Bath Project (Mhari)

On Tuesday we went to see the Roman baths in Bath with my Uncle Peter and Aunt Angie. In Roman times the baths were a social part of life. Rich men would work in the morning and go to the baths in the evenings. I don’t have when the women went on the top of my head but, I think they went in the afternoon as well. I don’t know when the poorer men went, maybe they went in the afternoon, it seems to be the fashion.

These particular baths were a very sacred place because the water for the baths came from a spring. The Romans had no explanation for the spring water other than that it was a gift from the Gods.
There was a temple for Minerva, the Goddess of wisdom and healing, in the bath grounds. The Romans believed that Minerva had provided the spring for them for healing. Thousands of pilgrims came from afar and slept overnight in a certain room where the steam from the spring was circulated. They would tell the priest their dreams and the priest would interpret them and tell or give them the treatment they needed.

The reason that the baths were so well preserved is because after the Romans left the baths, the roof fell in. The next people to settle there didn’t ruin the actual baths. 

Later inhabitants didn’t know that the baths were underneath. They were only found a hundred years or so ago, when the houses on top were slowly and mysteriously filling with warm water. When the British did start to unveil the baths, it only took them three years. They then built the museum around them and replaced the pieces of wall that had been on the ground to where they should have been. 

These rings on the photo are not towel racks, they were used when the water flowed and was kept higher. The water filled to the height of the rings. This bath was called a kings bath. If you didn’t hold on to the rings, you would have been swept away with the rising water! Just above the rings we the stone turns a paler color is where the Victorians built up. One of the staff said that she had led a tour for a person older than the statues, which are now only 117 years old.

The Romans built the Baths and temple in between 65 and 75 AD. They rammed oak logs into the mud to direct the water into a stone reservoir which then fed into the baths. The reservoir was a holy place in the temple courtyard that no one swam in.

Fun Facts

-This hot spring is the only one in Britain.
-The Celts said this spring was a gift from their god of the springs Sulis. When the Romans came they thought she sounded like their Goddess, Minerva so they combined the two and worshipped Sulis Minerva.
-The excavators found a hundred curses written on sheets of pewter and lead. These curses were sometimes rolled before they were thrown into the spring.

Bath and Glastonbury (Sam)

We have been staying with my Uncle Peter and my Aunt Angie for the past two days and we have been having a great time. The first day we went to Bath, which is an amazing city full of history.  First, we wandered around the city taking in all the amazing Georgian Architecture (My favourite part of the city).

 King's Cross

Then we had lunch at Marks and Spencers, and finally we went and saw the Roman baths which were pretty cool (and my sister's favourite part).

The next day, we went to Glastonbury to see the Tour of Britain (a cycling race). We got there really early so we had time to wander around Glastonbury and climb up Glastonbury Tor. Glastonbury is a very alternative town.

The high street reeked of incense and there were lots of hemp products for sale.  On top of the Tor it was so windy that if you jumped, you would move about half a foot, and a couple times I was blown off the path. 

The bike race was amazing. It was a lot of waiting around, but when the cyclists came by it was thrilling. If you want more details follow the link to my parents' blog on the left hand side.  I'm sure my dad has a lot to say about it. 

Me and my dad on T.V.

Tour of Britain pics

(Lesley) Guess who got to see the Tour of Britain, yesterday.  Here are pics.

Wiggins came past in second place.  John took the photo.

Mhari, Angie, Peter and Lesley are under the post with the Belisha beacon.

We got very close for the awards.

The peloton coming down the hill towards the finish.

It was great when they flew past.

This photo taken of the TV screen shows some cute fans (John is in the white cap, Sam is to his right) 

that made the news coverage of The Tour.

(John) While not exactly the Giro or Le Tour, the T of B was still worth showing up to watch.  From Peter and Angie's place in Bristol we all blatted down the M5 to Glastonbury to take in the incense and the race.  We parked at the Park and Ride about 3 hours before the riders were due to finish in Glastonbury.  We were virtually the first to arrive.  The volunteer parking attendant told us to "park over by Harriet".  Luckily Harriet was waving enthusiastically so we recognized her immediately.  

Getting there early meant we were able to bag lots of freebies and I bought a jersey before they sold out of them.  There wasn't a lot going on, although there was a fantastic Tai Chi demonstration, this is Glastonbury after all.  We had loads of time so we walked up the hill to the top of the Glastonbury Tor.  

While waiting for the race to arrive we found a spot 50 meters from the finish line with a long view up the finishing straight.  I was hoping for a sprint finish as the stage (5) was tailor made for it, but the peloton had let a group that included Bradley Wiggins get away so instead we watched a lone Italian rider, Marco Frapporti, from the Colnago team, come in for the win closely followed by Wiggo, who had timed his chase wrong.  There was a bit of a sprint for third place and then the bunch came through. Here is a picture of the winner wiping the snot from his nose before he raises his arms to cross the finish line.

 

Thwaite Yeate to Bristol

(John) Two days of travelling, taking in 7 different motorways, countless A roads, a few B roads and we find ourselves at my brother’s house in Bristol.  On the way we included lunch in the Tesco car park, a whistle stop tour of Bakewell, an evening visiting Terry, Colin and Sally, a morning with my Aunt Mary, fish and chips for Mhari, and I had a trip to the allotment.  

Terry’s house was a combination of two homes one built in the 1300’s and the other in the 17th century.  Over the years it has been beautifully renovated and we had the full tour.  The garden was also a treat to see.  The produce from it was a treat to eat also.  Terry has a side interest as a mountain tour guide in Turkey so we got some great information for when we get there, although that still feels a long way away.

(Lesley) I drove the long motorway bit from the north, but it was fast so it didn’t take too long.  For me the motorway is the easiest place to drive compared to the A and B roads.  John got to read the newspaper while I drove so I must have inspired confidence; he doesn’t dare do that when I drive on the A/B roads or in cities. 

We counted up our beds last night, 9 different beds. Not bad for having been away three weeks.  All of them have been comfortable and cozy and have offered us a good nights sleep.   Sleeping has been no problem at all not that is has ever been for any of us.

A stone wall. Photo taken as we drove through the Peak District on Sunday.

Last photo: morning we left the Lake District.

Congratulations to my brother Joe, who we just heard finished the Treherne  Marathon in 3:23.  It was a personal best by a good few minutes.  We think it is a Boston qualifying time too.  Way to go, Joe!  Now, I just have to work on him for triathlon.  He used to swim competitively so I’m sure he’d do well at it.  

We got some e-mails from friends back home; it was lovely to hear from everyone.  Some folks make regular comments on the kid’s blogs; those are fun to read and motivating for Sam and Mhari.  

Windermere (Sam)

Well, today was our last day in the Lake District, and we decided to go to Windermere, which is a very Touristy town on the biggest lake in England. We drove to Lakeside, at the bottom end of the lake, and took a steamer to the town. We had a good time, and I had a delicious Yorkshire Pudding filled with chips(french fries), gravy and sausage (although I decided not to inquire about its health benefits). Anyways, we have now figured out how to get pictures on our blog faster, so here are some photos from our time in England:  A Praying Sheep, Me running into the Irish Sea, My Uncle's Studio, Top Gear's Studio (British TV), Sands of Duddon Bay, The Zip Line at Broughton in Furness.

Thursday and Friday

(Lesley) Thursday, we conquered Old Man of Coniston.  It was quite the hike.  We did a big loop, just over 11 kms.  We took about two and a half hours to get to the top because we kept stopping to see the beautiful views.  We were able to watch some sheep herders on the next fell (hill).  It was fun to see when a sheep would stray from the group then a dog would come round and herd it back in the desired direction.  The kids climbed well and had no problems with the distance or the uphills.  We ate peanut butter sandwiches, Kendal Mint Cake and a boiled egg as lunch at the summit.  It was quite windy and cloudy up there but the way up had been clear and warm.  We passed three tarns (lakes) on the hike and felt great but tired when we were finally done. The photos on the last blog of Sam and Mhari at the cairn are from our hike Thursday.    Photo: Wet Sheep

(John) After raining all night, it then rained all day.  We chose to visit a museum in Barrow in Furness that, in the brochure in the caravan, promised to not only be free but to be fun and educational for the whole family.  And, the parking was free too.  How could we resist?  Free museums, like low expectations don’t disappoint and the Dock Museum in Barrow was no exception.  We wondered why such a large and industrial town existed at the end of a road that at times was barely wide enough for one vehicle.  The museum had the answers and there will be a test on Monday for Sam and Mhari.  But long story short – iron ore + coke + limestone = steel + (deep channels + war and emigration) = shipbuilding = a boom that increased the population from 300 to 40,000 in 30 years.  Later at it’s peak there were 85,000.

After our educational morning we trooped into town to find a bakery for lunch supplies, found bargains galore along the high street and ended up in Asda, the Wal Mart of England.  Eventually Lesley, Sam and I went across the bridge to Walney Island for a lovely few moments frolicking on the windy beach, followed by fish and chips from Andy’s a local chippy that we stumbled upon.   We recommend you stumble upon it too next time you go to Walney Island. 

(Andy, if you want to negotiate terms for advertising opportunities feel free to contact us)
Photos: Last few Chips; Sam got them, John and Sam on the coast.

The Lake District (Sam)

The taste of fish and chips lingers in my mouth as I write. We just got back from a day trip to Barrow-in-Furness, an industrial ship-building town up North. We went to the town museum, wandered around town and of course, we drove past a tiny yet bustling chippy and had to stop. The food was great and it was about as authentic as you can get. Anyway, the past few days we have been doing lots of hiking from our caravan in the Lake District and eating tons of Kendal Mint Cake. Yesterday we hiked up the Old Man of Coniston, a classic Lakeland climb. The view from the top was amazing although it was quite cold. The day before that we did an easy walk to the Swinside Stone Circle. It was quite cool but it was no Stonehenge. I think if I have the chance I will return to the Lake District when I’m older (although not for the hiking, but for the Kendal Mint Cake). I will post more photos when I have more prolonged time with Internet.

Photos: The Stone Circle, Our Caravan, It's Cold up High.