Last weekend, during the start of this blasted heat wave, we explored Wells and Glastonbury. Yes, it was sweaty and exhausting, but the glorious sun certainly made for great photos. (click the pics to enlarge!)
We settled into our Dulcote B&B Thursday night, and the next morning we took the bus to Glastonbury. Seeing as I’ve been obsessed with Arthurian legends for decades, it was high time to visit this storied area.
First on the agenda was Glastonbury Tor. Quite a steep climb up, but the views from the top were glorious.
Next was Glastonbury Abbey. The ruins, situated amidst 36 beautifully maintained acres, were glorious for wandering.
I got to hold a bird of prey! The lovely lady on my arm is Breeze, a barn owl. She was born in captivity, but her patience with visitors earns funds for Raptor Rescue. After parting with Breeze, we visited the lily pond (full of ginormous carp), learned about badger setts, and gaped at the ruined walls and arches of the abbey.
We spent quite a bit of time in Wells, which was only a 20 minute walk across a pasture from Dulcote. For a cathedral city, it’s rather small and cozy (in fact, it’s the smallest cathedral city in England), and by the end of our stay Steve and I were both quite smitten. (And as you may already know, Wells made a perfect location for the suspiciously perfect town of Sandford in Hot Fuzz. Hee!)
The cathedral is breathtaking! We went to a performance of Gregorian chants (a sung mass, actually) on Friday night, and for Saturday night Evensong we got to hear the choir of St. Mark’s School in Dallas, TX. Small world, eh?
This weekend is Cheltenham and then . . . special visitors! More on that later.
