Cheltenham - Feb 09

My friend Pete and I had a quick weekend break in Cheltenham recently. Luckily, it was planned for the week after we had all the snow - otherwise we may not have been able to make it! There was still plenty of snow on the ground in the Cotswold Hills, which made for some lovely views as we were driving around!

We stayed in a lovely old manor house in a village just outside Cheltenham. It is supposed to be the most haunted village in England (a claim I am sure is shared with many other villages!).

View over the Cotswold Hills - covered in snow. Taken near Stow-on-the-Wold

Snow on the side of the road

Prestbury House - where we stayed

A resident of Prestbury House! A Highland Cow. Pete and I spent our whole time in Scotland trying to find one of these cows in a convenient place to photograph - without success!! Who knew all we needed to do was go to Cheltenham!!

Chepstow Castle, Wales. We stumbled across the town of Chepstow while driving around on Sunday - only to find it has a great big castle along side the river!

View of the River Wye from the Castle grounds

Firey cross!

Apparently Chepstow Castle is the oldest surviving stone castle in the UK, with construction beginning in 1067 - only a year after the Norman conquest.

Perched high above the river, the castle was besieged twice during the civil war. Both times, the castle was lost to the parlimentarians.

The castle was improved and added to over the centuries. This outer wall was added sometime before 1300.

Christmas in Australia!

I have just been reminded about how lax I have been in updating my blog since returning from Oz! So here are some pics!

It was wonderful to see all the family and especially to meet my new little niece Abbey!

Abbey on Christmas Day

Checking out the pressies with Aunty Alison

Canoeing on the mighty Murray (resulting in the worst sunburn ever!)

Cricket in the Gardens in style (ie with glass of wine in hand!)

Abbey & Aunty Alison

The family (incl Major the dog)

The little star of Christmas - Abbey - getting ready for her first swim with Aunty Alison

Our camping companions!

Skippy