UK Trip

 I am just back from a trip to the UK, visiting family and friends.  I arrived into Birmingham Airport and was through immigration in less than 10 minutes. (I love Birmingham Airport - always quick to get through Immigration, and a 2 minute walk to the hire car - If I went through Heathrow it would have taken at least 2 1/2 hours)

I headed down to Plymouth to stay with Mum and catch up with family.   Sunday afternoon was family catch up time where I got to meet my brothers youngest grand-daughter Dolly.   She is so cute!

4 generations of the Plymouth family were there. Mum, me and my brother Colin, Colin's children Mark and Lisa with their spouses and their children (Mum's great grand-children)  Here are Mum, Colin and the great-grandkids (l - r) Arthur, Dolly, Scarlet and Sienna)

And Mark with his wife Keeley, and Dolly and Sienna, and Lisa with her husband Rich, and Arthur and Scarlet

One day I took Mum for a drive across Dartmoor National Park to the market town of Tavistock.  Dartmoor is renowned for its wonderful views, it's wild ponies and it's maximum security prison!

Tavistock is a lovely old town with beautiful riverside walks and a market which has been in existence since 1105. St Eustachius Church has been on this site since the 1100's with parts added in the 14 and 1500's  and a major restoration in the 1800's

My next destination was South-West Scotland, to visit my good friends Geoff and Sheila and their Scottish Terrier Lintie.  

Geoff and Sheila live in Kirkudbright, a lovely town on the coast of Dumfries and Galloway. Kirkudbright has a number of churches, including St. Cuthberts, and also MacLellan's Castle.   Outside the information centre is a large wicker horse.

One morning we took a walk into the forest behind the town looking for the local Red Squirrels.  Once prolific throughout the UK, these little beauties are now limited to a few pockets in Scotland and the far north of England having been displaced by the larger, introduced, Grey Squirrel.

After a few days, I was off again, this time heading East to Teeside in the North-Est of England to catch up with my cousin Felicity and her husband Ken, and their standard poodle Amy

One day we headed out to Richmond in North Yorkshire for a walk and lunch.  The walk took in the countryside along the River Swale and Easby Abbey before returning to the town

Last destination was Northampton, the home of my daughter Ileana and her husband Mark, and my grand-children Maggie, Alex and Eliza.   It was lovely spending time with them enjoying the local park, the playground, the ducks and, of course, Ice cream!

Finally, it was back to Birmingham Airport for the flight home.