Walk-in Cafe, Hill Farm Barn; Cafe with a Difference

Walk-in Cafe, Northchurch, Ashridge Estate.

Walk-in Cafe

Set in a renovated barn in Northridge Common on the Ashridge Estate close to Berkhamsted, Herts, there's even a couple of portraits of former tenants, the Sparrow Sisters, and a beam or two from the Duke of Bridgewaters Ship supporting the place!

It's situated on the B4506 (New Road) just outside Northchurch, but you'll miss it if you're travelling too quickly on the bend.

Park on the opposite side of the side, and make your way across it (it's a sharp bend so take care, especially if you've got the kids with you)  As a working farm, there's no access for parking inside.

There's a lot to keep the youngsters occupied, with the Summer looming large.  The first thing you see as you come across the road, is a large outdoor area, including guinea pigs, rabbits hiding behind that huge tyre, and a paddock with the tiniest of ponies and their New Zealand pig companions!! Behind there's a tractor just waiting to be explored by children young and old.

Inside the barn itself, there's things to colour if you fancy, and lots to discover about the farming year, together with an assortment of farming tools to explore, even antlers to look at.

The barn has a rustic charm all of its own, including straw bales doubling up as seats.  Teas, coffees, sandwiches, toasties, and even delicious bacon ,locally sourced, rolls are all reasonably priced.  We paid £2.40 for a scrumptious slice of really moist carrot cake, and what's more there's generally a gluten free option available as well.

The loo is at present a Port-a-loo, which might be a problem for mum's with young babies and toddlers to change.

Personally, we loved the place, and since it was a Monday morning and there were also access problems because of road works, the added bonus was we had the place all to ourselves.  The barn has such an expansive feel about it. It was great, sitting and sipping, whilst drinking in the sounds of birds calling all around us.

I shall take the grand children, but equally and quite selfishly hope to spend some quality time there for me maybe earlier on in the week when its quieter.

I feel its important our children and grandchildren develop a healthy respect for  our countryside, and understand the cycles of the year, as well as the food chain; without it of course, we'd be lost.  Supporting this venture is a wonderful way of helping that.

I thoroughly enjoyed our visit, and look forward to going back, and seeing how things grow.

https://www.facebook.com/HillFarmBarn/

Gillian Holland
The Spirit of Adventure May 2017

Schwarzwald or Black Forest

Freiburg

We decide to do just one day coach trip with Shearings. It's more than enough after spending a good one and a half days coaching all the way from England to Basel, Switzerland to begin the cruise proper. It depends what you are looking for. The trip took up from Breisach where we moor to Freiburg, then the Black Forest for lunch before going onto Lake Titisee.

We pass lots of gentle slopes covered in vines while traditional chalet type farms nestle in amongst the greenery of velvet rolling hills. There's something about vines that has nothing to do with the alcohol. Maybe it's because they remind me of gentler times. 

Freiburg apparently is one of the sunniest cities in the whole of Germany and a hive of activity. It's known as the gateway to the Black Forest and so attracts lots of tourists, eager to sample the local first class vino before making off 'to the Woods'.

Once again the locals seem to have taken to their bikes in a big way. Our guide, Iris, tells us that there are supposed to be more bicycles in Freiburg than there are people!!!, Judging by the number we saw in just a very short while, I can believe it.  We, however, leave the coach in the main square then amble towards the town centre at a pace we can all manage.

Freiburg is an ancient university town. It seems as if musicians play at the slightest opportunity on every street corner for our delight.  Round another corner another group of artists faces daubed chalk white perform an elaborate mime that has the crowd but particularly the children entranced.

The ancient cathedral dominates the city and is surrounded by a wonderful market, much bigger than the one at Basel. Its stalls crowd almost up to the cathedral entrance much as it's done down through the centuries.  Once again I marvel at the way this tradition has survived in an otherwise fast changing and sometimes very challenging world.

I can't wait to explore once again.  I love all the fresh vegetables stretched out across so many stalls; so many colours, so many fresh fruits and vegetables:  red,  yellows, orange, green, aubergine and many shades in between. Bananas strung out above a stall crammed with apricots, grapes, lemons and much more.  Quite apart from a place to buy fresh produce, it seems like this is a place to meet, talk and exchange views. It's a market place that remains a place for the locals rather than just the tourists although there are also some crafty bits to take away. It's lovely to see Freiburg has managed to retain most of its character in spite of us tourists spilling into the town.

Round the corner there's a second and much smaller square, where we sit and watch couple after couple emerge from the Rathaus after their civil weddings. Actually there are two Rathaus; the Altes, (old) a magnificent 16th century structure and the Neues (new 19th Century), now the tourist office.

We sit on an island surrounded by a system of gutters, or drains, known as Bachle.  These run all over the old town but our guide Iris is at pains to tell us that these certainly are not nor have never been drains or open sewers; they are a system devised to provide water to fight fires and feed livestock going back centuries. They contain water diverted from the local River Dreisam. Just off the square is another market stall selling wooden boats children can float in the Bachle, and then pull them along.  There's even a festival to celebrate them.

Bachle beware:

Be warned! Local legend has it that if you trip into one of these drains, who could very well end your days in Freiburg after marrying one of the locals. Me I could have lingered for more than a few days longer in this beautiful city.

Lake Titisee

Basel

Main photo Basler Munster from the Rhine;
+Basel Old Town
And Couple on the Rhine ferry - bottom right with thanks to Basler Tourismus (copyright)
www.basel.com

top right Globus
bottom left - Rathaus
middle right Rathaus
with thanks to Claudia Held

In the morning after a substantial  breakfast, (including cold meats, cheeses, cereals as well as my favourite Hero conserve black cherry  smeared on Knackebrot - crispbread) we set off down the tow path towards the city of Basel.  Our Shearings guide, Jane, assures us its just an amble away. 


I take myself in hand, remembering that it's just not the same city I left all those years ago, and better not to get too excited.  Then I hear a clang, and look up to see the familiar silhouette of a tram purring its way across the Mittlere Brucke (Middle Bridge,  which straddles the Rhine) in very much the same way it did all those years ago.  Some things never change!

Woman's best friend

It's not long before we encounter a large black Labrador stretched out over most of the tow path .  Take my word for it, although not menacing, this dog's just not up for moving. It's too darn hot. I dredge my German memory bank for something to say to change his mind. 

 Long long ago when I lived in a small village just outside the town, the lady of the house had two dogs; one a dachshund, and a second, an Alsatian.  She loved them with a passion.  So it's her words I reach for now. The dog surely hasn't a clue what I am trying to say, but he gets the drift and his tail starts to thump good-naturedly.  Finally, he tosses his head with a low 'woof', allowing me to ruffle his jet black fur, before shuffling to one side for his mistress, who smiles back at me.

The Spirit of Travel

It turns out that this lady is not Swiss but Austrian. She's here on a visit to her daughter who's working for one of the huge pharmaceutical companies in Basel. She points at one of the sky scrapers across the Rhine thrusting  into the heavens. 

She speaks to me in halting English whilst I speak to her in pigeon German, with a few hand signals thrown in for good measure.  What a wonderful opportunity this is, she declares, to meet some-one you would never normally get the chance to speak to.  I have to agree.  We sit in companionable silence thinking about that one. 

This to me is the Spirit of Adventure.  It has nothing to do with a bucket list or a to do, ticking kind of list.  It's not even about the language or the culture, it's about what makes us all tick, and that goes beyond words.  As our Rhine trip continues, I get to meet and chat with other women I would never otherwise have done.  Some are grandmothers like me, who revel in their children and their children's children. Others just gravitate to my English accent. A smile speaks volumes where words, especially the grasp of strange sounding words stops us in our tracks.  The bottom line is beneath the veneer and division created by different cultures as well as languages, we are basically all the same.  

Into the City

It's time to say our farewells to both mistress and hound, and so armed with a street map, we continue our stroll along the Rhine to the Mittlere Brucke, where we turn off towards the city.  Up until this point, the only traffic we've come across is occasional cyclists wending their gentle way along the tow path much like us.

When we hit the city, however, it's a different ball game, especially since we are still travel weary and a bit disorientated.

Tall buildings rise up either side of us, and we are besieged on all sides by trams.  At this point, it hasn't quite hit me that they do things differently over here; left is right and right is left.  They drive on the wrong side of the road even! It's not the done thing to step off the curb onto the tram lines and then to stop dead wondering which direction that clang is coming from. I can tell you that.

Market Place

To me, this is Basel life, all crammed into a small triangular island resting next to the tram-lines.  A snug fit maybe, but for me it works really well.  Bruce and I sit down on some plain fold away chairs next to one of these smart chrome pop-up coffee shops sipping the delicious aromatic coffee, and savouring the hustle and bustle.  

The stalls are crammed full of food stuffs; scintillating Swiss cheeses, sausages, breads, all kinds of unbelievable goodies on offer to try before you buy.  Everything here is served up with the same Swiss courtesy.  The back drop is the crazy yet lyrical Swiss-German dialect even the Germans have difficulty deciphering. 

A tram purrs to a full stop, a much sleeker and brighter colour version of the ones I knew way back when.  Two flags adorn the driver's window directly above the Route Number.  These trams work like clock-work and are a wonderfully efficient way of exploring town or surrounding countryside.  Had we more time, I would have made off to do a bit more exploring but that's for another day.

This is both the draw-back as well as the delight of river cruising.  It's a way to dip in rather than explore at any great depth; a snapshot.  However I love the diversity the cruise offers without the hassle of having to pack up every day to settle into another hotel. The Rotterdam is our hotel, and it travels along with us.  We have the luxury of the same cabin each night as we ease our way into this great adventure down the Rhine.  I love the seamless continuity the river provides, and also the way the market place has been there across the centuries, overlooked by the Rathaus standing along side.

Rathaus

Across the narrow road stands the Rathaus or City Hall, the centre of governance for Basel.  It is quite simply striking. The building is fringed with a number of symbols representing the Swiss Cantons. Its facade is a deep earthy red.  This seems to be a common colour for all the local town halls in the area.  Beautiful murals span its width, dropping down to a series of sleek arches, leading through into a quiet court yard.  There are more murals inside, and I can only gasp in admiration.  They speak for themselves. People, just people coming together in common purpose for the common benefit of the community. 

This building, although ancient, is still in full working use. There are guided tours for tourists but just once a week, so we didn't get to see beyond the courtyard unfortunately.

Globus

Globus stands more or less next to the Rathaus.  It's sign is so understated  you would be forgiven for missing it altogether, because it sits back in the shadows. But, make no mistake this is a huge department store set on several floors.

The first Globus began in 1907 in Zurich and spread its influence across Switzerland from there.  These days its part of the Migros supermarket group.  Migros are generally well priced and well stocked with a whole diversity of fare; not alcohol or tobacco however. They've been banned from their shops all together.  The powers that be don't want to encourage excess in view of the knock-down prices.

The exchange rate is definitely in favour of the Swiss franc.  Everything is very expensive, I am afraid.  However I don't regret my day in the sun sipping my gorgeous yet outrageously priced coffee, or the gorgeous Michael Kors necklace I treated myself too in Globus.

Food Hall

Globus have a Food Hall to die for.  It has quite a reputation.  Yes its pricey but I would definitely go and have a look, it's worth it.  There's so much choice.  Meats, cheeses, bread, exotic sausages dangling alongside the counter, shelves loaded with mustards, chutneys, pickles and other bottled delights.

Next door is all the girly stuff; potions, pots, make up, perfumes, jewellery and of course handbags, designer handbags galore, set against a mirrored background, and of course this is where I bought the necklace. Retail therapy here we come!

Munster Platz -   

From Globus, we turned left passed the Rathaus taking the left fork into Freie Strasse.  where lots more shops crowd round to invite you in.  We turn left again towards the cathedral, and it isn't long before the crowds start to thin out. The alley twists uphill slightly before opening up into a huge square.  The sandstone cathedral stands at one end, whilst at the other there's an elegant pavement cafe cum restaurant tables ranged against the wall. 

Some of the houses date back to the 1400's, and yet can still dazzle in the bright sunlight. Each house is 'spit-spot' in true Mary Poppins fashion, having a charm of its own and each painted in its own fresh colour. It's hard to believe we are only minutes away from the all the activity in the market square below, although somewhere is the distance I managed to catch the peep peep peep of a tram moving on its way.

The cathedral dates back to 1069, but was destroyed in an earth quake in 1356.  I am not a fan of red sandstone, but the peace and sanctuary  the Munster offers is without question.  

Back to where we started -

We walk over to the left of the square where the Rhine can just be seen above the roof tops.  Many of the shops seem to be set below eye level and have minute windows with very thick walls.  I peer into the gloom in one shop but can't see much beyond a mortar and pestle, and some deep blue bottles containing herbs. I marvel at just how ancient this particular quarter of town is, and yet it still manages to be very much alive.

This turns out to be the apothecary museum, where Erasmus, Paracelsus, and even Holbein lived in their time. Again so little time left explore, yet so much to come back for.

Our day out in Basel is almost complete now.  There's enough to keep any body occupied in this very small area of the Altstadt, and to keep anyone coming back.  

I make my way with hubby back down the tow path towards the Rotterdam, listening  to the purr of yet another tram as it makes its way back across the Mittlere Brucke, but there's always another day.

   

 

Food glorious food

Gala Dinner

Food Glorious Food!

Cruising's acquired a dreadful reputation for weight gain,

but I'm the living proof that you can eat your fill, and healthily 

without too much damage to the weight.

Food to me is part of the whole holiday experience. Food on board was delicious. Nothing was too much trouble for the staff. I eat gluten and wheat free, but the travel agent hadn't sent my requirements through.  This threw me into a bit of a spin because I certainly didn't want to be ill on board ship. However,  it wasn't long before my needs were sorted out, and I ate gluten and wheat free, with a dash of soya milk thrown in for the rest of the journey and thoroughly enjoyed it. I ate virtually the same menu as my travelling companions with just one or two gentle adjustments, which was great. Gone are the days when soya milk tastes like sawdust, and lettuce is the only wheat free option.


Life on board settled into an easy relaxed pattern.. Food was all in, so we had the option of relaxing on board ship and enjoying a leisurely lunch before setting off to explore the fresh sites, sounds and scenes each day, or slipping into town first thing to sip and savour the local wines and dishes in one of the many pavement cafes and restaurants on offer. Nothing like watching the world go by.   

Breakfast and lunch were buffets but we had a choice of main menu at the sit down meal in the evening, and were never disappointed.  We were treated to a fine array of fish, most of which I had never come across before.  However, information about them was always posted up at reception so we could make our choice.

Indonesian Meal

I take my hat off to the Indonesian crew who looked after us so well and always with a wonderful sense of humour. What a versatile bunch they are too.  Not only waiting on us hand and foot, but also putting on a show for us one evening with other crew members.  

Half way through our trip we were treated to an Indonesian Meal. This was a gastronomic feast in every sense of the word: truly an complete experience I am not going to forget. The Rotterdam's dining room was transformed into a feast for the eyes as well as the taste buds. It was now ablaze with typical colourful Indonesian style decoration, whilst delicious music filled with air,and what's more the staff greeted us in costume, 

Gala Meal 

I loved the way the crew all pitched in together to serve us on what was to be our last evening meal together. (see our menu above)  Although this certainly wasn't a 'dressy' cruise most of us donned our best to celebrate this final event. Again the ambience was quite special, and one I am going to cherish.  For me I just love the more intimate kind of atmosphere of a smaller ship, one that could not be replicated on a larger craft.

Congratulations to our Dutch chef. Your menus were always top class.

http://www.shearings.com/our-holidays/river-cruises

Strasbourg

Cathedral of Notre Dame and Petite-France Strasbourg, Alsace, France

Thank you psychic artist Jennie Ashwell for sharing your beautiful photos

Strasbourg

Strasbourg is apparently the second most popular city to visit in France after Paris, and it's always been on my to do list.  However, our Rhine mooring opposite a very ordinary block of modern flats gave no hint of the just how beautiful this city is.

Getting into the city from the Rhine:


We found the best way into the city from our mooring was via tram, although you could also walk or take the free shuttle provided by Shearings.

I do love travelling by tram and they all seem to be pretty efficient in this part of Europe. I wouldn't worry about the language either, since everything is pretty clearly marked with tourists in mind. Route maps are posted up inside just like they are at home, together with waiting times on the platform. You certainly don't have long to wait between times.

The tram terminal is only 5 minutes walk away so we decided to pay 7 euros for the return trip to the city centre.

There are two separate machines at the stop: one to pay over the money, and the second to validate your ticket before you get on. (Couldn't fathom out why though). To me the trams were part of the adventure and once we got the hang of the ticket machine, we were all systems go.   


Petite-France

Our aim first of all was to visit the ancient canal system running through the centre of the old town. Once off the tram, we headed towards Notre Dame Cathedral, her spire clearly visible above the other buildings.

We walked round the huge Notre Dame Cathedral towards the ancient city, situated on the River Ile, a tributary of the Rhine. This is where our adventure really began. We hopped onto a boat to tour the waterways, viewing the beautiful timber frames houses hugging the shore line. It's chocolate box territory, and very Germanic in style: flowers streaming from boxes all over the city. This is an area steeped in history, and a boat ride complete with running commentary is just the job to orientate you to the city.


Petite-France, the ancient city, is situated on the Grande Ile, or main island. The river splits into three sections, its waters tumbling through narrow canals and creaking locks.  In times gone by, this created just the right conditions for the many tannery watermills perched on the water front. Because of the geography its also somewhere that could be strongly defended.  There are four gruesome looking towers straddling the river to prove it. Strasbourg is situated in Alsace, France, However this region has always been hotly disputed, hence the strong German influence. Strasbourg manages to combine ancient and modern with effortless style as an integral part of the European Committee.  

 It is, interestingly enough the place where the French Marseillaise was composed in double quick time over one April night.


Notre-Dame Cathedral

Notre Dame Cathedral in Strasbourg is the second most popular cathedral to visit in France, after the acclaimed cathedral of the same name in Paris itself.  It is a magnificent centre piece for the rest of the city but has a very chequered history having been  engulfed by flames on several occasions.  It dominates a huge square surrounded by yet more ancient wooden framed buildings, many of which are now cafes and restaurants.


Food, glorious food:

Food comes highly recommended and there are any number of cafes and restaurants to choose from  We stopped off at the Hotel Rohan Rue du Maroquin for some lunch on their terrace.  Hubby had some of the local Liqorne beer, whilst I had some Gewurztraminer wine to wash down 'tarte a l'oignon', an all time favourite of mine. I didn't realise until that day in Strasbourg just how much Alsatian food we ate all those years ago in Basel, but then again the lady of the house was French.












F

Travellers of a Certain Age - the Spirit of Adventure

Travellers of a Certain Age - 

The Rhine Cruise

I mean did hubby really think I was ready for a Shearings' Cruise? Weren't they for, ummmm quite frankly, older people?  

I guess you could say we are both edging towards retirement, but my feathers were really ruffled when hubby Bruce thrust a newspaper at me saying, ' How do you fancy this then?'

Now the fact that he'd volunteered any kind of holiday suggestion is quite something, so I had to sit up and pay attention. I couldn't have him claiming a 'senior moment', now could I? So I charged down to our local travel agent and booked it pronto.

The cruise took us down the Rhine at the height of summer and through no-less than three different countries, Switzerland, France and Germany, so it really was an opportunity too good to miss.

 We were to pick up the MPS Rotterdam in Basel, an old stomping ground of mine, but our cruise also included Strasbourg, which has been on my to do list for ages, as well as Breisach, Speyer, Rudesheim, Bonn, to name a few others.

And if I had any doubts about travelling with 'people of a certain age', well they were quickly dispelled as we got to know some lovely people who had the same love of life, and spirit of adventure I did.

The Rotterdam:

This traveller of a certain age, arrived in Basel Wednesday afternoon a bit weary after our long coach journey. But my heart warmed straight away to the familiar clanking of its trams as they rumbled across the Mittlere Brucke - the bridge straddling the Rhine right in front of us, and I couldn't wait to get going.

I have to admit to being just a tad disappointed when I realised ours was the smaller, much smaller, of the two boats moored on the Rhine, especially when the larger one glided majestically off down stream.

It didn't take me long to appreciate big isn't always the best though.  Not long after, we passed our elegant friend moored once more by the Rhine, but surrounded by a swarm of coaches dropping off their passengers to join the craft. I realised that Rotterdam's passenger capacity of just 107 people suited me much better, by creating a warm, friendly family-like atmosphere.

It's furnished throughout in a sparkling wooden trim and lots of sparkling brass, reminding me of the elegance of a bygone era.  Nonetheless, this was somewhere to relax and enjoy catching up and sharing experiences with fellow passengers at the end of the day.  The staff always greeted us with a smile and really pushed the boat out (!) when I realised my order for wheat and gluten free food hadn't got through. It took them now time at all to sort it all out. I can't fault them at all they were wonderful travelling companions in their own right.

Things that go clunk in the night:

It can be challenging settling into a new environment when you don't know quite what to expect and our cruise was no exception, But my thanks goes out to the  captain for keeping us up to date. It turns out that we were to be subjected to more than our fair share of 'things that go clunk in the night' when we first set sail. This did nothing for my beauty sleep, and breakfast saw a few sleepy mumbles and grumbles from some fellow travellers, too.

The captain called us together to explain why we were sailing on through the night..  Apparently the water levels on the river were extremely low, which meant we had to get through a series of locks as quickly as possible. Nonetheless we were lucky enough to make a few extra stop offs further down stream once the emergency was over. And I loved them and seized the opportunity with both hands to do a bit more exploring.

We'd also make sure our cabin wasn't next to the gang plank just in case though because it creaked and groaned its way into action at the dead of night when we anchored. It wasn't normal practice though. Once we got through the locks the problem eased. 

We had a very comfortable cabin, but next time would make sure it wasn't below the lounge where the party was in full swing when we tried for an early night. But that's not to complain about the entertainment which was home spun but great fun.

Best of both worlds:

I felt this cruise offered me the best of both worlds:  the freedom of the river as well as the freedom of the road. We were travelling miles down the Rhine, but each evening had a familiar place to come home to at the end of an eventful day exploring new terrain.

The Rotterdam offers an all inclusive package.  What I thought might be restricting turned out to be a blessing in disguise.  We could spend the morning relaxing on deck or in the lounge, have a leisurely lunch before taking off to explore. Alternatively we could spend the day on shore at our leisure sampling all the local delicacies before returning to the ship for all the fun of the evening.

This traveller of a certain age is ready to go back for second helpings and can hardly wait to go back on the river once more.

http://www.shearings.com/our-holidays/river-cruises