ickworth House near Bury St Edmunds and to Angelsey Abbey near Cambridge and Wimpole Estate near Royston. We also had an afternoon out at Hatfield Forest which is also run by the National Trust. There are a couple of places up in Norfolk that we intend visit before too long and we have also visited a couple of places down in Devon and Cornwall.

THE MIDLANDS : June 1-3, 2005

Two-night break staying at the Hinckley Island Hotel, Hinckley.

This trip enabled us to visit Birmingham, Leicester and Coventry, three cities that we had bypassed but never really been into the city centres. Another three Marks and Spencers for Mary to visit!!! The hotel was great and the food excellent and all in all it was another very enjoyable break during which we also celebrated my 69th birthday with a nice bottle of wine!!!

SOMERSET: October 17-20, 2008

NORTHUMBERLAND : June 15-19, 2009

Four-night break in Northumberland staying at The George Hotel at Chollerford which is close to Hexham and on the route of Hadrian's Wall. This hotel was in a lovely setting on the banks of the River Tyne.

EAST DEVON & SOMERSET : June 12-17, 2011

Five-night break starting with one night in a Premier Inn at Taunton in Somerset and then four nights at The Imperial Hotel in Exmouth, East Devon. The Imperial is a Coast and Country Hotel.

We drove down to Taunton on the Sunday and after having a look around that area we stayed overnight at a Premier Inn before carrying on to Exeter for a look around that city before checking in at our main holiday hotel, The Imperial, at Exmouth for four more nights. During our stay we drove down to Plymouth and also to Sidmouth and Axminster and on our last day we had a river trip up the River Exe to the old port of Topsham before heading back to Exmouth on the train.

WEST COUNTRY : June 14-19, 2015

A five-night break in a bed and breakfast farmhouse in a small village near Tavistock on the edge of Dartmoor.

Travelling down on the Sunday we took our time on the 300-mile journey with a couple of stops on the way including a lovely Sunday lunch at an hotel we discovered just as we got onto Dartmoor. The farmhouse we stayed at was recommended to us and it was very comfortable with a great breakfast each morning. We visited a couple of National Trust places whilst down there and well as looking in on Looe and Polperro and we also went into Plymouth and Exeter.

THE ROYAL CRESCENT

THE IRON BRIDGE

LAKE WINDERMERE

LYNMOUTH SHOPS

POWERSCOURT HOUSE, DUBLIN

NIDD HALL HOTTEL

ANGEL OF THE NORTH

SPROWSTON MANOR

THE IMPERIAL HOTEL

WARWICK CASTLE

TENBY

ICKWORTH HOUSE

POLPERRO HARBOUR

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IRELAND : October 19-24, 2018 (again strictly speaking not a UK holiday)

Six-day visit to County Wexford to attend an 80th  birthday bash for one of Mary-2’s uncles.

The main purpose of this break was to attend an 80th birthday party for one of Mary’s uncles.This time we stayed in an apartment in Wexford and Simon had hired a car so that we could have a good look round in that part of Ireland as well as catching up with all the Irish reles before flying back home from Dublin.

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