Hexham

Our first holiday within a holiday took us to Hexham in Northumberland

You can guess what celebration was approaching!

The Moot Hall

Hexham Abbey...

...with evidence of the old cloisters.

Inside was equally impressive...

...with its wooden ceiling...

...17th Century cover for the font...

...and well-worn steps.

Space capsule in Bradford?

Yes, we were thrilled to see the capsule in which Tim Peake returned to Earth from the International Space Station, when we visited the Media Museum recently.

Tine standing next to the capsule, showing just how small it was

The 'parachute' was the length of two tennis courts though

Meanwhile in the museum we had fun in the hall of mirrors...

...and a reminder of old computer games in one interactive room.

Esholt

Esholt is a small village not at all far from the caravan

The most famous building in the village, the local pub in 'Emmerdale' on TV

...but other cottages are beautiful too.

A reminder of Le Tour de France and Le Tour de Yorkshire

The church looked lovely from the outside but sadly we couldn't visit

There's also a good walk in the woods, but recent rain meant the slopes were somewhat slippy

Can you spot the squirrel?

Back to the Old Glen (our local pub) for a well-deserved beer...

then back to the caravan and our private Yorkshire!

Brimham Rocks

Safely arrived in Yorkshire after an excellent journey, we were soon ready to explore and revisit old haunts. Neither of us had been to Brimham Rocks in a very long time.

The rocks are fascinating formations up to 30ft (10m) high...

...some balancing very precariously!

The woman in red seems to be stalking me!

Old Geography lessons came flooding back: the power of water, glaciation and wind erosion!

St Suliac

My purist followers won't be happy: there won't be much of La Tranche here in the near future as we recently had an extended break back in England. 

'Er from Brittany recommended we visited St Suliac near to St Malo so not a big detour from our route. Hate to admit it but you were right, 'Er, what a lovely place!

The beautiful church and it's stained-glass windows...

The virgin Mary watching over St Suliac sailors on the River Rance

Wild cyclamen

View of the bay at low tide

Beauchet, the last tidal mill on the Rance, no longer in use

St Malo in all her glory. It's hard to realise the old town was devastated in World War II.

Canal walk at Grues

Back to the guide book the following week, and a short journey to Grues just inland from La Tranche 

We found some beautiful bulrushes...

...and a skeletal tree.

For much of the walk we followed the River Lay...

...the track along the levee at times. This area floods often in the winter months.

There's a whole system of sluices to control the water level

My intrepid companion with her jacket off: it must have been warm!

Wild plums, there for the taking!

A more dramatic sluice/lock...

...and the walk back to the village.