Colin is leagues ahead of me as we clamber up Snowdon.
I look oddly pleased to be soaking wet, cold, and nowhere near the top of the mountain.
On one of our more relaxed days out, we visited Powis Castle – where I finished Westwood by Stella Gibbons, and started One Day by David Nicholls. It was pretty beautiful, if that doesn’t sound tautologous.
We have been to Powis Castle once before – and it was at this very spot that we met Prince Charles. He asked us if our ice creams were nice – I said “Yeah” – then we ran up that bank. He spotted us again, and said “Fast movers!” So, basically, Prince Charles recognised me.
The gardens at Powis are rather gorgeous.
Did you know that dahlias were A.A. Milne’s favourite flower? I like ’em too.
Rather fancy statue. Powis Castle tearoom also had peacocks, but they were real.
This amused me.
A labyrinth. If you want to know the difference between labyrinths and mazes, just ask. I once heard a FASCINATING Radio 4 programme on the topic.
One of the Youth Hostels we stayed in was Wilderhope Manor in Shropshire – a stunningly beautiful Elizabethan manor. When would I normally get the chance to stay somewhere like that for under £20 a night? This is why I love the Youth Hostel Association! I forgot to take a photo of the outside (plenty available online) – but the photo below is the view I had from my bed.
And we finshed the holiday with a trip to Clun Castle – the more assiduous of you will spot Col in this photo. Hope you enjoyed a few snapshots of our holiday – the last my trusty camera will show you (although some of these were post-camera-breaking and done on my phone). Thanks again for your camera advice – I have bought one, and it’s one its way.
Book reviews coming next week. Here’s a clue for the first one, to see if you can work out what it’ll be. You’d see the title on gravestones, and you’d see the author near a matchbox.
What gorgeous photographs. The peacock and the dahlia are my favourites though its hard to tear yourself away from that scenery!
Re the book R.I.P.??
Ooh, lovely photos of a jolly holiday! Poor Prince Charles, I expect he's still trying to find where you got those lovely looking ice-creams!
What camera did you choose in the end? Will you tell us about it when it comes? I've been looking for one that will reliably do non-blury close-ups!…And if you want more questions, what IS the difference between a labyrinth and a maze?
Beautiful pics! The view from your Wilderhouse bedroom looks like a movie scene to me. And the green fields and fog — at this point any moisture falling from our skies would be welcome — looks heavenly!
Beautiful photos! I love the one going up Snowdon, and I love your turquoise gloves!
Waking up to a view like the one in Shropshire must have either made you want to lie in bed all day or get out there into the beauty!
Glad you had a lovely vacation.
Looks like a great holiday! All your lovely photos are tempting me to consider scraping my trip to London next month and run off to Wales for a few days instead. I've never been and everything I've seen of it makes me sure I'd love it!
really lovely photos! looks like a wonderful holiday!
You were holidaying in the part of the world where I live. All these lovely pics reminded me of how lucky I am.
I love the tiny telephone booth!
Hi, Simon. Just discovered your site a couple of days ago and have been reading all your posts from the beginning. I am a bibliophile and an Anglophile, and my taste in reading is similar to yours I believe in that I prefer books from the early 20th century and thereabouts, with exceptions, of course. I cannot bear being without anything to read. Thank you for introducing me to many books of which I was not aware — have added them to my Wish List. I've also joined Cornflower's book group and will be reading the book for discussion in Sept.
Glad you had a wonderful holiday. The pictures are beautiful and, strangely enough, instill in me a feeling of homesickness!
May God continue to bless you and the other members of the Clan.
My neck of the woods :)
Depending on what day of the week you visited Powis Castle, you may have come across my Dad, he volunteers there twice a week.
Mystica – thanks! I was pleased with how they came out, considering my camera was dying.
Katie – In the end I got a Canon Powershot A3200 – I'm charging the battery at the moment, so have only very briefly experimented with it! Need to read the manual, as I don't understand it much yet… but it is certainly pretty. As for labyrinth/maze – apparently the former only has one possible route (like the sort you see on floors in cathedrals) and the latter has many. So the minotaur was in a maze. The Radio 4 interviewer really struggled to make that material fit ten minutes.
Susan – it was such a stunning view, I just sat and stared at it! Colin never appreciates these things…
Joan – thanks :) My turqoise gloves were also fingerless – not quite the climbers' outfit!
Claire – I'd always advocate the countryside over the city, especially for holidays, but perhaps it would be harder to see everyone :)
Bekah Jane – thanks :)
Yvann – I really wish I'd opened up the little door now!
Cookie65 – welcome, welcome! It's been lovely seeing your comments pop up on posts I'd long forgotten I'd written – how lovely of you to read so far back! You definitely sound like a kindred spirit, and I look forward to hearing your own recommendations.
Nikki Ann – gosh, then you're lucky! So beautiful. And we only went into the grounds, rather than the castle, so didn't see your Dad (the only NT guide I spoke to was a woman, in fact!)
Lovely holiday pics! Look forward to your Stella Gibbons review.