Dover Castle

In Tunnels, medieval and World war 11, to castle top, our legs walked, pushed and our bodies sweated in the humid heat- what a tour of Dover Castle!

So special was the very old Saxon church next to the oldest building on the complex a Roman lighthouse built in the second century AD.

Sitting next to the castle wall and admiring these two buildings - this little bird came so close- a little blessing for a very busy day exploring the big complex and heights of Dover Castle.

Dunkeld, Scotland

Dunkeld Cathedral was the first attraction for the day.

The antiquity, tranquillity was wonderful.

To think that Christianity has been alive and vital for so many centuries right on this spot.

We walked down the narrow street from the church and admired the baskets of flowers on many buildings.

Then a special treat for Madeleine and us- the Beatrix Potter gardens.

Pitlochry, Scotland

We've been away for a week with limited internet access- but loved our time in sunny Kirkmichael, Perthsire, Scotland.

Our little cottage was on the banks of the river and had a glassed conservatory , a little handkerchief garden and a view right to the feeder for red squirrels- wonderful.

We celebrated a special birthday for Kel and really sampled the rural countryside, a moor and fabulous highland scenery.

View from the side of our cottage.

red squirrel feeding outside the door!

Our cottage!

Highland cattle

Conservatory

The moor we drove across to shop at Pitlochry.   Loved our taste of Scotland.

More from London...

Today there was sunshine- than afternoon the grey clouds come- but it's warm enough- especially when doing plenty of walking.

Highlights the last few days have been:

Madeleine at her ballet lesson:

Kensington place gates and a peek at some of what we enjoyed inside.

Queen Victoria's dancing shoes

Queen Victoria's doll's house

A room for dancing

Our own Rochelle and Madeleine upon a royal seat

And a wonderful show which we saw the night before- loved it!

Windsor Castle

We briefly visited Windsor Castle at the weekend- along with strings of never ending patient line-ups of other tourists.

It was a whirlwind visit as Simon had booked us all in to Heston's pub for lunch.

Peeping over a wall on the walk way to see this garden in the old moat.

Then off to the Hindshead for lunch.

More Guernsey, then back to London

We enjoyed so much our time in Guernsey- not the ferry though - this time it took longer- 4 and a half hours to get back to Poole.

Some more highlights:

Little chapel made of mosaics- commenced in 1914.

Central Guernsey.

A touch of prehistory- amazing access and touching those stones.  Guernsey has several of these mounds.

The houses and the coastal views were spectacular!

Guernsey continued...

So much to see!  Today we went to several of the tourist sites- first one to a dark and rainy tunnel complex- built when Germany occupied Guernsey and built an underground hospital to cater for up to 800 wounded.  Complete with a mortuary, operating theatre, cinema, ammunition stores all courtesy of the occupied country's labour.

wash room for the operating theatre...

Then to a wonderful walled garden under restoration... I know where my grandmother's
fabulous gardening talent came from...

And next to the walled garden was a Guernsey National trust site-
a treasure trove of history...

And the sun shone briefly- on UK television they are talking about rain for another month- where is summer?

Guernsey

Ah a place on my 'to visit' list- land of long ago ancestors.  A three hour rainy ferry ride from Poole was not the best- but we had a hire car ready and then to find Le Chene- our hotel.

Today we went exploring- such tiny roads- such fabulous houses- here is Fort Hemmet- German occupied Guernsey WW2.

Then on to Castle Cornet at St.Peter Port.  Looking back from the Castle to Guernsey.

Even beautiful gardens at the top!

More views from the Castle.

Such atmosphere.

Guernsey a delight!