The Scouring of the SHire

[warshipadmin]

On the plane over here I reread LOTR 1. The foreword was interesting, JRRT wrote the scouring of the shire very early on. Obviously it is a lament to the destruction of traditional rural life by industrialisation. So landed at Heathrow, drove out through sluff and out to Henley. Henley's noice. Then off up around to the south west of Oxford via Stow on the Wild up to Bidford on Avon, and thence to Kidderminster. So, we've been through many small towns, mostly very touristy and/or posh. So, says I, let's toddle off to Evesham, described, as a historic market town with wide streets and an attractive high street, serving as the centre for the Vale of Evesham, a highly productive fruit and vegetable growing flood plain.

Well, kinda. 40 years ago , when I worked nearby, that was an accurate description. Then they built a greenfield shopping centre on the outskirts, and a multistorey car park and shopping centre on the edge of the town centre. The latter is now a boarded up relic, the greenfield site is busy, and the entire high street is empty shops, charity shops, vape shops. Not a butcher, baker or greengrocer to be seen.

We see the same in Oz, the developers persuade/bribe the council that a suburban shopping centre full of megastores is a good idea, and the entire CBD collapses into tattoo parlors and druggies.

Meanwhile in the Vale itself, productive farmland is being turned into what must be the least productive solar farms anywhere.

JRRT had it right. Pass the sickbag.

[Craiglxviii]

Whereabouts are you now? Still in the West Mids?

[jemhouston]

Now, those massive shopping malls are dying since the anchor stores are / went out of business. In at least one mall, the anchor store is being converted to pickle ball courts.

At least in Houston area, the trend is an updated downtown, retail space on the ground floor, office and residential space above that.

[warshipadmin]

Off to Shrewsbury today, nice pub at Cardington on the way, and then to the wildwoods of North Wales to see my sister's new studio and catch up with family. We spent most of yesterday jetlagging around Bewdley, activities somewhat curtailed because most things are no cash and I'd forgotten my card.

[Craiglxviii]

Off to Shrewsbury today, nice pub at Cardington on the way, and then to the wildwoods of North Wales to see my sister's new studio and catch up with family. We spent most of yesterday jetlagging around Bewdley, activities somewhat curtailed because most things are no cash and I'd forgotten my card.

Ah- nice place, I have a friend just outside of Shrewsbury.

Do your travels take you east at all?

[warshipadmin]

Mordor (the south east) is a closed book to me for this holiday. We are off to Dartmoor in a week via Bath for two weeks of flinging ashes about and big family reunion, and hopefully lots of walking, and then OUR holiday starts, where we flee to Bamburgh to see what they've done to it, and we mess about in the real North, where I used to live. We will come back down the A1 at some point, but I'm not able to commit to anything yet. Whereabouts are you?. 7 weeks is not enough (our honeymoon was 13 weeks).

Just drove across the Long Mynd today, magic. Neat little stone circle at Mitchell's Fold, and now we're in Brockton at the Old Vicarage where the silence (after sunset) makes your ears ring. After a rather piggy pub lunch supper was just Stilton and Digestives on the lawn, listening to the wood pigeons. This is all new country to us, what a joy.

[Craiglxviii]

Mordor (the south east) is a closed book to me for this holiday. We are off to Dartmoor in a week via Bath for two weeks of flinging ashes about and big family reunion, and hopefully lots of walking, and then OUR holiday starts, where we flee to Bamburgh to see what they've done to it, and we mess about in the real North, where I used to live. We will come back down the A1 at some point, but I'm not able to commit to anything yet. Whereabouts are you?. 7 weeks is not enough (our honeymoon was 13 weeks).

Just drove across the Long Mynd today, magic. Neat little stone circle at Mitchell's Fold, and now we're in Brockton at the Old Vicarage where the silence (after sunset) makes your ears ring. After a rather piggy pub lunch supper was just Stilton and Digestives on the lawn, listening to the wood pigeons. This is all new country to us, what a joy.

Ah nice. I like Bamburgh Castle. Fond memories of many special events there.

Do enjoy Dartmoor- if the midges leave any of you left!

We are close by the A1, about half an hour’s diversion towards civilisation as you approach Huntingdon/ Alconbury. If you’re heading that way send me a PM and maybe we can find a pub to say hello in over a pint.

[David Newton]

You came fairly close to where I am on your journey up.

Recent day trip destinations for me have included Stratford upon Avon, the Midland Air Museum at Coventry Airport, Kiftsgate Court Gardens and Coton Manor Garden.

[warshipadmin]

Well, having had a moan about the Midlands, I must say the top end of Northumberland is looking much happier than it did during Thatcher's reign. Morpeth in particular is now a bustling tidy smart market town with attractive architecture, and at least in the centre, sensible development (car parking is a bit of an issue). I'm guessing a lot of EU money was pumped in, rather like Wales. And the beaches are among the best in Britain, so long as you break the ice before going for a dip.

[Craiglxviii]

Well, having had a moan about the Midlands, I must say the top end of Northumberland is looking much happier than it did during Thatcher's reign. Morpeth in particular is now a bustling tidy smart market town with attractive architecture, and at least in the centre, sensible development (car parking is a bit of an issue). I'm guessing a lot of EU money was pumped in, rather like Wales. And the beaches are among the best in Britain, so long as you break the ice before going for a dip.

The whole of the North-East received a lot, an awful lot of EU and Lottery Heritage Fund money. Far more than it could realistically use in the time, which is why a number of high-ranking local councillors and senior (employed, unelected) local council officials unexpectedly retired in the late 2010s with extremely large property portfolios.

[warshipadmin]

So I'm in Alnwick, Northumberland. It has a most amazing book shop, Barter Books. I added to my tiny collection of out of print Iain M Banks books, and my wife bought half a shelf of textiles stuff. They had a copy of POB's Picasso, but frankly, much as I like POB, I didn't really feel like reading a bio of that turd.

[Craiglxviii]

So I'm in Alnwick, Northumberland. It has a most amazing book shop, Barter Books. I added to my tiny collection of out of print Iain M Banks books, and my wife bought half a shelf of textiles stuff. They had a copy of POB's Picasso, but frankly, much as I like POB, I didn't really feel like reading a bio of that turd.

It’s got a lovely castle with a fine museum, and beautiful gardens too. Ancestral home of the Percies, as in Lord Percy Percy of Blackadder fame.

[warshipadmin]

Frankly we're a bit castled/stately homed out, but I'd say the pick is Cragside for interiors and Dunstanburgh for setiing and exteriors. We spent 5 hours at Cragside and I'd happily go back for more.

[Edi]

Well, having had a moan about the Midlands, I must say the top end of Northumberland is looking much happier than it did during Thatcher's reign. Morpeth in particular is now a bustling tidy smart market town with attractive architecture, and at least in the centre, sensible development (car parking is a bit of an issue). I'm guessing a lot of EU money was pumped in, rather like Wales. And the beaches are among the best in Britain, so long as you break the ice before going for a dip.

I was in Newcastle for the wedding of my friend's sister back in 2016. We visited Alnwick, Morpeth and Cragside and a few other places and all in all it was one of the more memorable trips abroad.

[Craiglxviii]

Frankly we're a bit castled/stately homed out, but I'd say the pick is Cragside for interiors and Dunstanburgh for setiing and exteriors. We spent 5 hours at Cragside and I'd happily go back for more.

You picked the wrong country to visit for that then!

[warshipadmin]

Normally we head for the hills and moors and just walk, but since this may well be our last trip to England (specifically) we thought we'd do the tourist thing.

[warshipadmin]

Pubbage

Foodie pubs

Jolly Fisherman Craster Northumberland
The Feathers Hedley on the Hill somewhere south of hadrian's Wall
Tides Inn Woolacombe Devon
Kingsdon Inn Somerset
Peter Tavy Inn, Dartmoor
The Architect, Bath

Not foodie, but does food

Royal Oak, Cardington Shropshire (best of the lot)
Warren House Inn, Dartmoor

Proper pub no food

The Old Green Tree, Bath
Tanners Arms, Alnwick