For this portion of our trip, we crossed central England, traveling from Bath northwest to Liverpool, with plenty of sightseeing in between.
Stow-on-the-Wold
Stow-on-the-Wold is a market town in Gloucestershire, England, situated at a central crossroads in the Cotswolds, with roots dating back to the Roman era.
A break to stretch our legs, use the public bathrooms, grab a tea, and wander the town. Soon to be referred to as “A Tea And A Wee!”
St Edward’s Church was the destination for most of us. A medieval-built Church of England parish church consecrated before 1086. The current church stands on the grounds of the original Saxon wooden church.
Most people wandered the church grounds to take a photo of the famous north door, which is surrounded by yew trees.
Huffkins Stow
The Square
Stow on the Wold
GL54 1AB
Right in the middle of town is Huffkins Cafe and Tea Room. It is one of nine locations across the region, situated in a 17th-century building on the Market Square.
Huffkins, established in 1890, is known for its teas, wood-roasted coffee, and delicious baked goods. Mark enjoyed a tasty coffee to go as well as an incredible slice of Victoria Sponge! It was light, filled with delicious Apricot Jam and dusted with a touch of Powdered Sugar – they’ve had 130 years to practice, and it shows.
Stratford-Upon-Avon
No trek across the West Midlands would be complete without a stop at Stratford-upon-Avon, the birthplace of William Shakespeare.
We got to spend a couple of hours here exploring, shopping, and having some lunch. Some of the most important buildings, restaurants, and shops are centrally located near the birthplace of William Shakespeare on Henley Street. This area has been converted into a pedestrian walkway, making it easy to navigate.
After wandering around town, we bought our traditional Christmas ornament. We saw way too many fast food places, and sat down in a pub, only to have no one come near us for ten minutes. We popped into a local deli and takeout place.
On the way out of town, we passed Ann Hathaway’s cottage, the childhood home of William Shakespeare’s wife. It’s also known for inspiring Shakespeare’s idyllic vision.
Travel Tip: If you’re in Stratford-upon-Avon, be sure to stop in The Stratford Sweet Shop. You’ll see it, it’s super cute, vintage, and doesn’t let you take photos. But our Tour Manager picked up some snack bags for everyone on the bus- and a few to spare.
Deli Cafe
13-14 Meer St
Stratford-upon-Avon
CV37 6QB
Initially, we figured Deli Cafe was fresh-made takeout, and we’d grab something and sit on a bench somewhere. We could not have been more wrong. The place is family-owned, simple yet cute, and the staff were warm and friendly. Our lunch was excellent.
Time to get back to the bus was now ticking away, so we kept it simple. We each had a Coke Zero and some of the Homemade Quiche of the Day. It was a Cheese and Onion Quiche served with a side Salad, Herby New Potatoes, and a Tomato and Onion Chutney for £10.95 / $14.00.
This was the perfect lunch. Delicious, not heavy, yet filling. Do not pass this place by if you are visiting Stratford-upon-Avon.
Leaving Stratford-upon-Avon after lunch, we made our way across England to the port city of Liverpool.
Liverpool City Tour
Arriving in Liverpool, we did a drive passing some beautiful murals and sculptures, visiting the waterfront, and of course, some iconic Beatles-related places.
The “All Together Now” statue symbolizes the WWI Christmas Ceasefire. The statue sits in front of a bombed-out church and shows a British and German soldier shaking hands.
This enormous mural, titled “Italo,” is by street mural artist Liam Bononi and stands 50 feet tall.
This mural of a Liver Bird (pronounced with a long I), aka the Secretary Bird, was painted by local artist John Culshaw. But, more on Liver Birds in a few minutes.
“A Case Study” is a sculpture on Hope Street in Liverpool by artist John King. The cases are labeled with famous names, including those of Charles Dickens and Paul McCartney, who are associated with the Hope Street Quarter.
The Royal Liver Building is in Liverpool’s port—one of the first buildings in the world to be constructed of reinforced concrete. The two Liver birds on top are said to watch over the city and the sea. It is said that if they ever flew away, the city would cease to exist.
The Beatles Statue
Located at the port of Liverpool, across from the Royal Liver Building, is a large bronze statue honoring native sons, The Beatles.
The statue is a fun place for a picture, and gets very busy. The cold and wind seemed to keep many people away on the day we were there, but we still had to wait for some to clear to get a picture.
The statue conceals a few “Easter Eggs” or hidden gems with significant meanings.
John Lennon holds two acorns inside his hand, a symbol of peace.
Paul McCartney’s statue has a camera, a nod to his late wife, Linda.
George Harrison’s statue features a belt with a Sanskrit inscription, related to Eastern spirituality.
Ringo Starr’s shoe has “L8” on the sole, referencing his Liverpool neighborhood of Dingle, which we did not crawl on the ground to get a picture of. #oldguys
Penny Lane
We took a drive along Penny Lane and saw a few places referenced in the song. And of course, we stopped for a quick photo with the Penny Lane street sign.
“On the corner is a banker with a motorcar.”
We passed the Penny Lane Fish and Chip Shop.
The line “Four of fish and finger pies” is a British slang expression. “A four of fish” refers to a fourpennyworth of fish and chips. We won’t talk about what Finger Pie refers to.
Strawberry Fields
After Penny Lane, we made our way to Strawberry Fields, a Salvation Army property, a former orphanage, near John Lennon’s childhood home. As a child, he played in the gardens. The song talks about a more innocent time in his life.
A recent addition to the property is the Strawberry Fields Forever Bandstand. The design is based on the drum featured on the cover of the album “Sargent Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.”
The Cavern Club
Continuing our Beatles tour, we stopped at The Cavern Club!
The Cavern Club is the location where the Beatles established their identity. They were the club’s signature act, playing there nearly 300 times between 1961 and 1963.
It was a fun place to visit as it’s more of a Beatles museum and tourist attraction. We walked through the building, stopped to hear a musician playing, had a beer, and bought a Cavern Club hat for Chuck.
Leonardo Hotel Liverpool
31 Keel Wharf
Liverpool L3 4FN, United Kingdom
The Leonardo Hotel has approximately 300 guest rooms. It’s clean, modern, and conveniently located near the Royal Albert Dock, the M&S Bank Arena, and The Wheel of Liverpool.
We were there for just one night and skipped the included group dinner (we had heard mixed reviews), so we decided to wander the Royal Albert Dock in search of dinner.
The room was spacious, although the bathroom was small, and we had another giant step into the tub.
Royal Albert Dock, Liverpool
The Albert Dock, as it was initially known, was the first of its kind, a pioneering dock and warehouse. It was constructed of concrete, brick, and wrought iron, making it different from older wooden structures.
It was transformed into a shopping and dining venue on the waterfront. Our hotel was at its edge, and we opted to take a walk. It was cold and windy, especially for two guys from the Yucatan.
We skipped the included dinner at the hotel (the reviews we saw were mixed) and wandered the dock in search of a place to eat.
Rosa’s Thai
Unit 7, Britannia Pavilion, Royal Albert Dock
Liverpool L3 4AD, United Kingdom
Rosa’s Thai was just inside the loop at Royal Albert Dock. It was very windy and cold, and we thought Thai food would be a great option.
Unfortunately, the place was packed, and we got the last table right in front of the door, so we got blown away every time the door opened.
This HAD to have been the strangest dining experience of our lives. We each ordered a pot of hot tea while reviewing the menu. The server informed us that they were out of hot tea. Since we had each ordered a different kind of tea, it was very odd. So we switched to a soft drink and placed our order.
We started by sharing a Classic Platter for two (£19.90 / $27.00), which included Thai Fried Chicken, Veggie Spring Rolls, Grilled Pork Skewer, Thai Calamari, and Prawn Crackers, accompanied by assorted dipping sauces.
At the same time, we decided to order our entrees. Chuck went with Pad Thai (£ 15.50/$21.00) with King Prawns, and Mark opted for Panang Curry with Pork Belly (£15.90/$21.50) plus £3.95 for Jasmine Rice…and suddenly they had TEA!
We have to assume that, with us ordering tea only, they figured we were coming in from the cold and tying up a table for diners. So, we switched to tea. Chuck had Jasmine, and Mark had Lemongrass and Chrysanthemum; both were excellent.
But then the server returned, telling us they were out of Calamari on the sampler plate. So, we opted for extra Chicken.
The appetizer was well-made, crispy, and hot, and the Chicken was excellent. We enjoyed both entrees, but in hindsight, Mark would have opted for one of the other protein options in the Curry.
Let’s Call It A Night!
Finishing dinner, we went back to the hotel for a good night’s sleep. In the morning, we were headed off across the Lake District and on to Scotland!
