Oxfordshire June 17th - 21st

The forecast for next week is to be in the mid 30C temps. Seems astounding if it happens. In anticipation we thought we would check out walks that have somewhere that the dog, Omey, can swim to cool off. We set off to the Minster Lovell loop from Crawley. Plan to walk a figure 8 with Crawley in the middle, second loop being Wychwood Way.

Minister Lovell Hall had beem a 15th century family home. They ultimately had to forfeit the property to the Crown in 1485 after fighting for Richard 3rd at the Battle of Bosworth.  Because Henry 7th won he passed a retrospective law that said anyone who supported King Richard 3rd has committed treason and land would be confiscated. Vast lands were taken making Henry 7th very powerful. Difficult to pick the right side in those days, forfeiture or execution or both was the outcome.

Certainly had been a functional grand residence. To the left of the above picture is a bend in the River Windrush, a clear Cotswold river. Omey was straight in. She loves swimming.  We made our way back through Crawley village towards the well known local pub, past the quinessental Cotswold homes.

We were rather taken by this piece of art in a window. Very effective, you took a double take.

The folks we are housesitting for left us some ordinance survey maps, general house notes and the best local pubs. Great names like the 'Lamb and Flag', 'Bird in Hand' and the ' The Lamb Inn'. Having completed the first 6km loop lunch was called for before the afternoons walking loop.

We sat outside under one of the umbrellas and Jeff was a starter for the Wednesday special, moi fancied a starter of goats cheese on toast.  They were delicious. The pub is family run, opening 11am each day. Omey behaved herself and sat quietly under the table. We then set off to walk the Wychward Way, which is an ancient forest on 500ha. It had been substantally larger but had been cleared for agriculture, villages etc. The British Navy cut down Oak and Ash trees in the 1770's for shipbuilding. It was a fabulous 7km loop.

This is part of what is called 'Five Ash Bottom Avenue' being the remnants of Ash trees still alive after 200+ years.  Astounding they continue to grow with hollow trunks.

A stone keep around a well.

Wild fallow deer come out of the woods to graze.

Following day we found the Windrush River again on a walk around Witney Lake. Can  park in the Sainsbury carpark (3 hours free) and cross over the road to the public walkway. Witney is the biggest town near us with all the essentials - Waitrose, independent shops, Boots, Marks and Spencers etc. 

Omey the swimmer. We keep our extender lead on her at all times. Jeff had to help her out at one stage as it was a bit steep and slippery getting out of the water.

A friend from Newcastle was down visiting family in Oxford , half an hour from here.  So we met Lesley at 'The Back Lane Pub' for lunch in Woodstock. We had sussed it out on Monday when we did the Blenheim Palace walk from Woodstock. Omey sat under the table and we had a lovely couple of hours catch up. She had moved from a large house and garden in Horncliffe to a modern Newcastle apartment when her husband died. Took quite a lot of adjustment but she is settled now. 

Over the years we have noted many changes to the English countryside and towns. Rewilding is the thing to do via government subsidy if you are not bothered to farm animals, cereals or food in general. Traffic islands, roadsides are let go, litter all along the 'A' roads. Many new housing blocks built on the edge of villages to home the 8 million extra inhabitants over the last 20 years. Traffic can be overwhelming and the Brits pet hate - potholes - the poor quality of general roading due to no maintenance and too may vehicles, particularly on the B ( provincial) roads.

Rewilding, thousands of hectares like this. England can not feed itself, no self reliance. Whereas NZ can feed itself multiple times over.

Your average 'B' road.

A by-election was held in Makersfield near Manchester on Friday and the winner is supposedly going to unseat the UK Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, and the usurper will solve all the UK problems, nirvana and prosperity will be achieved for all! Their present problems have been decades in the making and a further shift to the left will not fix the rot.

We wandered up the the local school fete yesterday morning. Was not up to much but Jeff enjoyed viewing a few classic cars on display.

We undertook an afternoon walk to Holly Grove - Conygar Copse from North Leigh on a 10km loop. We use a Komoot app which brings up a huge range of walks on public paths within a designated area; lets say within 10km of where we are housesitting. On the left are what I would call "Johnsons Blue" a perennial in our gardens but which seens to grow wild here.

We called in for a swift half pint on the walk. Can be tricky as having a snooze afterwards seems a better idea than walking another 5km in the woods.

These are accommodation huts behind the pub. Beauty of not being in a room over the bar, kitchen and having some quiet space.

Got to 30C today, Sunday, we walked the lake early, stocked up on groceries. Visited folks Jeff had met one morning, young couple with twin 12yr old boys. They are renovating one of the villages houses they live in, he runs a building business, she works for Mercedes. Exhausting.

England 12th June - 16th June

 

The quintessential English pub called " The Bear and Ragged Staff". We stayed two nights at Cumnor, near Oxford.

Strolled down to the village Post Office to get the Saturday newspaper, an institution of huge proportions and real journalism. Drove the short distance to Witney to meet our first housesit folks. They are both ex GPs with a black labrador, heading away the next day for holidays. Super property and folks. 

Robin and Jane own a Morgan. A car Jeff had fancied until we went to the factory in the UK one year and took a Morgan for a test drive. Did not meet expectations.

Front of 1 Wood Lane, Hailey nr Witney surrounded by rural walking trails. 

Moi on a summer seat in the backyard

After meeting the folks we headed into Oxford using the Park and Ride option from Peartree Park. Being a Saturday it was heaving and they have congestion parking, few carparks in Oxford and if so at an outrageous £20 as against Park and Ride £2.50. No contest!

We always go to Waterstones bookstore and found a new one called Blackwells, which was unbelieveable for its astounding range of books. One could go mad.  A few essentials from Marks & Spencers, another UK institution. Although there were Saturday crowds a great vibe in the city with its iconic university buildings.

Blackwells downstairs, this is repeated on other floors. Book heaven.

Saturday afternoon Oxford - blue skies. Moi at right, great to get the merino jersey off after being so cold in Switzerland.

Settled into 1 Wood Lane Sunday morning. First thing we do is take our new pet for a walk as soon as the owners leave. Seems to settle them down. Next was an enormous shop at Waitrose for the weeks groceries. Disgorged our packs a washed most things, especially our small backpacks that were reeking after two weeks on our backs while cycling. Felt great to not be moving on for a while, fabulous bed and all the creature comforts one would want. The female labrador is 9 years old, very sweet natured and loves walks of which we undertake at least twice a day.

Omey loves rides in the car to anywhere...

Monday we went into Witney township proper, 5km away or 3 miles ( UK still use imperial for distance). Jeff had no trouble swapping roadside for driving in the UK after our 6 weeks on "the otherside". Jeff pottered about with Omey, who folks love to stop, pat and chat as they are all dog mad here,  while I escaped to a much needed haircut. When you move into other homes there is always a few things missing for your own domestic purpose. Jeff loves going into the charity shops and gathering....placemats/coasters and slippers for the flagstone floors.

Today, as Blenheim Palace is only 20 minutes up the road, we thought we would go and using the public entrance from the village of Woodstock, do the Blenheim Palace 10km perimeter walk with Omey. The alternative is to pay £31 each for entry to the big house, walled gardens etc but could not take the dog of course. Smarty pants as it sounds we have seen numerous big houses over the years but always love the big parklands attached, in this case 2,000 acres owned by Duke of Marlborough whose Blenheim Palace is the family estate since 1705. Includes magnificent old trees : oaks, limes and beech.

This was erected on the death of the 1st Duke Marlborough would was gifted the property by the then Queen Anne for commanding the Battle of Blenheim.

Ironically the palace had quite a lots of scaffolding on it for the constant maitenance required on these 300 year old piles.

June 11th - 12th Altstatten

Rhine valley of Switzerland

Was a long grind up the hill

Our last day cycling in Switzerland. Another glacial day, only had 45km to do so cracked along to keep warm. Both struggled a bit with the climbing as the legs were tired from the previous day(s) and were taking their time to warm up it was so cold. We got to Altstatten by early afternoon, in time for another bowl of soup.

Broke the hire cycles down, taking off our seats and replacing with the hire companies ones. Cleaned them as best we could with a buckets and rags from the kitchen staff at the hotel.  They will be collected the next day by the agent. Did a dry run to the railway station as we found out there were two railway stations in Altstatten. We had booked for a train directly to Zurich airport and did not want to get it wrong at 8am. Actually had to get a bus to the railway station as walking in the wet with packs would not have been a  joyful start to the day.. Had a look around the medieval township known for its painted murals on buildings.  

Out of our hotel window, another town clock to ensure we could hear the chimes all night.....We have struggled with the bedding in Switzerland. Enormous feather filled duvets, usually singles, it is so hot we end up pulling out the inners and trying to sleep under the shells, not ideal.

Jeff had tracked down a 4 times removed cousin who lived nearby. Jeffs mother's name was Bruschweiler, her grandfather came out from Switzerland. The folks collected us from our hotel at 6pm and we had a nice evening with them. The son in law is Spanish, called Albert, and real character. 

Heinz and cousin Kathrin. They are off for their summer holiday towing a caravan to northern Germany a day or so later.

Today, Friday 12th, we flew from Zurich airport arriving in Heathrow to then collect our hire car and drive to Oxford arriving around 5.30pm. Staying at the "Bear and Ragged Staff" in a village called Cumnor; 15mins from Oxford. Lively English pub meal and an early night. Tomorrow we meet the folks we are housesitting for at Witney and their black labrador Omey. We will be there for two weeks. Nice to be in one place, disgorge the backpacks and potter about walking the dog. And so the next adventure begins.

June 7th - 10th Zug to Heirsau

     

On our way to Zug at about 50km we stopped at a small town called Eschenbach for lunch at a cafe we had checked would be open on a Sunday. We met up with Philipp and Esther Arnold who live nearby. They come out to NZ for our summer to escape their winter. Jeff met Philipp at the Nelsons Men's Shed last summer and said "we will meet for lunch" as we cycle past.

Was good fun and great for Jeff to talk to someone other than me !🤣.

Philipp even wore his NZ T shirt.

They will come to NZ again this summer and Jeff promised the a ride in the MGB as they have a MG Midget.

We carried on the remaining 25km to Zug. The town is beside a lake so lots of folks enjoying the sunny day. Zug is famous for having the lowest personal tax in Switzerland - 22%, no capital gains tax and corporate tax only 12%. Hence a hub for the wealthiest individuals in the world. Lots of Ferrari, Lambos etc driving around. Hotel great and staff spectacular as the next morning a tyre puncture could not be repaired due to the hire company providing the wrong sized tube!! A taxi wanted to charge CHF75 (NZD180) outrageous to take Jeff to the closest open bike shop. Hotel owner drove Jeff to a repair shop, the only one open. Switzerland is closed Sunday, Mondays. 

Every chaps dream car.
 

A long pull away from Zug on our way to Rapperswill after the delay of the dud cycle tube. First really warm and sunny day and we ran out of water for the planned 90km. Jeff called into a farmhouse and filled up. Passed through more cows, verdant pasture and even housed pig farms. They were happy for the shade.

You pass stacks of wood drying/ stored everywhere. An artform. This is one of the natural tracks we seem to be frequently on, Switzerlands version of a B road.

This is the Benedictine Einsiedeln 10th century Abbey we passed. Quite spectacular.

Rapperswil will be remembered by us for the Hotel Lo! which had a super room, good beer and a wonderful Asian restaurant. Staff were from Kosovo and Greece. 

    

Next day for the cycle to Lichtensteig was back to cold and wet. In fact rained all day on the 60km so not too many photos taken, just head down. Poor Jeff could barely see out of his glasses. We were pretty cold on arrival and not too much space in our room in Lichtensteig for wet muddy shoes, jackets and our small backpacks. Did find a garage overhang to have our lunch on the way though thankfully.

There are several ski jumps dotted about the countryside.

Our hotel in Lichtensteig. Has a bakery/ cafe. Cake presentation is beautiful, similar to the French bakeries.

Went for a short wander around the medieval town founded arounded 1200. Did not dilly dally as just far too cold. Am sure in summer (July & August we are told) it is lovely.

Yes it us true some residents wear funny hats and shorts in 11C.

Other than the huge stacks of timber to be burnt for heating at all the houses we have cycled past, Switzerland electricity is supplied by Nuclear power 40% as a baseload and Hydropower 55%, solar/wind 5%. They also trade any surplus generation with other European countries.  They are a 'zero waste" country; it is either recycled/ composted or incinerated to generate electricity supposedly 50/50.  But some non recycelables actually go into a hole in the ground.

The other thing we note cycling through the countryside; other than woodstacks, cows, etc. is the large wooden crosses with JC hanging off them. Just about every small enclave has one into and out of, plus other random JC crosses along the road. We seldom find an open cafe, or one at all in all these little places but there is usually a church and or crosses.

Catholics and Christians dominate and in fact the local cantons/ councils levy a church tax. This is in addition to Federal and Canton tax, pIus wealth tax and VAT so a steep "cost of living" is not unique to NZ.

Some of the photos from cycling to Herisau. A bit murcky but gives an idea of the small enclaves and homesteads dotted on the hillsides.

We got to Herisau by 12.30pm as heavy rain was forecast for 2pm. Lunch was a bowl of leek soup in our hotel restaurant. Gratefully they also agreed to do our wet, muddy laundry.  Such a simple thing that brings such relief.

 Classic old bridge we cycled over.

We are cycling Herzroute 99. We have seen quite a few viaducts like this.