Staying in Wales ...

It was the last day of our travels on Wednesday (3rd July), and with our friends Jennifer and Andy ...

  we were back in the hire car travelling south ...

 to the pretty town of Monmouth in the heart of the Wye Valley

 Monnow Gate and Bridge the only remaining medieval fortified river bridge in Great Britain with it's gate tower still in place ...

 and where the rivers Wye and Monnow meet

 The reverse side of Monnow Gate

 The Kymin belongs to the National Trust and is an 18th century Round House that sits high on a hill above Monmouth in nine acres of pleasure gardens which once was part of a very large estate belonging to the Dukes of Beaufort

Statue of The Honourable Charles Stewart Rolls who with Henry Royce co-founded the car manufacturing company and had a strong family connection with his ancestral home The Hendre near Monmouth

Mid-afternoon we said cheerio to Andy and Jen who returned to Castle Cliffe House in Hereford and we wended our way home to Still Rockin' as our mooring time was up the following morning.

A great couple of days with good friends.

South to the Welsh border ...

Monday (1st July) we left our Largs family and started our journey south.

It was a drizzly, dull day but with promise ... hopefully!

We're off to the English/Welsh border town of Hereford in the Wye Valley where we're staying with friends at Castle Cliffe House

Bedroom with four-poster bed ...

and views over the River Wye which straddles the English/Welsh border and is the 5th longest UK river

Originally the medieval watergate of Hereford Castle, the main sandstone walls of Castle Cliffe East are five feet thick and formed an essential part of the fortifications. Externally you can still see the 13th century arch that visitors to the castle, arriving by boat, would have used to enter the castle grounds. This arch now forms the bathroom window.

This map John Speede 1610)shows that Castle Cliffe House was an integral part of the  fortified wall surrounding Hereford Castle until the 1650's after the civil war

 Pretty garden overlooking the river

Down the cellar steps from the kitchen into the garden ...

 Time for a walk ...

Castle Cliffe House (the watergate) has been in almost constant us for over 700 years. Documentation shows that it was in ruins in 1677 and the house was described as 'a dwelling house' or 'Governors Lodge' ... it's first recording of use as a residence.

In 1787 there was a further change of use to a 'Bridewell' ... prison or local lock-up!

The Parlby sisters

Florence Parlby moved into Castle Cliffe in 1906 and took in paying guest to supplement the family income after their father William Parlby, who was a Liberal politician and supported women's suffrage, suffered financial difficulties

Looking downriver from Wye Bridge built in 1490

With long standing friends Andy and Jen

River Wye Bridge

Hereford Cathedral where the 13th century Mappa Mundi is displayed

The boys have been shopping!

Outside the Cathedral after a lovely meal at Miller and Carter Steak House.

A great day with great friends.

A great weekend with family ...

 in Largs ...

 To the beach ...

 Louise with Aero ...

 Caledonian McBrayne Ferries crossing to Cumbrae

 Sharon and George with Diesel and Aero

 I'm all yours!

 Happy!

 A tiny bit of sunshine looking over the Firth of Clyde

Aero and Diesel getting a shower after their walk ...

and then it's our turn ... in the hot tub!

Sunday (30th June) we visited eldest grandson Adam and his partner Jen in Glasgow and on the way home had a canal fix ...

 Lock 21-25 on the Maryhill flight ...

on Glasgow's Forth and Clyde Canal

A fantastic time was had and we continue our journey tomorrow!

Continuing north ...

after saying cheerio to my sister  on Friday morning (28th June) ...

we drove up through the hills  of Lancashire ...

 Yorkshire and ...

 Cumbria ...

 into Scotland ...

 and the west coast ... the  seaside town ...

 of Largs ... here overlooking the Isle of Cumbrae, easily accessible from Largs by ferry.

It was Largs 'Live' weekend when there is live music and song happening in all sorts of venues, there's dancing and live performances in the streets ... but we were attending a concert on Friday in the Lounge where The Upbeats were giving live performances between 9 and 11pm ...

 choir members enjoying the moment ... 

daughter Sharon (right) with friend Nancy

Watch here (YouTube)

What a fantastic evening it was too!