This was a 'kinda-unique' month. I had just started with a new
    lady-friend, and also started attending the WORCESTER DIABETIC
    CENTRE. By the last week in the month, I was making a visit with this
    new lady-friend to the ELAN VALLEY, its four dams & reservoirs for
    its terrific scenery.


 We called on the beautiful little village of  EARDISLAND on the way back 
to Malvern.

May - Forest of Dean

May - South Wales
May - Bourton on the Water
[Main reasons for this visit were:
Birdland
Mini-rivers in town
Beautiful relaxing scenery]
May - Oldbury Nuclear Power Station
Jun & Aug - West Midlands Safari Park


July - Jodrell Bank (Radio Telescope)
I had waited for very MANY decades to see this 'marvel', as I had seen it through the Design Stages as a youngster in my Children's Newspaper. This was nearly ruined by my uneducated female companion who expressed a ZERO (nay - negative) interest on arrival at the pay-gate. Fortunately, once inside, and wandering around, it was GREAT (for mildly-educated and upwards!!) for my solo-visit, meeting up with my female friend on EXIT to the car (she'd visited and photographed- beautifully as it happens) the wonderful Gardens at the Site.


July - North Wales

Walking over and Motoring round the Great Orme, outside Llandudno - I came across many good views! Try this Garden for size!!
We also visited Lake Vyrnwy in its beautiful setting. Another stop, with a friend, was in the castle grounds at Abergele!!

We also called on LlanfairPG :-


Sept - English Lake District

We travelled up to WINDERMERE on Sunday 6th Sept, taking a 'flat' in town.
Most of the morning it poured with rain, but despite this, we still managed to visit HAWKESHEAD, GRIZEDALE FOREST, LAKE CONISTON and YEW TREE TARN.
In the evening, we deemed it more sensible to play SCRABBLE!! That would have been OK had my friend had a basic education!
On the morning of Sept 7th, I went with my friend DOT into BOWNESS-on-WINDERMERE for a boat-trip around Windermere, followed by lunch at a restaurant (actually a 'Coffee Shop') in Bowness.
In the afternoon we went onto ADELAIDE HILL ( a beauty spot for views), then on some lakeside walks, traversing rushing streams by a lakeland 'force' - followed by a return to our 'flat' in Windermere (in Oak Street). A good Scrabble game was had in the evening before watching the KRYPTON FACTOR on ITV.

September 8th saw us making a long trip from WINDERMERE, via SKELWITH FORCE (a waterfall- the local name 'force' is a common one!), WRYNOSE PASS, HARDNOTT PASS, ESKDALE (and their railway from RAVENGLASS!), WASTWATER (nice area on the western side of 'the Lakes'), GOSFORTH, SEA SCALE ('nuclear controversy' area from the past!) and back to WINDERMERE's BEACH(or Beech?) HILL viewpoint. Then it was only a short journey back to our self-catering chalet.(- and more games of Scrabble in the evening!)

September 9th saw us making an afternoon trip to and ACROSS Windermere on a Ferry, then going along the West Bank of this Lake (that's unusual!) before going to Esthwaite Lake and the
North Shore of Windermere (to the 'Waterside') at AMBLESIDE. In the evening we enjoyed more SCRABBLE games!

Sept 10th involved a 'Day-Tour' in my car to such places as:-
GRASMERE(brief stop)
RYDAL WATER
THIRLMERE(had a stop)
KESWICK(also had lunch here)
DERWENT WATER
LODOR FALLS
HONISTER PASS(after Borrowdale)
BUTTERMERE
CRUMMOCK WATER
WHINLATTER PASS(and forest trail centre)
BASSENTHWAITE LAKE
... then return via Thirlmere etc to our Windermere 'base' (for our own Scrabble Evening!)


September 11th saw us making a trip for the day to:-
ULLSWATER (boat trip)
KIRKSTONE PASS
AIRA FORCE (waterfalls)

Sept 12th involved our return journey to our Worcestershire homes (first mine in Malvern) having first bought a 'Lakeland Video' in a shop on the north shore of Windermere!! We enjoyed a wonderful evening of COUNTRY MUSIC at the END OF THE TRAIL CLUB with our 15th Anniversary Show (and award evening) featuring the SHAUN MICHAEL BAND. I took my friend back to her Evesham home the following morning.


Now for more texts on some areas visited:-

Return to 1992 Index
MID-WALES

I re-explored, in APRIL, the wonderfully appealing Elan Valley complex of lakes, reservoirs and walks just south-west of RHYADER in Mid-Wales. There were, and still are, attractive walks below, up to and above each of the dams that enable the Birmingham residents to have plenty of water to drink!

On this occasion, there was still sufficient waters behind each of them that permitted the spectacle of the overflowing-dams. Later in the decade, I was disappointed by the lack of this spectacular overflow. On this occasion it was superior to the American version of Niagara Falls! (But this 'not a patch' on the Canadian Version!)



Return to 1992 Index
FOREST OF DEAN

Re-visiting this attractive forest this MAY, I went with a lady-friend to various interesting features like:-

Clearwell Caves

Sculpture Trail

Puzzle Wood

and various lakes

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SOUTH WALES

The items I motored to on this trip were:-

Cwmcarn Forest Drive

14 Locks Canal Centre

Monmouth

Severn Bridge

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OLDBURY NUCLEAR POWER STATION

I revisited this much-maligned, but incredible place, for a second time in MAY, this time with a lady-friend! Photos will probably follow. We also went to one of the UK's most attractive motorway 'service areas',- that one overlooking the SEVERN, its Bridge and Oldbury - and indulged in an expensive meal! Why not when in such attractive surroundings??
Following these visits, we were off to CHEDDAR for:-

Its GORGE

Gough's Cave

Cox's Cave

and JACOB's LADDER



Return to 1992 Index
Return to Roy's home page for full list of books, travelogues etc either finished or under preparation.

.. or return to Country and Year indexes for further selections

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