UK 2024

This is our first visit to the UK since 2019. It was a mixture of family time, some touring, and some work events too.

  • Ginger watching the dawn at 30,000 feet

    Day One

    Ginger watching the dawn at 30,000 feet. We are off on the first leg of a visit to the UK. Our first since 2019. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    We are off on the first leg of a visit to the UK. Our first since 2019. It’s going to be a mix of business and pleasure. We have three business events (Towcester, Wortham, and Glasgow), with family and personal time planned in between.

    This picture is very similar to one I took on the first leg of our last trip.

  • To all appearances, we might still be flying

    Day Two

    To all appearances, we might still be flying. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    Good flights, an excellent connection, and we zipped through border control in the UK in minutes. Down in Baggage Reclaim our bags were first on the carousel, and our hotel was just a short (inside) walk from Heathrow T3 Arrivals. Within half an hour or so of deplaning we were tucked up in our hotel room, and ready to get some well-earned sleep.

    This was the view the next morning. The reality was a little different though, as you can see in the next post. The hotel’s sound insulation was so good, you would never know you were right next to an airport.

  • Heathrow T3 from our hotel

    Heathrow T3 from our hotel — The hotel’s sound insulation was very impressive. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.
    Heathrow T3 from our hotel — The hotel’s sound insulation was very impressive. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

  • London Heathrow, T5

    London Heathrow, T5 — I love buildings like this, and we spent ages looking at the construction details. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    We had discovered that one of Ginger’s community members would be at Heathrow the morning after we’d arrived, so we made plans to meet up in Terminal 5. I booked a car to pick us up at two pm, giving us plenty of time for people watching and looking around after our meeting.

    We’ll be back at T5 at the beginning of September for our flight home.

    Next stop, a three day stay in a hotel in Portsmouth, where we can enjoy some quiet time, rest, and get over our jetlag.

  • Ginger, Gary and the Spinnaker Tower

    Ginger, Gary and the Spinnaker Tower — Gunwharf Quays, Portsmouth. Copyright © 2024 Ginger Allman, all rights reserved.

  • Fish & Chips and a couple of pints at The Still & West

    Fish & Chips and a couple of pints at The Still & West — A pint and pub grub on our first evening in Pompey. Copyright © 2024 Ginger Allman, all rights reserved.

  • What Gare Bears might wear in the woods

    Day Three

    What Gare Bears might wear in the woods. Copyright © 2024 Ginger Allman, all rights reserved.

    With the emphasis on might. Well actually, might not. We had a good laugh though.

  • Interesting things happening in front of our hotel

    Interesting things happening in front of our hotel. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    Day Four

    We were fascinated by the construction of this miniature golf course going on below our hotel window.

    We discussed the business model, marketing, construction methodology, finishing, and testing among many other things.

    This was not a ‘regular’ attraction, and gleaning some clues from what we saw, we discovered the company installing it specializes in pop-up miniature golf courses, and originally created theater props — which explained a lot. Some other clues suggested a drone might be used in the marketing (otherwise why put logos on the top of things?) — and on the last day of the build, sure enough a drone was used to do a fly through.

    Yes, we are easily entertained in a cerebral kind of way.

  • HMS Prince of Wales

    HMS Prince of Wales — leaving Portsmouth Harbour. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    Today is our last full day at Gunwharf Quays. We took a stroll along the Millennium Walkway to pass the time and were there to watch HMS Prince of Wales leave Portsmouth Harbour.

  • Fox

    Day Five

    Fox — seen on the way to visit my brother. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    Today, we moved from the hotel to my son’s house.

    In the evening, we went to visit my brother and, on the way, saw this fox by the side of the road.

    Fox — seen on the way to visit my brother. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

  • Ginger testing the water at St. Leonards-on-Sea

    Day Seven

    Ginger testing the water at St. Leonards-on-Sea. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    We spent the weekend catching up with family and the grandchildren.

    As the grandchildren are otherwise occupied this week, we decided to rent a car and explore along the coast to the east of Portsmouth.

    Thursday, we have arranged to meet Jacqi, a Flickr Friend we’ve known since 2007, in Brighton. Jacqi lives in New Zealand and is in the UK, touring and visiting family. It’s an opportunity far too good to miss. We last met up in 2011 in Missouri when she visited us while crossing the US on her way to her new home in New Zealand. Before that, we met in person for the first time in 2008 in Bletchley Park (UK).

    After seeing Jacqi, it’s back to Portsmouth for a night, and then we head off for the first two of our business events of the trip, near Northampton on Saturday and in Norfolk on Sunday. Our plans for the latter have already gone awry, as it has been announced that the road from the hotel in Ipswich we’ve booked to the venue will be closed. It will be a long diversion on the morning of the event.

    In the meantime, we have a couple of days free to explore. The plan was to go places I’d never been, so our first destination was Rye. I’ve not been there and always wanted to visit it. It was a disaster. The traffic was awful, and the parking was impossible, even after we found a spot. You needed an app on your phone to park, and we couldn’t get it to install, because the App wouldn’t text the access code to my US cell phone number (We’d got UK data only eSIMs, as we can call and text using our US numbers via data. And WhatsApp is all we need to get in touch with family and business contacts).

    So, I left Rye in a huff. Next on the plan was the Seven Sisters, but somehow, we missed them, and settled on heading towards Hastings. I’ve never been to Hastings.

    We’d not booked hotels in advance, so before we got there, Ginger did some searching and found what looked to be an excellent B&B in St. Leonards-on-Sea.

    Luckily, there was a room available, and it was suggested we go eat while it was made ready. So, we ended up eating a very nice curry, followed by a walk along the seafront at St. Leonards.

  • Seafront at St. Leonards-on-Sea

    Seafront at St. Leonards-on-Sea
    Seafront at St. Leonards-on-Sea. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

  • Dusk on St. Leonards-on-Sea seafront

    Dusk on St. Leonards-on-Sea seafront – featuring Marine Court, an Art Deco apartment block. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.
    Seafront at St. Leonards-on-Sea. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

  • Marine Court on St. Leonards-on-Sea seafront

    Marine Court on St. Leonards-on-Sea seafront (East Sussex, UK) - an Art Deco apartment block built between 1936 and 1938 and modeled on the Cunard ocean liner Queen Mary.
    Marine Court on St. Leonards-on-Sea seafront – an Art Deco apartment block built between 1936 and 1938 and modeled on the Cunard ocean liner Queen Mary. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

  • Our bedroom at St. Benedict’s B&B

    Our room at St. Benedict’s B&B — What an absolute gem this B&B was. We stumbled upon it quite by accident, and it was wonderful. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.
    Our room at St. Benedict’s B&B — What an absolute gem this B&B was. We stumbled upon it quite by accident, and it was wonderful. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

  • Dressing Room at St. Benedict’s B&B

    Our Dressing Room at St. Benedict’s B&B. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    Complete with a home altar, storage, and, of course, the en-suite.

    Divider through to the dressing room. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

  • St. Benedict’s B&B

    Day Eight

    Our room at St. Benedict’s B&B. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    Today our plan is to head further east to visit Folkestone (you guessed it, I’ve not been there), missing out Dungeness on the way — I have been there1.

    We want to be out of here quickly, to get to our hotel (and a room with a sea view) in Folkestone. Hopefully the cell service and the internet will be better than it is in St. Leonards, as we have a bunch of work to catch up on.

    The whole house has been restored and carefully curated with Victoriana and religious artifacts and memorabilia, extending to details such as the bell pull is a pull and rings a bell that could be heard tinkling in the distance. I also noticed a working ‘dumb waiter.’

    A cassock-wearing orthodox priest served breakfast (excellent). While settling our bill, we exchanged anecdotes on the merits of working with bishops.

    We liked St. Leonards-on-Sea, and St. Benedicts. I’d like to think we’ll be able to fit in another visit in the future.

    1. Many years ago, a couple of colleagues and I founded a company. We completed some projects for Nuclear Electric, and I spent lots of time at several nuclear power stations. The nuclear power station at Dungeness was one of the sites I visited. The relevance of this will become obvious later.

  • Bi-Fold Room Divider — St. Benedict’s B&B

    Bi-Fold Divider leading to the ‘Dressing Room’ at St. Benedict’s B&B. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.
    Dressing Room at St. Benedict’s B&B Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

  • Home Altar

    Home Altar in our room at St. Benedict’s B&B. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    I’m used to religious artifacts and architectural features having special names (I even have a book dedicated to the topic). However, despite numerous web searches, the best I could come up with for this is ‘Home Altar.’

  • Even the bathroom was ‘Victorian Style’

    Even the bathroom was ‘Victorian Style.’ Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

  • Folkestone beach and harbour wall

    Folkestone beach and harbour wall. Copyright © 2024 Ginger Allman, all rights reserved.

    Ginger captured this excellent view of the beach and harbour wall. The next morning I had a great run1 of just under three miles. I ran from the hotel, through the back streets and passages down to the harbour, and out along the harbour wall. Then back along the beach and sea front ending with the 160 ft climb back to the hotel.

    1I ran on 13 days, managing 34 Miles. Unfortunately, I didn’t fit in any strength training while we were away. I really felt it when I finally got back to the gym in September.

  • Wait, I didn’t think we were in Missouri

    This looks very familiar. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.
    This looks very familiar. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    This looks very familiar, and sparked a conversation on copying in architecture and art. This is the Step Short Memorial, honoring WWI soldiers, not a copy of the Gateway Arch in St. Louis.

    We spent most of the afternoon and evening in the hotel, alternately working and watching the weather, which eventually turned to rain.

    Remember I mentioned Dungeness Power Station? Well, from our hotel room, you could see it in the distance, along the coast. 🙂

  • Room with a sea view

    Day Nine

    Room with a sea view. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    We opted for a room with a sea view, for a day spent catching up on work. Watching the changes in the weather and enjoying the view up and down the coast was, as they say in the ads, priceless. Best Western Clifton Hotel, Folkestone.

    Our plan for today is to head west to Brighton, ready to meet our friend Jacqi tomorrow.

  • The White Cliffs of Dover

    The White Cliffs of Dover. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    That’s not Brighton … Upon leaving Folkestone to go to Brighton we decided to head off in the opposite direction instead and visit the White Cliffs of Dover.

  • Dover Harbour and Ferry Port

    Dover Harbour and Ferry Port — Seen from the White Cliffs of Dover. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

  • Dover Harbour and Ferry Port

    Dover Harbour and Ferry Port — Seen from the White Cliffs of Dover. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

  • Brighton Pavilion, not the usual view

    Day Ten

    Brighton Pavilion, not the usual view. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    I started the day with a run along Brighton seafront to Hove and back (2.6 miles). After we packed our bags and walked along the seafront and around the pavilion while we waited to meet up with Jacqi, who was coming down by train for the day.

  • Brighton Pavilion, not the usual view

    Brighton Pavilion, not the usual view — we had a walk along the seafront and around the pavilion while we waited to meet up with Jacqi who was coming down for the day by train. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

  • Flickr meet-up

    Flickr meet-up.

    We first met Jacqi in person in 2008 at Bletchley Park in the UK. Then again in Springfield, Missouri as she traveled to her new home in New Zealand in 2011. When we discovered we were all in the UK at the same time, we arranged to meet in Brighton. We spent a wonderful (but wet) afternoon catching up and wandering around Brighton in the rain.

  • Bedroom details. 78 Derngate, Northampton — Charles Rennie Mackintosh

    Bedroom details. 78 Derngate, Northampton — Charles Rennie Mackintosh. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    Lizzi, knowing we have an interest in architecture and art took us to Northampton to visit 78 Derngate.

    78 Derngate was the architect’s final major commission; his visionary patron, Northampton model engineer, W.J Bassett-Lowke. It is the only place outside Scotland in which Mackintosh’s mature architectural and interior style can be seen in their original setting.

    78derngate.org.uk

  • Light fitting detail

    Light fitting detail. 78 Derngate, Northampton — Charles Rennie Mackintosh. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

  • Clock — Mackintosh style

    Clock. 78 Derngate, Northampton — Charles Rennie Mackintosh. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

  • Bathroom

    Bathroom, 78 Derngate, Northampton — Charles Rennie Mackintosh. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    The mosaic tiles aren’t. It’s custom wallpaper.

  • Bedroom

    Bedroom, 78 Derngate, Northampton — Charles Rennie Mackintosh. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

  • Entrance & wallpaper detail

    Entrance, 78 Derngate, Northampton — Charles Rennie Mackintosh. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    Even the owners found this too dark, and it was lightened up — but has now been restored to the original color.

    Wallpaper detail, 78 Derngate, Northampton — Charles Rennie Mackintosh. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

  • Lizzi & Ginger Outside 78 Derngate

    Lizzi & Ginger — Lizzi was our host and one of the event organizers for our visit. Outside 78 Derngate, Northampton. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

  • Langstone Harbour and Portsmouth from Portsdown Hill

    Day Twenty-two

    Langstone Harbour and Portsmouth from Portsdown Hill. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    Portsmouth, the city where I was born. This view, or more accurately the view of Portsmouth at night from the ‘old’ A3 as it crested the top of Portsdown Hill, is an enduring memory from my childhood. As is the neon sign saying ‘Welcome to Portsmouth and Sunny Southsea’ on Portsbridge, back when Portsmouth truly was an island.

    Enough reminiscing, back to reality…

    We’ve spent the past week with family and babysitting our second grandson. There’s a family meal tonight, and tomorrow, we head north for a couple of day’s R&R, followed by our third and final work event in Glasgow this coming weekend.

  • Farlington, Farlington Marshes, Langstone Harbour and Hayling Island from Portsdown Hill.

    Farlington, Farlington Marshes, Langstone Harbour and Hayling Island from Portsdown Hill. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

  • Langstone Harbour and Portsmouth from Portsdown Hill

    Langstone Harbour and Portsmouth from Portsdown Hill. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

  • Fort Purbrook from Farlington

    Day Twenty-three

    Fort Purbrook from Farlington — or to be more accurate, Fort Purbrook (on the top of Portsdown Hill) seen from our bedroom in Farlington. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    If things go as planned this afternoon, we’ll be in our hotel in Cumbria (The Lake District), with a sea view over Morecambe Bay. Unfortunately, I don’t think the fair weather will accompany us.

    Fort Purbrook from Farlington — or to be more accurate, Fort Purbrook (on the top of Portsdown Hill) seen from our bedroom in Farlington. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

  • Another hotel sea view, this time of Morecambe Bay

    Another hotel sea view, this time of Morecambe Bay. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    As predicted, the weather here was not the fine late summer weather we had been enjoying on the South Coast. It was raining and blowing a gale. Overnight, a tree was blown down across the footpath to the seafront, and a big limb fell in the hotel car park (fortunately between two vehicles). I found out about the tree across the footpath when I went for my morning run. I had to climb over a wall to get around it and on to the promenade.

    Netherwood Hotel & Spa, Grange-over-Sands, Cumbria.

  • Netherwood Hotel & Spa, Grange-over-Sands, Cumbria

    Day Twenty-four

    Netherwood Hotel & Spa, Grange-over-Sands, Cumbria. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    We are here for a couple of well-earned rest days before heading to Glasgow, and our final business event.

    The weather cleared up over the course of the morning. Ginger spent most of the day writing, and in the evening, we went up into Grange-over-Sands to seek a real seaside fish and chip shop. Mission accomplished, we ate our fish and chips sitting on the promenade, getting back to the hotel just as it started raining again.

  • Morning run at Grange-over-Sands

    Day Twenty-five

    Morning run at Grange-over-Sands. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    From the Netherwood Hotel along the entire length of the promenade and back was just over two and a half miles. Just right for my morning run.

    Of my various morning runs, in order I enjoyed Folkestone, Grange-over-Sands, and Southsea seafronts the most. Brighton seafront was very run down, which became obvious once I reached Hove, where there seemed to be some significant investment in sprucing up the promenade.

    My Farlington runs were in suburban streets, so not a lot to write home about. My only other run was at the RSPB Fairburn Ings (near Selby, Yorkshire). It was densely wooded with limited views, and it was just a bit meh. I didn’t go for a run in Glasgow — it was always raining, and anyway, we walked over forty miles while we were there, so I think I’m excused.

    Morning run at Grange-over-Sands. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

  • Morning run at Grange-over-Sands — the return leg

    Morning run at Grange-over-Sands — the return leg, with the railway station caught in a shaft of sunlight. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

  • Heysham Nuclear Power Station

    Heysham Nuclear Power Station. Quite blurry, but it is eleven miles away. I’ve spent a lot of time there. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    I had to laugh when I saw this on the horizon from our room. This seems to be the trip of the nuclear power stations Gary has worked for/visited. And yes, I spent quite a lot of time there, and at its sister station south of Hartlepool on the East Coast.

    Heysham Nuclear Power Station. Quite blurry, but it is eleven miles away. I’ve spent a lot of time there. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

  • Lounge — Netherwood Hotel & Spa

    Lounge — Netherwood Hotel & Spa, Grange-over-Sands, Cumbria. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    I liked the light, colors, and ambiance in this room.

  • Lounge — Netherwood Hotel & Spa

    Lounge — Netherwood Hotel & Spa, Grange-over-Sands, Cumbria. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    I liked the light, colors, and ambiance of this room.

  • Curtain — Netherwood Hotel & Spa

    Curtain — taken for no other reason than I liked the texture and the light. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

  • Selby Abbey, North Transept

    Day Thirty

    Selby Abbey, North Transept — is a former Benedictine abbey and current Anglican parish church in Selby, North Yorkshire. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    Selby Abbey is a former Benedictine abbey and current Anglican parish church in Selby, North Yorkshire.

    Yesterday, we drove down from Glasgow to Selby, taking a route across the Pennines that we had not taken before. The scenery was wonderful, but we didn’t stop for pictures, we just enjoyed the view as we drove through.

    Today we met up with another of Ginger’s community members, and while they chatted I took some pictures of Selby Abbey. Well, actually, they chatted the day through, and I left them to it, went back to the hotel, and went out for a run at RSPB Fairburn Ings. 🙂 Tomorrow, we head back to Portsmouth.

  • Selby Abbey, South Transept window. Selby, North Yorkshire

    Selby Abbey, South Transept window. Selby, North Yorkshire. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

  • Selby Abbey, stained glass window

    Selby Abbey — is a former Benedictine abbey and current Anglican parish church in Selby, North Yorkshire. . Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

  • Selby Abbey with visiting German choir

    Selby Abbey with visiting German choir — Being here took me back to my days working for The Diocese of West Missouri. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    Having been taking pictures inside churches for a long time now, I’m no longer surprised at how ‘un-straight’ and misaligned things often are. Sometimes, it’s just the Altar Guild not ensuring the cross is centered, but often, major installations — such as the altar itself — are a few inches out or the whole building, the chancel in Christ Episcopal Church, Springfield, is a great example — the chancel was built separately and is six or more inches out of line with the nave).

    Why do I bring this up? Well, if you look up in Selby Abbey, there’s a clear misalignment with the chancel doglegging to the south (right) of the picture relative to the nave. At first, when I noticed it in the picture, I thought it was lens distortion, but, I checked with my own eyes. Sure, enough I couldn’t get things to line up.

    For the picture I aligned the top of the cross on the rood screen with the center line of the chancel roof. Notice how I am way off to the left of the aisle from my vantage point near the back of the nave.

  • Rood screen detail — Selby Abbey

    Rood screen detail — Selby Abbey. Selby, North Yorkshire. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

  • Selby Abbey – North Transept window

    Selby Abbey – North Transept window. Selby, North Yorkshire. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

  • Welcome to Eastney Beach (and some trip stats)

    Day Thirty-two

    Welcome to Eastney Beach. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    No trip back home to Portsmouth would be complete without a visit to the beach at Eastney — Ginger was getting her nails done, and I spent an hour on the beach and even went for a swim.

    It’s a shame the sign was so highly reflective. I could probably edit the reflection out, but it is not worth the effort.

    Our time here is winding down, earlier today we returned the rental car, and we fly back to the US in three days. It seems I didn’t take any pictures of our trip to Edinburgh or Glasgow (I did take a lots of our event in Glasgow, but I’m not putting those here). So, this is the last picture I have apart from some family pictures, which again, I’ll not be publishing.

    Some Stats

    • Spent lots of time with family.
    • Held three business events.
    • Drove over 2,000 miles.
    • Walked over 75 miles (including over 40 miles in two days in Edinburgh & Glasgow).
    • Watched a show on the Edinburgh Fringe.
    • I swam in the sea (makes a change from Table Rock Lake).
    • Spent more nights in hotels (17) than we originally budgeted.
    • Blowing my own horn, I ran 34 miles over 13 runs — the shortest 2.32 miles at RSPB Fairburn Ings (Selby), and longest, 2.92 miles at Folkstone.

    And that’s it for our 2024 UK visit.

More albums on Breakfast in America

Start typing and press enter to search

Scroll to Top