Rob Little’s Blog – musings of an English / British Tour Guide where I not only vent about things that “get my goat” but, also, publish lovely photos and eccentric stories about “this Sceptered Isle”!
Mothering Sunday and Spring is threatening…..😳
Sunday, 19th March 2023
Well Spring is definitely thinking of showing its face today, Mothering Sunday (or Mothers Day) in the UK. I have written many times on the traditions of “Mothering Sunday” in the UK and its connections with the Church so if you want to know more search back to previous years!
But, yes, some of the daffs are out, and the sheep are in the meadow, waiting for their lambs. A deightful Cotswold scene!
Rob Little
Tour Guide
Lets Tour England !
Ride a Cock Horse to Banbury Cross !
Friday, 10th March 2023
Took a drive over to Banbury…..
Ride a Cock Horse to Banbury Cross
To see a fine lady upon a white horse
With rings on her fingers and bells on her toes
She shall have music wherever she goes
Rob Little
Tour Guide
Lets Tour England !
Shillingford Bridge on the RIver Thames…..
Friday, 3rd March 2023
You never know where I’ll pop up next!
Well I had a little run out today to meet my mate Steve for lunch and before I met him, found myself at Shillingford Bridge near Wallingford on the River Thames – I once stayed in the hotel!
Lovely spot on the River Thames, downstream of Oxford which reminds me I must do a little video Goring-on-Thames one day.
Afterwards, I met Steve and had lunch at The Six Bells in Warborough. This is “Midsomer Murders” country – much of the footage was filmed in this area!
The name “Shillingford” would derive from a crossing point on the river, through a ford, before the bridge was build albeit that the water would seem too deep today, for a ford to exist.
Rob Little
Tour Guide
Lets Tour England !
“Mad as March Hares”…..
Wednesday, 1st March 2023
Hares or Jack Rabbits acting crazy near The Whiteway (Roman Road) in the Cotswolds, Near Cirencester.
Wonderful to see.
Sorry about the definition – its the best I could do on the iphone.
Check out my videos on Youtube using this “handle” – @RobLittleuk
Rob Little
Tour Guide
Lets Tour England !
RIP Gladys…..🥲
Gladys…..what can I say?
This little dog has been at the centre of our lives since we had brought her home as a tiny runt of a pup early in 2007. Just before Christmas she was 16 years old – quite elderly for a Border Terrier especially one that had a heart murmur from birth.
I can’t begin to tell you how much she meant to us but, after some months of decline, she succumbed last night. Beside the tears, this morning the house was so quiet – no talking to her, no clicking of her toe nails on the wooden floor as she trotted around, no medication, breakfast or treats to prepare. We simply loved her to bits and she was so so special to Bev.
We are now left with our cat and intend to be “dogless” for a number of years so we can do things we have been unable to do while we looked after Gladys in her dotage. I famously named her “Gladys the Dog” and she was quite notorious online in her prime, playing a starring role in my blogs and videos.
We are so lucky to have these little pets and Gladys was lucky to have had a spoilt life with us but goodness does it pull on your heart strings when you lose them…..
❤️ RIP Gladys the Dog – 23/12/2006 – 28/02/2023 ❤️
Rob Little
Tour Guide
Lets Tour England !
Dear dear Deer…..
Sunday, 26th February 2023
Not a common sight from my breakfast perch this Sunday morning:

Its very unusual to see deer out in the open like this = here in this country they tend to be very nervous.
By the time I grabbed my Lumix camera it has started to move! But quite a nice sight while munching on me “Fruit ‘n Fibre” !!
Rob Little
Tour Guide
Lets Tour England !
Snowdrops on the River Churn at Rendcomb…..
Monday, 20th February 2023
Stunning vista on this Cotswold riverbank – an array of Snowdrops and Crocuses along the meandering banks of the River Churn at Rendcomb – the river that that runs through Cirencester and on into The River Thames near Cricklade.
Rob Little
Tour Guide
Lets Tour England !
Bristol – a city you WANT to visit !
Saturday, 18th February 2023
Visit Bristol !! A city you WANT to visit even if you know nothing about it yet!
If Bristol looks as nice as this on a gloomy day in February imagine what it is like on a bright summer day!
A “post industrial” city with, in present day terms, a “dubious” past, Bristol has not been good at publicising its status as a fascinating historical destination with a stunning waterfront.
Historically, as the nearest port on the west of the country to London, Bristol became an emigration port of departure for the Americas and wider world whilst trading in Sugar, Rum, Tobacco and Slaves. The first slaves to be taken were white people from the surrounding area, but soon there was a black community in Bristol, stemming back to the 1600s. In latter years people of a “WOKE” persuasion have tried to obliterate the more shameful aspects of Bristol’s history and only time will tell if they succeed.
- In the 1800s, Britain’s most famous Engineer, Isambard Kingdom Brunel, made a major impression in Bristol. He achievements included:
- The Great Western Railway
- The cathedral-like Temple Meads Railway Station
- Diverting the River Avon so he could build the…
- Non-tidal floating harbour – constructing major locks and bridges
- The Underfall Boatyard
- The SS Great Britain – the world’s first iron steamship
- Clifton Suspension Bridge
Indeed…..Isambard was a busy man !!
Today Bristol is a thriving commercial centre. Most manufacturing has gone but Rolls Royce Aero Engines is still there and what was British Aerospace – a company that has been split into differently named businesses is still there also – the company that built Concorde! Culturally it is a wonderful city for music, eating out and it has two excellent universities. Banksy, the world famous graffiti artist originates from Bristol and there is brilliant street art to be seen everywhere!
So the purpose of this little video is just to enlighten people on what Bristol has to offer – I love it. Often I have to “force” my Customers to visit Bristol but after they do they are glad they came.
I hope you enjoy the video. If you did please give me a “thumbs up” and SUBSCRIBE to my channel!
Search for my videos on YouTube using this “handle” – @RobLittleuk
Rob Little
Tour Guide
Lets Tour England !
Mass killer, members of the public screaming at the killer in the courtroom…..another guy lunges at the killer….
Wednesday, 15th February 2023
Where is all this malarkey?
Third world?
Well it doesn’t happen HERE !!
This heinous crime could not have anything to do in the proliferation of assault weapons could it?
Nah….no way.
Rob Little
Tour Guide
Lets Tour England !
Sunspots? Or marks on my screen?
The sun through the Cotswold mist this morning.
The full res photo is, of course, better, but I am pretty sure you can see the sunspots? Hope they are not catching?
Rob Little
Tour Guide
Lets Tour England !