Once settled and refreshed in John and Bridget's home we all set off to Clumber Park nearby, a working dukerey in the countryside. We walked in it's beautiful forest and lake areas and took a few moments to watch a cricket game. We made our way back into Worksop where we filled up on roast beef and Yorkshire pudding at a local carvery. It was a lovely day and good to be in the countryside.
On Monday, John and Bridget first took us to Gainsborough where we explored the historic Old Hall. This very old Todor mansion was once the resting place for King Henry VIII. School children were acting out everyday life in the main hall, and it was delight to watch them learning in a very engaging way. Our next stop was the picture town of Lincolnshire. This is a university town, and it was so wonderfull to see hundreds of young adults socializing in the town centre. We took Steephill Street, which is by no means an exageration, up to the old castle and cathedral peeking inside the many small shops along the way. We stopped for a late lunch in one of the pubs and couldn't resist buying 10 British pounds of the most delicious fudge ever at one of the candy shops. I must apologize though, my camera's battery went dead early in the day so photos aren't available. We feasted on fish and chips at the end of the day.
On Tuesday, with no time to waste, Bridget packed us up in the car, taxing us through another day of local history and landmarks. Our first stop was at the Worksop Priory, her nearby school house and the empty lot where she grew up as a child nearby . John's school was just across the street as well. Then we were off to the forest, a very special forest, Robin Hood's forest. Sherwood Forest brought our childhood imaginations to life, as we toured the children's museum. We ventured out into the forest area where we saw centuries old oak trees, some of which were eight wide. We couldn't resist buying our young grandson a Robin Hood costume and story book. A special note: This forest is dieing a tragic death though. This area of the U.K. was the heart of coal mining, and the hundreds of coal shafts have dropped the water table to a point that the old forest is not sustainable. Bridget then took us to one of the only remaining working Dukeries in the U.K., where we checked out their produce including a bakery and butcher shop and arts and crafts shop. Our last stop of the day was Creswell Crags, a valley gorge, with 50,000 years of history in its many caves. Bridget was involved in the archaeological digs and told us of the amazing discoveries along the way. And, to top it off, she cooked us a tasty roast chicken supper.
John joined us again on Wednesday, and the five of us sped off to Chesterfield to check out it's famous church with the crooked steeple. The steeple is out by seven feet! We then made our way through the countryside to Hartwick Hall. Hartwick Hall Tudor mansion was built and owned by the richest woman in England. Her motto was: Marry rich. Marry young. Marry often. We stopped for a tasty lunch on the patio of the Hall's restaurant. Such a beautiful place! We then made our way to Bradford, our next stop to visit with Ron's friend's, Mick and Margaret. We all had supper at a local carvery, filling-up on roast beef, ham and turkey, before expressing our thanks and goodbyes to John and Bridget.
Worksop Priory
Sherwood Forest
Creswell Crags
Chesterfield
Hartwick Hall
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