Have vino will travel: 2003 Discovering Britain & Ireland

CARDIFF PILGRIMS AND THE ROCK - Cardiff to Plymouth

After leaving the hotel – where I give them some more rather curt comments about my visitors from yesterday (sorry, sorry) and we are off to enjoy -

#14 OPTIONAL: Cardiff Castle Tour - Cost ₤10.00

It’s a little showery – but not heavy enough for raincoats and umbrellas, which is good because my umbrella is packed in my suitcase. It doesn’t dampen our spirits and we enjoy our guided tour of this ornate and rather overly decorated masterpiece. The rooms are fabulous, the grounds are great and there is a family of peacocks wandering around. I am adventurous yet again and climb to the top of the Norman Keep to get some great views and great photos.

Even though it is early in the morning – the lights are on because – yep, it’s really overcast. I think the blue sky has gone on holidays - - -

Taken from the top of the keep – the really ornate clock tower is on the left and the Cardiff Millenium Stadium (opened in 1999) is in the background. The stadium is on the site of the Cardiff Arms Park. There are some ancient Roman walls around the castle and we are told we can go down into the dark to have a look at them. I do – and take more photos.

Across the road to the shops (a few more souvenirs) and back on the coach. I notice that there are carved animals all along the castle wall – and everyone is not back yet - so I get off the coach and start dashing around like a mad woman taking more photos. Then a few more people see me taking the photos and they decide they will take some too. So now it is not only me holding up the tour it is everyone else – I don’t feel so bad and anyway I won’t be back here again as far as I know and I will not be rushed, but I can see a few frowns from our Tour Director so after a rather lengthy delay, Paul makes sure that we are all on board, promptly shuts the door and Kenny and the coach gets going. Sorry - - - - - well, not really.

We cross the Severn Bridge on our way to Bath. Arriving in this historical town, Paul gives as a tour and we go inside to visit the Roman Baths. Really interesting and full of Roman history.

The waters in the bath are green because of the oxides coming up from below the ground, but I don’t plan to take a swim even though there are a few people ignoring the signs and paddling their tootsies. This was a pool used to throw messages of retribution to the goddess Minerva. If you thought someone had done you wrong then you wrote their name on a piece of metal and threw it into the pool and Minerva would punish them for you.

We go underground and see the natural spring from where the hot water comes. there is a very strong smell of sulphur and there is also a lot of Roman architecture and a history museum of sorts along with some interesting headstone. We can take as much time as we want here because Paul has cut us loose. After I soak up this fabulous history I decide to go back to Bath Abbey. Unfortunately there is a service going on and it is suggested that we do not go inside at this time. And as we do not have time later on I just take photos outside.

Wandering around I go down towards the river and find a fabulous spot – ready to take some great photos and I am besieged by a group of Japanese tourists taking photos. I swear they are worse than me. At least I wait until people are finished before barging in.

However, I am patient and wait until every one of them gets their photo taken by themselves and with a group at the same spot and then I can start clicking away. Do you think it was worth the wait? I do. Then it’s time to head back to the coach but I manage to grab a bit of lunch and we are on our way south west through Exeter and onto Plymouth.

We arrive in Plymouth and then head off for our ‘Highlight Cruise’ (meaning we don’t have to pay) on Plymouth Harbour. It is very relaxing on the water and we see the red and white striped Smeaton’s Tower that was erected in 1759 on the treacherous Eddystone Rocks. It was replaced by a larger lighthouse and this one was moved here and reassembled. We also see the steps where the Mayflower and the Pilgrim Fathers set sail for the New World in 1620. After our cruise we check into our hotel – Plymouth Moat House - for our 2 night stay. I have a nice big room which overlooks the Plymouth Hoe (hill) and down to the water.

We have the rest of the afternoon to ourselves so there is plenty of time to wander around Plymouth and take in the sights - - so I head off. Plymouth was the tiny port from which Drake, Raleigh, Cook and Darwin all set sail on pioneering voyages. There is a dirty big anchor down from the front of our hotel – it is from the British warship – HMS Ark Royal - and then I go down into the town.

Lots of people – the weather is still hot – lots of interesting little alleyways. I go over to Plymouth Rock and the harbour to have another look around but I cannot find the place where, so they say, the boats left for Australia.