England: Jane Austen and Outstanding Beauty

Ah, England my pearl. What can I say, in a previous life I was English, I'm sure of it now. That's the only way to explain my - let's call it what it is - obsession with this beautiful country. As beautiful as Ireland is and I had a great time there, I was overjoyed to travel back to England. I arrived very late in Liverpool and spent the night at the airport. Yes, it was uncomfortable, yes, I didn't sleep well, but it didn't matter, I was in England! My destination was the small medieval town of Ludlow in the heart of Shropshire. Shropshire is located on the border with Wales in the Midlands and I only took the job to be able to say the word Shropshire often. Shropshire. Hihi.

I work at Fern, Penny, and Janet's glamping site. Fern is my age and we hit it off right away because we share the exact same interests. Her mother Penny owns the glamping site, and Fern manages the daily operations. Grandma Janet lives in the attached cottage and also helps out. Glamping is a relatively new trend that has swept the island in recent years, elevating camping to a luxurious level. It's like camping with the amenities of a hotel room. Fern and Penny have a small cabin near the house and a dome and a large tipi tent in the forest. All equipped with a wood stove, beautiful wooden furniture, hardwood floors, bathroom, and a small kitchenette. I am in charge of the star dome and the tent. The tent is now too cold, even with the stove, and has very few bookings. It only operates during the season anyway and we will probably dismantle it and put it into hibernation soon. The dome requires the most work because it can be used all year round and provides a 5-star service, including a hot tub. It has to be emptied, scrubbed, filled, and fired with wood, and that takes all day. But then guests can enjoy a nice view in the middle of the forest while bathing, and the only ones who can watch them are the cows in the neighboring meadow. The guests are exclusively English, and it's always fun to check them in and talk to them. Penny is a big glamping fan and has beautifully furnished the dome and the tent. We have all been to a glamping show together, where I saw the full extent of the trend for the first time, the possibilities are seemingly endless.

Penny's house is located in the Shropshire Hills Area of Outstanding Beauty and it lives up to its name. The area is gently hilly and green, with typical English fields bordered by hedges stretching as far as the eye can see. From the window above my bed, this green landscape extends to Wales and I can't get enough of it. Over the years, Janet has created a beautiful garden around the house. The first few days here were a contrast to rainy Ireland, completely ignored by the summer heat, and so England compensated me with a golden autumn. The house and everything that goes with it is so English, with a country kitchen and vegetable garden, a small orchard, wood stove, and a family picture gallery in the living room. I felt comfortable right away. Fern has two female dogs, chocolate Labrador Darcey and Collie Dixie. Darcey is named after Mr. Darcy from Pride and Prejudice, so Fern and I quickly discovered our shared passion for literature and Jane Austen on our first walk with Darcey. Dixie is very old, can barely hear or see anything anymore, can't hold it for more than two hours, and farts up the entire living room. She doesn't go on the long walks anymore because she only follows her sense of smell, which is usually more interesting in the opposite direction and she disappears in that direction. We take Darcey for a walk in the forest surrounding the house every morning, and I always enjoy this half hour very much.

I spent two of my first free days in Ludlow, the small market town a few minutes from the house. It's a charming little town with many half-timbered houses and a castle that was temporarily the headquarters of the leaders of the House of York during the War of the Roses. Later, in the Tudor period, it was a residence for famous personalities such as Catherine of Aragon, Arthur Tudor, and Mary Tudor. The fact that it has always been a trading center can still be seen today in the half-timbered houses of the wealthy merchants and the market square in the heart of the town.

You can walk to Clee Hill, the nearest village from the house, in a good half hour, and because it is located in the Area of Outstanding Beauty, I often walk to the village to enjoy the view of the valley. There is also a memorial bench there, which I always find very amusing. I also visited the neighboring village of Hope Bagot, where there is a small Norman church and a 6,000-year-old yew tree on which people leave their wishes in the form of ribbons.

But my biggest trip was my visit to Bath and Bristol, which I undertook in September. I was so excited, Jane Austen Land was waiting for me! She lived in Bath between 1801 and 1806, and at the end of September, the Jane Austen Festival took place there, which I always wanted to see and this year I finally did! Bath is about two hours away from Ludlow, and I went there on Saturday for the festival, which was supposed to last the whole week. I left early to watch the costume parade, which was supposed to open the festival on Saturday. I expected a big festival that would hold the entire city in its grip, road closures for the big costume parade, people everywhere dressed in the style of the Regency era, and a gussied-up Bath. Well, maybe my expectations were a bit too high, the festival was rather small with selected small events scattered throughout the city, but it didn't really affect normal life. Nevertheless, it was nice, I watched the play Pride and Prejudice, visited a market that traded in Regency era items, took a Jane Austen-themed city tour, attended a reading by Jane Austen's great-great-great-great-great-niece (I know, but you can't get any closer), and watched the parade. It was over in 15 minutes, but it was nice to see. On the second and last day in Bath, I picked up my loved one from the train station and finally got to hug him again after four months of separation. We explored the city, the Roman baths, the cathedral, the Royal Crescent, the Circus, Victoria Park, and the Pulteney Bridge. Bath is beautiful, with an extensive old town and many Georgian houses, green, peaceful parks, and exudes a certain elegant-modest wealth. It is rightly a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

On the same day, we made our way to Bristol. We spent the first day doing classic sightseeing. The cathedral in Bristol is beautiful, with small chapels in every corner and an exhibition and a beautiful church garden. On the second day, we spent our time sightseeing in a different way. Street artist Banksy is from Bristol and left some of his most famous works there, especially in the 90s. At the end of the day, we looked at the city from the water on a water taxi, which I really enjoyed.