The Avon River Valley

I start a new travel series with this blog entry. I am visiting with family in the west country of England and will also spend 4 days in Barcelona, Spain. Follow my adventure in upcoming blogs.

We arrived safely in Bristol yesterday after two long flights starting in Seattle. We arrived in time to exchange Christmas gifts on Boxing Day, visit and enjoy a tradional English "roast" cooked up by our own Nick and Kate. Had roasted lamb, roasted potatoes and roasted carrots and turnips. A tradional English pudding for dessert as well as lots of fun conversation. Nick's sister Kate along with her partner Andy and their beautiful daughter Grace were over. Nick and Kate along with his parents gave us the gift of a trip to Barcelona, Spain. We will go for 4 days while we are here. Never been to Spain so this will be a new country for us. Don't know how we ever missed Spain with all our trips to Europe over the years but there you are.


We ate in this dining room at The Lock Inn


Today, we ventured by train into the Avon River Valley. Our main stop was at The Lock Inn Cafe along the Kennet and Avon Canal and just a stone's throw from a hand operated lock on that canal. We stopped in to the Dick and Jane for a Boatman's breakfast which was an enormous platter of food including sausage, rashers of bacon, bubble and squeek, chips, mushrooms, tomato, beans, fried bread and a fried egg on top. A pot of great tea washed it all down, all in a storyboook setting along a canal teaming with long narrow canal boats tied up or slowly cruising up and down the canal.



This canal crosses and recrosses the Avon River and roads along its meandering path. It is able to to do this with the help of an old aquaduct system, some of them dating back to the Roman occupation. Canal boats cruise across these aquaducts a hundred feet in the air above the hilly English countryside.



We hiked 2 miles along the canal towpath until we arrived at Avoncliff, a quaint village which has become a bit famous lately as the home of Kevin Spacey. The Cross Guns Pub was a picture perfect place to stop for a draught of hot Cheddar Valley Cider, a scrumpy style cider with a neon orange color and a kick to match!



We hopped the train and returned to Bristol at Temple Mead station and drove back to Kate and Nick's flat. A perfect day!