Best Of
Re: What are you all up to
Agree about Broadway, @DEBSC. 👍👍 Broadway is delightful....
In the meantime, Carol insisted I got a new Christmas pullover for our pub carol singing sessions.... didn't realise it looked that bright... 🤣🤣🤣🤣
Last nights session was a bit crowded. Not sure how we managed to get almost 30 singers into a small space + electronic bit's and bobs to provide a reasonable accompaniment.... It's a good job there were quite a few singers unable to attend!!!
Anyone been to Chatsworth Christmas Market this year? We went a few years ago and quite enjoyed it Didn't take the caravan up though. Fortunately, it's not too far from home, so we drove up for the afternoon.
Today just has to be Christmas Card writing and posting, or else they're just not going to get there. We got some cards today posted on 26th November.... that 14 days for them to arrive..... At that rate, folk will be lucky to get ours by Christmas.....
David
DSB
Re: What are you all up to
@milliehull we have had a really good time, we planned our week carefully, mainly to ensure we had some get out of the weather things to do, but rather luckily for us, it’s been mostly dry and sunny in the day time. We even managed a couple of unplanned, but really enjoyable walks. We have been tired though, think it’s partly this lingering cold of mine, and the fact that we are just not used to racing around packing things into a day like we used to do.
We had a slow morning today, then drove all of a mile to Vindolanda. Had an hour outside inspecting Roman sewers, burials, all sorts of other things, then had a lovely lunch in the cafe before going round the jaw dropping museum. It’s just so different from EH, NT, type visits, as it’s being continuously excavated, so every visit brings something new. We walked back up doing the second part of the outside, so a very Roman afternoon. Bit of packing up to do tonight, we head home via Hexham Xmas Fair tomorrow. Have already decided Bath might be a good few days away for us, by rail. We both want to see the Roman Baths. Something for the new year.
Love the Arts and Crafts photos @nelliethehooker somewhere else we need to add to list.
Part of the Roman Fort. Apparently there have been nine forts on this site, and a village just outside. Lovely setting as well.
Roman shoes, highly decorated.
Plenty of choice, styles to suit all ages and budgets🤭
Re: What have you seen
While taking in the woodland walk at Wightwick Manor this morning we came across this natural Xmas wreath!
Re: What are you all up to
It stayed nice today here, good bit of sunshine as well. We did a lovely little walk we have never done before on Hadrians Wall, took in Thirlwall Castle, walked the line of the Wall to Walltown Crags and had a picnic lunch there. Decided against trying to slither back down to where we started, so took to a minor road, then picked up the HW cycling path, back into Greenhead. Only around 3 miles, but it felt a lot more going up a long steep climb at the start. Fabulous scenery. We had been to Thirlwall before, as it’s close to a CL we like at Gilsland, but Walltown Country Park was new to us, and well worth a visit. Couple of small lakes, some well surfaced walks, visitor centre.
Thirlwall Castle, right on the Wall, classic bit of medieval stone re using!
Walltown Crags, with a good section of HW running along the summit. The Romans didn’t go round things! Taken from the Country Park, which is right next door to the Roman Army Museum.
Re: What are you all up to
Glad to read that Ros is feeling well enough to go out for a walk today after her operation yesterday @richardandros
More fine photos @Takethedogalong you have certainly found lots of places to visit. We have not been up to Thirwall Castle or to Walltown Country Park, so must make an effort to get there next year.
We too have had a fine dry day for our visit to Wightwick Manor. The outside looks much older than having been built the 1880s for Theodore Manders, of the Mander Brothers paint and varnish manufactures. The interior is decorated and furnished under the influence of the Arts and Crafts movement with many examples of the works of William Morris. We had a walk around the grounds before lunch and then went round the house in the afternoon. There were many beautiful Xmas decorations both inside and out.
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Re: When do you start planning your 2026 adventures?
Yes, very good CAMC for putting in a raft of proposed discounts for various seasons in 2026. I speak as one who made use of a couple of free nights this year, although I did have to cancel one.
However there are bound to be a significant number of members who are not able to make commitments so far in advance. We have a problem committing to dates in '26 as we need to rely on carers coming to look after my Mother-in-law and they don't work to the same forward planning as CAMC does. We have been fortunate this year in that any long term commitment to booking a stay on sites has been met with the ability to procure carer service. We can't be the only ones in that position and I'm sure there are those who are not able to make commitments due to work schedules, hospital appointments, caring duties etc.
I always thought Dynamic pricing worked both ways. That is, the club sets a higher figure when they know from previous occupancy rates that a site will be virtually full, if not full. So why don't we see last minute deals for pitches, particularly outside of high season, on sites that are maybe half empty? Yes, rates are set lower than high season rates but there is no movement in them on a daily basis. Does the club prefer to see half full sites say in October rather than try to entice more members onto site? I can see a problem in making sure those who have already committed feeling aggrieved at paying a higher price but doesn't that work the same in other aspects of life. A lot of people are currently buying Christmas gifts. High season for shops but January is another kettle of fish hence the January sales. It's tough to find that Christmas present is now 25% cheaper but we accept it as we know the score.
Just a thought for those who cannot make commitments for 2026.
Re: What are you all up to
A bit of an adventure for me today, our son took us to the local Tesco.Margaret likes their gammon joints.It was a bit strange as I am not so used to having lots of people around me but I managed without any mishaps. I thought I would push the trollet but that didn't work out as it was a bit light and I was worried about it running away. I kept to my three pronged stick and people were kind to me. I now appreciate the benefits of the Blue Badge and being ablt to park nearer the entrance, although it didn't seem that near!
David
Re: What are you all up to
Adventure for us as well today, we made use of our railcards and hopped onto a local train at Haltwhistle for a day out in Carlisle. We have only been to the Castle on the outskirts, but wanted to do the Cathedral and Tullie Museum today. Easy peasy, free parking at station, 30 minutes on train which was clean and comfy, and on time. 10 minute stroll to Cathedral, good look around there, and then a couple more hours in the Tullie. Another off our Cathedrals list, and an excellent Museum. Good journey back to cottage as well.
Some of the Christmas trees on display in and around Cathedral.
One of the beautiful misericord carvings
Exterior, has a very nice cafe in the Friary buildings. The tree stump bottom left was huge.
Re: What are you all up to
Lovely day to ourselves as MiL had a lunch date with her friends. They were picking her up, entertaining her then returning the goods for a refund.😁
Meanwhile we headed along the Welsh coast to Conwy. First off to the RSPB reserve as we wanted to upgrade our small binoculars as they were quite old now. We bought some new ones which will probably outsee us. After coffee and a walk to try the new ones out we headed into Conwy itself for lunch. We walked into town along the former main road which used to have a Toll house. We then treated ourselves to a Fish and Chip lunch. The weather was mostly kind particularly as the day wore on although too windy for a trip to a beach as originally planned.
Back home more or less as MiL returned.
The old Toll House
The former main road over the suspension bridge heading towards the castle, the road veering off just before it. Now a pedestrian way into town.
The parallel new road bridge with the harbour in the background.
All in all a thoroughly enjoyable day
Re: What are you all up to
It’s blowing a right old gale here tonight! Wasn’t too bad this morning, so we walked up to The Sill for a good look around, they have the remnants of the Gap tree in the exhibition space now. Some fabulous photographs of an Astronomy images competition, astonishing some of the different aspects. There’s always nice hand crafted gifts for sale as well in the shop. We popped next door into Twice Brewed Inn for lunch after, then walked back to our cottage. Had a drive literally as far as we could get the Jeep into one of the forests in the afternoon, only turning back when it became a MTB track rather than a road🤣 Didn’t want to get stuck. Very bleak the other side of the Wall. We didn’t get out for a walk as you could barely stand up in the wind.
Stump, with meaningful words and memories growing. (My photo isn’t very good, I have got the air con unit at the top of the tree.)
Poem and artwork in the pub, there’s a huge slice of tree in there as well. Tree is the logo for the micro brewery there.
The end of our drive today. There are Roman’s over the hills in the distance!