Scilly Isles and gardens

And here are some pictures of the Scilly Isles.

Lovely in the sunshine but not for foul weather or foodies (unless scones and coffee)

Try 2 didn't work let's try 3

Here

Ship figureheads

Ship figure heads attempt 2

They should be here

Northumberland

We have just returned from a fantastic fortnight in Northumberland. It is a county full of romantic ruins and high winds and that isn't even including Trev and me. We had many a walk on heathery bracken moors, some of which we got lost on! Whenever I was on a windy moor Kate Bush's Wuthering Heights etched itself on to my brain. It's probably done that to you to now! The higher the moor the more of the strange Red Grouse we saw who make the strangest noise. Here is a picture from Simonside, near Rothbury of some of the countryside
Our cottage was a barn conversion and this was our welcoming committee
There were three of them and they belonged to the next door neighbours. Clearly previous residents had fed them as they came and fixed us with their beady eyes when it was warm enough to sit outside.
If we got fed up with the the moors and the ruins then we could go on the beaches which are fabulous. Unfortunately, they are attached to the North Sea so I think you'd need to be a hardy soul to brave the waters.
It has to be the friendliest most unspoiled place I have stayed in the UK. Every shop that you went into they were interested in where you came and recommended places to go. It is like it being transported into a more Northerly James Herriot novel. I would recommend it to anyone who likes walking and ruins.
What it is not is a fine dining experience. I had fish and chips three times while I was there! Still, I haven't gained any weight while I've been away.
Funnily, enough, Alice's parents were on holiday in Alnwick at the same time so we met up with them at Alnwick castle and gardens. This seriously is making me look like the family stalker now and that I am practicing so that I can chance upon Linda in London landmarks again this winter!
If you would like to be bored with more photos they are here:
http://picasaweb.google.com/Martinphtots/Northumberland#

Ship figureheads

In the Abbey Gardens in Tresco they have an area they call Valhalla where they have lots of ships' figureheads from ships that have been wrecked in the seas around the islands.

Most of them have been restored and repainted, and when they have information about the ship and what happened to her they have written it up beside the figurehead.

Brian found it a bit ghoulish, but I thought it was touching, and the effort to give the ships a place in history for people who come later was quite moving.

We don't like your sort round here.

After the disaster of last week's wash out Shakespeare, my girls and I decided to go to a quiz at a local hostelry. I drive past the pub, The Fighting Cocks (a name that always made Kieran giggle) most days when I take Erin to the station and noticed a blackboard sign outside saying Pub Quiz Every Wednesday, free entry cash prize. We do enjoy a quiz and thought we would have a go. None of us have ever been in this pub as it has a reputation as a bikers' pub in the past. Still, it has changed landlord several times and anyway most bikers seem to be my age nowadays and frequenting tea shops.
I thought it was strange when I rang at lunch time and the phone seemed dead but I drove past it on my way home and the blackboard sign was still there. So Judy and I turned up in the first car and went into the pub which had about 4 people in it. The landlord took one look at us and said "Sorry, ladies, I was just about to close up"
He didn't look like he was about to close up. It appeared that we were not the kind of clientele he wanted. It was almost like that scene in American Werewolf in London where all the locals stop talking when the strangers walk in.
Anyway we made our way to another pub and had a very convivial evening and then on the way home drove past The Fighting Cocks again and the lights were on!
I've never been barred from a pub - still you're never too old apparently!