Archive for September, 2011

Last day of September in the Cotswolds and 77F IN THE SHADE!!

COTSWOLDS WEATHER

Last day of September and 77F IN THE SHADE!! And when I say “in the shade” I mean it – its hot out there! And another temperature record is due to be broken tomorrow!!

Rob Little
Sun Worshipper
Let’s Tour England !

In my garden - 25 of our C's is worth 77 of your F's - IN THE SHADE !!

In my garden – 25 of our C’s is worth 77 of your F’s – IN THE SHADE !!

THIS.....calls for a celebration !

THIS…..calls for a celebration !

Dinner on the grill or a BBQ as we call it here!  In UK are not used to ouur BBQs in the dark!

Dinner on the grill or a BBQ as we call it here! In UK are not used to ouur BBQs in the dark!

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1b + hd = pq (wow I knew that algebra would come in handy some time!!!)

…..That means:

One Bike + HOT Day = Poole Quay !

A really nice 190 mile ride in hot sunshine – almost too hot – VERY unseasonable for almost Otober !

Love it !

Rob Little
Cotswolds Tour Guide
Let’s Tour England

Poole Quay on the last hot day of the year (or one of the last!!)

Poole Quay on the last hot day of the year (or one of the last!!)

Poole Quay

Poole Quay

Poole Quay

Poole Quay

.....and as I was passing by i had to pop into Shaftsbury, Dorset, and take a snap of Gold Hill !

…..and as I was passing by i had to pop into Shaftsbury, Dorset, and take a snap of Gold Hill !

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Another weather record waits to be broken – forget “indian summer” more like a ” saharan fall” !!

Britain is a mild weather country – usually high 70s in summer aand high 40s in winter. Not too many extremes!

So we had literally a record breaking April with temperatures in the 80s for 10 days and a very cool August – low 50s at midday for days on end.

Now we are about to be blistered by out of season weather running into October.

What exactly IS happening to the world?

LONDON WEATHER

Rob Little
Editor – Guinness Book of Records
Let’s Tour England

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Back in the English Lake District…..

After driving through beautiful scenery this morning; Strawberry Bank, Cartmel Fell and Cartmel Village, I spent lunchtime at the Ruston Pool Inn (which used to be called “The Dixons Arms”) which was owned by my Great Grandfather’s family through the 1800s. In fact my great grandfather, William Dixon Stott, was recorded as being a visitor there at the time of the 1891 and the 1901 census. His family lived in this area and he was Christened in 1868 at Colton Church – a church right at the top of a hill above the village of Colton. All very interesting!

Then we tackled the very steep Hardnott Pass – it may not be as high as some passes in Europe but its the steepest I’ve ever been up!

Rob Little
Driver / Guide
Lets Tour England !

Waking up to this view.....this is more like it?

Waking up to this view…..this is more like it?

.....and after breakfast !

…..and after breakfast !

View from Cartmel Fell, near Strawberry Bank, in the Lake District

View from Cartmel Fell, near Strawberry Bank, in the Lake District

Cartmel Fell Church

Cartmel Fell Church

Cartmel Village

Cartmel Village

Harvest flowers in Cartmel Church (thats the village of Cartmel not the

Harvest flowers in Cartmel Church (thats the village of Cartmel not the “Fell”)

The Ruston Pool Inn - used to be

The Ruston Pool Inn – used to be “The Dixons Arms”

Colton Church

Colton Church

In a just a mile or so we will have climbed to where the arrow is.....

In a just a mile or so we will have climbed to where the arrow is…..

Yes - its steep (by the way the Romans built the first road across in the 2nd century!)

Yes – its steep (by the way the Romans built the first road across in the 2nd century!)

The Hardnott Pass

The Hardnott Pass

Oooohps - there's only room for one car !

Oooohps – there’s only room for one car !

This is where we've come from!

This is where we’ve come from!

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Hard Days Night Hotel in Liverpool Review……it gets the “thumbs down”…..in fact a rip off !

The Hard Days Night Hotel in Liverpool Review……it gets the “thumbs down”….in fact a rip off !

Sadly I am not able to recommend this hotel to my Customers as good value for money where you can get a good restful nights sleep – it is way overpriced.

The bottom line is this…..if you are determined to stay here to enjoy The Beatles experience, don’t expect value for money, wear earplugs if sleeping is part of your plan, don’t expect a concierge to help drag your luggage up and down the steps and if you ignore everything I said and decide to complain, don’t expect the management to give a damn !

If this was a Premier Inn, I’d have got my money back – because a “good nights sleep” I did not get. I booked in here at short notice and the “from 105GBP” advertised on the web site ended up as 200GBP – every hotel in the town was full except this one…..how was I supposed to know the Labour Party Conference was taking place here??

But 200GBP for a night in a comfortable room but overlooking a “party street” with…..

* No double glazing

* Drunken people until 4am

* police sirens

* Car alarms and then the…..

* Street Cleaning machines at 6am

…..did NOT make for a restful night.

I feel like I have been ripped off – I can stay in good quality hotels in London for less than 200GBP per night.

Ok…..novel it is (if you are into The Beatles) but If you are going to stay here you SERIOUSLY need to consider earplugs (unless, like one review writer, you find the racket part of the “fun”) and all you AMERICANS who expect SERVICE……starting from a concierge helping carry your heavy bags up a dozen or so steep steps…..FORGET IT!

And when I told the management I organized tours for Americans coming to the UK they simply ignored it……this is one complacent hotel business - they seem to be able to fill the place with people just visiting once. In fact, below is an extract from an email from the CEO of the hotel which demonstrates his “Customer Friendly” approach……

“…..drunk members of the public, police sirens, car alarms
and street cleaning machines are all out with of our control but
they are a consequence of staying in a city centre hotel. As such I
am sorry you had a disturbed night but do not believe we can be
held in anyway responsible
.

I am only giving it two blobs (in Tripadvisor) because although the place was clean and well furnished, It was unsuited to what I was there for….to sleep…..was NOT a success !

Rob Little
Very Tired
Lets Tour England !

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Fancy a Beatles Tour in Liverpool…..?

Fancy a Beatles Tour in Liverpool…..?

Includes:

* The Beatles homes…..they had a deprived upbringing…..especially George and Ringo

* The places in the songs…..Strawberry Fields. Penny Lane and Eleanor Rigby’s grave

* The Royal Albert Dock

* The Cavern Club

Rob Little
Driver / Guide
Lets Tour England !

The house where Ringo was born - due for demolition :(

The house where Ringo was born – due for demolition :(

Paul McCartney's home - now owned by the National Trust

Paul McCartney’s home – now owned by the National Trust

John Lennon's home - now owned by the National Trust

John Lennon’s home – where he lived with his Aunt Mimi – now owned by the National Trust

George Harrrison was born here - under the red asterrisk !

George Harrrison was born here – under the red asterrisk !

The grave of

The grave of “Eleanor Rigby” !

The grave of

The grave of “Eleanor Rigby” !

The original

The original “Strawberry Field”

The original

The original “Strawberry Field”

Penny Lane

Penny Lane

The Empire Theatre - the last place the Beatles played in Liverpool way back in 1965!

The Empire Theatre – the last place the Beatles played in Liverpool way back in 1965!

Liverpool - The Royal Albert Dock at dusk

Liverpool – The Royal Albert Dock at dusk

Liverpool - The Royal Albert Dock at dusk

Liverpool – The Royal Albert Dock at dusk

Liverpool - The Royal Albert Dock at dusk

Liverpool – The Royal Albert Dock at dusk

Liverpool - The Royal Albert Dock at dusk

Liverpool – The Royal Albert Dock at dusk

Liverpool - the River Mersey at sunset from the Royal Albert Dock

Liverpool – the River Mersey at sunset from the Royal Albert Dock

.....and so to The Cavern Club

…..and so to The Cavern Club

Live music at the Cavern Club in Liverpool.....

Live music at the Cavern Club in Liverpool…..


Live Music at The Cavern – CLICK above for Video !

And finally - a night in a Beatles themed

And finally – a night in a Beatles themed “Hard Days Night” hotel – under a photo of John Lennon !

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I’m off to the frozen North this weekend…..what does the weather hold?

The Weather in the English Lake District

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My New Bike !

My next door neighbour said “why do you need another bike Rob”….? Good question seeing as I only did 9500 miles on the last one in 5 years. Anyway…..I needed a new toy !

So here it is, a Suzuki GSX120FA with just 14 miles on the clock, having rode it back from the dealership. I wonder if it will get to a five figure number before I sell it…..I rather hope so !

Rob Agostini-Little
Moto GP Champion
Lets Tour England !

Rob Little's GSX1250FA

Rob Little’s GSX1250FA

Rob Little's GSX1250FA

Rob Little’s GSX1250FA

Rob Little's GSX1250FA

Rob Little’s GSX1250FA

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A few photos from last week – northen England, The Lake District, Edinburgh Castle, Loch Ness and Glenfinnan “Hogwarts Express” Viaduct !

A few photos from last week – northen England, the Hadriab’s Wall Hunt, The Lake District, Edinburgh Castle, Loch Ness and Glenfinnan “Hogwarts Express” Viaduct !

The Glencoe Piper, welcoming you to the Scottish Highlands

The Glencoe Piper, welcoming you to the Scottish Highlands

Field of Barley straw near Cawder Castle

Field of Barley straw near Cawder Castle

Edinburgh Castle looking rather sinister

Edinburgh Castle looking rather sinister

Edinburgh Castle (on maximum zoom)

Edinburgh Castle (on maximum zoom)

Urqhart Castle and Loch Ness in the p****** rain !

Urqhart Castle and Loch Ness in the p****** rain !

Glenfinnan Viaduct - made famous by Harry Potter's Hogwart's Express

Glenfinnan Viaduct – made famous by Harry Potter’s Hogwart’s Express

The Haydon Hunt at Hadrian's Wall

The Haydon Hunt at Hadrian’s Wall

Lake Ullswater from the top of Martindale Mountain

Lake Ullswater from the top of Martindale Mountain

Again Lake Ullswater showing the hairpin bends at Martindale

Again Lake Ullswater showing the hairpin bends at Martindale

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The time, here in England !

I can’t believe I am sat here at my desk and have the time to write mischievous stuff (although the article below is fact not fiction!) – my season has almost drawn to a close and I’m thinking about a short vacation myself – maybe over to France for a few days – but the driving will be like a “bus driver’s holiday” !

Oh well, such is life! I love what I do, meet some wonderful people and have a lot of fun – I’m very lucky to be doing this !

Rob Little
Driver / Guide Extraordinaire <<==== someone said that once !!
Lets Tour England !


The time in TETBURY – Deep in the Cotswolds!

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