Tag Archives: weekend away

Wednesday Wander – Watchet, Somerset

Posted on by
1

This little harbour town in Somerset is has neither the fame of San Francisco nor the glamour of Biarritz, yet it is where I’m wandering this week.

Watchet is a charming place with an ancient history, situated at the mouth of the River Severn. An Iron age hill-fort nearby, later re-fortified by Alfred the Great, is said to be the origin of the settlement, with the harbour originally named Gow Coed by the Celts, meaning ‘under the wood’. Across the water lie the misty hills of Wales and it is from the harbour, looking at the view, that Coleridge is said to have been inspired to write The Rime of the Ancient Mariner. A statue marks the spot, the Ancient Mariner and his albatross together for eternity.

We stayed in a pink-painted cottage with a view of the sea, walking the cobbled streets to the local pub or fish and chip shop, wandering the bric-a-brac and antique stores (where I scored an excellent pair of vintage boots).

A trip to the nearby beach produced further treasure in the shape of fossils – ammonites and oyster shells frozen in time for millions of years, tumbled among the stones that lined the shore.

As we walked back from the beach we took a bramble-lined path running between the trainline and the sea. In the 19th century, Watchet was a centre of the industrialised paper industry, its products travelling country-wide. Now the tracks are used by commuters and sightseers, and it was a rather special day. The famous Flying Scotsman steam train was in town, taking people on journeys through the beautiful green countryside. People lined the tracks to watch it pass, and so did we.

We had only a couple of days in Watchet, yet it made an impression that lingers, of hidden houses down curving streets, distant hills and fossil beaches, and water that changes with the sky and tides. I hope to go back there one day…

Thanks for coming on another Wednesday Wander with me – see you next time!

If you enjoyed this post and would like to read more, you can find me on Twitter @AuthorHelenJ,  Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest. Plus my latest book release, A Thousand Rooms, is now available on Amazon. Visit my Amazon Author Page to see more.

 

Wednesday Wander, Sacre Coeur, Paris

Posted on by
23

sacre-coeur-1It’s my birthday in a few weeks’ time, and I’m very excited about it. Not so much for the event itself – I mean, I still quite like birthdays, but they do seem to be adding up in recent years. The reason I’m so excited is that one of my best friends from Australia is coming for a visit, and she and I are going to Paris for the weekend. We’ve booked rooms in a charming small hotel where we’ve both stayed before, although not at the same time, we have seats on the Eurostar, and really, it’s going to be lovely.

The hotel we’re staying in is not far from the Montmartre district and the imposing dome of Sacre Coeur. There is also a nearby street market where, last time I visited, oranges still with their leaves were piled high on tables, while the scent of fresh bread and raspberries filled the air.

sacre-coeur-2Construction on Sacre Coeur, or Sacred Heart, started in 1875 and was completed in 1914. Built as both penance and memorial for the 1871 defeat of French troops during the Franco-Prussian War, the basilica is located high on a hill overlooking Paris. It’s a beautiful building and the interior is spectacular, with four huge stone angels inside the large dome looking down at the worshippers – however, I wasn’t able to take any photographs. A perpetual adoration of the Blessed Sacrament has continued uninterrupted there since 1885, and so for that reason visitors are asked to dress appropriately, be as quiet as possible and take no interior photos, so as not to disturb the worshippers.

The view outside is also spectacular, and you can see Paris in all directions. My then four-year-old daughter took the photo below – I think the view impressed her too.

I’m really looking forward to seeing Paris again, and hope to visit a few other destinations this year. Of course, I’ll share them with you. Thanks for coming on this Wednesday Wander with me – see you next time!

If you enjoyed this post and want to read more, you can find me on Twitter @AuthorHelenJ,  Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest. Plus my latest book release, A Thousand Rooms, is now available on Amazon.

Circles Beyond Time Weekend – Arrival

Posted on by
54

img_3567A little over two weeks ago I headed north for a three-day weekend with The Silent Eye, to be spent exploring Neolithic sites and ancient monuments in the Peak District. I travelled alone, meeting most of the group for the first time. And it was… intense. A heady mix of good company, wonderful scenery, and powerful landscapes. I had some interesting experiences – whether they can be ascribed to an over-active imagination, or something else, is unclear. It’s going to take me a few blog posts to write the story of the weekend, and I’ll try to explain things as best I can…

The adventure started early Friday with a train journey into London, then north to Manchester, where I would catch a regional train into the peak district. This was kind of a big deal for me – it had been a long while since I’d had any time away by myself. As I watched the landscape flash past, secure in my comfortable seat, I felt the demands of daily life lift. I was heading north, to stone circles and mystery, and I couldn’t wait.

A quick shot, taken from the train

The flint walls and fruit trees of the south were far behind me as I headed east from Manchester Piccadilly into the misty hills and green valleys of the Peak District. The views from the small two-carriage train were extraordinary, the landscape changing at every turn. Yet many of my fellow passengers sat with newspapers open or on phones, familiarity making them immune to the beauty around them. I couldn’t get enough, the rising slopes and small villages reminiscent of North Wales, my favourite place on earth.

img_3710Upon reaching my destination, the George Hotel in Hathersage, I was delighted to find out that, apart from being a charming and comfortable hotel, The George was also once a favourite haunt of Charlotte Bronte. She visited often while staying at the nearby Hathersage Vicarage, and the village of Hathersage appears in Jane Eyre, the name changed to Morton. The family who owned The George at the time were also called Eyre, and it’s said this is where the name came from. This seemed to bode well. While looking forward to exploring during the weekend, I also had brought a rough draft of a Gothic short story with me, hoping to complete it in time to submit to a competition that coming week. Surely staying in the same place that had once hosted a Bronte sister would be great for inspiration.

img_3539After checking in, I wandered down to the lobby. I had a couple of hours to spare, so, being starving, I ordered a late lunch. While waiting for my food I noticed a library set into an angle of the building and went to take a closer look. I love libraries and this one, although tiny, was perfectly formed. So I took a few photos, then sat down to enjoy my meal. Once finished, I headed back to my room, packed my backpack and donned hiking boots and a waterproof jacket. It was almost time. Two of the companions were coming to collect me – we were to meet the others at the Fox House, then head to Carl Wark, the first of several sites we were to explore that weekend.

img_3543

The companions arrived, prompt to the minute, and there were hugs all around before we got in the car and headed up into the hills. As the landscape fell away the views became more spectacular, and I couldn’t wait to explore, deeper and further into the green. Upon reaching the Fox House, a sprawling old pub built of local grey stone, I met the rest of the companions – once again there were hugs, and I immediately felt welcomed as part of the group. Sue was there, and it was lovely to see her again, but Stuart was missing – apparently under the weather. Or so it seemed…

To be continued.