Day 8 Traveling to Northern England

Here I am in Haltwhistle, near Hadrians' Wall in northern England. I'm in an old manor house that has been made into a really nice B&B, and it's cheap, only 36 pounds, because it's so far out.

I took the train from London north as far as York, where I got off to tour the town. It's supposed to be the next best tourist town after London, and it is.

It's very compact, so you can walk to everything, and it has a quaint old medieval center called the Shambles.

First I got on a double-decker red bus tourist bus, which drives all around the town, giving a commentary. That's a cool way to get oriented because you are up high enough to see everything.

Then I walked over to York Minster (great cathedral) and wandered around there for awhile. It's English Perpendicular Gothic style, and very high inside.

I climbed some red brick steps up onto the old city walls and walked along the top for awhile, keeping close track of my time, as this was just a stop en route for the day.

Then it was time to hike back to the train station. That all took 3 hours, and I was hoofing it!

Back on the train to Newcastle, the furthest NE town in England.

I walked a few blocks in the misty rain to pick up my EuropeCar Rental. I was worried about driving stick shift on the wrong side of the road in 5:00 city traffic, but I did fine. After I got out in the country, I pulled over into the lay-by and hooked up the GPS. It was very comforting when the GPS I brought from America recognized the street address in the village of Haltwhistle!

I love the northern English countrside! It's more wide open, but still green and rolling. The occasional manor houses dot the hillsides and there are lots of sheep and a few horses.

The manor house above is my B&B. I hope I can come back here someday. Haltwhistle claims to be the center of England, and the tiny village is so quaint and lost in time. Tomorrow I want to walk along Hadrian's Wall.