Today was the longest day of our tour, a long drive (by British standards!) from Bath to York.
But the day was to be broken-up with short sightseeing stops to some of England's most popular sights.
The route this morning took us through the scenic countryside of the Cotswolds, a quintessentially English landscape of stone-built villages & fields of sheep.
We stopped in the popular village of Bourton-on-the-Water, known as 'the Venice of the Cotswolds' due to the bridges crossing the river that runs through its heart. We took a 30 minute break to stroll in the village before continuing on the way.
Further along our route was Stratford-upon-Avon, the birthplace of William Shakespeare.
We stopped first to visit the stunning thatched cottage where Shakespeare's wife Ann Hathaway grew up, learning about the construction of such homes through the middle ages & Tudor times, & how life was for its inhabitants. We also enjoyed time to explore its beautiful gardens.
A short drive further on we stopped in Stratford-upon-Avon itself for an hour & a half.
The group split-up here, some to enjoy a more relaxed lunch, others to stroll by the Royal Shakespeare Theatre on the banks on the Avon Canal, & yet others to visit some or all of the buildings in the town that are associated with the playwright's life.
During the afternoon our luck ran out somewhat, as we encountered a series of traffic jams & long delays enroute to York. It soon became apparent that we would have to skip our appointment for afternoon cream tea at Hardwick Hall. And even with this we arrived 45 minutes later than planned, meaning a quick turn-around at our hotel before walking to dinner in the heart of the walled city of York.
Dinner this evening was Bangladeshi/Indian, the most popular cuisine in Britain today. And our meal did not disappoint.
Upon arrival in York we had been joined by another 5 travelers, & we had a birthday today, so the restaurant sang Happy Birthday & presented a special dessert for our birthday girl before we strolled back to the hotel.
Tomorrow: The North Yorkshire Moors
No comments:
Post a Comment