Stone Temple, Royal Pavilion, Ruined Castle

Tuesday 22 November

A very foggy morning but not too cold as we pack up and set off towards Brighton, about 3 hours away, stopping at Stonehenge along the way.

Our GPS initially takes us along the back roads which is great for saving time but usually means narrow roads with hedges on either side which make it difficult to see what's coming around the corner.

The fog stays with us but seems to lift as we arrive at Stonehenge and there is even a bit of sunshine breaking through. Even though this is the low season, the car park is pretty full and there are several tour and school buses.

We gain free admittance being National Trust members and everyone gets free audio guides.

The stones are set in a large field now enclosed with a high fence, however, those not wishing to pay the entry fee simply stand outside this fence and try to take photos over it. There are plans to change the entry point and close the road which passes right in front to prevent this and also preserve the area further.

You cannot get too close to the stones as they are behind a roped area, but hundreds of years ago souvenir hunters would chip away pieces of the stones. Even more of a shame is that some of the stones were carted away and used in construction.

It is a very impressive sight anyway and the audio guide explains how some of the stones came from Wales which would have meant a sea journey as well as carting them across vast expanse of land. The shear size of them – the largest weighs 42 tonnes – makes the thought of this inconceivable.

The construction which is here is apparently the third which occurred on this site. The first consisted of wooden poles, the second were stones and the third involved moving and adding to those stones.

No-one really knows why they were placed here between 3000 and 2000BC but the best guess is for religious and burial purposes. There is a very large burial mound located not far and more of them scattered in nearby fields.

This was a great visit which we thoroughly recommend.  The rest of our photos of Stonehenge are here.

Taking the M4 we find ourselves heading for Gatwick and London but we've not got a rendezvous there just yet so deviate and head for Brighton and Hove, coastal towns to the south.

The fog and grey skies have stayed with us most of the day and some rain starts as we pull into our camp site, Sheepcote Valley Caravan Club Site, but there should be brighter weather tomorrow for us to explore.

Wednesday 23 November

Happy birthday to our girlfriend Delly. It's a beautiful, clear morning and a chilly 5 degrees to begin. Top temp should reach around 10 degrees. What happened to warmer weather down south?!

The town is around a 45 minute walk away so we head off and get to the seaside within 10 minutes. The Marina is to our left but we head towards town on the right.

This time there is no sand at the beach, it's all quite large pebbles. Lovely to look at but walking and lying on them must be quite uncomfortable. Probably in summer you can hire deck chairs or you would bring a rubber mat to lie on.

Much to our amusement, they have built up one section of pebbles into a privacy screen for the naturalists. Who would have thought the British would want to get all their kit off in public! Today though we see some very keen people (must be locals or from Norway) going for a swim with bikinis and budgie smugglers on. Brrrr. We're wearing thermals :)

As we get closer to the Brighton Pier with all the amusement rides, reminding us of Blackpool, we see a huge fog bank moving towards it and across the ocean.

The Brighton Eye is probably the size of the Wheel of Brisbane at Southbank and has a few takers enjoying the lovely day. Normally it's 8 pounds for a ride but you can get the VIP pod which fits 4 people for 55 pounds or 75 pounds with ½ a bottle of champers.

We head into the city for a coffee and come upon St Paul's church which looks like it's made of the same pebbles as on the beach. It is under repair at the moment and we can only have a look at the inside from a distance. Apparently repairs would have been finished last Christmas but some oily rags left behind by workers caught fire so the work is ongoing. What we saw was very beautiful anyway.

Tomorrow's weather should be a little less sunny so we'll leave our visit to the Royal Pavilion and Museum for then. We go and have a look anyway to take photos while the weather is good.

The Pavilion is a totally crazy looking place and would have looked even more so when it was commissioned by the Prince of Wales in 1787 as his place to meet up with his mistress on week-ends. It's a combination of Oriental palace and Indian Taj Mahal and is really very striking in an over the top way. The columns with large water lily features at the base are stunning. We can't wait to have a look inside tomorrow.

We head back down towards the pier to enjoy a fish and chip lunch by the seaside and are watched eagerly by a very large seagull.

There is another pier, the West Pier but it was basically destroyed in 1974 by a fire or two. Unfortunately they've left the wrecked skeleton of the pier standing there which looks rather sad. There are apparently plans to rebuild, but that seems highly unlikely.

On the Brighton Pier however, all the rides and amusement arcades are open but due to it being the low season, it's not really bustling. It's great anyway.

We walk back to have a look at the Marina which doesn't look much as you approach with buildings and the overpass covered in graffiti. 

But once we arrive at the shops, restaurants and apartments, you can see the investment made here. Everything is here for the residents – supermarket, cinemas, gymnasium, restaurants and the marina filled with beautiful yachts and fishing vessels.

It's been a big walking day even though all on the flat, but we'll do it all again tomorrow.

Thursday 24 November

A little overcast this morning so only 11 degrees. We walk back into town to check out the Royal Pavilion which we find out later Queen Victoria sold to the Brighton & Hove council in 1850 for 53 000 pounds.

George, the Prince of Wales was the original owner and he loved coming to Brighton for it's “medicinal waters” and to entertain. His love continued when he became Prince Regent (1788) when his father went mad and then King (1820) when his father died.

We thought the outside of the Pavilion was loud and showy, but the inside is 100 times more so with it's continued Chinese theme. The entrance is unassuming but then the drama begins in the Long Gallery filled with Chinese artwork and faux bamboo carved from wood.  Unfortunately they do not allow you to take any photos, so the following are sourced from the web.  The photos just don't do it justice - you will have to see it for yourself one day.

A trip upstairs sees us in the Banqueting Hall which is so incredible that we literally stood there with our mouths agape trying to take everything in. Absolutely nothing we've seen in any other Castle, Palace or Residence comes close to this splendour.

The central chandelier weighing a tonne is clutched by an enormous bronze dragon and four phoenix hold the corner chandeliers. Lotus flowers are a predominant feature. It's almost like walking into a Chinese theatre. The dining table can seat 30 (George liked to sit in the middle rather then at the head) and the other decorative features of vases, golden platters, crystal glasses and large buffets with lion feet bases are magnificent.

There is a large, very modern (for the time) kitchen in the next room complete with four palm tree columns holding up the ceiling and five automated rotisseries in the oven. Ventilation windows were added later in the ceiling to prevent cooking fumes reaching the guests.

The drawing room, where guests would have come after dinner is more subtle but still very elegant, but the music room is once again magnificently loud.

Again here there are dragons and snakes holding lights, curtains, columns and the ceiling is covered with hundreds of golden scallops. Resplendid as it is today, sadly this room suffered major damage in 1975 when an arsonist set fire to it. And just as the restoration work was being concluded 11 years later, a hurricane caused an exterior minaret to crash down into the room thus obliterating all the hard work. Some said the combination of dragons and snakes (unlucky according to the Chinese) was the reason for the bad luck.

Normally this is where a castle tour would end but we were able to continue to see some of the guest bedrooms – that of the King's two brothers – Queen Victoria's bedroom once she reigned and the ground floor bedroom King George used in his later years when he was infirmed. A room not open for viewing was his bathroom which sounded as large as a public swimming bath with several bath tubs to accommodate fresh or sea water.

During Word War I the Pavilion was used as a hospital for injured Indian soldiers with the Banqueting and Music Rooms turned into hospital wards.

Queen Victoria with her large family of 9 children didn't like the Pavilion so basically took out all the furnishings and closed it up. It was Queen Mary (wife of George V) who returned many of them.

One amazing piece of artwork was a bust portrait of King George IV done entirely in minuscule mosaic tiles as a gift from the Pope of the day. From a distance it just looks like a painting.

We just didn't want to leave the place, it was so amazingly beautiful and because it's the low season, we didn't feel rushed. Totally loved it and highly recommend as a must see.

After lunch we attempted the Museum but couldn't get into it after being blown away by the Pavilion so decided to head home via the back streets to see what was happening locally.

And there certainly was a lot happening with many small shops, boutiques, antique dealers and cafes bustling with local trade and plenty of apartment buildings, all just a couple of streets from the beach.

Tonight we walked back to the Marina for dinner which was fabulous but it was too cold to walk home so we caught a taxi.

This is our last adventure on the coast as tomorrow we head towards London. Apart from the wind in certain places, the weather has been kind to us and we've thoroughly enjoyed the southern coast and would certainly return.

The rest of our photos of Brighton are here.

Friday 25 November

A few early morning showers cleared to a beautiful day, perfect for our travels towards London.  But first we head along the coast to take in the White Cliffs of ... Brighton!

Along the way we stopped to visit National Trust administered Bodiam Castle, 9 miles north of Hastings. The Parliamentarians destroyed its enterior but the outside is pristine and looks like what a medieval castle should look like, complete with moat.

It was built in 1385 by Edward Dalyngrigge, a former knight of Edward III, but was obviously very modern for its day as each bedroom had it's own toilet.

Very steep spiral staircases take us to these bedrooms and to the upper battlements for a great 360 degree view of the surrounding valley.

John Fuller bought the ruined castle in 1829 and partially restored it as did the final owner, Lord Curzon before he bequeathed it to the National Trust upon his death in 1925.

During World War II a bunker was built on the grounds in front of the castle to protect it from an enemy invasion but luckily none eventuated.

It was an absolute pleasure to visit this building and though a lot of it is destroyed, you still get the feel for how grand it would have once been.

Back on the road towards London, we encounter some heavy after work traffic and finally arrive at our camp site, Crystal Palace Caravan Club Site after nightfall (4:45pm).

There are more photos of Bodiam Castle here.

And so our return to London completes our travels around the UK.  We are going to take it easy for the next few days, visit some family and friends, ahead of our flight home, which departs Heathrow on Wednesday night.  We should be back in OZ early Friday morning.  Although there is a strike by public servants across the UK on Wednesday, including Border Control staff, that may well disrupt us, although the impact is supposed to be on arriving passengers - not departing passengers - we will see!


We have had such an amazing time during our 6 month adventure and feel so blessed to have been able to do it at this time in our life.  The history lesson we've had and the beautiful things we've seen has opened our eyes.  But we're still glad to call Brisbane, Australia home and very much looking forward to our return.  Thanks to everyone who followed our adventure and for your words of encouragement and appreciation along the way.


Bill and Sylvi xo
(no longer Motorhome Virgins)

Devon & Dorset

Wednesday 16 November

Grey and drizzly this morning as we pack up and head for Brixham in the county of Devon around 2 hours away. This area is known as the English Riviera. But first we stop quickly in Plymouth so Bill can buy himself a Kindle.

Near Brixham is Torquay where famous crime writer Agatha Christie was born, married and had a holiday home, Greenway, which is now administered by the National Trust. Unfortunately it is closed at this time of year.

Most of the day is spent travelling, so we are happy to arrive at our camp site, Hillhead Caravan Club Site, outside Brixham.  It is a big site but not very busy at the moment.

Thursday 17 November

A gloriously sunny day with a top of 13 degrees so we catch the local bus that stops right outside the camp site and head firstly to the fishing port of Brixham. Luckily this bus is quite small as the lanes it drove down were really only big enough for one vehicle a lot of the time. It must have been pension day as lots of seniors climbed aboard and headed into town. There was a real community feel around us as everyone greeted each other and started chatting about local events. Including the murder of a friend that occurred days before!! Seems the police have already apprehended someone relating to that.

Brixham is one of the launching sites from where the American soldiers departed towards the D-Day landing beaches in Normandy. So we are again visiting areas that mirror our travels in France a few months ago.  The Harbour still utilises the large breakwater built during the War to protect the fleet before they sailed across to France.

There is also a replica of the rather small ship the Golden Hind sailed by Sir Francis Drake between 1577 and 1580 to circumnavigate the globe.

The town itself is a fairly small but has a large marina housing many expensive looking cruisers as well as a huge fleet of fishing vessels. On one hilltop are many colourfully painted houses, reminding us of a similar thing in Bristol. There are the usual white cottages but also many new and modern apartments right on the waterfront. And of course a multitude of tourist shops, cafes and pubs. Brixham remains a busy fishing port, and there is a large fairly new commercial fisheries market at the port.

After morning tea we catch another bus to Torquay, birthplace of Agatha Christie. Without knowing it we walked most of the Agatha Christie Mile, taking in the coastal walk, Princess Theatre, The Pavilion, the Museum and the harbour, again with very expensive boats and cruisers moored.

Torquay is a much larger town with most of its shops open but a lot of the tourist attractions are closed for the year. We had wanted to catch a ferry back to Brixham on such a lovely day but they aren't running at the moment.

So after lunch we walked around the shops for awhile before hopping on a bus home.

It's dark by 4:30pm these days and the wind is up again but tomorrow should be another nice day weather wise.

Friday 18 November

Another lovely sunny day with winds keeping the temperature at around 13 degrees again. We're walking into Brixham via Mansands Beach and the Coastal Path which should take 4 hours or so.

There is a bit of mud on the path in places, but nothing like we've had in the past. After about 45 minutes, we arrive at Mansands Beach where we stop for awhile to admire the scene. The “beach” is covered in smooth rocks of all sizes and the water makes a rippling sound over them as it recedes. We have another go at making a cairn.

Until now the walk was downhill so now we take on the very steep climb to the top. 

It's pretty tough going and we end up at around 180m. Once at the top the view of the ocean and cliffs below is spectacular. Every now and again the wind gets up and blows us about a bit. The rest of the coastal path is relatively flat but there is the occasional steep rise to keep us challenged.

Another 40 minutes brings us to Sharkham Head.

As we get closer to Brixham we start seeing many large holiday complexes, all of which seem empty at this time of year. But in summer it must be so busy around here.  And then Berry Head comes into view.

It takes another 45 minutes to walk to Berry Head, and we pass by some nice bays, and spectacular scenery, with Sylvi spotting a seal fishing in one bay.

At Berry Head there is the very well preserved remains of two Forts built during the Napoleonic Wars. These are absolutely massive constructions. Inside the first are several ruined buildings - the guard house, the kitchen and gun powder store – as well as the battlements where canons once stood. 

The second has a guard house (now a coffee shop), artillery and gun powder store and sentry post. But it was also used during World War II so there is a bunker used for spotting enemy planes, and during the Cold War, a bunker to detect nuclear explosions.

By now we were totally exhausted and made the last trek into Brixham, stopping at the first cafe we saw to replenish our energy.  We had completed the walk in 3 & half hours which is pretty good going.  Once again Sylvi sees a seal disappear under the waves. We send out the vibes to see more of them, dolphins or whales but to no avail.

After lunch we stroll the rest of the way into Brixham and take the bus home and treat ourselves to dinner at the camp site restaurant (open Fri & Sat in the low season).

We really enjoyed our stay in Brixham. There's just something about these quaint fishing villages on the coast that make you want to come back for another visit.

Saturday 19 November

A grey morning to start but we're packing up and heading for Poole in the county of Dorset, about 3 hours away.

We take the major roads so it's smooth travelling and for once when we stop for lunch in a designated area there is an amenities block. We've not encountered such facilities in the UK before but they were everywhere in Europe so we do miss them.

As we get closer to our destination we see a lot more cottages and even restaurants with thatched roofs. It really is a lovely look.

Arriving at our camp site, South Lytchett Manor Caravan and Camping Park, we're glad we booked a spot in advance because for some reason it's very busy and the park is full.

Poole is another coastal town and the National Trust look after an area known as the Jurassic Coast where you can do some nice walks. If there's enough to do around here we may stay for a couple of days.

Sunday 20 November

A foggy, 9 degree start but no rain predicted. The buses only run every 2 hours on Sundays but again we're lucky that they stop right outside the camp site.

Poole is a large town with very large harbour housing many beautiful, expensive boats of all sizes. Sunseeker, the boat building company has several operations here and they churn out very glitzy looking cruisers.

This was also where the third largest contingent of American troops departed for the D-Day landing site at Normandy in OperationOverlord.

The town seemed overly crowded for a Sunday but we found out later it was for Santa's Parade. In the mall were a couple of reindeer on display. Their fur looked thick and beautifully smooth.

Facing the harbour are a multitude of cafes and restaurants and a long pathway follows the length of the waterway. The day had brightened and lots of people were out enjoying the sun. A couple of guys on skateboards were being towed along the grass in the park by parasails.

We visit the old Lifeboat Museum housing the historic lifeboat ThomasKirk Wright (1939-62) also know as one of the Dunkirk Little Ships. It was one of the first of 19 boats to arrive at Ramsgate in Kent (Dunkirk evacuation point) on 30/05/1940 as part of a flotilla to rescue British troops, and made a further 3 trips before coming under German attack. Luckily no-one aboard was hit and the boat limped home on one engine. After repairs it continued it's service as a lifeboat in Poole.

Over the past week we've seen several lifeboats and their stations and are very impressed with the work that this organisation does. Most of the crew are volunteers who risk their lives in often very rugged conditions to rescue stricken vessels and their crew.

After lunch we take another walk through the mall before catching our bus home to find just about everyone gone.

The camp site information booth has the story of the Lytchett ManorEstate which was apparently a “safe-house” for French aristocrats escaping the guillotine during the revolution between 1789-99. The house is now a school and the grounds the camp site.  And to top off the day, we a treated to a rare sunset.

In world news – Gadaffi's son, Seif al-Islam was captured near the Nigerian border and will most likely stand trial for crimes against humanity.

Monday 21 November

Grey and a bit drizzly but not too cold. We catch the bus firstly to the ruins of Corfe Castle which dates back to the 11^th century. The National Trust administers the castle and surrounding acres of lush grounds and forest.

In 1086, William the Conqueror ordered the first foundations laid and over time many Kings and Nobles owned and added to the castle. The total construction including surrounding outer walls covers one of the largest expanse of land we've seen for any castle visited.

The last owner were the aristocratic Bankes family (1635). During the castle's attack by the Parliamentarians during the Civil War (1642-51) it was Mrs Bankes who led the defence as her husband was away. Betrayed by one of her own soldiers, the castle was eventually blown up but she was given the keys as a keep-sake for her bravery.

What remains today are the outer walls, Guardhouses, the Keep (where many prisoners were held and starved to death) and the Gloriette (garden building).

As with most defensive castles this one was also built on a hilltop, allowing 360 degree views of any approaching enemy. Today the view is somewhat obscured by fog but it is still very beautiful. As a natural way of keeping the grass mowed, many Soay sheep graze the hillside.

We take a stroll in the village below filled with gorgeous stone cottages, many with thatched roofs, also a large stone church and two lovely looking pubs. We choose one to enjoy a Dorchester Cream Tea which was just as delicious as the Cornwall one.

Back on the bus we head to Swanage another fairly large coastal fishing town. The esplanade along the beach again reminds us of Redcliffe and there are some good sized waves today but no takers.

Further along we come upon a “Private Beach” where you can rent/purchase a Beach Hut to store all your summer beach gear and along with this you will also own the section of beach directly in front of your hut. Classic.

At the other end of the esplanade we could see some white cliffs in the distance. Although they weren't the White Cliffs of Dover, they must have been made of the same material as they were gleaming white.

Just as we got back on the bus to head home, the sun and blue sky made an appearance. It was a great day anyway and we enjoyed seeing more fantastic sights.

The rest of our photos of Devon & Dorset are here.