LINCOLNSHIRE TO NORFOLK 4th - 27th August

SURPRISES AND DELIGHTS ...........
Having reluctantly bid our farewells to Castleton with still so much left to be explored, we headed to Lincolnshire - the flat landscape a stark contrast to the peaks of Castleton which give the appearance of soft billowing folds of green velvet.  Arrival at our site on the outskirts of Lincoln triggered our next shock!  From the lovely large field accommodating just 5 vehicles and wonderful views all around, we now found ourselves on one of 12 pitches very much on top of each other. Though in an open rural setting with a small lake on site well stocked with fish for camping fishermen.  We'd no sooner parked up when another motor home pulled in directly in front of us - lake view gone; rear end of huge motor home in its place.  I was ready to head out elsewhere without a second thought! Michael used all his powers of persuasion and the city of Lincoln close by (the reason for our stay) so - OK just one night then. 

That site produced more surprises and fun than any before - that'll teach me to over-act and pre-judge - and we ended up extending our stay there!!  Firstly, we became acquainted  with the owners of the motor home pitched in front of us - a couple of New Zealanders (Jenni and Duncan) who were full-timing in a motor home to explore both UK and Europe.  They were a great fun couple and in no time we were sharing our travel experiences over a glass or two ......   we shared a friendly chuckle over the siting of their vehicle too - and all was forgiven without a second thought!  The shower block and facilities on the site were what one would expect in a first class hotel and the real bonus: FREE laundry facilities - unheard of!  On our last evening Jenni and Duncan invited us over for a drink - which progressed to supper.  While we were sitting out enjoying the last of the sunshine of the day a few of the large number of geese that had arrived the previous day began making the most ear-piercing raucous noise.  There was quite clearly a leader out front and as the noise reached crescendo level they suddenly took off in flight - followed by the exact same performance by another group until finally the last group took off - all following the same pattern of preparation - but mysteriously leaving just one lonely goose behind - who promptly turned back and made off for the lake - he had it all to himself now!

The very personable owner of the camp site came over to introduce the four of us to one of the other campers, Burger Bill the Magician and his little dog, Scruff.  In no time Bill had launched into a few magic tricks for us!  

What an entertaining site!  There was much fun to be had from watching the fishermen land their healthy sized catches,

and glimpses of the resident wildlife

It was all we could do to resist the pressing temptation to further extend our stay and keep Jenni and Duncan company during their wait over the next few days for the exchange of their motor home to take place - but move on we did.  

Au revoir to Jenni and Duncan - we'll keep in touch!

Farewell to Burger Bill, Scruff ......

...... and his performing rabbit

LINCOLN CITY
The reason for visiting this historical city was quite simply the draw of its Gothic cathedral which dominates the skyline and is visible for miles around (once the tallest building in the world).  Not usually ones for guided tours, we would have missed a gem if we'd passed up on this one.  Our guide brought alive the unique and absorbing history and tales of this cathedral which enriched and illuminated our time spent within it:

Timbered 16th Century Leigh-Pemberton House with Cathedral  in the background

According to 14th Century legend, 2 mischievous imps were causing so much havoc during the rebuilding of the east end of the cathedral, an angel threatened to turn them to stone if they didn't stop.  One left but the other refused to leave - he was turned to stone and can be seen sitting atop a stone column. There is one corner outside the cathedral which always has a chilly feel to it - said to be the imp who escaped still looking for his mate! 

In medieval times babies were fully immersed in the water in the font 3 times when baptised - and the water only changed yearly - one wonders how little ones managed to survive!

After the disastrous earthquake back in 1185 most of the original Norman cathedral was pulled down and Bishop Hugh was asked to give up his rural parish in the West Country and take charge of the rebuild.  Twice he refused, preferring to remain in his more modest and loved parish but finally accepted on command of the King - not one to be rebuffed!  He became the most loved Bishop and unusually was canonised just 20 years after his death. 

News of the rebuild and desperate need for donations reached the ears of a local swineherd which prompted him to visit Bishop Hugh where he offered up all the meagre savings he had. In the fullness of time to mark this selfless act a stone figure of this swineherd was placed high atop one of the pinnacles of the West front opposite that of Bishop Hugh. 

Pilgrims would walk miles to visit the cathedral, covering the last mile barefoot leaving their footwear at what has become known as the slipper gate. On reaching the cathedral, bread and water would be doled out to them - the origin of the word 'dole'. 

Nave and labyrinth

Following the circular spiral design into and out of a labyrinth can be a form of meditation in our hectic world - or just for fun!  It can represent a spiritual journey to our own centre and a return into the world again - a metaphor for our own life's journey.

Section of the choir screen

St Hugh's Choir

The Bishop's Eye Window - looking southward toward the sun to welcome God's light and love

This window was a brilliant kaleidoscope of spectacularly vibrant colour created from fragments of the original window which was shattered during the Civil War.  Recently restored - taking an incredible 7 years to complete the painstaking intricate operation.

15 modern interpretations of the Stations of the Cross (known as 'The Forest Stations') have been carved by William Fairbank, a Suffolk artist, using a variety of woods depicting Christ's journey to Calvary.  He has added a 15th and called it  'Illumination'.  I have never seen such beautiful and striking illustrations of the Stations of the Cross and quite honestly was totally captivated by his extraordinary innovative work - 

4. Jesus is helped by his mother

5. Jesus is helped by Simon of Cyrene

10. We strip Him of his clothes

The cloisters

We became so engrossed in the cathedral that the best part of the day was gone before we emerged into the outside world again, gathered our bearings and realised we hadn't yet seen anything of Lincoln. So it was back the next day only to find ourselves not able to resist a visit to the cathedral again - though not at the cost of missing Lincoln again.   We wandered the quirky cobbled streets poking our noses into the little boutiques, retro and vintage stores and soaking up the atmosphere on the waterfront over a glass of vino in the glorious sunshine.

 Steep Hill - a cobbled hill which certainly lives up to its very apt name!

Bird a-loft !

HAD TO BE DONE....
8th August found us heading across to 

A lovely pitch by the lake 

but that's about the best that can be said of a massive sprawling site with loud disco music thumping out from the club house each evening and rather grim facilities.  We made our visit to Skeggy under hammering rain with thunder rolling around us and on return to site found we were wading through a river which had 'replaced' the earlier footpath! Job done, we were gone the next day!  

"Can we go home please?"

A GEM
What a contrast!  We felt the welcome of this small, cosy friendly site just outside Boston the moment we arrived.  

Home from Home it certainly was

They'd laid on a Country and Western evening so we spent a very happy evening sitting in the last of the sunshine enjoying familiar music - some more prepared folks even dressed the part!  Hens on site provided lovely new laid eggs, freshly picked tomatoes, mushrooms, apples for the taking.  We'd stumbled on a real gem and extended our booking from the original 2 day stay to 9 days. 

We even had frequent visits from the friendly campsite moggy!

BOSTON (9 - 17 August)
once an important and wealthy medieval port - now famous for the delicious Boston sausage - though not the sole reason for our visit!  

The Stump and windmill were the focus for us but we also discovered a handful of original historic buildings albeit now swallowed up by the disappointingly rather bland town that has developed around them more latterly.

The famous landmark -  the 'Boston Stump' (tower of St Botolphs's Church) - can be seen across the flat lands of Lincolnshire for miles around - it's size for such a small town a sign of wealth at the time it was built.

View from outside the site across the endless fields of  'greens' - the 'Stump' in the distance

For a flat fare of £1.20 one could hop on and off along the circular bus route and though not a regular stop, it would pick up/drop off by the campsite so really handy for getting into Boston.

St Botolph's Church

I found it rather moving to see 12 plain stone slabs lining the pathway to the church simply inscribed with the names of 12 of the men and women prominent in the founding of the new colony in Boston, America, in recognition of their town back home.

Section of the oldest surviving road map of GB dated around 1360 

We climbed the steep 209 narrow spiral steps of the tower and were well rewarded with 360 degree views of Boston and, due to the flat Lincolnshire landscape, miles beyond!  

The 1390's Guildhall illustrated well the life of the town through the last 600 years and housed a chapel, banqueting hall, court room, council chamber, kitchen and, rather eerily, the cells! We read of the trial and imprisonment (within the Guildhall) in 1607 of the Pilgrim Fathers who finally sailed in the Mayflower to America (The New World) in 1620. Our campsite took the name Pilgrims Way as it sits alongside the road the Pilgrim Fathers took - a memorial to these Separatists stands a little further from the site.  

Dominican Friary - the refectory of the order of Blackfriars. Known as Shodfriars because they wore sandals rather than walking barefoot.  Now an Arts Centre

Fydell House

My favourite: the 1819 Maud Foster windmill - one of very few remaining in the country still producing flour.  By the mid 1970's the mill had become totally neglected having been through the hands of various owners using it for a variety of purposes. It was purchased by the Waterfield family in 1987 by which time it had deteriorated badly but with determination to bring it back into full working order it was re-opened as a fully working mill in 1988. 



We had a super time exploring the workings on each floor, navigating virtually vertical staircases and enjoying the tales regaled by one of the owners (a father and son team). Every now and then interrupted by his attention being given to altering the chained weight hanging outside to adjust the space between the slats of the sails and thus the speed of the sails.  It was a very gusty day causing the sails at times to whizz around at such a rate that standing high up on one of the outer platforms it felt the entire building was at risk! I found the whole visit enthralling - lovely to see such an old building restored and back into full production.  Needless to say we purchased bags of the organic flour and porridge oats!

mechanism for maintaining precise levelling and position of mill wheels

WELLS NEXT THE SEA 
(18 - 23 August)
Such lovely family fun catching up with Abi's family while they holiday'd in Wells (NOT Wells, Somerset!!) with its vast sandy windswept beaches.

Jon loving kite flying again - and showing Maisie how it's done

Fun with 'sticky' peas!! (poor Isaac doesn't stand a chance!)

Penny for your thoughts?

The Albatross - now a cafe and  rather unique party venue  - one to bear in mind!!

We'd landed up at a campsite with a difference - a small field with just 5 pitches next to a recycle site - of which some items seem to have found their way to embellishing the site:

ideally suited for an easy walk into Wells and we discovered this little sign partially obscured at the bottom of the field:

- we even have our own little station!

Off to Walsingham on the longest 10¼" gauge railway in the world 

WALSINGHAM VILLAGE
The only reason for the trip was simply the fun of the train ride (and acting signal lady!). However, on arrival in Walsingham we had a real surprise - a very pretty village, full of lovely architecture but so many shops selling religious icons and devotional articles the like of which I have never come across in the UK before. What was this place we wondered? On enquiry we discovered Walsingham is a famous pilgrimage centre with religious shrines in honour of the Virgin Mary and home to the Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham.  We would not take the next train back after all, might be something interesting here to see - in fact we only just made the last train back to Wells!  

A place of pilgrimage for around 1,000 years, it is said that in 1061 Mary, mother of Jesus, appeared in a vision to a Saxon noblewoman (Richeldis) and showed her the house in Nazareth in which Angel Gabriel had told her she would be the Mother of Jesus.  Mary asked Richeldis to build a replica of that house - which she did.  This was destroyed in 1538 by order of King Henry VII but eventually rebuilt to the exact measurements of the original Saxon shrine and housed within the Shrine Church. 

Visiting the Shrine I was left with a quiet sense of peace.  We had literally stumbled quite by chance upon a completely unique place - the English Nazareth - of which neither of us had ever heard of.  We never know what we're going to find around the next corner during our travels!

Our Lady of Walsingham in the Holy House

The Annunciation

Tabernacle - containing the Blessed Sacrament

With no time to visit the ruins of the medieval Augustinian Priory within Walsingham, the landscaped surroundings and river walks maybe we'll return when we re-visit Norfolk another time.

Stoking up

All aboard!

LOVELY SURPRISES LIFE SOMETIMES YIELDS !
Whilst still in Wells, totally out of the blue early one morning, a friend from the days when we worked in King Edward VII Hospital rang.  With very little contact over the past 8 years since the hospital closed it was a surprise to hear from her.  Cat had discovered through my blog posting we were in Wells - a short distance from where she and Mike now live - and decided to take a chance and call!  The result: a couple of lovely days spent with them both in their beautiful home catching up on so much that's happened in our lives since we worked together. Perfect timing - if I hadn't posted on the blog at that point in time we would have missed each other and the opportunity to renew and cement our friendship.  We look forward to future fun times together!

As we headed out we stopped to explore the village of Swaffham and happened upon the Flower Festival in the Parish church.  The theme was hymn tunes and very touchingly, each arrangement was created in memory of a loved one which put the entire display on so much more of a personal level than any such festival I've seen before.


 A few pics of the many brilliantly imaginative arrangements:

In the Bleak Midwinter

Lord of Beauty Thine the Splendour

Jerusalem

The beautiful roof  - single hammer beam with 192 carved angels

Though our prolonged stay in the UK this summer wasn't planned but as a result of the long wait for Michael's renewed driving licence, we have enjoyed some beautiful weather and had a wonderful time discovering just a few real gems our own country has to offer.