Wye - Ye Olde Ferrie Inn - Day 7 Stratford-upon-Avon

Day 7 (Sun 27)

Having run out of time yesterday, we decided to visit Arthur's Seat.  It is only a couple of miles according to Google Maps.  Having said goodbye to our hosts and thanked them for a lovely week, we took our last run up the ramp, and along the narrow roads.   The ninety degree turn proved difficult in the large car.  It took about a dozen turning manoeuvrers, and another similar turn proved even more difficult at the top of the hill.  Still, we made it round.  Onwards and very definitely upwards.  There were no signs, but I'd guess at 1 in 5 or steeper.  The road narrowed.  Now there was no space to open the car doors; the hedge touching the wing mirrors fairly frequently.  The road surface became less road and more farm track. Another 90 degree left turn although wider than the junctions proved difficult. The road got rougher and steeper.  The wheels began to lose grip, and my 'clever' car reduced the engine revs every time it happened.  We came to a house with a wide entrance and plenty of space on the drive.  The quest for Arthur's Seat was abandoned, a U-turn performed, and we descended; returning to the inn by a more direct route.  Perhaps we should have walked, but I doubt my knees would have survived the return (downward) journey.

Then off to Stratford-upon-Avon, which was slightly more out of the way than I thought, but mad for a pleasant day.  We initially parked in a short stay car park that was being actively managed.  Which was good, because the payment machine was out of order.  Further down the street was another, which has seen so much use over so long that all the buttons where dark grey.  Press the green button, the instruction said.  After a coffee and a comfort break, we moved the car to a long stay car park, then found some lunch.

After that, we visited Shakespeare's Birthplace, and were treated to an excerpt from Romeo & Juliet: the balcony scene, of course.  It's always good to see live theatre, even if it's only for 10 minutes.

4 statues around the Gower Monument

 We wandered around Stratford for a bit, enjoying the culture and the easy-going environment, it was a pleasant sunny day. We bought an ice cream from a barge, and ate it on the way back to the car.  All the while noting all the things we didn't have time for.  By now, the daylight was running out.The journey home was relatively uneventful, until we got closer to London, when the driving became mad, and we suffered a couple of near misses.