UKTouringJune2008

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After little sleep on the plane, we rented a car (recall we have to drive on the left side of the road) and headed north for the area of the Cotswolds. This is Warwick Castle from the outside. We were too fried to want to spend $35 each to tour the place.

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A church with old gravestones in the town of Warwick.

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The B&B where we stayed for the first two nights, in Weston-sub-Edge, was built in 1624. A lovely place to stay at the edge of a working farm.

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Our first real tastes of the Cotswolds - just down the street from where we were staying.

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Further down the street was the village pub, where Roger enjoyed a pint of lager, and Susie learned about cider.

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Day 2. We drove down to Stow in the Wold, and Susie captured these kneeling pads that were hand embroidered.

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Outside of the the Stow in the Wold church. There were burial stones inside the cathedral from the early 1600's.

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We hiked from the town of Bourton-on-the-Water to Lower Slaughter, which is the ultimate in Cotswoldian architecture.

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Susie captured Roger going thru a narrow right of way on a continuation of the walk to Upper Slaughter.

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English "wildlife" encounters can be dangerous, especially if one steps in the wrong place.

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For dinner we drove over to Chipping Campden for another pub dinner.

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After dinner, we took a stroll around town and took more phofos of churches with old gravestones.

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Day 3 and we arrive from the Cotswolds to Shrewsbury, the childhood home of our friend Rachael. This is the town square market building, which has been used since the 1500's.

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We met Rachaels father, Ken, near the town square and walked to a local restaurant for lunch

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One of the tiny streets where A Christmas Carol (George C Scott version) was filmed.

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The Shrewsbury version of Victoria, BC's Bouchart Gardens, both made from a former gravel pit.

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Rachael's father Ken explains the intricasies of the gardens made from an ex-gravel pit to Roger.

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We're told this is where Rachael went to school. We were told LOTS of things.

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After a personal tour of downtown Shrewsbury, it was time to get in the car and get back on the roads, taking our lives and vehicle into our hands, driving into North Wales, and arriving at the Tyn-y-Fron Guesthouse near Betws-y-Coed

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Outside of the Tyn-y-Fron B&B in Betws-y-Coed. A lovely place.

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The view from our bedroom window.

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We learned that the easiest way to get to dinner was to hike into town. Here is Susie encountering sheep on the walk.

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The Stables Bar at the Royal Oak hotel was hopping. Big climbing and orienteering weekend. Here is Roger, after dinner, chatting with some locals

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A suspension bridge assists with crossing the river, and then we hike across the fields, climbing to one of the guest houses in the distance.

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OK, it is Snowdonia National Park on a reasonably sunny Saturday in June. Where you hike depends on what trailhead has any "parking places" left. We got our second choice, a large loop with a lot of climbing and great views.