I missed posting a Sunday Sevens this week, because we were away in Europe for ten day, so it seemed to make sense – to me at least – now we’re back, to post a Wednesday Tens instead.
Sunday before last we set off for Dover, just after lunchtime. However I’d been so busy getting on top of everything that needed doing before we left, we hadn’t had any lunch, so we stopped at the American diner on the A303…
After spending the night at Dover, we crossed the channel and headed for the Netherlands. The weather was foul and the traffic dreadful…
…but we finally arrived at Dordrecht.
We love a quirky hotel and this one certainly was. It was an old water tower…
… and on each landing was what appeared to be a history of the productivity of the Netherlands hung in jars!
We’d taken our bikes with us and intended to explore the area on them, but it was so wet, we decided to head off for to our second destination, just outside Groningen. It was still raining hard when we got there, so we explored on foot and found a lovely lakeside restaurant for a late lunch…
The next day it finally stopped raining, so we cycled into Groningen, where I discovered two yarn shops. I had been hoping to buy some yarn, but it was either extremely expensive hand dyed in one shop or rather ordinary balls of yarn in the other. However, I did spot this marvellous rocking sheep…
The next day we visited the star fort at Bourtange. It’s impossible to show in pictures taken from the ground, but if you google Fort Bourtange, you can see some amazing aerial photos of it.
On Friday we headed to Utrecht – where lovely eldest lives – to spend the weekend with her.
After a lovely but rather wet weekend in Utrecht we waved goodbye on Monday morning and drove to Bruge. Having arrived around midday, we had time to explore the town…
…. before sitting down with a beer and a mulled wine as the light faded, to watch the Christmas market come to life…
After a wander around both market sites, we had a wee bite to eat…
…while we watched the skaters of on the ice rink.
After a good night’s sleep, we drove back to Dunkirk and caught the ferry home.
Dartmoor Creative 
Shame about the rain but a lovely trip all the same 🙂
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It was – but we did enjoy it – although ironic to come home to a bright wet Dartmoor yesterday 🙂
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An absolutely fun and amazing trip. How cool are all those pretty places. Rain or no rain, one always make the most of it and find the hidden gems to enjoy. The markets looks amazing, and that sheep is to cute. 🙂
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It was and I soooo want one of those sheep 🙂
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Looks like you visited some lovely places despite the weather!
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I guess we Brits get used to ignoring the rain – although we would have liked to have gone further on the bikes.
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Especially us Devon based brits!! We do seem to get more than our fair share of rain down here but loving these cold sunny days at the moment❄️
I’ve enjoyed a few stops at that American diner on A303 too😃
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What a super break, a rocking sheep, a daughter and Bruge. Lovely.
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It was. Not seen lovely eldest for ages and I’ve never seen a rocking sheep before 🙂
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Looks like a wonderful trip. Our parents are making a habit of visiting the star forts. They look so impressive.
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It was the first one I’d been too. Very impressive, but the aerial view is most impressive.
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Yes this is true.
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Looks a fab holiday despite the weather at first. That water tower hotel looks interesting and the xmas markets and iceskating photos really are great. I have never been to Holland or Belgium. Oneday! X
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We hadn’t been until my daughter moved there. It really is only a hop and skip over the channel and almost everyone speaks English in the Netherlands, so barely like going abroad. xx
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well, that looks so interesting – though damp! Did you not buy ANY yarn? 🙂
I have not been to the Netherlands, but it looks like an interesting place to go!
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Yes, very damp! Although we’ve always had lovely weather when we’ve been before. No, really no yarn – I was totally uninspired in one shop – and not prepared to pay the prices in the other for yarn I didn’t know what I would knit with it.
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But at least you know where to get really nice hand dyed yarn if you ever do need it!
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Good point.
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So lovely in spite of the weather. Wonderful time with daughter and quirky hotels and rocking sheep. Three cheers for Wednesday Tens!
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Thank you. Great to have you visiting the blog too xx
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We live about fifteen minutes from that American diner and pass it all the time, yet have never been in. Would you recommend it? Looks like you had a great time on you mini tour of Europe, in spite of the weather. Bruges is pretty at this time of year – we went over Valentine weekend back in 2005….and I had No.2 Son nine months later!
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Would I recommend? Mmm. When we’re on the A303 we’re always trekking a distance, so need to stop somewhere to eat. We greatly dislike Starbucks – which is about the only other place to stop on the A303. The dinner does appeal because we like places that try to be a bit different and I enjoyed what I had – but american dinner food is not really my kind of food. Some of the waitresses were a bit standoffish and hubby didn’t like whatever it was he had on the way up to Dover. Ages ago, we went in just wanting a drink and they were really funny with us, because we didn’t want to eat. So in summary, nice to go for a different experience, but like you I’d prefer to be in a nice cosy pub with good friendly service and a feeling of not being rushed or everything being manufactured and very clean.
Since we’re now likely to be going up the A303 more regularly, I could really do with someone localish to there recommending a good pub that is only a short distance off the A303. If only I knew someone.
Ha ha! Think it’s a bit late for another baby 🙂
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About a mile further on from that diner is a good pub, the Sparkford Inn. Instead of continuing on the 303 at the next roundabout, take the NEXT exit into Sparkford village and the pub is a couple of hundred yards on your left. We’ve eaten there recently on the day a new chef started and it was lovely. Failing that, give us a call and we’ll knock up a quick meal!!
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Thanks for the directions and the offer, although I couldn’t use you as a roadside cafe xx
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