Forest of Dean and Puzzlewood, and Gloucester...

Tuesday, 17th to Thursday, 19th May - (Big catch-up)

Lee had always wanted to see the forest of Dean, and we headed that way, but it was pretty complicated, and we had to do double backs and stuff to get on our way, like heading North to get to a roundabout to go South!!

Still, the roads aren't bad but they should definitely ban semi-trailers from these smaller roads!

The forest is lovely, and we decided to head for a place called Puzzlewood, which was used in the Harry Potter films, and it is an area of woodland of about 7 acres, and the most amazing/ strangely-weird/ spooky place we've ever seen. There are no arrows to guide you through, and so many ways you can go, with rickety little bridges and meandering paths, and very spooky little hollows and tree trunks. Just so different, and you can understand why they use it in movies.

 Our photo's won't do it justice, as Gordon's camera seems to compensate for darkness, and it is much darker and more sinister than it might look, but so much fun too that we were in there for an hour! 
The other part of the forest has all those close-together trees, and you can imagine Harry, Ron and Harmonium running through them.

On to Gloucester, and the Edward Hotel. I can't remember asking on-line for a ground floor room, but we got one, which was actually two bedrooms, so we were able to spread out a bit. It is on the main road, and about a 10 minute walk to the centre of the city, dominated by the cathedral, which seems to float ethereally above the town, and with the colour of the stone, looks like a painting.

Wednesday, 18th

Lee had arranged herself to go into the Records Office to do some research, and so we walked down and I left her there, and went to do some shopping and try for a haircut.
(Bad idea, as it turned out to be one of the worst haircuts I've had, and even a few weeks of new growth hasn't helped)

Managed to get some new trousers and some other bits and pieces, plus a small pair of binoculars to use on the cruise.

Thursday, 19th

Lee went back to do some more things and we met up at lunchtime and walked to the cathedral, and had some lunch in a place called The Comfy Pew. Nice tart of Gloucestershire cheese and red onion,with salad.

The cathedral is abs. beautiful, and some of the detail in the stonework is like filigree, and quite delicate. Inside is magnificent, and the East window is the size of a tennis court, and some beautiful fan-vaulting in the cloisters, also claimed to have been used in Harry Potter, but we've heard that in other places. I suppose it would be easy to check location filming on-line.

The city is a mix of periods, with some old and new, including some Tudor black and white.

 Gloucester is very nice, but to my mind is quite dirty and some parts badly neglected and tired looking. Not my favourite city by any means.

We used the bus a couple of times and the drivers are always very helpful, and cheery. But the rest is walking and I guess we aren't used to doing so much for such extended periods. Trouble is as I might have said, you cannot park anywhere near where you want to go, and so you simply have to walk. The English must have been used to it for all this time, and we are often amazed at the stamina of people much older than Lee and I!

 Dinner at the local pub down the road, and not a bad steak, but like so many places, served with enough chips to feed a family.