Kenilworth Castle

I have to admit that I have always been a fan of just driving around, I like viewing a place from the passenger seat of a car. Since moving to England this desire has only been amplified, there is nothing more enjoyable than a country drive. Okay that may be a bit of an exaggeration, obviously there are things I like more than this, but it is high on the list. This is especially true if we are driving in a direction I have yet to explore. Sometimes we start our days by looking at areas that are two hours or less away that we haven't been to and checking out what there is to see in that location. A couple of weekends ago my husband planned a whole afternoon for me by doing this and what we found to browse was Kenilworth Castle.

As we drove there we did get to see some of the water damage created by some of the flooding this country has experienced this winter, which was a great reminder to be grateful we have remained untouched. Although the road ways we were on were all open and safe to drive on we could see where not that long ago the water probably covered the street as it was still hovering at its edges on both sides. Fortunately in this area at least the homes all seemed to habitable and relatively unscathed, but still made me throw up prayers for the people affected.

The fact that we got caught several times in rain as we drove probably made what we were seeing slightly more ominous despite the water concerns being such a small part of the trip, really only a few spots. I think my its the literary in me that can see things like that and build whole stories around the people living through it and be more effected by it than I have a right to be. Perhaps its that same reason that I enjoy walking the ruins of castles, I can imagine the lives lived within its walls as if those the past inhabitants are whispering to me.

This place had many spots to wonder through and feed my fantasies about life living there, however I did walk a little quicker than I may of liked since the wind caused the rain to beat me in the face. On the up side, the rain did keep the place pretty quite and we rarely had to share any one area with anyone else. No one shoving us out of the way at the gift shop, no wait at the cafe, and we were free to read every plaque without bothering anyone.

The hot chocolate was much nicer for the cold wind blown hands and despite it being nearly closing time the guy working the counter took extra time adding the whipped cream and made no reference to us hurrying through it. I guess you could even argue that being caught in the rain they way we were actually made the day something worth remembering for me. In fact I love this happening from time to time because then I feel like I'm getting a truly English experience.

Weekend in Wales

Recently, sensing that I needed a getaway my husband planned a mini break for us to the coast of Wales. Headed for Aberystwyth which boasts a beautiful coast line, and the remains of an ancient castle to explore we headed out. I have to pause momentarily and tell you that our drive from our home in Swindon to our final destination was probably the most spectacular of my life. We drove through some of the most amazing vistas that I have ever experienced. I know that I have spoken repeatedly of the views I have enjoyed since coming to this country, and I don't want to take away from them, they have all been amazing in their own way. In the three plus hours that we drove through almost exclusively new areas though, I was so taken with the beauty that I was seeing that I was almost moved to tears. Sometimes in life we get the privilege of seeing or experiencing something that we know will forever alter us, that is how I felt. It is possible that I was simply just in the right frame of mind or that I, in that moment, had something to learn. I do feel like I changed somehow. I wish that it was practical to film the whole journey and post it for you all to see but then, I imagine it may not have the same effect on you.  For me it was amazing.

 

Aberystwyth itself was a cute seaside community that offered us the hours of things to explore that we were hoping for. These ocean shots were taken literally twenty feet from the steps of our hotel which was the perfect location for me to stay. Running along the waters edge just past the sand was a paved walk way that we could follow all the way to the castle ruins and beyond. 

We spent a long time walking around the dilapidated building, although the intense wind that these pictures can't convey made it's hillside location a bit precarious. My son alleges that the wind actually blew him off his feet but it is possible that he was just done with exploring and wanted to return to less windy lower ground.

One of the great things about so many cities over here is that they are so walkable, it is often possible to get everywhere you would need to go on foot. Such was the case here and we quickly found ourselves in their downtown shopping area once we left the castle remains. We spent some time wandering through the streets of Aberystwyth now sheltered from the high winds by structures that were built to withstand all kinds of weather. We stopped for dinner before a last walk along the water as we headed back to our hotel. The next morning we enjoyed a very quiet breakfast in the hotel, we wondered if we were in fact the only guests there that day. Before leaving the area we decided to take the steam engine train from Aberystwyth to Devils Bridge.

Once we reached the destination we were given an hour to explore the small town and if you desired a hike to a nearby waterfall. We opted out of the 45 minute hike to the falls so as not to take too long and be stuck in the area with nothing to do until the next train that would head back down several hours later. Instead we walked through the store selling souvenirs and sat in the cafe enjoying a mug of hot chocolate before hopping back onto the train back to our car. The ride took an hour in each direction and by the time we made it back it was time to head for home.

That didn't stop us from taking a meandering route home however, in which we tried to keep the ocean in view as long as possible. The much appreciated getaway was exactly what I needed and I once again fell in love with this beautiful place. In fact as we crossed the bridge out of Wales we were greeted by a large sign welcoming us to England that even after all these months filled me with wonder that I get to live here.