Essex and back again

So here’s part two of the Essex Adventure…..

After the tour of the twin towers we found a maltings but sadly not a brewery - seems they make things ready for brewing or baking but don’t make final products themselves. Smelt nice and hoppy though.

We had parked by this nice tasteful swan fountain….

And this was the view off to the right of the swan out to the river and the mud….

Another educational (and rainy day) we went into Tiptree and went round the museum and had a look in the jam shop.

Never had to press a strawberry before and probably never will again. I haven’t got over the disappointment of it not working yet.

Woody struggled to read the menu so I helped him out….

A visit to the optician may be called for.

I’ve found this for sale in Kent once but they don’t seem to make it any more but at least a jar has found its place in their museum. The jam itself is striped - a layer of green, then yellow then red jam on top like a traffic light (or robot for you South Africaners). Afterwards we stopped off to lunch at a garden centre, didn’t buy the £300+ wind chimes (sounded amazing though - like some Buddhist monastery from Tibet sound with a super long echo/ ring) before going into Colchester and had a look round the museum. We went a slightly different way to the others and managed to get in the en suite parking right by the entrance.

It was , of course, very educational….

But the best bit was no doubt the chariot racing…. Go Neddy go!

Just for the record I was second…. (Better than everyone else who had a go!)

We couldn’t stay away from Walton on the Naze so we had a walk around the nature reserve right at the end before lunch and a trip up the tower.

These boats are a long way from anywhere so a long row before you even get to do any sailing. Must keep you fit.

The whole way round we could see the tower but every time you thought you should be getting closer it got further away,

Just gotta keep going else you won’t get lunch!

Woody and I popped into a greasy spoonesque cafe to get a drink as we had not taken any with us. It was a real mix of plastic topped tables but menu boards claiming to make tapas and other Spanish foods with chorizo and other things. Really out of place and did not fit with the decor and we never found out what it was really like but I think it was probably for the best. What did catch my eye though was the clock…

Following the cafe was the only really uphill part of the walk - the main part of it was flat flat flat...

We did get back and after lunch some of us went up the tower…

As it was a windy grey day this is what the view should be according to the sign!

And here are those who didn’t go up the tower…. 

There was an art exhibition in the tower with a variety of modern art (didn’t like) and some interesting ideas of sewing onto old and used sea charts and pictures made out of sea glass.

This is a view of the sea marshes not far from the cottage we stayed in…. We had gone for another evening walk where I collected a bit more sea glass to give to a friend who will be creating a mosaic with it….

And to prove there was sun and merriment! Cheers! (And a happy birthday week)

We left the day before most as we had to get back as we were having a window fitted and we past about 6 of these interesting creatures on the way back

And for those who disagreed with the No Messing About sign - we passed a place where it was certainly welcome!

I’m back to work tomorrow for another three days and Woody is still doing the odd morning here and there which helps keeps the coffers topped up. The garden is very green and growing due to the rain followed by hot sun though of course slugs and snails are voraciously eating everything we have planted but are leaving the things we don’t want to grow at full throttle. Always the way! We have some stunning flowers in planters this year and a patch of lobelia which is doing really well. The hellebores in the woodland seem to have taken so there is hope for a colourful year next year too.

Love to all and keep in touch. Plenty of room for visitors!

Love W&B xxx

The Only Way is Essex

Good evening all,

We hope this finds you well and enjoying the sun and avoiding the rain as much as possible.

Woody continues to improve in his recovery. He has now started his rehabilitation course so is going to the local gym with a group of others and the cardiac nurse who is running them through a short regime in order to help support their heart but being extremely careful not to overdo it and damage the work done during the relatively recent op. He has started back at work but is only doing the pad work so is teaching and observing but not actually doing any riding and not taking students on road rides. The scars are looking very good and hard to believe underneath the sternum is still healing - 18th of July or thereabouts it should be fully healed.

One photo from our recent day out to Bedgebury with a friend of mine from 6th form and her husband and 2 children. This is on the Gruffalo walk…. We found the mouse. Woodmice get everywhere.

 The following photos are from our sojourn in Essex. Mum had hired a cottage and invited a variety of family, friends and miscellaneous others to stay in a house that slept 8 over the week in which fell Dad’s 70th birthday and Tim’s 37th birthday. It was a surprise for Dad who found out on the morning of departure to pack his things and head East.

We headed North, Tim headed South as did several others and over the week we had a lot of broad beans.

We tried to get onto the Boat That Rocked (open every day) but it was closed due to the weather. For a boat that is rather solidly fixed in place this seemed a bit surreal but the Tourist Information man seemed to think it was more often closed than open anyway. We never did get on board.

We did get to go in the lifeboat centre and the Woodmice did get a ride and a full tour by The Clangers.

We visited The Naze a couple of times for walkies

And also had walkies here, where some famous painter used to paint. It wasn’t much fun though. Too many rules and regulations.

And then there was the feeling that you were always being watched….

We had been joined by Penny and Ian, Stanley and Rosie who very much enjoyed the walk….

Stanley absolutely not getting in the way...

Famous painting...

Site of famous painting….

Further down the road from famous painting….

Quote by famous painter…

We celebrated Dad’s birthday with cake….. There were about 10 cakes across the whole week. Definitely not a week for fancy diets.

And sympathy as even on his birthday he had to do this….

There were some special breakfasts though….

The birthday walk was more like going on a bear hunt…

Some people did some bird watching, others looked for fleas….

Kai and I got bored

So we found this tree….

With an unusual creature in it...

We also found this house which we drove to later with all the rest of the family…. A Greyson Perry creation telling the story of Julie May Cope a typical Essex woman….

We visited this site which used to be a Church but there now are only 2 towers remaining.

There seemed to be a very keen stonemason in the area given the length of the eulogies on the gravestones….

Some, though, were shorter and more pointed….

We had an evening into night walk… this is looking over to the docks at Harwich (for the Continent)

Another day another Naze walk but these photos will also have to be another day as we are both working tomorrow with early starts and this will be quite a large email as it is with all the photos.

Love to all

The Woodmice xxx