Durlston

After lunch on Saturday, Paige's mum drove us to Durlston Country Park. The castle there wasn't much to look at–it's a Victorian House with a shop, a café, and exhibits inside–but from the top you can look out at the sea. There was a wedding going on at the top.

The house is where the paths begin. One led us to a giant stone globe, and on the wall behind it were quotes by famous people. Since the Park has a strong emphasis on evolution, I was happily surprised to find a panel with Psalms about Creation.

The path continued along the edge of the hill. On our left, the sea stretched on farther than we could see, a radiating blue near us but turning whiter and whiter until it blended with the clouds.

The white rocks in the distance are called Old Harry and His Wife

The caves at Durlston were once a hideout for smugglers. Until about thirty years ago you could clamber around in them. Now they're closed off from the public.

 

 

 

 

We kept on walking until we got to the hill with the lighthouse. It was a bit of a hike up but totally worth it. For a quarter of an hour we lay down in the grass, without even worrying about being covered in tick bites, because this is England! The sun was warm, and the sea washed in and out, in and out, breaking like an untamed thing against the rocks and sloshing against itself.

"We could be anywhere right now," Paige said, and I agreed although I was quite satisfied being in England.

They say sea air helps you sleep well, and it must–we zonked out at night after take-away fish (fresh-caught by a fishing boat called Rammi) and chips and some Britain's Got Talent back at the caravan.

 

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I Can See Corfe Castle

Every family has unique traditions. Paige and her family, on their road trips down to their summer holiday site, race to say, "I can see Corfe Castle, and Corfe Castle can see me!"

Corfe Castle was built and owned by a lot of important figures: King Alfred who burnt the cakes, William the Conqueror, Kings Henry the I, VII, and VIII, King Edward, and King John. It served as a prison and once housed the royal jewels. Now it's owned by the National Trust, which means a pricey entry fee, which Paige's mum kindly paid.

Across the Severn

Paige invited me home to England for the weekend. From the student village we took two FirstCymru buses and a Greyhound Coach to Cardiff Central station, where we caught a purple and pink Great Western train. How story-like is that?

 

Crops–the bright yellow plants will be harvested and made into rapeseed oil.

 

Our ears popped in the tunnel that runs beneath the Severn River, which creates the Wales-England border. We had a forty-minute delay at Bristol because further down the line someone had thrown a bicycle at a train. Other than that, the journey was comfortable. We had a bacon sandwich at Paige's grandparents' house for late lunch, then hopped into the car with Paige's mum, who would chauffer us around southern England for the next three days.

 

The first day it was wet and drizzly, and in the late evening heavy mist whited out the valley views. Still, the hedges, grass, and trees were lovely and green.

 

 

The second day God answered my prayer for good weather. After breakfast the rainclouds ran away, and the sun came out to beamed down on Devon!

 

Litter along the road; horses and lambs grazing in the sunshine

 

View from Corfe Castle

 

 

Cow Crossing

 

English countryside is beautiful.

 

 

 

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St Michael's Mount

Monday's road trip took us to Cornwall to see St Michael's Mount. The castle was built at the same time as its sister city in France, Mt St-Michel, during the Norman Conquest. It sits atop a hill in the middle of Cornwall Bay, connected to the coast by a causeway during low-tide and little boats when the tide comes in.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Pemberley

Joy, Leanne, and I piled into "Betsie" for a road trip at 7:20 Saturday morning. We were headed for Lyme Park, in Chestershire to see the iconic Pemberley from the Colin Firth Pride and Prejudice.

Our route took us through green, rain-drizzled English countryside.