Floating Harbour, Bristol

Dave and I met in Bristol today, having arrived on separate trains. (Getting from Stroud to Bristol by train means having to go North/East and then South/West again to connect to the main line. One passes through the same landscape twice each way!)

For Dave it was a chance to visit St Mary Redcliffe church, having only glimpsed it from a distance. For me it was a chance to take a river trip. I feel unconfident about walking around Bristol: the geography is still foreign to me after all these years. I can't work out how all the areas are interconnected. I even bought a day bus pass, but had forgotten that Dave doesn't really do buses.( I think he's more afraid of getting lost than when walking).

Despite Dave's fears, we managed to walk from the station to the church, which is immense and cathedral-like. Had lunch in the crypt restaurant. Then walked on to St Augustine's and the Floating Harbour. A trip boat came in as we walked, so we hopped on and went for a 45 minute tour, past the SS Great Britain (Brunel's ship) and down to end of the harbour. The weather was autumn at its best: warm, sunny, with a hint of darker days to come. Hurricane Lorenzo was not in evidence.

After a coffee back near the Arnolfini, we walked back to the station, which was obscured by a large building site. This time we caught the same train to Gloucester, where I disembarked and waited for the train to Stroud.

A perfect day, pretty much. I think we managed a good mix of planning and spontaneity. CleanSteve and I might take a longer, 3.5 hour trip through the Avon Gorge to Avonmouth, in three weeks' time. And I've been invited to an event at the Cheltenham Literature festival next Sunday!