Category: East Sussex

A slow walk on the South Downs

19/4/2019

When was the last time you took as long as you could to walk nowhere in particular?

Chalk road between hedges - one cut short the other coated in white blossom

This looks like a good way to go.

Often, as I map out my walks, I’m wondering if I could put in a couple of extra kilometres before stopping at that pub for lunch, or whether it’s possible to visit both the lookout and the river beach in one day, or if it’s worth the sore feet of an extra five miles to make it to a particular B&B. “Twenty-five kilometres, should be fine!” I think to myself - not taking into consideration the early winter sunsets, not remembering that I haven’t done a long walk for a few months, forgetting to build in time to picnic, forage, soak my feet in a stream, get lost, snooze in the sun, watch birds or rabbits in the grass . . .

But at the start of the holidays, I didn’t have much of a plan. Dan was going to drop me off somewhere between home and Brighton in the morning and pick me up after he finished work. As long as I could let him know where I was at about 4pm, it was all good. I remember with great fondness my mapless walks of a few years ago, so I thought I might do something similar.

Dual carriageway seen through wire mesh from above

The sounds of the A27 in the morning . . .

The landscape was wrapped in fog as we pulled off the A27 opposite Housedean Farm. I waved goodbye to Dan and set off up the side road to join the South Downs Way. I had a vague idea that I might want to walk north over the Downs and through the fields and villages beyond to the River Ouse, then follow the Ouse Valley Way back to Barcombe Mills or Lewes - which would be a long walk, but I was going to be out for eight hours, so it wouldn’t be unreasonable.

A tractor passed me, trailing the smell of cowshit, I snapped a photo of the highway as I crossed over it, I smiled to a couple of hard-faced bike commuters and then I turned off the road and began the climb up onto the hills. The sheep didn’t seem to want to get off the path, so I stepped slowly around them. I saw a couple of house martins (I’m pretty sure - they didn’t sound like swifts or look like swallows). I tried to make out surrounding hills through the fog.

These were the more energetic sheep. Standing up, even!

After cresting this hill, the path goes straight back down through a wood. I ducked off to wee amongst the violets and noticed that the noise of the A27 had already started to fade. A big bird - which I assume was a buzzard, because I heard them calling soon after - launched itself off a high branch and disappeared above the almost-budding canopy. I decided to stop for a bit and found a convenient tree to sit on.

I like to play a game, sometimes, where I close my eyes and listen. I imagine I don’t know where I am and that I need to figure it out through sound alone. “What are these sounds telling me?” I ask. Birdsong - lots of small birds probably means lots of bushes, trees, places for them to hide and things for them to eat. Distant traffic - probably not a town or city, but not too remote a place in the countryside. Sheep - near or in farmland. The chock-chock of a pheasant and the cat-like calls of a buzzard - definitely not in Australia! Slight echo on the pigeon calls - a valley? A scuffling sound - maybe leaf litter and trees, possibly a wood? No human voices - could indicate location, time of day, time of year. The rattle of a woodpecker - definitely a big tree somewhere nearby. Distant seagulls, a plane overhead. . .

As I sat in a kind of meditation, I decided I was going to move deliberately slowly for the rest of the day. I set myself a different kind of challenge: to walk no more than 8-10 miles (13-16km) the whole day. One mile per hour, on average.

There were so many violets.

Path through trees just starting to get leaves

The green mist of spring.

I left the wood and followed the green path into a little valley and up the other side, through fields, past rangy hedgerows. I noted all the plants I could see on the ground beside the path: nettles, rats-tail plantain, ribwort plantain, young hogweed (possibly?), dandelion, silverweed, sorrel, cleavers/goosegrass/sticky willy, violets (purple and white), thistles, bugle (I think - it's the one that looks like furry mint and smells like weed), lords and ladies, dock, a very curly leafed thing I don’t know. . . and plenty of grass, of course.

Young sorrel - so tasty!

Black and white landscape with sun in clouds

Here doesn't quite come the sun.

It felt so luxurious to move so slowly, with such attention to my surroundings! As I climbed through fields, skylarks called noisily all around me. They fly like they sing, skylarks, fluttering and chirring like noisy, hovering bats. I saw a silhouette of a walker through the fog, heading along an intersecting path. I slowed down even further to avoid them, wanting to hold onto my own space a while longer. My plan was immediately scuppered by a tractor that appeared to spray the field beside me. Oh well. The fog - or was it just low cloud? - hadn’t quite lifted off the hills. A bridleway cut a white line through fields of oilseed rape and winter wheat. Classic chalk downs. I sat beside a recently-laid hawthorn hedge to stretch my calves and eat a square of chocolate.

I love how decorative these are.

I've been noticing lots of new hedge-laying recently.

Another wood, another wee surrounded by violets. Further on, as the sun almost broke through the clouds, I picked some young sorrel and dandelion to add to my cheese and crackers for lunch. I’d been going for just over two hours when I made it to north edge of the downs. I congratulated myself on my slowness and decided on a little detour up Blackcap, which I’ve bypassed before on speedier walks along this section of the South Downs Way.

Ditchling Beacon is also National Trust and gets a lot more footfall because it's right next to the carpark.

At the top, I found a trig point (well, I was expecting that!) and a little plantation that seemed perfect for another sit down. I found a log and made myself a substantial snack of crackers, cheese, tomato and freshly-picked weeds. As I munched away, I listened to the hum of traffic on the Ditchling-Plumpton road and thought about where I might want to head next: east towards Lewes, north off the downs or west along the ridge to Ditchling Beacon and beyond. I felt called in a Ditchling-ish direction, knowing that if I got hungry I could pop down into the village for a cuppa and a sandwich and so, after sitting for a while and thinking about nothing in particular, off I toddled.

Hand holding cracker with tomato, green leaves and cheese spread on it

The crappy cheese really let this down.

B+W pic with silhouetted trees and a trig point

I spy a trig point!

Back on the South Downs Way, a sign informed me that I’d come 3 miles from the A27 and that it was another 2 miles to Ditchling. More people seemed to be out - several dog walkers, a handful of cyclists, a couple of folks that looked like they might be walking the whole path from Winchester to Eastbourne. I thought about walking it myself - it’s about 100 miles (160km), so would make a good week-long outing. I feel fairly comfortable wild camping up on the downs, too, so I wouldn’t need to book accommodation or be always tied to campsites (though if they were close enough of course I’d stay there - always nice to have a loo and perhaps a shower!).

I also thought that it would be a good place to encourage people to join another project idea I’ve been mulling over for a while: The Slow 100. My idea is that, for a lot of people, walking 100 miles (or 100 kilometres, for that matter), seems wildly out of reach. But what if you could do it slowly - like 10 miles or 10 kilometres a day over 10 days? Stopping for morning tea, lunch, afternoon tea, to take photos or do some sketches, to lie on the grass in the sun, to pop into a tea room or get an icecream from a van in a hilltop car park? You could do it over a week and two weekends. If you had a bunch of folks interested, you could hire a people mover and get someone to ferry you to and from your accommodation to make it even more accessible. I think that's something that many people (not everyone, of course) could achieve. Such were the things I pondered as I wandered.

Landscape of fields, houses and village in low fog

The view north from the downs, which is usually quite a bit more extensive. Still pretty, though.

Wrapped in my own thoughts, I was surprised when Ditchling Beacon appeared ahead. I’d been walking faster than I’d meant to! I stopped to get a pebble out of my shoe and to rub my feet - they were a bit sore as I was breaking in some new orthotics, which were tilting my heels out at a rather more drastic angle than my old ones! - noticing how the temperature was perfect for walking, how I wasn’t hungry or thirsty, how there was hardly a breeze and how the fog-haze-cloud-whatever was stopping the sun from becoming too hot. The skylarks were still going. I wasn’t at work and wouldn’t have to be for another two weeks. I felt so happy!

Selfie of person smiling with eyes closed and landscape behind

Happy.

I dithered around before and after Ditchling Beacon, sitting for a while in the chalk hollows and tumuli to look at the view below, watching some goldfinches in the gorse and a kestrel above, holding the gate for a horse and rider and airing my feet out in the just-emergent sun. I also stood for almost a quarter of an hour watching a pair of yellowhammers pottering around on open access land. They are such spectacular little gems of birds that I gasped out loud when they first flew in. I’d sometimes lose them behind a patch of grass, only to find them again immediately as a bright yellow head popped up in front of me.

Violets, moss, celandine.

Footpath through tree-tunnel with blossoms on trees and ground

Such a pretty path!

Having managed to while away a bit of time, I decided I’d head into Ditchling village via Burnhouse Bostall. I briefly considered going a mile further to the windmills, but knew if I did I’d probably end up breaking my 10 mile limit! So, down I went, taking the time to go off piste through some pretty scraps of woodland, where rabbits nibbled and butterflies flitted. I said hello to some horses. I stopped to pour out a little bit of water in front of a grounded bumblebee that looked a little sad. I admired the way the breeze had scattered blackthorn/sloe petals like confetti across the dried-mud footpath. Again, I realised how luxurious it felt to allow myself this time and presence - not to rush, not to be anywhere in particular, just to enjoy myself and the environment.

Eventually I made it into Ditchling. I called Dan and decided it wasn’t worth going to a cafe before he came to collect me. Instead, I sat on a bench in the sun on the sunken lawn by the church and museum and I watched a very energetic chihuahua run away from its owner (over and over again). That dog was having the time of its life. And frankly, that day, so was I.

In Ditchling, looking towards the Ditchling Museum of Art & Craft (which I haven't yet visited, but it has some interesting-sounding exhibitions).

All up, I think I walked about 14.5km/9mi - a nice, slow day! When was the last time you slowed down on a walk or cycle journey? The last time you meandered without a destination? I would love to hear about it . . .

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River Rother: Source to Sea

3/8/2018

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You know I love following rivers, so it probably won’t surprise you to learn I’ve been meaning to follow my local River Rother from source to sea for a long time.

I've decided to do a multi-day walk every week these summer holidays, and I realised it would be a good chance to finally go exploring along the Rother. I recorded the river as I went along, from the first time I encountered it as a small trickle across a bridleway to the windy harbour arm where it meets the English Channel. Have a listen as you read on (notes at the end of the post).

The East Sussex/Kent Rother (there’s another one in West Sussex) rises near the village of Rotherfield and flows east and south about 55km (35mi) to the sea near Rye. There are long sections of the river that don’t have public rights of way alongside them, so the best you can do as a moderately law-abiding walker is follow the valley, sometimes by the water, sometimes in the fields or on the hills and ridges above. The route I planned out was about 70km (44mi).

I’ve never been quite sure how to go about this walk. Should I do it all in one go, wild camping on the way? Should I use public transport as much as possible to come home each night? How many days would I be walking - three or four, maybe?

As it happens, Dan didn’t feel like coming on the walk, so he kindly ferried me back and forth when needed. I had some pretty extreme weather, too, which meant I was glad to not be camping out. Due to the heat on the first day and the wild wind and rain on the third day, I ended up walking for four days rather than the three I initially planned.

I tweeted about the walk, and you can find the threads and lots more photos here:

Overall, I had a great time. I enjoyed getting a sense of progression as the scenery changed from the steepish hills and small streams at the beginning to the widening floodplain and braided watercourses in the middle to the levels and tidal stretches of river at the end. There are sections I would definitely walk again. I had fun exploring somewhere quite local to me and getting a bit of an insight into land use along the valley, smelling the hay bales and hearing the hoots of the steam train around Bodiam and Newenden. For the most part, the weather was pretty good.

I saw loads of birds: buzzards and kestrels, magpies and jays, LBJs (little brown jobbies), goldfinches, herons and egrets, crows and jackdaws, wagtails, swallows, swans and ducks and geese, a few varieties of gull, oystercatchers and something that I thought was a mudlark/magpie lark, except that they’re Australian. I spotted some interesting beetles, lots of butterflies (gatekeepers, peacocks, common blues and red admirals among others), and dragon- and damselflies in bright colours. And of course, many sheep and cows, along with several horses, a few donkeys, some chooks, domestic ducks and a goat.

That’s not to say there weren’t challenges. I had to go doorknocking for water on the first and last days, and the heat and humidity made me a bit ill. The blasting wind and rain on the third day made for an unpleasant last hour or so, as my boots filled with water (running off the long grass onto my legs and down through my socks). I had to cross a few fields with nervous cows, but it was actually the frisky horses in the rain that made me most wary. Probably most annoyingly, though, I encountered a lot of difficult or impassable paths - mainly due to undergrowth of long grasses and nettles, but also a few poorly waymarked paths, locked gates and broken stiles. I got a few scratches from barbed wire and brambles and some small holes in my new shorts from an overgrown stile which could have been avoided with proper maintenance from the landholders.

Still, every day I felt so grateful to be able to do this - that I have the time off for walking, the access to the countryside, the physical capacity to do it and a wonderful partner who is happy to act as a taxi service! First walk of summer: done.

The recordings in the piece above, in order, with about 10 seconds of each:

The first crossing of the Rother, down an unwaymarked bridleway near Rotherfield
The river running through a culvert under a road after passing through someone's garden
An almost silent Rother in the heat of the day under St Dunstan's Bridge
Water under a concrete farm bridge, almost tempting me to jump in, near Moat Mill Farm
On the second day, at Wreckery Bridge down through the wheat fields from the railway line
Very faint sounds of water and midday insects just outside Etchingham
Upstream of Robertsbridge, one thread of the Rother collects in an old mill pond before continuing
Under my umbrella in the rain of the third day on the river bank near Robertsbridge Abbey
Watery white noise at the small weir at Udiam, as rain still falls
The hum of traffic and wind around the boats near Newenden Bridge
Geese fly overhead and swallows dart above the Rother while I eat lunch near Blackwall Bridge
Hunkering down behind the harbour arm, trying to collect some non-wind-distorted audio

For more river-length adventures: Snowy River, Cuckmere and River Otter. For more Rother walks: Royal Military Canal, Bodiam Castle and Northiam.

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A month of sunny days: June 2018

18/7/2018

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I could post about lots of things, but I've been far too busy doing stuff to actually get around to blogging. Instead, let's have another photo update - this time for June.

2 June 2018 - We went for a walk with one of Dan's colleagues up on the South Downs near Alfriston. It was nice to meet her and her partner and hopefully we'll go for another walk with them soon. I really enjoyed taking a new-to-us bridleway cutting down the hills - a slightly sunken green path that sees only a fraction of the traffic that passes above on the ridge, stuffed with wildflowers and interesting insects.

5 June 2018 - We saw lots of little fledgeling birds in late spring and early summer. This cutie was sitting here when we opened the front door and it took a little while for it to move. A pair of grey wagtails nested in a hanging flowerpot in the other courtyard and we watched them for days from the window.

9 June 2018 - A dear friend came to stay with us for a night. He was in the UK for a month before heading off to his next assignment with the Red Cross. We went for a lovely and, in places, overgrown walk around the Brightling Follies. In the afternoon I had a stand up paddle boarding lesson - I was extremely anxious about it beforehand, but I enjoyed the activity itself once I was out on the water (we went on a river as the wind was blowing the wrong way for sea paddling).

11 June 2018 - We continued to enjoy our after-work strolls around Stanmer Park, watching spring fold quickly into summer. The weather was amazing in June. Do you know what this tree is?

13 June 2018 - Back to Stanmer Park. I didn't take photos every time we visited. It was beautiful this month.

15 June 2018 - This is the way to start the weekend: sitting on top of the Downs in the sun with a cider, strawberries and a few other snacks from Middle Farm.

17 June 2018 - Time for the monthly walk with HRRA, our local LGBT/queer group. Our leader for the month took us in a loop from Crowhurst, down over the new bypass and across Combe Valley, with a spontaneous alteration to walk a section of dismantled rail line.

19 June 2018 - We hadn't been to Arlington Reservoir for a while. Last time we were there it was so muddy that we couldn't make it around! But it was coming up to cherry season, so we went to see if any of the wild cherry trees had fruit. They did, but it wasn't ripe. Still, it was a nice stroll!

21 June 2018 - Solstice last light. I have felt like summer days are even longer than usual this year - I think it's mainly because we get so much more evening light through the windows here than in our old place.

22 June 2018 - I set off walking down the wrong track, without a map or phone. I figured I'd gone astray soon enough and decided I'd try to cut through back to the path I was meant to be on. It turned out to be quite a fun little adventure, with a bit of backtracking and a lot of rehearsing my best, "I'm so sorry, I think I'm lost!" in case I bumped into landowners or estate managers.

23 and 24 June 2018 - I cancelled my next SUP session due to anxiety. Instead, we went for a walk on a local footpath that we've never been on before (there aren't many of them left!) then went camping overnight about 25 minutes north of here. We have tried to spend solstice evenings outside for the last few years - usually we go for a summer solstice wild camp, but this time we decided it would be more fun to have a lazy time reading books in a campsite where we could take all our nice bedding and lots of food and nobody was going to come and tell us off.

28 June 2018 - Finally, after years of thinking about it, I went swimming at Barcombe Mills, in the Ouse. I love river swimming and it was so luxurious to slip into the cool water after a stifling day (my work, like many UK buildings, doesn't have aircon and is not built to be good in the heat). The ducklings were a nice touch!

29 June 2018 - Barcombe Mills is kind of on our way home from work, which is very convenient. And it had been so nice the day before. And it was so hot again . . . So I jumped in the next day, too! Since then, I've been in several times. It's so refreshing. I love it!

Special shout-out to Skarlett's - a small local cafe that does diner-style food with lots of vegan options. I pretty much started and ended June with a freakshake: success!

Milkshake topped with icecream, biscuit and cupcake

Milkshake topped with doughnut and cherry

So, that was my June - no 30 Days Wild for me this year, but I still managed to get out and about! Now I'm looking forward to a month of summer holidays with plenty of walking adventures . . .

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April, come she will . . .

3/5/2018

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I can't tell you how relieved I am that spring is here. Actual light! Actual warmth! Actual greenery! The world is waking up and I am cheering up.

shady path with sun piercing through leaves

A path beside the fresh leaves of spring hawthorn, Malling Down near Lewes.

And so, for no reason other than I'm happy, let's have some April photos. These aren't masterpieces, just a selection of pics from the iPhone (some mine, some Dan's), but does anyone really care about that when there are blossoms and blue skies and sunshine to be enjoyed?

(Just a little tune to look at photos by!)

Good morning! View from our bedroom window at the start of April.

We went on a short National Trust break in West Sussex.

And also visited Scotney Castle one afternoon - can you spot the frog?

We've taken to dropping in to Stanmer Park on the edge of Brighton on fine evenings before we drive home. The road loop is an easy 1km stroll.

A fine green mist on the trees in Stanmer Park.

A close up of the budding spring foliage.

One weekend we went out to check a few footpaths. It was a gorgeous day and I loved seeing all these cuckoo flowers (a.k.a. ladies' smock or milkmaids).

We also happened upon a coffee morning. Score!

Big clouds of blackthorn (sloe) blossoms burst like spring fireworks in hedgerows.

Another shot from our bedroom window. I've enjoyed watching the sunrise move from right to left over the season.

person in blue shorts jumping into blue sky

I got some new shorts. They're pretty awesome.

Another after work walk - this time up Mount Caburn, near Glynde.

Stuck in traffic around the back of Lewes, we decided to stop and explore Malling Down Nature Reserve. A brilliant idea, it turned out!

More of that wonderful blossom! I love spring!

A practice tarp set up - and a cute fellow reading in the shade.

We went for a long walk with some of our HRRA compadres - from Hastings Pier to Eastbourne Pier, about 15 miles. Glorious day for it!

Water drainage patterns in the sand, just below the shingle line.

line of alcoves with different coloured walls

Mmm, blue sky, colours and shadow patterns. Fave.

The ruins of a Martello tower near Sovereign Harbour, as we approached Eastbourne.

Can't get enough of white blossoms, it seems!

Stanmer Park again - more leaves on the trees, now...

I walked home from work on the last weekend in April. It took until Sunday lunch time. More on that in another post!

Beautiful bluebell woods. It's so hard to capture them on camera.

Hey - some pink blossoms, for a change.

landscape with crepuscular rays and water in foreground

Looking back over the Levels towards the South Downs, sun bursting through the clouds. Goodbye, April, you've been great!

And so, we head into May. I want to gobble up as much lovely springtime I can, and I'm looking forward to some nice walks and trips to Wales, Oxfordshire, maybe Bristol . . . What are your plans?

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National Trust Road Trip - Summer 2017

22/10/2017

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Epic post ahoy! (But it's mostly photos - and tweets with photos - so don't be alarmed.) Over summer, we went on a road trip, visited a bunch of National Trust properties, camped a lot, saw several lovely friends and subsisted almost entirely on scones, pizza and instant noodles. It was a pretty great holiday, even if we got the best version of British Summer (i.e. rain) most days.

From Lindisfarne/the Holy Island, looking back towards the mainland over the tidal mudflats.

We recently bought ourselves life memberships of the National Trust (thanks to M&A for the gift). The National Trust owns a whole range of places, from castles and stately homes to countryside and coast, interesting historic houses, follies and factories. Most of these places are open to the public, the larger ones have cafés or restaurants, members get free entry and (usually) free parking. We decided that visiting a National Trust place every day would be a good way of exploring the country during our summer hols. Spoilers: we were right. Herewith, a bit about our trip (places marked with an * are not National Trust).

The South

I always find it funny that English road signs will sometimes point to "The NORTH" or "The WEST" or "The SOUTH" (I don't think I've seen one to "The EAST" before - do they exist?). I don't know what the technical definition of those areas are, but I'm going to divide this post according to them anyway. Essentially, we started in Sussex and did a clockwise loop around England, albeit skipping some major parts and adding a short visit to Wales (and an even shorter, minutes-long trip to Scotland). We didn't visit many NT places close to home, because we'll go to them on weekends and short breaks . . .

Day 1: Barcombe Mills*, Ditchling Beacon, Devil's Dyke, Saddlescombe Farm
Our travels started off with a visit to Barcombe Mills for a walk. Then we headed along the line of the South Downs (Ditchling Beacon and Devil's Dyke) with sunshine and wind and forecasts of storms. Unfortunately, we couldn't stay where we planned on the first night due to a family illness, so we stopped off at a camping field - literally, we couldn't even find the loo! - at Saddlescombe Farm.

Barcombe Mills, nr Lewes. Would be a nice spot for a dip or a paddle. We had a lovely walk. #RoadTrip pic.twitter.com/TUIh6IW5qF
— Jonathan (@jonathanworking) July 27, 2017

Across to West Sussex which, if anything, is windier! Almost blown away off Devil's Dyke. #NTRoadTrip @nationaltrust pic.twitter.com/ynnzeoN2d7
— Jonathan (@jonathanworking) July 27, 2017

Me in our tent in the National Trust camping field at Saddlescombe Farm. The adventure begins.

Day 2: Worthing Beach*, Mottisfont
The rain didn't let up, so we packed up the tent in the wet (not fun, as it was the first time we'd used this tent since last summer, so we were out of practice) and trundled off over the South Downs to Worthing Beach for breakfast (or morning tea, maybe). I picked a bit of sea kale while we were there, to add to our instant noodles later on. Our National Trust property of the day was Mottisfont, where we arrived just in time for the mediaeval history walking tour. Then it was off to our peaceful, if rather poorly signposted, campsite for the evening.

We went for a guided walk around @nationaltrust Mottisfont. Saw the font and learnt all about the mediaeval history. #NTRoadTrip pic.twitter.com/fU2wpfw4kd
— Jonathan (@jonathanworking) July 29, 2017

Foraged leaves make a fancy addition to instant noodles! Plus a bottle of wine to celebrate making it to Hampshire. #RoadTrip pic.twitter.com/Rbmu6WaLl7
— Jonathan (@jonathanworking) July 29, 2017

At Mottisfont - first a meeting place, then a priory and later a stately home.

Day 3: Pepperbox Hill, Myncen Farm*, Hardy's Cottage, Max Gate, Loughwood Baptist Meeting House
We woke to a glorious sunrise and popped out of the tent to pick blackberries for breakfast (probably the best breakfast of our holiday, TBH, see ingredients in the tweet below). We set off across the counties of the south coast, stopping at Pepperbox Hill, following a sign to cider and arriving at Hardy's Cottage near Dorchester just as the rain set in. I've never been a huge Thomas Hardy fan, probably because I read Tess of the D'Urbervilles when I was too young to realise it was a condemnation of societal values and couldn't understand why someone would write something so horrible, let alone why people would choose to read it. However, both the cottage and Max Gate down the road were really interesting spots to find out more about domestic and social life of the period. Did you know people used tea leaves (after brewing them) to polish/stain their wooden floors? We called in at Loughwood Baptist Meeting House before heading to Exmouth.

GOOD MORNING!!! The best breakfast ever? (Blackberries, crumbled chic chip biscuit, muesli, yoghurt, clotted cream, jam!) #RoadTrip pic.twitter.com/xi3h7khcZA
— Jonathan (@jonathanworking) July 29, 2017

Green paths, colourful gardens, thatched cottage and a Roman road at @NTHardysCottage @nationaltrust. #NTRoadtrip pic.twitter.com/qIxNJZuPHb
— Jonathan (@jonathanworking) July 29, 2017

Red wooden gate and rolling green landscape

I loved the charming little red gate to Loughborough Baptist Meeting House.

The South West

We felt like we'd moved properly into different terrain. We drove through the long, lingering Downs-ish hills merging into Salisbury Plain, then suddenly we were in the steep green country of the South West, Somerset and Devon. We were in the area last year, and it felt good to return.

Day 4: Lower Halsdon Farm, Exmouth*, A la Ronde, Exeter*
We had a morning to ourselves, so we took advantage of the lovely weather and walked into Exmouth. Our Airbnb hosts told us about a new path that had been put in through a National Trust-owned farm, so we followed it down to the path that snakes around the estuary, enjoying views across the water and mussel beds. We stopped for a cream tea on the way back, which we ended up sharing with a little orange cat. The main event of the day was a visit to A la Ronde with our friend Rachael. Read about the history of the house here. We went to Exeter for a dinner of delicious vegan and vegetarian pizzas at The Flat.

Cream tea at Lower Halsdon Farm. Not sure if these were official @nationaltrust scones, @nt_scones, but I think the friend makes up for it! pic.twitter.com/ggM6M6eW9p
— Jonathan (@jonathanworking) July 30, 2017

I mean, there were plenty of interesting things to learn about at A La Ronde, but who can resist dress ups? #NTRoadTrip pic.twitter.com/iAbbEIf10M
— Jonathan (@jonathanworking) July 30, 2017

The windows at A la Ronde were very interesting - diamond shaped outside, but a whitewashed oval inside to draw the light through.

Day 5: Knightshayes, South Hill
Goodbye, Exmouth! We took back roads slowly up to the north coast of Devon/Somerset, enjoying the views of hills and streams and stopping off at Knightshayes for a couple of hours in the middle of the day. The estate itself looked beautiful, but we spent most of our time inside the ridiculous Gothic-revival house, enjoying the first of many examples of ostentatious interior design. We learnt about linen presses (thanks, chatty volunteer), women's golf and a bit about the local lace-making industry (where the family made their fortune). Then we set off again, up to the remote-feeling hilltop expanses and steep, secluded valleys of Exmoor.

Pleased to finally share pics inside our new house! Who's coming to visit? (Joking, this is @knightshayesNT @nationaltrust #NTRoadTrip) pic.twitter.com/Z2Ve9oJfag
— Jonathan (@jonathanworking) July 31, 2017

I think we've found the best campsite... #Exmoor #RoadTrip pic.twitter.com/1Yf34hwPQG
— Jonathan (@jonathanworking) August 1, 2017

The view from the Airbnb on the hill in Exmouth was absolutely gorgeous!

Day 6: Watersmeet, County Gate*
Our pretty campsite was tucked away in a wooded river valley sheltered between the high moors outside Porlock. I tried out my new water shoes with a paddle down the river. It was beautiful, and hard to leave for the day! But leave we did, for a wander along the streams and waterfalls to Watersmeet. Their card machine wasn't working, we didn't have cash and the car was parked a mile or so upstream, so after a quick look around we headed off. We went for a lovely little walk at County Gate, through the bright purple heather and yellow gorse (which they call furze, there).

Dragged ourselves away from said campsite to visit @nationaltrust Watersmeet. Worth it - gorgeous! #NTRoadTrip pic.twitter.com/L3EqSdqTXm
— Jonathan (@jonathanworking) August 1, 2017

(Although no @nt_scones for us today, alas.) pic.twitter.com/s1YDcvMwcv
— Jonathan (@jonathanworking) August 1, 2017

person on path through purple and yellow and green vegetation

Dan admiring the colourful wildflowers on Exmoor near County Gate. Check out the steep hillsides!

Day 7: Glastonbury Tor, Costa at Shepton Mallet*, Kennet and Avon Canal at Bradford-on-Avon*
It rained! Are you surprised? Dunster Castle wasn't yet open, so we headed to Glastonbury Tor, somewhere I've wanted to visit for ages. We nabbed ourselves some free street parking and joined the train of folks heading to the summit. Oh my goodness. It rained sideways with such ferocity that one side of us was dripping while the other was quite dry. We could see barely a thing from the top. Then we had to come down, drenching our other sides. We were so wet. We bundled into the car, sitting on towels, and sought refuge in a retail park twenty minutes up the road where we tried to dry things under the hand dryer. Luckily, our Airbnb hosts were beyond lovely and helped us dry out. We even had bath robes! In the evening we went to visit our friend Dru, an artist, poet and engineer who lives on a narrow boat on the Kennet and Avon Canal.

Cool blue-staining bolete. Found it on the road! #fungi pic.twitter.com/azTwm2ULfP
— Jonathan (@jonathanworking) August 2, 2017

Climbed Glastonbury Tor. It rained sideways and I don't know we've ever been so soaked. Certainly memorable! @nationaltrust #NTRoadTrip pic.twitter.com/DFnDTXAlQV
— Jonathan (@jonathanworking) August 2, 2017

Dan on the Avoncliff Aqueduct, which carries the Kennett and Avon Canal over the River Avon.

Day 8: Dyrham Park, Bristol*
As we pulled in to the drive at Dyrham Park, I said to Dan, "Don't you feel like we're rich folk on a grand tour, visiting our friends in all their grand houses?" Dyrham is one of those classic National Trust properties - a big house, fancy garden, a cafe and bookshop in the stables and a deer park with spectacular views . We went on the volunteer-lead garden tour and it was fascinating to learn its history and the plans for further restoration. After Dyrham, we headed to Bristol, where we stayed with Allysse & co. Allysse and Emma took us out for some tasty pizzas. Mmm, yum.

A great day out at @NTDyrhamPark today. Interesting to hear about conservation work and go on the garden tour. @NationalTrust #NTRoadTrip pic.twitter.com/nSc0XiRbOJ
— Jonathan (@jonathanworking) August 3, 2017

Music on a viola da gamba, stories on plates, volunteer describing locks and, uh, slave statues (not a fave!). #NTRoadTrip pic.twitter.com/x8fjwb0nW1
— Jonathan (@jonathanworking) August 3, 2017

evening scene with boat and lights reflecting on water

We thought this was the Matthew (replica of the boat sailed across the Atlantic in 1497) but it's the tall ship Kaskelot (restored original).

Day 9: Cheddar Gorge, Wells*
After a relaxing morning, Allysse, Emma, Dan and I drove down to Cheddar Gorge, where we climbed a lookout, had lunch in the (very touristy) village and then walked around the top of the gorge. It's an amazing place! I guess I thought, in the back of my mind, that you don't get "big landscapes" in England - especially in the south. I loved everything about the walk and the company. Allysse and I recorded an intro for Queer Out Here. We saw wild goats . . . and Glastonbury Tor, in the distance, in the sunshine. After a few false starts (including an abandoned pub!), we ended up in Wells for dinner.

Yesterday we went to Cheddar Gorge. What a fantastic place! (One might even say ... Gorge-eous.) @nationaltrust #NTRoadTrip pic.twitter.com/ijgX1ik07i
— Jonathan (@jonathanworking) August 5, 2017

And a few more pix! There was even a bit of sunshine, amazingly. #RoadTrip pic.twitter.com/6Lvuj4wdsp
— Jonathan (@jonathanworking) August 5, 2017

View of cliff-bound valley with road at bottom

Wow! I didn't expect Cheddar Gorge to be so big or so 'wild' feeling - they've managed to keep all the tourist tat in the village at the end.

Wales

We love Wales (had you noticed?), so we couldn't really go from Bristol to Birmingham without popping in to a couple of our favourite places. It was fun to notice that our DuoLingo and Say Something in Welsh practice has paid off a bit - we could understand a few more signs this time. Gwych!

Day 10: Tredegar House
Allysse had to work, but Emma came with us to Tredegar House on the outskirts of Newport. We had a short wander around the ponds, then popped into the house. Once again, the room volunteers provided entertaining commentary on the history of the house and its owners. Fave quote about a fellow with a pet kangaroo: "As you can see from this photograph, he was gay." We went to a talk about the history of the property from Tudor times to its life as a school and council-run venue. It was warm, I was comfortable, I fell asleep. Sorry, volunteer presenter! We ate scones, dropped Emma at the station then headed on up to an Airbnb in Caerphilly.

Dan and Emma doing their best horsey toff faces.

Yesterday at @NTTredegarHouse - we're in Wales now, where @nationaltrust keeps these places open i bawb, am byth. #NTRoadTrip pic.twitter.com/N4MulWjxxW
— Jonathan (@jonathanworking) August 6, 2017

Day 11: Lanlay, Caerphilly Mountain*
National Trust places seemed a bit thin on the ground in the immediate vicinity, but we found one: a field. OK, that makes it sound dull, when in reality Lanlay is a series of beautiful riverside meadows that have not been farmed since before WWII. This means the place retains traditional hedges and a huge diversity of wild herbs, grasses and so on - the kind of diversity I'd heard about, but it was another thing to see and truly understand what we've lost elsewhere and what people are working to bring back where possible. There was a sign encouraging people to pull up Himalayan Balsam, so rather than walking we went on a long weeding expedition. We had lunch with lovely friends (and it was a lovely lunch, although I think the soup broke two soup makers?!). After lunch we drove to the top of Caerphilly Mountain for a wander around the common/heath. All in all, an enjoyable day!

Huge diversity of grasses, herbs and flowers in the meadows at @nationaltrust/@NTWales Lanlay this morning. #NTRoadTrip #WildFlowers pic.twitter.com/ANLymL614O
— Jonathan (@jonathanworking) August 6, 2017

On the path through Lanlay meadows . . .

Day 12: The Sugar Loaf, Abergavenny*, Pen-Ffordd-Goch*, LLanthony Priory*
Up through the valleys from Caerphilly we went, heading towards a wonderful part of the world - the area around the Black Mountains/Brecon Beacons/Usk Valley/Wye Valley/Vale of Ewyas. First stop: a climb to the top of Sugar Loaf/Y Fâl. This was great. The climb gradually steepening to the rocky crest. We spent a while enjoying the excellent views and watching the rain jumping peaks towards us - Corn Du, Pen y Fan and Cribyn in the distance, then the nearer hilltops, then the Usk Valley, then . . . it missed us! We popped down to Abergavenny for lunch and over to Pen-Ffordd-Goch/Keepers Pond to find the road we'd seen from Sugar Loaf/Y Fâl. Finally, we drove to the sweet little campsite below the picturesque remains of Llanthony Priory/Priordy Llanddewi Nant Hodni. It felt like it had been ages since we'd camped - days since Exmoor - and it was good to be back in the tent.

Don't know about you, but our morning tea spot is OK. #NTRoadTrip #CymruAmByth pic.twitter.com/xNNtRvfOQ2
— Jonathan (@jonathanworking) August 7, 2017

Last night's accommodation has seen better days. Picturesque, though. #LlanthonyPriory #CampingLife #RoadTrip pic.twitter.com/6LdcD4auc1
— Jonathan (@jonathanworking) August 8, 2017

On top of the Sugar Loaf/Y Fâl. I think that's Ysgyryd Fawr/The Skirrid in the background - another great spot!

The Middle Bits

A.K.A. Birmingham, Warrington and Manchester. (I originally called this section "The Midlands" and Derry told me off. Landscape-wise, it felt like we entered The NORTH only once we'd passed Manchester. And let's be real, Manchester's only about two thirds of the way from the south coast to Scotland!) This section of our trip was based more around seeing friends than any particular National Trust properties - but that's not to say we didn't visit some great places.

Day 13: Gospel Pass (Wales)*, The Weir Garden, Birmingham*
Leaving our campsite after a paddle in the nearby river (cripes, it was freezing!), we headed out over the Gospel Pass - one of my favourite viewing points in the world, I think! We then followed the Wye Valley around to The Weir Garden, set on a steep hillside overlooking the Wye. We'd stopped opposite it while canoeing down the Wye last summer and had filed it away as a place to come back to. Worth it! Then it was on to Birmingham, which we managed to do via quite a green route almost all the way into the city. We went to a pub quiz with our friend Rachael (who put us up for the night, too) where we came equal third - only 1.5 points below the winners. (I contributed only one, incorrect, answer - essentially, I think I lost the quiz for the team. Whoops!)

Fave place with fave chap. (Near Lord Hereford's Knob with Lord Hereford, obvs.) #RoadTrip pic.twitter.com/Xlg94HsYcd
— Jonathan (@jonathanworking) August 8, 2017

Today's @nationaltrust stop - The Weir Garden on the River Wye. Canoed past here last year and have kept it in mind since! #NTRoadTrip pic.twitter.com/TkvA8MCRDR
— Jonathan (@jonathanworking) August 8, 2017

Table with cakes and tea making equipment

The tea table at The Weir Garden. Make your own cuppa, grab a cake and head down to the riverside to loaf in the deck chairs!

Day 14: Kinver Rock Houses, Alderly Edge, Warrington*
(A.K.A. the day I had chips for breakfast - classy!) We drove with Rachael to check out the Holy Austin Rock Houses at Kinver. These houses are part cave, carved into the red sandstone of Kinver Edge. People were living here up until the 1960s and the houses are refurbished in a cosy, domestic style along early-mid 20th century lines. Unlike many National Trust places, here visitors are encouraged to pick up the household items, sit in the furniture and feel what home might have been like in these fascinating structures. After most of the day out, we dropped Rachael back in Birmingham headed to our dinner date in Warrington, via Alderley Edge. I was such a fan of Alan Garner's books (these ones) as a kid and had a fantastic experience the first time we came to this area, remembering the books, matching the maps with places and going investigating. This was only a brief stop, but oh, wow, I still feel like I know these woods - and the things that might lurk there. It also made me want to re-read Boneland. Anyway! We had a good time with our friend Derry in Warrington. I had chocolate gnocchi for dessert.

A fantastic visit to @NTKinver - cosy houses burrowed into the red sandstone, people lived here until the 60s! #NTRoadTrip @nationaltrust pic.twitter.com/GCZczwxUDa
— Jonathan (@jonathanworking) August 9, 2017

The views up above @NTKinver are pretty good, too! #NTRoadTrip #RoadTrip pic.twitter.com/A6G4y1dN2H
— Jonathan (@jonathanworking) August 9, 2017

Gorgeous views from Alderley Edge. One kid came and sat in this spot, gasped and exclaimed, "It's just like a photo!" (Can you spot the buzzards?)

Day 15: Quarry Bank, Manchester*
This was a bit of a terrible day, in that I didn't really eat properly until about 3pm. The less said about that, the better! But Quarry Bank was fascinating. The demonstrations were really informative and helped create a physical appreciation of the place's history - the noise, the dangers, the smells, the speed. We bought a tea towel woven on the machines in the factory and headed off to Manchester. It was such a pleasure to spend time with Sarah and Jit and their six cats (SIX CATS). We had a great walk along the canal into the city centre with Sarah, where we met Jit for a drink in the late afternoon sun before gorging ourselves on yet more delicious pizza.

And the gardens and grounds are gorgeous! #NTRoadTrip pic.twitter.com/cgcjRzersa
— Jonathan (@jonathanworking) August 10, 2017

And of course, the pizza. An important part of any #RoadTrip. pic.twitter.com/TC3t490aMq
— Jonathan (@jonathanworking) August 10, 2017

This picture of Quarry Bank workers reminded me more of a 70s folk band.

Day 16: Lyme Park and House
After an amazing breakfast (thanks, Sarah - and thanks also for the amazing picnic lunch and dinner on this day!) we all piled into the car and headed off to Lyme. Another NT property with all the trimmings - deer park, stately home, formal garden, stables, orangery, etc. I got to play the piano (as I had at A la Ronde and Knightshayes) and we heard a talk about one of the owners of Lyme. Dan and I tried on the dress ups at pretty much every NT place where they were on offer, but Lyme was definitely the best. They had a whole room of clothes and volunteer assistants to help you dress and you could put on a complete outfit and wander around the property in it! We saw a few people in full costume around the house. Brilliant!

Today's @nt_scones = an improvement on yesterday's! More @NTLymePark pics to come... #NTRoadTrip @nationaltrust pic.twitter.com/TSMGW9sJLO
— Jonathan (@jonathanworking) August 11, 2017

Yeah! @NTLymePark dress ups are THE BEST! On safari, country squire, henchmen, pretty maids. #NTRoadTrip @nationaltrust pic.twitter.com/HUeGwTlZ8m
— Jonathan (@jonathanworking) August 11, 2017

I love this photo of the four of us, taken by one of the grounds staff at Lyme. I can't remember what the joke was - Dan's messy hair?

The North

The North (The NORTH). I can count the number of times we've been north of Manchester on one hand (once to Scotland, once to the Yorkshire Dales, once to the Lake District), so it was great to be back! I think it feels so far away from us down on the south coast that we don't even think about going there on holiday. That's kind of changed after this trip, and I like to think that we'll visit The NORTH more frequently, now.

Day 17: John Rylands Library*, Malham Tarn Estate
Having had a lovely time with Sarah and Jit, we went with them into town and visited the John Rylands Library, where we wandered around an interesting exhibition, ogled the reading room and admired the very cool neo-Gothic spaces (the library has featured in the Harry Potter films). We ate a tasty brunch before setting off northwards, with no precise destination in mind. We wanted to check out Malham Tarn and the rain stopped just in time for a lovely stroll on the boardwalk. We spotted wildflowers and ate wild raspberries -yum! Further and further through the Yorkshire Dales we pootled, checking out a couple of campsites to no avail before stumbling upon a Camping and Caravanning Club affiliated one in Aysgarth, where we settled in for the night.

Fantastic natural display at Malham Tarn. Marsh valerian, devil's bit scabious, wild (feral?) raspberries, ragged robin & more! #NTRoadTrip pic.twitter.com/LYapyrrw2i
— Jonathan (@jonathanworking) August 12, 2017

Yorkshire. Foraged something that I think is Good King Henry. At any rate, we ate it in our noodles and are still alive. #NTRoadTrip #Chooks pic.twitter.com/OsTt7czA6D
— Jonathan (@jonathanworking) August 12, 2017

Posters on brick wall - one says HOME STREET HOME

Street art in Manchester.

Day 18: Aysgarth Falls*, Tan Hill Inn*, Hadrian's Wall and Housesteads Fort
We'd never heard of the Aysgarth Falls before, but as we were camped nearby it only seemed right to toddle down for a peek and a paddle. It was a glorious morning, so we made the most of it. We decided to head for Hadrian's Wall in the afternoon, which meant another long drive, down quaint country lanes and up over crumbling moors (there is some seriously bad erosion going on up there). We stopped off for lunch at Tan Hill Inn, a popular spot not only because it's the highest pub in Britain but because the Pennine Way leads right to its door. We reached Hadrian's Wall later than we might have liked, but still had enough time to take in the exhibition as well as Housesteads Fort. It reminded me so much of The Wall in Garth Nix's Old Kingdom series, I was concerned by the lack of wind flutes. Having signed up to the CCC that morning, we checked the app for nearby campsites. As luck would have it, there was one just down the road that had space for us - and they even gave us half a dozen eggs!

Morning paddle and a spot of reading at Aysgarth Falls. #RoadTrip #Yorkshire pic.twitter.com/n6eMM7iHPE
— Jonathan (@jonathanworking) August 13, 2017

Nipping in for our @nationaltrust visit today - Housesteads at Hadrian's Wall. Now to find accommodation! #NTRoadTrip pic.twitter.com/pxFL8ed78w
— Jonathan (@jonathanworking) August 13, 2017

Fresh eggs from the farm! They had sheep and donkeys, too. Despite the noise from the A69, this was a nice spot.

Day 19: Wallington, Cragside
After the massive, crunched up hills of Yorkshire, Northumbria seems to stretch itself back out, with longer, lower rises and gentler valleys. Driving through the heather-drenched landscape, we found a sign pointing to Wallington, where red squirrels might be found. Of course, we stopped! An hour in the hide only turned up birds (mainly tits, robins, nuthatches, woodpeckers) and a tiny frog, but it was an enjoyable break. We headed to Cragside in the afternoon. A couple of people had mentioned this as a destination - and no wonder! It was the first home to be lit by hydroelectricity, so there's some interesting engineering history there, but it's also a great house (with the most ridiculous 10 tonne marble fireplace) and a gorgeous estate.

Wallington was an unplanned visit. Our destination was @NTcragside, which has some nice glass. @nationaltrust #NTRoadTrip pic.twitter.com/7IccbTilMH
— Jonathan (@jonathanworking) August 14, 2017

AND @NTcragside has amazing #fungi all round the estate at the moment. #NTRoadTrip @nationaltrust pic.twitter.com/DtkQsSZSQ4
— Jonathan (@jonathanworking) August 14, 2017

Fields with purple hills in the background

The gloriously purple, heather-coated hills of Northumbria.

Day 20: Barter Books*, Lindisfarne, Scotland*
The day got off to a bad start. We couldn't find the car keys anywhere (we looked everywhere - the field, the tent, the facilities caravan) and presumed we'd locked them in the boot. We called our insurance to get a locksmith, but he got lost on the way and it took 2 hours for him to arrive. He opened the car, we still couldn't find the keys . . . until Dan went back into the tent, and there they were. Argh! Hungry for breakfast, we found a random cafe in nearby Alnwick - which turned out to be in the most awesome second hand book shop, Barter Books. After breakfast, we headed to the Holy Island of Lindisfarne, parking in the dunes and finishing the trip on foot. It was packed with tourists and the castle was closed, so we bought some mead and walked back, the ghostly moans of the seals drifting across the water on the wind. As we were so close to Scotland, we popped up to cross the border. On the way back to the campsite I had a paddle at Cocklawburn Beach in the dark blue North Sea. The day ended better than it began with a delicious picnic (with mead, natch) in the low evening sunshine.

Obligatory border pics. #RoadTrip pic.twitter.com/wmM0Q2Y7jN
— Jonathan (@jonathanworking) August 15, 2017

Then to Cocklawburn Beach. They're not lying when they say the North Sea is chilly. #RoadTrip pic.twitter.com/kZVBDEnVjR
— Jonathan (@jonathanworking) August 15, 2017

A walker crosses the intertidal zone between the Holy Island and the mainland. I'm tempted to do one of the long-distance routes that starts/ends here.

Back down to the East

And so we began driving south - "downhill" - out of The NORTH . . . it felt like we'd turned the corner and were heading back home. In fact, we reminded ourselves, we still had a week to go!

Day 21: Fountains Abbey
The Unthank sisters brought a tear to our eye as we passed Gormley's Angel. The day's stop was Fountains Abbey, set in the beautiful Studley Royal Water Garden, where we wandered the paths, enjoyed the interpretation timeline, admired the views, did a bit of knitting and of course ate a scone. I haven't mentioned every scone we ate. There were so many! I was quite the contributor (or should I say Sconepal?) to the National Trust Scones Twitter feed. That night we stayed in another CCC affiliated site - our first choice was a cute place that turned out to be wedged between two noisy motorways, but we ended up in a bleak semi-industrial landscape with pylons and smokestacks in the background. But the staff were nice, the food was fine and the showers were warm.

Is this the @nt_scones with the best view? @fountainsabbey and Studley Royal Water Garden on a sunny day - wow! #NTRoadTrip @nationaltrust pic.twitter.com/ljyWhX4gQy
— Jonathan (@jonathanworking) August 16, 2017

That @fountainsabbey is alright, innit? A bit broken in places, though. @nationaltrust #NTRoadTrip pic.twitter.com/tkHb6qX7VT
— Jonathan (@jonathanworking) August 16, 2017

Dan reading beside the path.

Day 22: Nostell, Sheffield*
Having camped not too far from Nostell, we got to the property early and had a peaceful stroll around the walled garden - and a few spins on the flying fox/zip wire! - before the crowds arrived. We went on an informative guided tour of the house, learning about the owners, architects/designers and collections. Our guide took pains to point out the collection of Chippendale furniture - some of which was horrible, in my non-expert opinion! In the afternoon, we headed to Sheffield to stay with our friends Vic and Jonjo (who have better taste) and went for a drink on a rooftop terrace to soak up some summery atmosphere. The last bit of our trip was shaping up to have much better weather.

At @NostellNT #1: the kitchen garden. I especially liked the apple bum. @nationaltrust #NTRoadTrip pic.twitter.com/jT4mLqHzLu
— Jonathan (@jonathanworking) August 17, 2017

At @NostellNT #2: exterior. Not really sure how @thebooklender's legs are attached. Mystery. @nationaltrust #NTRoadTrip pic.twitter.com/lrUL3RpzjR
— Jonathan (@jonathanworking) August 17, 2017

One of the fantastic interiors at Nostell. There really were some gorgeous spaces here.

Day 22: Tattershall Castle
After a homemade breakfast (thanks, Vic) we were off, heading towards Tattershall Castle. I didn't know what to expect, but I loved it! After seeing a few "in the style of" neo-Gothic or Romantic-mediaeval properties, it was good to get a feel for a space that is solidly middle ages - the big rooms, wide fireplaces, spiral stairways and windows over the moat. Mostly, though, I loved the graffiti, which had been scratched into the stone from the 1700s right through until the present. We heard others tut-tutting about it, but how cool to think of someone's hands running over that precise spot over 200 years ago. (Some of the graffiti was, perhaps, a little less authentic - check the tweet below.) We decided we'd rather not spend a night in the forecast storm, so we pushed on across the lowlands of Lincolnshire, through New York and Boston (yes!) and around the Wash to the comfy bed that awaited us in Norfolk.

Ooh, @NTTattershall is cool. But I'm gutted that after 3wks @nationaltrust training, I still haven't got my Cromwells straight. #NTRoadTrip pic.twitter.com/IuCahEQFyL
— Jonathan (@jonathanworking) August 18, 2017

Loved all the graffiti in @NTTattershall castle, too. I think we found the oldest bits. @nationaltrust #NTRoadTrip pic.twitter.com/BCdJAe9dBi
— Jonathan (@jonathanworking) August 18, 2017

Gold cider cans stuffed into a metal grate

Contemporary art installation in Sheffield. (Art, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder, you know.)

In Norfolk: Morston Quay, Titchwell*, Sandringham*
Our road trip proper stopped in Norfolk, where we stayed with family in a holiday house for a while. I went swimming a couple of mornings, we visited Titchwell RSPB reserve a few times, we ate some good food and did some touristy things. Including . . . seeing seals! They were delightful to watch. Our final National Trust place was Morston Quay, near Brancaster. You can listen to the sound of boat rigging in the wind below. We also visited Sandringham (the Queen's house), which made for an interesting comparison with all the NT stately homes we'd seen. You only get to visit a handful of rooms, but they're apparently set up just as they are when Her Maj is in residence. It must be odd to live amongst the collections of stuff from past royals - there's a whole collection of jade ornaments, which I found especially unappealing. You can read a bit more about the interiors in this Country Life article, if you're interested.

Every Wednesday should start with a dip in the sea, IMO. #Norfolk #WildSwimming #GoodMorning pic.twitter.com/lu5zbYPgvg
— Jonathan (@jonathanworking) August 23, 2017

Gorgeous day at Titchwell (@Natures_Voice) and Brancaster (@nationaltrust). Best of all, seals! Also, a dead dolphin/dinosaur/monster... pic.twitter.com/eOUQ3bJKFT
— Jonathan (@jonathanworking) August 20, 2017

Adult and juvenile seals on a sandy/muddy bank

Seals at Blakeney Point. There were people swimming here, too, and sometimes the seals would follow them at a distance. Very cool!

And so our National Trust road trip was at an end. Dan and I agreed that it had been a great holiday.

We saw new sights, learnt many interesting things and had a ready-made structure to each day. Car camping was fairly low stress, though next time I would be a bit more organised - we took far too much stuff, probably because before we left we were concentrating on moving house rather than packing for a holiday. The Camping and Caravanning Club membership proved a happy medium between total spontaneity (and the stress that can bring) and complete pre-planning (and the lack of flexibility that can bring). Hopefully we'll use it again over the year. Speaking of memberships, I'd thought by the end of our trip I would be sick of National Trust branded literature and atmosphere, but it wasn't too bad - each place retained enough individual character to intrigue and charm us.

We were ready to stop by the end, though. As much as it was enjoyable to pop in to so many different parts of the country, I think next time we'll pick just one or two areas to explore!

Disposable National Trust branded coffee cup

Is the special place my belly? Because that is true.

Thanks so much to all the folks who put us up, fed and watered us and/or spent time with us: Rachael, Dru, Allysse, Emma, Kate & family, Rachael (another one!), Derry, Sarah, Jit, Vic & family, the Katzes.

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2016 revisited: November and December

4/2/2017

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The last of my 2016 posts - two months together, as there's not much I haven't blogged already!

Aaaarrrgh, me hearties!

We celebrated two fortieth birthdays (not mine!) in November. I was very proud of the ridiculous quantities of decorations I managed to find. I think my favourite was this pirate and sea-themed banner, which is customisable for any age. Genius.

I do like a crepuscular ray.

We went for a very windy (but beautiful) walk along the beach from Hastings to Bexhill with a couple of friends.

I find this image of an empty patch on Hastings Pier kind of compelling.

I might as well share this video of the waves again. I find it quite soothing. Maybe you need soothing, too.

Waves at Bexhill from In Which I on Vimeo.

As the days got shorter and the weather colder, we scaled back to smaller trips in order to get outside without the pressure of completing long walks. We climbed up East Hill in Hastings . . .

Run, doggo!

Heroic Dan!

. . . and went for a walk near Herstmonceux with our local LGBT walking group.

One misty, moisty morning, when cloudy was the weather . . .

Blurry photo made blurrier for fun.

Hello, moth!

Herstmonceux Castle. Fancy. And covered in birds.

Later in December, we headed up to Norfolk for a week-long holiday. We stopped off in North London for a night, then broke the next day at Wandlebury. We'd briefly vsited Wandlebury a couple of months before and I wanted to check it out again.

The scoreboard at Mill Hill.

I also wanted to go for a walk every day in Norfolk - and we almost managed it!

A bit of home decoration at the holiday house in Norfolk. Good suggestion. Beach it is!

That's it! I quite enjoyed this reflection on what was a pretty good year (personally, if not globally). You can find my other 2016 year in review posts here: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September and October.

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2016 revisited: October

25/1/2017

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Picnics and walks - an autumn to enjoy . . .

Fine weather continued on and off into October and we took advantage of it by having an impromptu picnic in the fields behind our house. It was a good opportunity to start properly trialling our Brukit, which we'd bought as part of our Snowy River adventure preparations.

We've been very pleased with this so far. It's a good size for two serves of instant noodles or lots of tea!

We did get a few misty mornings, though, and it was clear that the seasons had turned.

Sunrise on Marley Lane - Lake Field is to the left.

The same morning as above. The mini roundabout in the foreground was the epicentre of the Battle of Hastings (according to Time Team).

In the October half-term break, we went for a two day walk near Cambridge. I posted a lot of pics at the time, but I took quite a few more! Here's a selection.

Gorgeous flower garden in Cambridge.

I love the rich red of hawthorn berries (haws) - especially mixed in with the yellows and browns of autumn.

A mossy church wall in Hildersham.

I also made this little video from footage I took on the walk. One thing I've noticed is that when I don't go out with the intention of making a film, the footage I take isn't consistent or well considered. It's something to think about if I plan to make any videos in 2017.

Scenes from an Autumn walk in Cambridgeshire from In Which I on Vimeo.

2016 revisited (so far!): January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August and September.

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2016 revisited: September

18/1/2017

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Summer started to quietly settle towards autumn and we went back to work . . .

I made this recording for Allysse's Nature Sound of the Month series.

We started the month with the end of the holidays and another go at Champing with friends. The days grew shorter and the mornings darker, which gave us the chance to see some gorgeous sunrises.

An amazing sky! This is the road where I take my Lake Field photos - Lake Field is on the left.

The day when the lights were still on when we went to school was a marker of the shortening days.

We still made it out for some walks, though, including our monthly outings with the HRRA walking group and our weekly strolls around Arlington Reservoir on the way home from work.

This is a view from the road on our way to work. Nice commute!

Off on a walk with HRRA. They're good people.

One week, the geese had moved onto Arlington Reservoir. A couple of weeks later, they'd gone again.

We also walked the whole of our local long distance path, the 1066 Country Walk. Handily, it goes right past our front door (literally, as our front door is directly onto the street) and Battle is slap-bang in the middle. A good place to rest overnight! Allysse came down to join us and she wrote up a blog about it. A few of our HRRA friends came along for the second day, too. It was a fun weekend.

These two are not very level headed. It's a pun, see, because this photo was taken on the Levels and they're butting heads. Woot.

Windmill. Reminds me of Australia!

Haws and All Saints Church at Herstmonceux.

Hayshed. I like the patterns of corrugated iron and the different bale styles.

Up the hill. I went the right way, not up this hill!

Through the woods. Pretty.

View from Winchelsea. Slightly Mediterranean, right? No? Even if you squint a bit?!

Previous year in review posts: January, February, March, April, May, June, July and August.

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2016 revisited: August

14/1/2017

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Wales, Malvern, Birmingham, London, Sussex, Kent . . . August was jam-packed with activities as we made the most of our summer holidays. This is a bit of an epic post - though, to be fair, it's mainly photos.

After walking from channel to channel, our holiday continued with a short stay in Monmouthshire. Our Airbnb wasn't far from Rockfield Studios, actually, and the museum in Monmouth had an interesting exhibition about the studio. We were also delighted to discover Monteas, a looseleaf tea shop with a friendly owner. We bought some delicious tea.

This was the view just across the lane from our accommodation. Dream house up on the hill opposite...

Fruit and veg shop in Monmouth.

From Monmouth, we went canoeing down the River Wye, which was great fun. I'd only kayaked before, so it was interesting to get a feel for canoeing - it feels much more sedate and, if you're in a canoe with others, there's more team work and communication.

After a few days on the river, it was off to Malvern to finally visit the Malvern Hills. The short chain of hills is an eye-catching feature in the landscape, rising abruptly from the low-lying surrounds. We've seen them in passing and have always meant to visit, but it took us several years to get around to it! We just had one morning to climb to the top of one of the hills and enjoy a cup of tea sheltering from the stiff breeze. But what a morning! I loved being able to pick out other places we've been (the line of Hay Bluff was just visible in the hazy distance) and other hills we might want to climb.

Looking north along the Malvern Hills. Doesn't that path just make you want to walk (or cycle, or run, if they're your things)?

Lucky sheep, to have this view. Also, the grass is probably quite nice.

Looking south towards British Camp. Next time...

Beautiful plumage, innit.

Look! I have finally taken one of these photos! I made Dan strike several ridiculous poses.

I was gobsmacked at the size of this backpack - then I realised it was a paraglider. I think I overheard them say they'd glided to Cambridge from here before.

Malvern was an overnight stop on our way to Birmingham, where we stayed with a friend and spent a couple of days exploring the city (and washing our clothes, because after two weeks of walking, canoeing and sightseeing, we were a bit smelly). She took us around the city and we got to spend a few hours in the fabulous Library of Birmingham, another place we've been meaning to check out for years. We browsed books (and borrowed some, thanks to our friend!), admired the old Shakespeare Memorial Room which has been incorporated in the top floor of the contemporary building and wandered around the roof gardens checking out the view.

The iconic exterior of the library. Unmistakable.

Inside the library, blue neon lights on the escalators.

Inside the Shakespeare Memorial Room.

Up on the roof terrace. The garden is a lovely place to sit (though if I recall correctly, it was quite hot).

On the way back to London, we detoured to visit the Alpkit warehouse and showroom, to look for kit in advance of our Snowy River adventure. That was fun, especially because they let me climb inside the fluffiest sleeping bag I have ever seen. I've always wanted to try one of those out, though I have absolutely no reason to use one in earnest!

I love a good ghost sign, though I think this one has been touched up.

The canal at Kings Cross with astroturf steps.

This lock was guarding an inner city garden/allotment of some kind.

Bikes at the bike cafe, Look Mum No Hands.

In London, we met up with a friend for breakfast and did a bit of city exploring to find some wooden streets. Yep. Did you know that the streets of London (and Melbourne, and many other cities) were once paved with wood? You can read about it in this great article by Ian Visits. I came across this when doing some research for our Snowy River adventure (a proper research rabbit hole) and decided I wanted to see it for myself. Our walk took us down some interesting back streets as well as along main roads, making for a fun afternoon wandering around the city.

This is some more recently laid wooden paving near Old Street station.

And here's an old remnant, preserved on a manhole cover.

A closeup of the wood on the manhole cover on Farringdon Road. What a great piece of history!

Home again, home again. But being home didn't stop us getting out and about. We were making the most of our time before heading back to work.

Pretty flowers in the garden near our house, looked after by the Beautiful Battle volunteers.

Wild swimming in the River Rother near Newenden. (Most people venture out in boats hired from the campsite.)

We visited Rye with a friend one beautifully sunny day.

The view from Rye out over the sea. Summer haze blended water and sky at the horizon.

A few delicate flowers in bloom at a friend's caravan in Hastings.

On the last day of August we walked all the way around Bewl Water. We'd been meaning to do the 20km/12.5mi circuit for a while and the weather forecast was fine, so off we set! Our circuit took us anti-clockwise from the main carpark/cafe area, along dirt and paved paths, down country lanes, around a few small hills, through woods and fields and along the Sussex Border Path for a while. It's a great walk if you're up for doing something of that length.

Beautiful still water in the morning. The signs warning of blue-green algae put me off going for a paddle, though!

It's always lovely to see the birds and wildlife drawn to the water. These gulls were up and down, up and down, maybe fishing?

I always try to imagine what places would have looked like before they were flooded by reservoirs - the little valleys and nooks, now gone.

An exciting find: hops in the hedgerow!

Another way to see the sights.

Boats on Bewl Water.

A very helpful sign, not particularly close to the water and totally obscured by trees.

The home stretch: heading back along the reservoir wall under a sky striped with mares' tail clouds.

And on that note, let's call it a day (or a month)!

Previous 2016 revisit posts: January, February, March, April, May, June and July.

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2016 revisited: July

11/1/2017

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A summer of celebrations and holidays!

A friend came to visit in July. Having visitors is always lovely, partly because it gives us the chance to check out some of our favourite places and share them with other people. One day we went up to Battle Museum and spent some time in the gorgeous Almonry Gardens out the back. A community tapestry to mark the 950th anniversary of the Battle of Hastings was underway, so we all went and stitched a bit of history!

It was a year for anniversaries in Sussex. Brighton was celebrating 250 years of Jewish residency in the town, with a series of cultural events including lectures, concerts and exhibitions. One key event in the calendar was the unveiling of a Blue Plaque dedicated to Brighton's (then called Brighthelmstone) first Jewish resident, Israel Samuel. Israel Samuel is my ancestor and we attended the unveiling along with another two hundred or so spectators and various dignitaries. There were three direct descendents including me, my third cousin from New Zealand and her son who lives in the USA. We were treated very well as guests of honour, invited to a reception in the mayor's parlor, a special opening of the old synagogue and to lunch in Brighton. The Middle Street Synagogue is a beautiful old building which is no longer used for worship and is not often open to the public, so it was a real treat to be able to spend some time inside.

We had a weekend break with friends in the little town of Haddenham in Buckinghamshire. It was lovely to catch up with them and to feed the ducks in the pond on the green outisde the church. (Plus, we just spotted it in the most recent episode of Midsomer Murders - yes, I have seen every single episode ever, don't judge me.)

And then it was the summer holidays. Several weeks off in July and August has to be one of the best bits about working in a school! We set off to walk from the English Channel to the Bristol Channel with nothing but a backpack (and reservations at a number of B&Bs, haha!). I posted lots of photos at the time, but here are a few more from the walk - including some from the last day, which was actually the 1st of August. Shhh, don't tell!