A Visit To Newbury.

The mist was lying in the valleys as we set off for our trip on Saturday morning. Ahead was the long trip, 4.5 hrs according to Vytas, eastwards to the town of Newbury where Vytas and Sally are currently living.  We made good time so whiled away half an hour at a service station and then when we were less than a mile from our destination proceeded to take several false left turns. This was due to the route-finder directions I had written down being not quite accurate on the last 3 instructions. I guess a sat-nav would have come in handy. The first time Peter looked at his smart phone and then when we went wrong again we pulled in at the familiar Mole Valley shop (it's called Mole Country Store there) and asked a local for directions.

4 hours in a hot car had caused the cake to slump a little but it was well received both for looks and taste. The real cake will travel in the boot of the car, possibly with ice packs and as it will be the end of November should be cool enough. 

It was a beautiful day so after a bite to eat we walked through the bustling town of Newbury with lots of old buildings made with distinctive red bricks. The main square and streets are pedestrianised during the day and there is a thriving outdoor market as well as many independent shops.

A canal and other small waterways run through the town and as we crossed the bridge we could see some narrowboats in the lock.

It didn't take long to walk through the town and out to Donnington Castle. A medieval castle built in 1386. We have been there many years ago to a memorial service for a member of our regiment. 

It was a lovely place to visit and once we were up the hill there were fantastic views to Newbury and across the countryside.  

Coming down the hill, Peter's knee which is prone to having loose bits of cartilage floating around, began to give him problems and he is finding it difficult to walk today. It might be time for another arthroscopy. 

Walking back we called in at a couple of pubs to try the local beers, (not me) and at our first stop we sat by this shallow waterway. There were some rainbow trout lazily swimming underneath a sign that said 'No Fishing'.

This is the same waterway a little further away bordering a beautiful private garden. I did notice that even the older buildings had solid brickwork for the first few feet that looked like flood defenses. 

When we got back to the flat Sally's parents arrived. This was our first meeting with our future in-law relatives but unsurprisingly, seeing as children to a degree are a reflection of their parent's attitudes, we all got on well. We walked back into town, over the railway bridge as the sun was setting, for a meal at a pub that offers a variety of pies. It was a lively pub but Vytas had booked a table and we enjoyed a hearty meal while occasionally glancing a the tv screen in the outdoor area that was showing the rugby match. 

Our evening was still not finished and once Sally's parents had left we went to Greenham Common. It was only a mile away but I drove us there as we had Sally's 5" telescope so that we could have a look at the stars. Unfortunately the planets were below the horizon (they have been able to see Saturn's rings with that telescope) and some cloud was coming in. However I love being out in the countryside at night and the Peace Camp is iconic for the end of the last century. Also I recently read a novel about a young girl going off to join the Peace camp.

Today after a good night's sleep we were treated to a super brunch cooked by Sally and looked at the photos from their recent trip to Rome before driving back home. This time, as we knew the way it only took 2 hours 45 minutes to return to the peace and quiet of our little valley. The thing that struck us most about Newbury, and both the motorways we traveled along, was just how busy the roads were. In Newbury as we inched along the busy clogged roads the car's fan kept turning on to cool down the engine. Here we hardly ever have to wait more than a few minutes in busy traffic so the engine doesn't get hot.