A view from Pip's front steps in Grosmont

Today Helena and I crossed over the River Severn, drove through the Forest of Dean and over the border into Wales. We visited my great friend Pip M., whom I've been friends with since we were about sixteen. 

He is staying in his brother's house in Grosmont while looking for a new home to buy and this was a great chance to say hello. The rain has been intermittently constant for many days and luckily today it was only showery. Helena and Pip set off for an afternoon's walk to the top of the hill in this picture. I'm rather immobile these days so I stayed in the house and just went for a walk to the very nearby Grosmont Castle (a section of ruins showing in the Extras).

When I came back to the house I stood at the top of the steps to Pip's house and took this picture of the landscape looking from Grosmont across the valley of the River Monnow.