Here and There

Scott and Jackie's Travels – Thousand Trails Reviews, Campground Reviews, Fulltime RVing, European Travel

Tag: nature

2022 – Northern Wales

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Our bus tour to north Wales was amazing. We enjoyed the towns, good food, and beautiful scenery. Honestly, it was hard to believe we were less than a two-hour drive from Manchester.

Llandudno is a seaside town that is especially popular with beach goers in the summertime. There’s a long pier with a Ferris wheel and all the things you would expect of a summer destination. We walked around a bit, stopped off for a nice snack, and took photos. It was a bit windy and our bus driver, Frank, remarked that that was an indication that it was going to be very windy at our next stop. He wasn’t kidding.

From town we drove up a steep series of twists and turns to the top of Y Gogarth Great Orme Country Park. In addition to the road up, there’s also a cable car that makes the steep ascent. The views out across the Irish Sea are great. On a clear day, we were told, you can see the Isle of Mann off in the distance. And, yes, it was a tad windy. My guess would be 50 mph. I say that because it was a challenge to walk! There’s no telling what the wind chill was, but after making the final climb while fighting for balance, we took some photos and joined everyone else in retreating back to the bus. It was all quite invigorating to say the least!

We now headed inland and onto highway A5 – the route into Snowdonia National Park. The highway passes through tunnels and some climbs up into the park. Our driver took us off the highway to a one lane road on the opposite side of the valley from the highway where we enjoyed some stunning views. It would be hard to imagine a more beautiful setting. From there it was on up to the nearby Ogwen Partnership Centre and a beautiful waterfall.

Our next stop was the village of Betws-y-Coed – a town with the nickname “Capitol of Snowdonia National Park.” We looked around a bit and then found a place for coffee before boarding our van for the next stop.

I’ve never seen anything like the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct. To understand it, you have to know that England has a vast network of canals. These canals were originally used for transporting goods on long, narrow barges pulled by horses on a tow path. There are many hand-operated locks that allow navigation up and down the terrain. In 1795 the decision was made to link two canal systems that were divided by a deep river gorge. That was accomplished by building an amazing aqueduct across the gorge. This is no small bridge. It is 126 feet high and over 3 football fields long and took 10 years to complete. The tow path is now a walking trail and long boats, now very popular for recreation, can still use the Aqueduct to cross the gorge.

The weather was no longer windy, but it had been raining off and on throughout the day. It was raining when I started across the aqueduct, but suddenly the sun broke out in the west. As the light rain continued, but most beautiful rainbow I’ve ever seen formed to the east. It was a complete, bright rainbow – the perfect conclusion to a wonderful day!

Everyone had told us that northern Wales is a special place, and we agree. I recommend the Busy Bus tour, but honestly, they can only offer a too-brief taste of this beautiful area.

2022 – Exploring the Lake District, UK

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We had a terrific day touring the Lake District National Park, just northeast of Manchester. The National Park has beautiful scenery and picturesque villages. There are Herdwick sheep everywhere, lots of restaurants and shops, and narrow, twisting roads to explore.

We took a Busybus tour in a 15 passenger van and enjoyed the commentary of Shelly, our driver and tour guide. The tour took us to some of the famous places in the Lake District but also took us off the beaten path to places the bigger buses can’t go and places that the average tourist might not find.

One interesting stop was at the Castlerigg stone circle. This site is just as old as Stonehenge (around 5000 years old) but has smaller stones. That is more than offset by its location – natural beauty surrounds it.

We had lunch in the village of Grasmere. It was fun trying out a small café and then we topped our lunch off with a visit to Sarah Nelson’s gingerbread store. People line up to buy this unique treat which is a cross between cake and cookie; buttery with ginger. It is quite tasty and we bought enough to bring home for later on. Grasmere was the home of famous poet William Wordsworth. He called it “the loveliest spot that man hath ever found.” We saw where he is buried, in the church cemetery just near a pretty mountain stream.

From there we headed up into the mountains for what was my favorite part of the trip. The roads are one lane, twisting, climbing pathways with ancient rock fences crowding in on either side. When we met oncoming vehicles someone had to back up to a wider spot to let the other vehicle squeeze by. I was glad that someone else was doing the driving so I could focus on the scenery.

At one point we opted to get out and take a bit of a hike around Blea Tarn (“tarn” means “pool”). The scenery was amazing, especially the view out across Little Langdale Valley. It really is a special place.

Our last stop was at Lake Windermere. With the mountains surrounding it, the lake is well worth a visit. There is a cruise boat there that would be fun. Jackie opted for some ice cream and some quiet time just enjoying the view.

We were pretty much worn out from all the exploring and didn’t mind the hour and a half of quiet during the ride back to Manchester.

As you can tell, we had a wonderful time in the Lake District and we recommend it to anyone visiting this part of the UK.

2021 – Old River Road RV Resort – Kerrville, TX

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Our big travel plans for our 2021 Adventure had to be set aside, so we decided to at least head for the Texas Hill Country to get away from the humidity of the Texas Gulf coast. One result of that was our spending a month at Old River Road RV Resort in Kerrville. This is a large, newer park a few miles outside of Kerrville. The primary feature of the park is that the Guadalupe River borders the property. The clear, flowing river is a playground for tubing and fishing. I enjoyed many quiet walks on the bank of the river. Just adjacent to the campground portion of the river is a swimming spot that is popular with the locals. Golf cart rentals are popular here, mostly, I think, because of the steep hill going down to the river. I know that walking up and down it added considerably to my morning workout!

The campground has a large section of permanent RV’s. There are also rental cabins that get considerable use. We were given a spot more or less off to ourselves. We didn’t mind that a bit. There are different levels of campsites. The most expensive are wide and paved, generally with a view of the river down below. The other sites are rock but plenty long enough for any RV. Most are pull-through. The section we were in had a slight slope down toward the River. This wouldn’t be as noticeable with a smaller motorhome or travel trailer. It was more obvious in our longer rig and we ended up with the front tires up in the air about eight inches. I put leveling blocks under the tires and brought out an extra step that was still not quite tall enough. It wasn’t a real big deal, but in the future I think we’d lobby for a spot in an area that didn’t have the slope.

If playing in the River doesn’t sound good, there are two pools, one inside. We liked the inside one because it has a heated spa attached to it. It was a relaxing and refreshing place. The outside pool also has a kid’s water park. There are also a couple of nice playgrounds for the children and two doggie parks for the pets.

The campground has a small store and also a larger Activity center that has game and workout rooms. There are also two laundries.

Since our stay was during the summer it was hot and our two air conditioners ran a lot. There are young trees, but they aren’t big enough to offer any significant shade.

We enjoyed sitting out at night after things had cooled down. The sky was filled with stars – we could even see the Milky Way many nights. We counted satellites gliding over and saw a few meteors.

Campground WiFi was pretty good, although we felt our Jetpack was a bit faster. With the lack of trees I had no big issues getting satellite.

The Hill Country is a beautiful and interesting area. We visited the Coming King Sculpture Garden, nearby Fredericksburg, Stonehenge II, and did a longer drive into the bigger “hills” (I think they would be called “mountains” in some parts of the country) to the west of the area. We really liked the old fashioned burgers at Classics Burgers. Also, the fried catfish at Lakehouse restaurant was very good. We’ve enjoyed this area for years and this stay was a good one.

2021 – Colorado River Thousand Trails, Columbus, TX

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Our two week stay at Colorado River Thousand Trails in Columbus, Texas was a good one in spite of the Texas summer heat and our being a bit under the weather the first part of our stay. Colorado River being fairly close to Lake Conroe Thousand Trails is often thought of as the “quiet one.” The location is rural, there are fewer campsites and amenities. The pace feels slower.

However, this campground is changing. Several sites have been upgraded to include 50 amps and work has just begun to add 100 new pull through sites. As I understand it the new sites will all be oversized in length and, unlike the Lake Conroe pullthroughs the new Colorado sites won’t be “back to back.” We saw the equipment brought in and some of the early dirt work on the new section which will be just beyond the pool on the east side of the main campground road. (January 2022 update: the new sites are open – there’s a $10 a night upcharge for them – the pricing for the rest of the campground is unchanged.)

This campground is also compared to Medina Lake Thousand Trails because of the deer population. The big difference is that deer feeding is allowed at Medina but not allowed here. There are plenty of deer around, but unlike at Medina they don’t approach people.

We watched the deer, rabbits, and a neighborhood armadillo. We also had, apparently, a pocket gopher pushing up mounds of dirt in our front yard. It was kind of funny to walk out onto our rug and find a new huge mound of dirt under it like a mini-volcano had erupted over night.

Aside from the new sites going in the campground is divided up into two sections. The “A section” is comprised of three circles of campsites. The sites on the outside of the circles are more spacious that those on the inside of the circles. Many of these sites are occupied by annuals. “C and D sections” are closer to the river (although I wouldn’t consider the river to be much of an attraction). Again, there are several annual sites, but also a variety of sites, ranging from 30 amp, no sewer sites to recently upgraded 50 amp full hookup sites. I’m not sure the campground map reflects the upgrades so you might be wise to ask about that during check in.

The campground has a cozy, but older activity center, a small pool, a small laundry, and an indoor hot tub. Kids might enjoy the mini golf, although it was rather weedy and just plain hot during our July stay.

Our Verizon was excellent and we had no problem getting a satellite signal. Columbus is nearby with lots of fast food, a couple of grocery stores, and a soft serve ice cream place with tasty chocolate cones. If you want a bigger Walmart, there is a new one just up the road in LaGrange.

Colorado River Thousand Trails is an easy stop just off of I10 and we recommend it for a pleasant, low-key stay.

2020 – Sightseeing Turner Falls, OK

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Interstate 35 between Oklahoma City and Dallas is a busy highway with non-stop traffic 24 hours a day.  One interesting feature along the way is the short pull up and down the Arbuckle Mountains.  It is at the top of that stretch of highway that Turner Falls is located.  In the summertime this is a prime swimming location.  There are deeper pools plus lots of neat wading areas.  People swim right up to the falls.  For us, on an early November day, it was all about the scenery.  Turner Falls is a beautiful place.  The touch of fall colors made the view even better.

We arrived on a Monday afternoon and, while there were others there, the place was nicely uncrowded.  We took our time, taking lots of photos and enjoying the scenery.  Turner Falls is easily accessible from I35; literally just a few minutes off the busy interstate.  The cost of admission was reasonably low for senior adults paying the “winter rate.”  During the summer the cost would be considerably higher for a family.  The property has several campgrounds.  I think we could get the motorhome into some of the spots okay although the hill up to the campground was fairly steep.  There is no RV parking for people just wanting to do a day visit.

A couple of tips.  First, we were there on a beautiful fall afternoon.  With the sun lower in the western sky we found ourselves looking right into the sun to look at the falls and some of the other scenic spots.  I was challenged to get good photos because all the ones I wanted to take were into the sun.  It is still well worth the visit but I’m thinking the view would have been really good with the sun over my shoulder rather than into my face.  Second, if you want a nice overview of the falls without paying the price of admission, check out the zip line place on Highway 77.   The view from there is really good.

Turner Falls is a well known Oklahoma landmark and well worth a visit.

2019 – Sightseeing Western Indiana – Eastern Illinois

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I was really looking forward to visiting with my brother Jim and sis-in-law Phyllis during our stay in western Indiana, but we also got in a couple of fun sightseeing adventures – one in Illinois and the other in Indiana.

We went the Vermilion River Fall Festival in Danville, IL. There were many fall oriented handcrafted items along with a variety of food booths. I think this is the third time this year that we stumbled on to a great car show with many nice older cars and trucks. My favorite was a 1912 Ford car that looks like one in a picture I have of my Dad as a small child in 1914.

Our most enjoyable sightseeing excursion was a visit to Turkey Run State Park near Marshall, Indiana. We have both enjoyed hiking across the years and decided to visit this popular state park. We took a short hike down steps, across a suspension bridge over Sugar Creek and down to Rocky Hollow to see a small waterfall. The water has carved the rocks and it is fun to walk along the bottom of the gorge by the stream. We took a break there in that pretty spot and had a picnic lunch. From there we turned around and came back, because I couldn’t scramble up the first set of rock “steps” without help; and that was the easy part! We walked back to the suspension bridge and followed a different trail that took us through the woods on what I expected to be an easier trail to a covered bridge built in the early 1900’s and across the creek heading back to the nature center. We encountered many steps and scrambles going up hill and down. Some were man made and had rails but several were natural and more difficult for me. However we made it and I am glad we took day to enjoy the beauty of nature.

2019 – Sightseeing Along Lake Erie in N.E. Ohio

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Our stay in northeastern Ohio was a longer stay for us and that gave us plenty of time to explore the area.

We never get our fill of waterfalls so even though we hiked Watkins Glen and then visited Niagara Falls over the past few weeks, we took a day trip and visited a couple more waterfalls near Cleveland OH. Chagrin Falls, just south of Cleveland is located in the town of Chagrin. There are cute shops and restaurants around it. It is obviously a destination for people wanting to get out of the big city and although not overwhelming the falls are pretty and a nice place to eat lunch or just hang out. From there we drove through the country and arrived at the Brandywine Falls in beautiful Cayahoga Valley National Park. The falls have hiking and biking trails. We walked down a boardwalk for a great view of the falls. It is beautiful and well worth the effort to get down there and back. There is also an overlook for people who cannot or choose to not take the stairs.

On the Saturday before Labor Day We drove to Geneva-On-The-Lake and found it very busy due to a variety of events happening that day. We especially enjoyed a big Volkswagen car show in the city park which was filled with VWs and camper vans from across the years. Afterward, we enjoyed sitting on a bench and listening to the waves of Lake Erie for a while.

We went to Cleveland to visit the Historic William G. Matthew steam ship but found that it was only open on weekends after Labor Day. The ship is adjacent to the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame and since we were already there so we thought we would check it out. Honestly, since we aren’t fans of current popular music our expectations weren’t very high but there was more of interest to us than we expected. We spent most of our time in the sections of the museum that focus on the early days of rock and roll music. We heard lots of music and watched clips of singers from the 40’s, 50’s and 60’s. We saw photos, costumes and other memorabilia from many singers and groups. It was interesting seeing displays of groups like The Beach Boys, the Beatles, and the Temptations. Other singers included Elvis Presley, Roy Orbison, Aretha Franklin, Johnny Cash and many more. We were able to walk through the tour bus that was built for Johnny and June Cash and their son. Interesting and sobering to us was the way the music changed to darker, angry, themes as time passed.

There is a historically unique restaurant near our campground: Covered Bridge Pizza in North Kingsville. The dining area is inside a covered bridge. The bridge was originally the Foreman Road Bridge built in 1862. In 1972 the county decided to replace it and the old bridge was sold for five dollars! It was carefully dismantled and placed in storage. In 1975 half of the old bridge was used to open the restaurant we visited and in 1977 a second location was opened using the other half of the bridge. There are a variety of items on the menu but we were there for pizza. The crust is made fresh daily and the spicy sauce along with the meat and cheese made an excellent lunch.

On a clear sunny day we took a picnic and visited a few of the many parks along Lake Erie. It was fun seeing the various parks. One was small with few picnic tables and small playground. Another had a large covered area with tables and a concession with boardwalks down to the beach. Yet another had a covered area with tables and several porch type swings with the beach area adjacent to it. We had a pleasant lunch by carrying our lunch and chairs down close to the water. A nice quiet way to spend a few hours.

When we saw advertising about a balloon glow not far from our campground we decided to go. There were eight of the giant hot air balloons that were beautiful when lit up. There were a lot of people there enjoying the display. The business, Debonné, hosts a full scale hot air balloon festival in the spring, it must be amazing to see.

2019 – Sightseeing Niagara Falls and vicinity

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Niagara Gorge and Falls
We wanted to spend the week of our 50th Anniversary in a beautiful area with lots to see and do. We picked Niagara Falls and vicinity. Some of the attractions added a romantic flavor to the week while others were just interesting and fun.

Early in the week we focused on the Niagara Gorge – a stunning area below the Falls and out to Lake Ontario. The Robert Moses Niagara Power Project Visitors Center is an impressive place with great views of the Gorge and an interesting overview of the area. As we entered we were handed “swipe badges” that allow visitors to play a wide variety of interactive exhibits. Kids enjoy collecting stickers while learning about hydroelectric power and energy efficiency. I enjoyed the movie telling about the plant, how it works and interacts with surrounding power grids. I particularly enjoyed seeing Mr. Tesla come to life in a picture frame to explain AC vs DC electricity. One hall is dedicated to the Native American people of the era and their civilization. The best part of the visit was standing on the observation deck overlooking the Niagara Gorge, watching the water flow and the tour boats speed through the Niagara Gorge.

Nearby is Whirlpool State Park with a stunning view of the whirlpool in the Niagara River. It is mesmerizing to watch the water flow and spin. Up above people were riding the Gondola that takes people high above the giant whirlpool.

We enjoyed stopping off for an ice cream treat in Lewiston at the Silo Caboose. The soft serve chocolate ice cream was amazing! The only problem was it was a hot day and I had to eat it faster than I wanted.

Although we were here 7 years ago Niagara Falls was the highlight of this week and we saved visiting it for our 50th Wedding Anniversary! We drove in found a good parking spot and bought our tickets to visit the Observation Tower and then ride the Maid of the Mist! I enjoyed every minute of the ride with the spectacular falls above and then around us I was reminded what an Amazing God we serve who made things like this for our pleasure.

Historic Erie Canal locks
We really enjoyed our ride on the Erie Canal. Construction of the canal was started in 1817 and it opened in 1825. It carried commerce from New York Harbor to Lake Erie and transformed the region. Our ride on the Canal took us through Locks 34 and 35, the “Upside Down Bridge” and under a lift bridge used for normal street traffic. We could see traces of the old foot path that was used by the animals towing the barges as well as many historic buildings as we rode along. As we passed through the locks our Captain explained how the locks worked, allowing the water to raise and lower our boat as we moved along the canal. It was a fun ride that let me experience a little of the history I learned so long ago.

Old Fort Niagara
Just a short drive from us is Old Fort Niagara. This Fort has a history of over 300 years. It has been controlled by the French, English and the finally the Americans. It was critical in the French and Indian War, The American Revolution and the War of 1812. The visitor’s center provides historic information and artifacts including the original American flag of the War of 1812 (the twin of the Star Spangled Banner) which is kept in a climate controlled room. I enjoyed going into the buildings and talking with several re-enactors as well as seeing demonstrations of musket fire and military field demonstrations.

2019 – Sightseeing Watkins Glen, NY State Park

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When we last visited Watkins Glen, NY State Park we were blown away by its beauty. As we planned our trip through this area again a return visit was on our “must-do” list. We had a great day for this visit and it is just as beautiful as I remember. We opted to purchase tickets to take the park shuttle to the top of the trail, making the mile and a half hike through the gorge almost all downhill. We saw many people hiking up and were glad we were taking the route of least resistance! The trail is made up of stairs and winding pathways along the river with many waterfalls along the way. The bridges and safety walls are well kept but the pathway is narrow in some places. There are beautiful stone arch bridges and in a couple of places the trail takes you under waterfalls. We were able to find a wider spot where we could sit on the wall and enjoy a picnic lunch in as beautiful a setting as you’ve ever seen. The high rock walls and overhanging trees add to the beauty of it. We think this NY York State Park is a world class attraction and apparently many agree as we heard a wide variety of languages being spoken by our fellow hikers.

2019 – Sightseeing the Northern Neck of Virginia

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There’s a lot to see and do in and near the Northern Neck of Virginia and we’ve enjoyed visiting and revisiting several spots. I’ve already done sightseeing reviews of the George Washington Birthplace and the Museum of the Bible. I’m doing this post as a sort of wrap-up of the other places we visited. Some of these are big, well known places and others have more local flavor, like the nice beach in the town of Colonial Beach and the local Ice Cream stand.

It is amazing to realize that eight Presidents of the United States were born in Virginia and that of those eight, two: Washington and Monroe were born just a few miles apart near here. We visited both birthplaces. Then, the Confederate General, Robert E. Lee, who was first offered command of the Union Army by Abraham Lincoln was also born nearby.

Stratford Hall

Robert E. Lee’s birthplace is Stratford Hall. This was the home of his ancestors, two of them signers of the Declaration of Independence: Richard Henry Lee and Francis Lightfoot Lee. We enjoyed an audio tour as we walked through the two story mansion. The grounds are extensive with many outbuildings including an outdoor kitchen and smokehouse. We drove out to the Potomac overlook with its cliffs and beach below. The River is an impressive 5 miles wide at that point. We also drove to the grist mill and saw where the wharf for merchant ships that traveled the Potomac brought the wares of the world right to this majestic plantation.

Westmoreland Berry Farm

Another sightseeing trip we took was a short drive to Westmoreland Berry Farm. There were more people there than I expected on a Friday morning. The store has in-season produce. At the time of our June visit they had blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries. There are also a variety of jams and fruit salsas available along with BBQ sauces. We picked a small batch of blueberries to take home. Beside the store is a large lawn with a huge chair for photo ops, corn hole games, a swing set, and a long downhill slide using sacks. I think the main draw is the climbing goats who climb up a ladder, across the walkway over the road, and then pull a rope to get a cup of goat feed. There are also goats that people pet and hand feed. We had a fun time in the place with lots of local flavor.

Fredericksburg Battleground

In December of 1862 the Union Army attacked Fredericksburg, VA and crossed the river to meet Robert E. Lee’s troops who were holding Marie’s Height with its high ground and sunken road with a rock wall in front of it. The Confederate Army used that wall for cover and the hill above it for canon emplacements. The Union Army had to come across a wide open field. Although they had more men and sent seven waves of attackers they could not overcome the Confederacy that day. The Visitors Center has many displays and artifacts from the battle. It gives an idea of the people who lived there and how they felt about the war. It also gave us a glimpse into their lives and how the war impacted them. The National Parks Service Ranger was an excellent guide who gave us an overview of the battle as we walked along that sunken road. One house from that battle is still standing and is undergoing renovation to keep it available. We could see bullet holes in the walls from the battle. The nearby National Cemetery is where many Union soldiers are buried, many of them give up their lives trying to take that very hill in the battle of Frederiksberg. We were humbled to be on, what the Ranger said, was the most fought over ground in the entire country.

Father’s Day Colonial Beach Car Show

We just happened onto a great car show. We went into Colonial Beach for church on Sunday morning and just a few blocks from the church a big car show was going on. We had fun walking around, checking out all the cars that were on display. People come from miles around to see this car show, we just happened to be at the right place at the right time to see it.

As you can see the Northern Neck of Virginia has a lot to offer. We’ve enjoyed our time here.