Monday 11 June 2012

Suggestions, please


The last thing that H.I. and me said to each other last night was 'let's go away for a few days to somewhere we have never been', and now I am up at 5 in the morning, thinking about it and looking up possible destinations on the interweb.

What with the weather; the fact I don't have much to do right now in the workshop; we are surrounded by building sites and just generally feel as though we are sitting around waiting to die, going off for a few days seems like a good idea.

I have - in the past - tried to book a room in the Druidstone Hotel (somewhere on the South Wales coast) but the woman who runs the place is utterly mad and hostile to boot.  Trying to deal with her is like trying to deal with Basil Fawlty on a bad day, so I just gave up.

We did consider the Gower Peninsula last night, and just now I looked it up, finding the above image of an annual general meeting of Pagans there.  Not for us I think.  I looked at all the self-catering lets, and they just seem so... I don't know...  Welsh.  I am sure they are great places to stay, but I do like a bit of shabbiness in my hotels, and the pictures I saw look as though you wouldn't dare fart in them.  I think some of the terms and conditions specifically forbade farting, in fact.  Maybe we'll just drop in on John at Trelawnyd, I'm sure he might have a spare kennel for a couple of nights.

Then - in the chilly light of dawn - I remembered the Landmark Trust.  I'm sure the Pineapple has been done to death, but I notice that there are a few rooms to let in a run-down medieval castle on Lundy, and there is only one pub called 'The Tavern'.  One would have to assess the balance between how nice it would be to get stuck there in bad weather and how awful it would be to run out of food and drink as a consequence, but it could be worth the risk.  Anyone had any experience?

I'm going back to bed, and when I get up again around lunch-time, it would be nice to get a few useful if abusive suggestions from anyone with anything to say about the pros and cons of short breaks in the British Isles - including Wales.  Points will be awarded in the following categories:  Useful. Interesting.   Amusing.  Abusive.  Downright rude and anti-English.


14 comments:

  1. What about Sandringham? I happen to know that it's empty at the moment.

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    1. http://www.sawdays.co.uk/search/display.php?BookID=bbb1731

      (a mile from our cottage!!!!!)

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    2. I'll enquire into both suggestions, thanks. I know that you, John, will be receiving special points for directing us to within a mile of your abode (for bravery) but I fear you are a bit to far north. We'll see.

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  2. Hello Tom:
    Just a suggestion. Do you know of the Vivat Trust [vivat-trust.org]? A great friend of ours gave her mediaeval house to the Trust and it is now their headquarters n Herefordshire. They do English [and Welsh we believe]old and, most likely, shabby...could it be the perfect getaway?!!

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    1. I'll look it up. Thanks, J & L.

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    2. Just looked up 'The Chantry' at Bridport - a Vivat place - and, though nice, is a bit more than we want to spend at about £700 for a few nights. We could fly to Venice for less. Thanks anyway.

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  3. Just had three days in the Gower Tom (fishing, but not catching fish) and it really is a very beautiful place filled with place names that are utterly unpronounceable.

    Dont't forget to pack a canoe.

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    1. It's the last bit that worries me, Chris. I hear they have sewage coming out of their toilet bowls at the moment. Could mean a discount on the room.

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  4. the castle hotel in Brecon. Charming village...

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    1. Yes - good idea, Grouch. Brecon's a nice place (wet even on a hot August day, in the hills). I'll look up the Castle. Thanks.

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  5. I can't help you on accommodation Tom, but you mentioned farts...I've just waved goodbye to overnight guests who brought a contribution of home-made artichoke soup with them which we had with dinner last night. Inevitable result was everyone parping tooting and booming all night. They don't call them fartichokes for nothing.

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    1. Thanks for that, Judith, but don't worry, I was never intending to ask you to put us up anyway.

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    2. Oh Tom, you & HI are welcome anytime and I promise I won't serve artichokes for dinner.

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    3. You wouldn't need to with me, Judith. And thanks!

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