A FAVOURITE WALK FOR A CATCH UP!

Today, Belinda and I took one of our favourite walks - from Dulcote to Wells.  The pathway is a mecca for joggers and people walking their dogs.  This morning the sky was blue and the sun was shining and as we hadn't met up for some time, there was plenty to talk about!  On our route to the Bishop's Palace, we came across a field of friendly bullocks - see below...

Once into Wells, I did some window shopping, looking especially at the window dressing as I help with the window in the One Craft Gallery in Shepton.  I particularly liked these clothes mannequins with their animal heads, and the white decal of cow parsley seed heads which adorn a beauty salon, (pics shown below).  A trip into Wells is also a chance for a coffee, even early in the morning...

FROM DULCOTE TO WELLS!

Early this grey bank holiday morning, Belinda and I drove to Dulcote and then walked into the beautiful city of Wells.  We hadn't managed to get out on a walk in recent weeks so there was plenty to talk about!

Wells is dominated by its wonderful cathedral and other historic buildings, such as the Bishop's Palace and moat, which are illustrated in the two sets of photographs above...

This is such a great time of year, everything is green and lush with lovely flowers, such as these gorgeous foxgloves shown above.  On our way back to the car we investigated the entrance to Tor Hill Woods - I am standing by the map in the pic above left.  They looked very inviting, but rather hilly, (see centre top pic).  As we were short on time, we vowed to have a walk there on another occasion!

IT IS WORTH WALKING TO WELLS!

Today it was a beautiful sunny morning for a walk.  Belinda and I drove to Dulcote and then walked into Wells and had a cup of tea at the Swan Hotel!  The only blott on the landscape was a sculptural concrete bench, which had been defaced by offensive messages and ugly graffiti...  

The pathway in, which is popular with joggers, brought us to the moat around the Bishop's Palace with a direct view of wonderful Wells Cathedral - see pics below...

Wells is full of historic buildings, especially around the Cathedral and the Vicars' Close -  which is claimed to be the oldest surviving residential street with original buildings in Europe - see bottom photograph.

I am always interested in window displays and this morning I was taken with the surreal looking mannequins, in a Wells clothes shop, that had animal heads!  There was a rabbit. wolf and owl - see middle and top right pics above.  Wells is always an interesting and picturesque place to visit...

WALK TO WELLS!

This morning Belinda and I walked to Wells, six miles away!  Not as impressive as it sounds as she drove us to Dulcote, a village just outside Wells...

Our walk took us through a great bridle way which runs parallel to the by-pass. Underneath one of the bridges, built for cattle to cross the main road, we came upon an incredible hanging sculpture of three figures who looked as though they were doing a synchronised swimming movement - see above!

Wells is the place to take any visitors to.  It is the smallest city in England and has the magnificent Wells Cathedral and Bishop's Palace.   It is called Wells, because settlement in this area came about because of three wells or springs, two of which originate in the Bishop's Palace gardens.  

Our path into the city took us directly to the palace moat where we saw a pair of swans with their 8 cygnets!  The swans here have been taught to ring a bell, by the entrance to the palace, to be fed.  Belinda is taking a photograph (top left) of the entrance  - the bell is round the corner, out of sight! 

Wells was blooming with fantastic flower displays.  We didn't go down the High Street but walked around the outside of the cathedral and looked up Vicars' Close - see below.  It is the only completely medieval street in England. A college was formed in 1348 for the Vicar Chorus, the singing members of the choir, so they could live together communally.  They had halls to dine in and each of the 42 vicars were built a home in this street...

The cathedral has a long and interesting history with loads for visitors to see.  It is one of the most beautiful cathedrals in the country and is well worth a visit...

We walked out of Wells, into countryside, and ended up once again in the picturesque village of Dulcote...