The Gerrard Chronicles 2011 - Traveller's Tales

This trip was organised by Don Moore of the University of the Third Age & is fully reported with copious slides on this link.

Strictly speaking, as supernumeraries, as Ken was lecturing on the ship. This is fully reported on this link.

Ken had unfinished business at the start of the Cross-Swiss Walk on this link as far as Ardez in the Inn Valley (Lower Engadine)but then, thumbed lifts from Susch, (three hours walk up the Inn & the start of the Vereina stage of the Cross-Swiss to Klosters or Davos) to Pontresina in the Upper Engadine & spent several days there on this link before going to Tamins by train to take better photos of the Kunkels Pass before walking to Chur, staying overnight in the Hotel Post there before aking the train home.

After Maude's inquest, we drove down to the New Forest for a nght in "The Mailman's Arms" in Lyndhurst & two nights in the "Belvedere Hotel" in Bournemouth, the latter having live jazz in the evening. We did the usual New Forest things but also visited Maiden Castle, the huge Iron Age hill fort near Dorchester.

The Mailmans Arms

The Hotel Belvedere

Maiden Casttle

In order to gather photos for a music lecture on Vaughan Williams, it was necessary to make a number of excursions, some local but including an overnight in Cirencester to visit the Vicarage, Down Ampney, his birthplace. Having tracked down the Village Head-Woman, although she was entertaiing guests, she took us round to the Old Vicarage, where were welcomed & Ken got the photos he needed. The road has moved round the back of the original building.

The back (now front) of the Vicarage

As it was then

The front (now the back) of the Vicarage

After Avis' operation in September, Ken thought we ought to go off on a Fred Olsen cruise as passengers this time (but see what happened), although by the time we went, she was fully recovered. This is all reported on this link. Although we were paying passengers, Ken ended up both fixing computer problems & giving two lectures himself, on Grieg & Liszt, as when things go wrong, it's all hands to the pump.