As the images below illustrate, I’ve been visited by the divine Valerie over the weekend, and a most diverting time was had by all.

Airport pickup and shopping led to food prep and a high tea – cucumber sandwiches on homemade bread, likewise homemade Victoria sponge cake, salads, cheeses, and … well, let’s be honest, beer. There is only so far I am willing to go with regard to tradition when a good opportunity for well-kept ale presents itself. A trip down the Waggon & Horses led us to discover Moondance which must have been tapped that afternoon – excellent, fresh, light stuff, with no apparent hangover amongst any of the three drinkers, the next morning.

Note to self: the local brewery that we were trying to remember whilst in the pub was Cheriton who produce one called “Beltane”.

Sunday was breakfast – more tea, and bacon&egg sandwiches (English bacon being unusual-but-good to American tastes) – and then boot Dave out and set off in search of old famous rocks.

ie: a long day’s worth of sightseeing and hiking

First stop was White Horse Hill and Uffington Castle, the latter leading immediately to a 4mi hike along the Ridgeway to and from Wayland’s Smithy. It’s a lovely walk, providing opportunity for introductions to a variety of British native plant and insect species, explanations of the term bobble-hat mafia as well as the basic concepts of scrumping which became necessary as the day wore on.

Thence to both Avebury and Stonehenge – the latter I still find to be rather sanitised compared to the other stone circles which I know. Hopefully that will improve, sometime soon.

The return route took us to Silchester including a 2mi walk around the walls, local churchyard and amphitheatre; if you’ve ever pretended you were a Roman gladiator, that’s definitely the place for you to go.

The “town” itself is a nest of tents as a university archaeological dig takes place – everyone’s everso “Time Team” – and a elderly local chap we met said that there will be archaeological open-days in the next few weeks; this is borne-out by information on the website [www.silchester.rdg.ac.uk] so that may provide another day out in the near future.

Home rather late, a feast of grilled food, beer, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers on DVD. More beer. Limoncello on ice.

To summarise: An “exxcellent” weekend.

I have now replaced the Bubb with a Moffat; I really should get Workplace Resources to assign a mailstop for my spare room.