National Trust, English Heritage, museums etc.
Lunch at, and a quick wander round Moseley Old Hall near Wolverhampton. King Charles II famously hid in an oak tree at Boscobel – and having avoided discovery there, found his way to Moseley, where he was able to hide in a priest hole. It’s an interesting place in which to spend an hour or so (the Cornish pasties were good too…)
It seems rather busy today – lots of grandparents, grandchildren and dogs – but mostly they don’t venture far from the car park. We’ll start with the walled garden (lots of rapidly ripening fruit!), then head out around the deer park for a leg stretch.
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27 July: we’re on the bus this morning, from just outside our hotel straight through to Castletown, and beyond – a bus stop giving access, via a very quiet country lane, to the shore path at Poyllvaaish. Once again, we’re following the Raad ny Foillan, this time via Scarlett Point and its remarkable rocks, back to Castletown. Here we’ll visit Castle Rushen, before catching another bus to take us on to Port Erin. We wander slowly down to the harbour then back to the railway station for our return run on the last train of the day to Douglas (on Geoff’s Rail Diaries)
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25 July: The railway from Douglas to Peel closed 55 years ago. Can’t help thinking it would be a valuable part of the island’s transport infrastructure today (and a more relaxing journey that the bus…). Unlike Castletown’s Castle Rushen, Peel’s castle is a ruin – a spectacular one on its rocky perch above the sea, and great for an exploration on this fine sunny day.
Perfect choice – not a drop of rain, until we were half-way home in the car (it’s only about 10 miles away). Plenty of colour in the gardens, and in the various flying things – the camera caught a couple of damselflies, but the truly splendid dragonflies in the dingle just wouldn’t co-operate.
Vie OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map?X=374425&Y=288752&A=Y&Z=115
The forecast changed – instead of an afternoon of heavy showers, we had a dry, bright and breezy spell. Attingham might be good on such a day – plenty of shelter if the weather changes its mind again…
We left Tenbury Wells and headed for Croft – but today, instead of the hill fort and Bircher Common, we’re visiting the castle. Too warm for walking!
Our homeward journey will pass within yards of this Wolverhampton manor house – and we haven’t had our lunch yet. Let’s call in, have a bite to eat, and a wander around ‘Wittick’…
There could be a shower this afternoon (there was!) – might be good to be in the woods, for a bit of shelter (it was!). The sun shone as we walked up through Mose (feeling really warm, for the first time this year), but the clouds were gathering when we paused at the chocolate spot (a log beside the pool). Not far back to the start – we only got slightly damp…
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