'O to be in England, now that April's there'

Footpath Holidays Home Page

Raglan Castle, tower and moat

Sugar Loaf and Skyrrydd Fawr from the top of the tower at Raglan

 Daughter Rebecca has all but completed her degree at Trinity St Davids university in West Wales, which will bring to an end our regular shuttles back and forth across the Severn bridge and through the Brecon Beacons National Park.  On our most recent journey, on a beautiful day and given that the degree in question is in Medieval Studies, we stopped to visit Raglan Castle near Abergavenny in the 'Welsh Marches'. Raglan Castle was the last castle to be built in Wales (other than follies) and was the most impressive castle not in Royal ownership, it is now in the care of Cadw (the Welsh heritage protection agency). The view from the top of the tower takes in two of the black mountain summits near Abergavenny.

'May Blossom', Cotswolds.

The blog title is a quote from Robert Browning's poem 'Home Thoughts From Abroad'. We have to agree with the sentiment. The hedgerows have certainly burst into life. The hawthorn and blackthorn, collectively known as 'the May, are putting on a spectacular display of blossom this year. This week our other daughter, Heather, has been checking some route descriptions in the lovely area of the Cotswolds to the north of Bath. Newly hatched chicks in the hedgerows and trees, birds of prey in the air (no coincidence there), blossom in the hedges and on the crab apple trees and new lambs gamboling in the fields - a perfect time for walking.

The rolling Cotswold landscape near Bath

Closer to home, the bluebells are well and truly out in Great Ridge Woods!