Wacky Wiltshire

Wiltshire is a county in England somewhat West of London. A lot seems to go on here. Have you heard of crop circles? Thought they were all fake, did you? Guess again! While many HAVE been proven to have been made by humans, of the thousands of designs appearing here (and around the world), there are a substantial number that are different enough to raise the question...what's going on here?

While I don't know the answer to that one, I was hoping to get to see one while here. Alas, I didn't! What I DID find was traditional and beautiful buildings/churches built of stone many hundreds of years ago.
I was able to visit a center that's set up every year during crop season to monitor and track the crop design sightings. The people here are VERY serious about this topic. I met a man going for a PhD who's doing his thesis on the crop designs.


Then there are the stone circles. These are also mysteries...many having been in place for thousands of years. Avebury is the center for the largest prehistoric "henge" in Europe, dating back to thousands of years B.C. A henge (as in Stonehenge) is actually an oval or circular trough or ditch around a higher, flatter piece of land. The little town of Avebury actually has the remnants of 3 circles around it.


White horses decorate hillsides in England with Wiltshire having most of the 13 found in the British countryside. They are formed (created?) in areas with chalky soil and are quite large. Most aren't very old (only several hundred years), but one dates back almost 3000 years. Hmmmm.

Of course, the red telephone box isn't all that wacky...unless you see one that still actually has a phone in it!

Wells, England

Wells Cathedral is thought to be one of the most beautiful of English churches. It's original foundation dates back to the 700s, although most of the current structure was built between 1100 and 1400. It has an unusual inverted arch inside over the alter.


The choir was practicing for an afternoon service and I was able to catch two of the smaller choirboys singing in a ray of light that showed just on the two of them.


Wells is also home to Vicar Close, said to be the oldest residential street in Europe (I don't know who verifies these things!).


Other interesting sights include one of the windows from the Bishop's Palace, along with the moat surrounding the palace. It even has a drawbridge which is permanently open now.



Of course, bikes are always welcome.....AND a good idea on their very narrow streets.

An English "Cottage"

What can I say? Our home in Wells, England, was the Manor Farm Dulcote and staying there was a totally delightful experience! I highly recommend it for anyone visiting this part of the country! Roz, the innkeeper, cooks breakfast to order too...I did NOT go hungry!




The view from the glassed in conservatory and the backyard was soooo serene. The sunsets were peaceful and lovely, although quite late by my standards (around 10 p.m.)


Mornings found the sheep hungry and Roz, our hostess, would go out to feed them leftover toast from breakfast.

One sheep, in particular, was quite curious about the camera!

Bath, England

Bath is located about 100 miles West of London, around the Rover Avon, and is a World Heritage Site. It's architecture reflects its Roman influence. The Romans found the pleasures of the area's hot springs back in the first century A.D., although legend and stories tell of settlement and use well before that. Any way you look at it, Bath is an important part of antiquity.

Unfortunately, the day I was there was a wet one. A bus tour was in order and served to give me a level of understanding of the city and it's surrounding hills. It also gave me a chance to be creative regarding taking photos!


A brief break in the showers allowed for some strolling through the ancient streets.....

AND a break in a quiet (and dry) tea room for something to boost my energy!

More Myths, Legends and History

Glastonbury, England, has a Tor. What's a "tor" you ask??? It's the Celtic word for hill and the one at Glastonbury dominates the horizon and watches over the town. Thought, for thousands of years, to be a holy hill, the Tor is said to change people in profound ways. Belief systems that have come of age in the area have incorporated it into their teachings as mystical and powerful. SO....I had to see for myself what it was all about. The top of the Tor is about 500+ feet above the surrounding land so I figured there would be some physical effort required. The initial set of steps, which came after a sizable uphill slope, didn't look too daunting.

That soon changed!

It took about 40 minutes to climb (with rest stops for photography) to within sight of the ancient St. Michaels Tower which is roofless, by the way.

The roofless part is important since, as I drew closer, so did the cloud which hovered over me, eventually dropping a short, but steady rain. Breathless already, I couldn't pick up my pace so I just resigned myself to getting wet. I left the rain drops on the lens and photo to prove it!

Once on top, and hovering in the roofless tower with 7 others, oddly enough, my clothes dried quickly. Then the sun came out and the landscape beckoned. I walked around and around gazing in every direction and watched others do the same. I sat at the base of the tower against the warm stone and enjoyed the sun and the views. It was both peaceful and energizing.



The trip down was much easier!

Myths...Legends...History

Somerset County in England is an area in SouthWest England where you'll find rolling hills, wide open fields/flatlands and interesting little towns and cities. Because there's evidence that the area was populated waaaaay back in history (definitely pre-Roman and possibly even Paleolithic times), it is also an area where you'll find myths and legends.

Chalice Well is said to be the spot where a cup from the Last Supper was buried. The water from the well is constant and reported to be healthful, probably due to its high mineral content. The well itself is now surrounded by beautiful and peaceful gardens with mounds of roses and sprinklings of many flowers new to me. It's quite a place to unwind and "find yourself".

Glastonbury, England

I always imagined that towns in the British countryside would be somewhat staid and conservative. Not Glastonbury! Imagine Greenwich Village and Haight Ashbury in the 60's...or for those in Florida...Cassadaga. For those not old enough to remember, or not in Florida, check out the photos below. The town is a great combination of "new age", paranormal and funky color! It's interesting to explore and photograph. Lots of fun!

Deja vu along the Loire

I had my cash along with a beautiful palmier (crusty, crunchy pastry) which I picked up at the bakery next to the bank. It would be a fitting dessert for my lunch. Now it was time to find a place to eat.

As I left Blois, I drove along the banks of the Loire River, enjoying the scenery and looking for a park where I could picnic. Nothing was summoning me so I just kept driving. I passed a little sign that caught my eye…..it said Cour s/Loire, which I took to be the name of a town. But I was looking for green open spaces where I could eat…not another town or village to drive through.

By the time I was a mile past the sign, I knew I had to go back. A strong image of the sign kept popping into my head. So I turned around, found the sign and drove down a neat, unpaved road.I found myself in a small austere village. Almost all buildings were behind stone walls or very dense trees and shrubbery. The only building I could recognize was the church and, since old churches always seem to call me, I figured I was meant to visit this one. I got my camera and went to explore. Oddly, the church was locked. The area was deserted, a bit on the dark side and a little spooky.

There wasn't much opportunity for photos...the buildings were mostly gray, unadorned and flat walls of stone. The church showed some promise, but the front of it faced the side of another building. I couldn't get far enough away to get a good shot. I was annoyed! AND, by now, quite hungry. I thought briefly about eating in the car, but decided to hold out and find someplace cheerier.

There was a path between the buildings that was quite narrow, dark and curved. I couldn't see what was at the other end, but there was bright light shining there. That heightened my curiosity so, even though by now I just wanted food, I walked down between the buildings. I figured I'd take a quick look, then head out to find my park so I could eat and commune with nature.

As I started around the curve, I felt like I was being guided to another world. The path widened a little.....then a lot. The somewhat dark, drab village was left behind as the flowers and river came into view. When I saw what was waiting for me at the end of the path, I laughed out loud. An empty park bench in the sun on the banks of the Loire River beckoned! I was sure it had been reserved just for me!

Eating lunch there was almost spiritual for me.....I had the very strong sense that I'd been there before. It's not that anything looked particularly familiar, but I was SO comfortable in that place. I felt, deep inside, that I was home.

Driving the Loire Valley

My drive to Paris was to take 3–4 hours, but I wanted to stop along the way, so I started out early. Once I got past the miles of stone fences surrounding the chateau in the area, I stopped in a little village that had a promising looking boulangerie where I picked up the cheese and baguette that would be my lunch. I knew there would be some place nice up the road where I would stop and enjoy it. No wine today though…driving into Paris required a clear head.

First order of business was to find an ATM since I was running low on cash. I drove through several villages keeping an eye out for a bank but wasn’t having much luck. I silently asked for help. Within 5 minutes, I came upon the small city of Blois.

The main road was a fair sized two-lane, but the side streets were very narrow and I hesitated to turn into what was the heart of the town. All of a sudden the urge to “turn” struck me. I turned without being able to see much of the street since there were trees in the way and, as I did, the street literally widened in front of me into a broad two lane main street with parking, stores and a beautiful staircase at the end of the street. I barely drove ½ block when I spotted an ATM AND a parking place!

Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! This “letting it happen” stuff was getting to be fun!