This year we spent our Christmas holidays in the UK with Luke's family and friends. It was 10 days of fun, festivities, food and - of course - we explored a few new places!
At the top of Cheddar Gorge
We arrived in the UK on the 23rd (Tibb's Eve to Newfoundlanders) and headed straight out to the West Country. The first couple of days of our trip were very relaxed, despite an elaborate Pokemon adventure that we were involved in planning and carrying out on the 24th.
Christmas morning started off like any other with a glass of Buck's Fizz and present-opening, well, for everyone except for Luke. Due to an online Secret Santa mishap, unfortunately no one got Luke for Secret Santa. He is planning to get over this fact sometime in the new year... Later on Christmas afternoon, more family members came over for a feast masterminded by Luke's mum. Unfortunately/fortunately it ended up being an early night on account of the Turkey Tireds.
For the first few days of our trip, we were also very happy to be able to spend time with Luke's nephew, Thomas. The last time we saw him was our trip to the UK in October 2015 and he has certainly grown a lot since then, even getting some steps in here and there!
For the first few days of our trip, we were also very happy to be able to spend time with Luke's nephew, Thomas. The last time we saw him was our trip to the UK in October 2015 and he has certainly grown a lot since then, even getting some steps in here and there!
The next couple of days involved lots more family time: food, games, walks around the neighbourhood to explore places Elizabeth had somehow never been, and a couple of trips to the pub where we hung out with their resident pub cat. All in all, a very successful Christmas season.
On Wednesday, the 28th, we were ready for some UK tourism so we hopped in the car and headed to the town of Cheddar with Luke's mum. Cheddar likely sounds familiar due to the delicious cheese created using a unique method of production developed in this village. Cheddar is located in a gorge and the caves in the gorge were used to mature the cheese, something that continues today in small quantities.
Gough's Cave was the first place we visited in Cheddar. Normally, this is a huge tourist attraction but as it was during the Christmas season we had the place almost to ourselves. We wandered through the caves, with an audio guide to talk us through the geological formations and how the cave was discovered.
The initial part of the cave was accesible for quite a long time as human remains dating to 7150 BC were found there. In the 19th centruy, however, Richard Gough excavated much deeper into the cave and discovered extensive geological formations. The general public can visit the first 820 m of the cave, while the rest of the 3.4 km is flooded and only open to cave diving.
On Wednesday, the 28th, we were ready for some UK tourism so we hopped in the car and headed to the town of Cheddar with Luke's mum. Cheddar likely sounds familiar due to the delicious cheese created using a unique method of production developed in this village. Cheddar is located in a gorge and the caves in the gorge were used to mature the cheese, something that continues today in small quantities.
Gough's Cave was the first place we visited in Cheddar. Normally, this is a huge tourist attraction but as it was during the Christmas season we had the place almost to ourselves. We wandered through the caves, with an audio guide to talk us through the geological formations and how the cave was discovered.
The initial part of the cave was accesible for quite a long time as human remains dating to 7150 BC were found there. In the 19th centruy, however, Richard Gough excavated much deeper into the cave and discovered extensive geological formations. The general public can visit the first 820 m of the cave, while the rest of the 3.4 km is flooded and only open to cave diving.
This is looking down into a small part of the cave. The scale of this photo is slightly misleading, but the photo is lovely.
Pasties and a tuna melt were our food of choice at lunch after popping into a small prehistoric museum. Once we were re-enegerized, we wandered further into the community and tackled the 274 steps of Jacob's Ladder up to the top of Cheddar Gorge. At the top, we climbed a little bit further up the steps of a water tower structure where we were treated to some fabulous views.
After all those steps - which was a remarkable accomplishment for people who had barely walked at all over Christmas - we decided taste some authentic Cheddar cheese for ourselves at The Cheddar Gorge Cheese Company. They had a number of different cheeses which could be sampled and we ended up buying some Oak Smoked Cheddar as well as Cave Matured Cheddar. Lucky for us, it was nearing the end of the work day so we also had an opportunity to see how the cheese is made! We walked through the back of the shop and watched one of the cheesemakers work his magic on some cheese curds.
On our way back to Bath we stopped into the city of Wells, the smallest city in England (other than the City of London). What makes this community of 10,500 people a city is the fact that is has a Cathedral, so naturally that's where we headed. The Cathedral was built between 1175 and 1490 and is incredible. We showed up just as the sun was getting lower in the sky, flooding the Cathedral with orange light.
On our way back to Bath we stopped into the city of Wells, the smallest city in England (other than the City of London). What makes this community of 10,500 people a city is the fact that is has a Cathedral, so naturally that's where we headed. The Cathedral was built between 1175 and 1490 and is incredible. We showed up just as the sun was getting lower in the sky, flooding the Cathedral with orange light.
We wandered around the insides of the cathedral, admiring the architecture, and followed up by visiting the gardens of the Bishop's Palace next door where Elizabeth saw her very first moat! We then finished off the day with some drinks back in Bath with Luke's friends from school.
While we thoroughly enjoyed the relaxation during the first part of our vacation, we were happy to take the opportunity to see more of the UK. Up next: Two days in London and New Year's Eve in Bath... then back to London again for New Year's Day.
Here are some more photos from the first half of our 2016 Christmas in the UK:
While we thoroughly enjoyed the relaxation during the first part of our vacation, we were happy to take the opportunity to see more of the UK. Up next: Two days in London and New Year's Eve in Bath... then back to London again for New Year's Day.
Here are some more photos from the first half of our 2016 Christmas in the UK:
(SLIDESHOW)
If you want to read about some of our previous Christmases (in the UK and Newfoundland), they're all here:
A Week in Bath, UK - UK Christmas 2013
Bristol Monday - UK Christmas 2014
Board Games Weekend - Newfoundland Christmas 2015
A Week in Bath, UK - UK Christmas 2013
Bristol Monday - UK Christmas 2014
Board Games Weekend - Newfoundland Christmas 2015
