2012 Swindon to Hungerford

Monday, 24 September 2012 19:20 | Written by Nigel Hillen

We leave a trail of silliness across the south of England

Janet and Joke pose in front of the gates of the walled garden at Lydiard House

These two have known each other for more than 36 years .... what can there possibly be left to talk about?

Oddly none of us felt like swinging through the trees.

Lydiard Hyse in the background, and a couple of posers in the sunshine.

OK, it's nice to be able to be in the photographs for a change, but you wouldn't believe how much swearing and running about is involved .... to be fair though, the swearing is optional.

What an idyllic scene

I'd have chucked the life-belt in, but there was a distinct lack of swimmers in distress.

Sorry about the gloomy expression .... I was tired and shagged out after all that running about.

Joke and Janet tweak their lifestyle.

Bugger, I'll never get them out of there now.

So then we rush off to Bath to pose by the weir.... as you do.

We all suck in our guts and stick out our chests ... sad really!

...could be worse, I suppose.

Elderly we may be ... miserable we are not!

Scenic but very challenging .... given the distance involved, there was more running around and swearing than usual.

Ah - it had to happen - the girls feel the need for a little retail therapy.

Jewellery - what a rush!

Says it all really.

Bath is a regency theme park ... what a blast!

John Arthur Roebuck Rudge .... the name on everybody's lips.

Exactly.

Ah, Beau Nash ... the ultimate poser.

Moving swiftly along, we arrive in Castle Combe.

Quaint isn't it? And that is positively the first and last time that I am going to use the 'Q' word today.

Pretty as a picture. But where are the people? Indeed, do people actually live here? Perhaps the whole place has been bought up by a bunch of immoral investment bankers (as opposed to moral ones? Don't make me laugh).

Looks nice, but Britain's new climate often involves a month's worth of rain in 24 hours, so you might want to reconsider buying one of these picturesque properties. Just a suggestion.

Janet waits patiently to buy a stamp.

More running about and swearing ... perhaps I should just get people to stand closer to the camera.

Janet and Joke have a good nose round .... of course they ARE women, so it sort of goes with the territory. Dunnit?

I think that this owner might just be the defensive type ... that door is positively intimidating. Still, I think that he is making progress - he had the moat filled in and the drawbridge removed.

I could aspire to a place like this.

Gawd - they've been nosing around again .... there should be a law against it.

You've got to love this place - everyone is so honest you could scream!

Nice church ... looks as old as the hills.

Blimey ... another medieval traffic hazard. It's not just Malmesbury then?

Go on, admit it, this place is totally cool - it's enough to make you spontaneously religious.

Not bad for a small church in a backwater village.

One glimpse of the nave and I came over all episcopal.

I wonder if this crusader dude was one of the parishioners?

Fine sentiments ... but all things considered, I think that I prefer Huang Po.

The Dead Centre of Castle Combe ... may explain why there are so few people in the village, they are all here.

Two more tourists show up ..... mind you, the place is hardly jumping is it?

We repair to the local hostelry for an afternoon tea ... although, as we are all figure conscious - we passed on the scones, home-made strawberry jam, and clotted cream.