Hadriana's Holiday Pics

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Little Miss H. Feeding Swans at Abbotsbury Swannery

Model Village at Wimbourne Minster

Ringo and the Rev. Awdry...he of"Thomas - the Tank Engine" Fame

Beach Hut Life & BBQ in sunny Whitstable, Kent

OK. So I admit it. I've battled with technology (I really am fed up with computers+stuff. I want to go back to wax and wooden tablets.) as the photos have not gone in as I would have wished but you are all grown ups or pretend to be so I'm sure you can work it all out.

We like Dorset so we went on holiday there for a week or so. We then spent a week seeing friends and family in the Southern bit of the UK.


As a helpful guide I can give you this running order:


Hadrian's Wall, A69, M6, various roads leading to Dorset, West Bexington beside the marvellous and very nice Beach Hive Cafe at Burton Bradstock...super fish restaurant on the beach and comes well recommended. AA Gill managed to say some agreeable things about it and so he should. Bridport, Abbotsbury, Dorchester (really had to restrain myself not to go and see the Roman stuff) so we went to see the Dinosaur Museum instead. We went to Maiden Castle, which is very picturesque, but made me realise how much I love the Roman stuff. The Romans, like 'em or not...left stuff behind to see!). Criss crossed the countryside several times so we saw Hardy's Monument a few times. Oodles of wonderful Dorset Ice Cream. Yummy farm shops (name check: Washing Pool Farm Shop and Cafe at Bridport).


What else?
Abbotsbury Pirate Play Barn (Loads of piratical history in the huge tithe barn plus play areas for children and grown ups, animal farm, horse rides etc. etc.) Plus Abbotsbury Sub-Tropical Garden and Swannery...kept us well amused for most of the week. Went to Weymouth briefly...it was the low point of an otherwise unimpeachable  week as we were hungry and were kept waiting for nearly an hour for food. When we asked for our money back..the manager stated that "we had made a complicated order"!! Luckily we found a very efficient tea shop behind the unnamed place and they fed us quickly putting us in a better mood. Hope unnamed place improves service/manner in time for The Olympics.


Er. What's left to tell? Left our very comfortable self catering place and set off for Wimbourne Minster Model Village. Loved it but did REALLY love the whole history of how the Rev. Awdry dreamed up Thomas the Tank Engine stories...lots of fascinating photos on the walls. Done the old fashioned way. Hurrah! Peep! Peep!


Saw my best Spanglish friend in Newbury who's recently been made a Professor and her daughter was born ten days before my daughter. Ole! Well done to her on both counts!


Next day off to Surrey to see the Southern Relations.


From there we went to Kent to see our diving friend who is very proud of her beach hut in Whitstable. E is amazing. Mr. H. taught her to dive when she was 59 and she's travelled the world diving. She's my diving buddy. Her family plus us hung out at the beach hut for that one gorgeous night before we had to head back Oop North.


BTW - recommended Northern eating places, which I shall revisit, are: Piercebridge Organic Farm  Shop and Cafe (just off A1). Roman remains there too. Haydon Bridge - General Havelock Inn (good grub - barside and restaurant side...on the Tyne) and Blackfriars Restaurant in Medieval Newcastle. I'll come back to these recommendations because they are well worth talking about. Before I forget: The Feathers Inn - Stocksfield. Yum.

Children back to school tomorrow after a splendiferous week of sun up here. I've started guiding again at Vindolanda and had a very good crowd there on Friday. I do so like being there.

N.B.:Digging for Britain - Marvellous Archaeological Series. First episode - brill on Romans and Vindolanda. All well worth looking at. Dr. Alice finishes off with The Tudors this week.


Tony Robinson started a Geological Series on "The Birth of Britain" last Wednesday 10pm - National Geographic Channel. Not seen it as yet but it sounds very, very interesting.