Thursday 22 June 2017

Making the most of the weather!

With temperatures soaring up to 30+ degrees it was time to make a couple of runs into the local area to make full use of the Morgan.
The 'Stork Inn'
The first of our runs was to the 'Stork Inn' at Conder Green, near Lancaster, and then on to Glasson Dock on the shores of Morecambe Bay.
The view across the River Lune estuary towards Sunderland Point.
The second was into the hills, to a local beauty spot called Beacon Fell.
En route to Beacon Fell.
The high visibility of the fell made it an ideal location for a warning beacon. A beacon on the fell has been recorded as early as 1002. The fell formed part of a chain of beacons to warn of the approach of the Spanish Armada in 1588, and of French forces between 1795 and 1815. More recently, beacon chains have been lit in celebration of coronations and jubilees.
The view from the east side of Beacon Fell with the Bleasdale fells in the background..
A super couple of days.

No car, no worries!

Following a series of cancelled foreign holidays caused by health issues, my wife and I finally made it to one of our favourite destinations.
Our hotel with its private beach.
We have normally rented a villa set in the countryside close to Pollensa at the north west tip of Majorca. However, on this occasion we decided that a hotel would be a safer option.
One of the swimming pools.
The hotel that we had set our minds on was the Illa D'Or Hotel in Puerto Pollensa, where we had spent many an evening in the past, with a coffee and a brandy, viewing the setting sun across the bay from their bar in front of the hotel.....but alas, almost as expected, it was fully booked.


View from our balcony over the bay of Palma.
Knowing that we love traditional Spanish hotels, they suiggested a family owned and run hotel that would meet all our requirements and what is more was within 7kms of the city of Palma. It was in Illetas and is without question one of the best hotels in which we have stayed, easily matching the Paradores of Spain where we have stayed on many occasions.

The name is going to remain a secret because I don't want to find the place fully booked when I come to book again for next year....although with a minimal amount of sleuthing and with the help of pictures in this blog you should be able to identify it!
Palma...a lovely city!
The name is going to remain a secret because I don't want to find the place fully booked when I come to book again for next year....although with a minimal amount of sleuthing and with the help of pictures in this blog you should be able to identify it!
The train to Soller

Soller station
So, a lovely hotel, close to the city (with its clinics if necessary!) and no hire car to worry about. I am not saying that we will not rent a hire car again, but on this occasion I felt that we could do without one, knowing the island well already and wishing to have a complete rest.
We were alone in a carriage on the trip back to Palma.
That is just what we had, relaxing and occasionally hopping on the regular bus to Palma. On one occasion the bus took us to the Placa d'Espana where we caught the little train to Soller.
A Majorcan moon above our balcony.
A great holiday and no car.