Pretty Places

[christianb]

But as regards your own neck-of-the-woods, Christian, how about St Mawes, St Just-in-Roseland, Flushing, Mylor - in fact just about anywhere around the gorgeous Carrick Roads estuary.

St. Mawes: too big and perhaps too much modern development to qualify here (although it's still a pretty nice place). St Just in Roseland: lovely church. Flushing is a bit too big again. Mylor is largely modern these days and geared up to the yachting business (which is no bad thing in itself).

How about this place, though? About ten minutes walk from my front door. What a lucky fellow I am...

 

[philpjuk100]

Surbiton, oh Surbiton, I still hear your sea winds blowin'
I still see her dark eyes glowin'
She was 21 when I left Surbiton

Glenn Campbell (who was never very good at geography)

That should have been "Ilkeston oh ilkeston" and "the ilkeston lineman" and what about"only 24 hours from worksop?"

 

[Schoolmarm]

Thanks all for trying to deflect attention from Heptonstall.
I don't live there but I went to visit someone who does just the other week. It is so tiny with no proper roads and just one carpark in the middle. No shops, two pubs, and a post office.
Amazing place and I want to live there. So quaint and unspoilt. No, that is a fib, the recycling boxes ruined it.

 

[christianb]

Thanks to all for the suggestions / tips. Even to Penners and Schoolmarm who I'm surprised didn't throw in Brixton and Moss Side as chaff.

Seriously, though, my little labour-of-love isn't exactly going to cause a deluge of curious folks on tiny rural idylls. But if it gets a few people to look at places off the beaten track, stay locally (and therefore put a few shillings into the local economy), I'll be happy. The French do a similar thing with Les Plus Beaux Villages de France, mainly because they have more time for rural tourism rather than the usual British thing of arrive-at-Heathrow-don't-leave-the-confines-of-the-M25-and-spend-your-cash-in-London-and-balls-to-the-rest mentality of those promoting the UK.

Anyway, any other gems are still gratefully received!

 

[Penners]

Les Plus Beaux Villages de France

I've investigated several of those, and for the most part it's a pretty reliable designation. But there are one or two that I found less than beaux...well, perhaps quite pretty, but fairly boring, too.

 

[vicky whitworth]

Any suggestions for somewhere nice to stay on Exmoor? Pub, small hotel, B&B? Need to get away. Had to have my dear old cat put to sleep last week and am missing him dreadfully. The Royal Oak at Winsford is fully booked - well it is a Bank Holiday. Any other thoughts?
Thanks.

 

[Penners]

Porlock Weir is a charming little town on the coast, on the edge of Exmoor. The Anchor has a good name, although I've never stayed there myself (because my sister lives a few miles away).

http://www.millersattheanchor.co.uk/

 

[philpjuk100]

A trip to castle acre yesterday,a good lunch in the ostrich (great inglenooks and great food and a good pint!)then a walk around the castle,lots of flint and some evidence of some serious building.

 

[christianb]

Hi Vicky,

Sorry to hear about your cat. Whenever I've lost one of my dogs I spend weeks in dire depression and even think about them now all these years on. Time, though, is a great healer, as they say.

The Devon section of the site has some splendid little period places to stay. Maybe something that will do the trick there...
http://www.nightsinthepast.com/Devon.html

 

[JoceAndChris]

I also want to give Vicky a virtual hug for the loss of her cat. (((((((())))))))))

I'm sure you gave your cat a wonderful, happy, life and you should be proud of that.

Now it's time for you to get on the kitten sites - no-one should be without a cat and it's kitten season.

 

[Penners]

no-one should be without a cat

Except me.

 

[JoceAndChris]

Harrumph, well, you'll never wake to whiskers at dawn, the insistent kneading of paws, the rumbles of purrs. You won't smell autumn leaves on velvet fur nor share your chair and newspaper with a bundle of warmth in the winter.

But I forgive you.

 

[LadyArowana]

no-one should be without a cat

Except me.

I am so sorry that a cat hasn't chosen you yet, I know you are just putting on a brave face and pretending not to care. Your substitute pet is very cute though :lol: :lol: :lol:

Vicky, sympathies, it's like losing a family member when a pet isn't there anymore, whether it's a cat or a dog.

 

[Penners]

you'll never wake to whiskers at dawn, the insistent kneading of paws, the rumbles of purrs. You won't smell autumn leaves on velvet fur nor share your chair and newspaper with a bundle of warmth in the winter.

But I forgive you.

Forgive me? You should envy me!


:wink:

 

[Moo]

no-one should be without a cat

Except me.

And me.

 

[Penners]

You see, Joce? We cat-haters may spend much of our time cowering in closets, but in extremis we're prepared to come out fighting.

 

[JoceAndChris]

We cat-lovers are far too dignified and un-rufflable to fight you; but we send a plague of mice in your direction. xx

 

[MdB]

One for the cat lovers...

One for the dog lovers...

One for the house lovers...

One for Feltwell...

 

[JoceAndChris]

:lol: But I'm sorry MdB, my cat's spelling is unquestionable. That kitten needs to spend more time with the dictionary.

T.S. Eliot understood cats, and as usual says it beautifully.

The Ad-dressing of Cats

You've read of several kinds of Cat,
And my opinion now is that
You should need no interpreter
To understand their character.
You now have learned enough to see
That Cats are much like you and me
And other people whom we find
Possessed of various types of mind.
For some are same and some are mad
And some are good and some are bad
And some are better, some are worse--
But all may be described in verse.
You've seen them both at work and games,
And learnt about their proper names,
Their habits and their habitat:
But how would you ad-dress a Cat?

So first, your memory I'll jog,
And say: A CAT IS NOT A DOG.

And you might now and then supply
Some caviare, or Strassburg Pie,
Some potted grouse, or salmon paste--
He's sure to have his personal taste.
(I know a Cat, who makes a habit
Of eating nothing else but rabbit,
And when he's finished, licks his paws
So's not to waste the onion sauce.)
A Cat's entitled to expect
These evidences of respect.
And so in time you reach your aim,
And finally call him by his NAME.

So this is this, and that is that:
And there's how you AD-DRESS A CAT.

 

[Penners]

Oh, good grief!

It's The Curse Of The Cat People again.

:roll:





http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Curse_of_the_Cat_People