Why did we only glance at Stonehenge, and what is Avebury and that other stuff? Explaining this to our crew of Sems’s and Townsend’s was the day’s mission. In honour of Louie, the third duckling who was carried away to an unknown fate by a fat seagull while we cruised the canal on our adventure’sContinue reading “A White Horse, a Hot Range, Stone-Hugging at Avebury, and a Glance at Stonehenge”
Tag Archives: adventure
Cruising the Kennet and Avon Canal
We knew that we’d want some rest time after 60 miles of hiking on the Cotswold Way. A relaxing canal boat trip had seemed like a good idea. It turned out to be a great idea but the large number of locks and swing bridges made it less relaxing than planned. Bonuses included a roastContinue reading “Cruising the Kennet and Avon Canal”
Southern Cotswold Way: Day 5
This was our final day of walking as we completed the final leg from Toghill House Farm to Bath. It was a fine day with many views in great weather. We watched Bath get bigger as we approached. As we entered the city, we felt the presence of more people as we had to navigateContinue reading “Southern Cotswold Way: Day 5”
Southern Cotswold Way: Day 4
Team Sloth was back to full strength for the hike from The Dog Inn in Old Sodbury to Toghill House Farm near Cold Ashton. Our motto, “we will get there when we get there,” rang true. Today’s highlights centered around rest stops and food which suggests there was some fatigue! The landscape changed from woodedContinue reading “Southern Cotswold Way: Day 4”
Southern Cotswold Way: Day 3
The previous day’s heat claimed one victim in our group and today was another hot one as we walked from The Swan in Wotton-under-Edge to The Dog in Old Sodbury. It wasn’t a day of dramatic landmarks, but I knew it was a good one when Texan Max described the day as “a lovely walkContinue reading “Southern Cotswold Way: Day 3”
Southern Cotswold Way: Day 2
Three steep climbs on a blistering hot day made just finishing the 11 miles from Coaley Peak to Wotton-under-Edge a very satisfying accomplishment. The day’s highlight was the Tyndale Monument recognizing local man William Tyndale who was burned at the stake in 1536 after publishing his English translation of the Bible. We also enjoyed cows,Continue reading “Southern Cotswold Way: Day 2”
Southern Cotswold Way: Day 1
A great first day’s hike of about 11 miles from Painswick to Frocester climbing about 1400 ft in about 6.5 hours. The day’s challenge was the 80 degF (27 degC) but we persevered and loved the clear views off the edge of the escarpment, the peacefulness of the woodlands, and the fun of spending timeContinue reading “Southern Cotswold Way: Day 1”
Southern Cotswold Way: Day 0
Our England adventures with the Sems and Townsends start with hiking the southern half of the Cotswold Way. Before starting a hike, there is always getting to the start, and that was this day. The travel was as uneventful as anyone could wish for. We did a short warm up hike to blow off someContinue reading “Southern Cotswold Way: Day 0”
England with the Sems and Townsends: A Prelude
This is a prelude to our next trip. Please follow us on this adventure by subscribing so you are the first to read about what we are up to. If you know Dean or Max, you know there will be mischief. This is a three-stage adventure with Dean and Tracy Townsend and Stephanie and MaxContinue reading “England with the Sems and Townsends: A Prelude”
Italy Day 13: Burano, Murano, and a Gondola Ride
Visiting Venice’s outer islands is a popular excursion. Burano is known for its lace and Murano for its glass. While tours include travel on dedicated boats, the islands are served by the regular vaporettos and allow visiting other islands on the way without a tour group. As we visited early in the morning, there wereContinue reading “Italy Day 13: Burano, Murano, and a Gondola Ride”
Italy Day 12: Exploring Venice
Having experienced a half-day taste of Venice on the previous day, we were ready to find “our” Venice. For Janet and I, that meant heading out early to a distant corner of the main islands to visit the church of San Pietro di Castello. I’d found this church as it was a geocache which explainedContinue reading “Italy Day 12: Exploring Venice”
Italy Day 11: To Venice
Traveling around Europe by train includes some classic moments. We’ve previously experienced a few, from overnighting between Paris and Berlin or passing through the channel tunnel. This day we experienced a simple one and an inspiring one. The simple experience is one that can end well or badly: running for the connecting train, usually involvingContinue reading “Italy Day 11: To Venice”
Italy Day 10: Hiking and Swimming Cinque Terre
Having scoped out Riomaggiore and Manarola the day before and after a good sleep, we were ready for a more ambitious walk. But first to enjoy coffee and breakfast on our balcony. Our hiking plan was to walk on the mountain trail from Monterosso to Vernazza and onto Corniglia. Bailey and Jett returned from theContinue reading “Italy Day 10: Hiking and Swimming Cinque Terre”
Italy Day 9: Pisa and Cinque Terre’s Lovers Lane
Hello from Italy! If you could do me a favor and “like” or leave a comment on the platform that you get this blog from, I’d greatly appreciate it. A comment would be a bonus! Thank you for reading my musings. The pace-slowing in Florence after Rome continued. With our next destination in northwest Italy,Continue reading “Italy Day 9: Pisa and Cinque Terre’s Lovers Lane”
Italy Day 8: Florence
Our full day in Florence was another chill day, but that does not mean we didn’t walk and climb! We had reservations to climb the bell tower at 8:15am, but Bailey and Jett opted out so we headed out without them. Our next objective was a walk that started from a piazza on the otherContinue reading “Italy Day 8: Florence”
Italy Day 7: Rome to Florence and a Sunset
After six active days, it was good to have an easier day without climbing but we still walked over sixteen thousand steps. The difference between Rome’s hustle and Florence’s Tuscan tranquility was refreshing. Our plan for the evening was to catch the sunset over Florence and the River Arno. It was a couple of milesContinue reading “Italy Day 7: Rome to Florence and a Sunset”
Italy Day 6: The Vatican and a Cooking Class
We wrapped up our three days in Rome with visits to St Peter’s Basilica (including a climb to the top of the dome), and the Vatican Museums (to see the Sistine Chapel), with an Italian cooking class as our grand finale. The Basilica is overwhelming. I used Brian Schmisek’s The Rome of Peter and PaulContinue reading “Italy Day 6: The Vatican and a Cooking Class”
Italy Day 5: Ancient Rome
Time to go back 2000 years. My two previous visits to the Colosseum and Forum had left me somewhat underwhelmed by the piles of ancient rocks through my lack of understanding. This time, the Gladiator movies, Francine Rivers’ Mark of the Lion books, and a PhD in a related field helped me understand what IContinue reading “Italy Day 5: Ancient Rome”
Italy Day 4: Rome
Two-nil. Naples scored two goals last night to win their national championship. I’m sure we felt the cheering through our apartment walls when they scored, and the fireworks outside our window were definitely loud! This wasn’t the best evening to have a 5:30am taxi to catch a train to Rome. After the delays in gettingContinue reading “Italy Day 4: Rome”
Italy Day 3: Capri
The day went to plan but not how we intended. We reached the sites but not in the way we would have liked. Yet we had a fantastic time and made the most of our day on Capri. We walked through sleepy streets as Sorrento woke up and arrived at the port in time forContinue reading “Italy Day 3: Capri”
The Adventures of the Cajunlimeys 