Barely three weeks after the last catsitting sojourn, we were back there again whilst S&G ventured to the highlands of Scotland. This one lasted over a fortnight and I managed to secure four hotel visits travelling up and down the country.
Travel
Catsitting and Beyond
No sooner was Mrs. No Name back from a four day catsitting whilst son and girlfriend attended Latitude than we were scheduled back up in Sunderland for the longer holiday vigil. So we bookended the visit to make it a little more of a holiday break, blessed by lovely weather throughout.
Took a two nighter at Wentbridge House hotel, fast becoming the customary stopover on the way up. Took two nights so we could sample a couple of National Trust / English Heritage properties:-
Bury overnighter…
Just back from a Sunday overnighter, originally booked in 2020 (and again in 2021), both times postponed because of the pandemic. Went to Ickworth House on the Sunday afternoon and took the “green walk” around the estate. Just a leisurely ramble, but it still took just under two hours and was very pleasant – think we were both secretly pleased we achieved it without any serious injuries!
Lakes at Leisure..
Well, I say leisure, this was all a little bit touch and go after Centre Parcs. Mrs. No Name was quite poorly for a while and after she moved on to a second course of antibiotics we decided to cancel the first Lakes hotel and hope for the best thereafter.
Another First
In February 2020 we met our friends whom we had first met on “Jewel Of The Seas” (2007), and we agreed to get together again in around six months time. We finally made it over two years later! We chose the opportunity to try a 4 night Centre Parcs break for the first time – sort of killing two birds with one stone, with the added bonus that this particular resort was around an hour away un Elvedon Forest near Thetford.
Easter Visit
S&G came down on the Easter Friday for a three day break and made very good time, despite all the dire warnings about the incredibly heavy traffic. Guess that must have been going on everywhere else but the A19/A1/A14 route down to Kesgrave 🙂
Breaking Free (….continued)
Just a short post to add to our local culinary experiences. On Thursday we tried the Crown at Ufford, a pub we have passed on many occasions but never actually got through the door. Glad to report, it has a lovely interior, very welcoming hosts and a choice of seating – bar, outside (it was a lovely day) or restaurant. We went for the latter, …
This Time Last Week……
We were yet again in Aldeburgh on a two night break but, shock and awe indeed, we stayed not at the Wentworth Hotel but The White Lion. I unilaterally decided to give the White Lion a try, as it was the only one of the big three (Wentworth and Brudenell) that we have never stayed.
Breaking Free
Or, alternatively, another mid week break, this time back to the Wentworth in Aldeburgh for another two nighter. On this occasion, opted for a sea view room – very pleasant but, on a purely personal note, prefer the walk in shower to bath with shower over arrangement. Worked fine though.
Local Environs
Two short breaks, either side of Denise’s birthday. Both very local, hence the title. Am also aware that I’ve been more than a little remiss on the updating front, although this entry is reasonably timely. The first of the breaks was a fortnight ago and the second was Tuesday and Wednesday of last week. As for the Covid ‘breakout’ holidays of late last year, a little judicious editing will ensure they are chronologically sequenced correctly when they are finally written up. 🙂
Oxford (finally)
Finally, because we have long wanted to visit the city and we eventually managed to get there last week, along with our friends from Essex (the China couple, as we have never actually called them). Additionally, the miracles of posting technology means that although I am writing this a ridiculously long time after the actual event, a little musing wizardry means it will appear in the listings in its chronologically correct place.
Midlands Meander
Another late update to the blog. I won’t repeat the twisted logic surrounding its arrival, other than to say that it’s an earlier vacation but an even later entry than the Oxford visit – but still finds its orderly location in the blog. This was a week’s visit to Oundle and Stamford, split as three nights in Northamptonshire and four in Lincolnshire. This was what I would call our first significant foray beyond our immediate environment during the easing of the second lockdown restrictions. The first of our stop-offs was the market town of Oundle.