We had a lively crossing of the Irish Sea last night before slipping up the Bristol Channel and mooring at Avonmouth.

There was a lot of tug activity whilst we were having breakfast, I suddenly realised that we were entering the port via a sea lock. It’s considerably larger than the ones we’ve been using on the canals with Prime Thyme !

Once that excitement was over it was onto a coach to Wells, to see the Cathedral and Bishops Palace gardens.

The interior stonework and stained glass windows were outstanding, but the little details bought it to life.

I took 200 plus photos in here, but can’t upload them all ! Then onto the Bishops Palace and Gardens via a drawbridge over a moat. This has some well trained swans who ring a bell for food.

The garden contains 5 natural springs or wells, giving the city its name. Very lush and very green, a lot of fellow travellers were very appreciative of it, and all the plant names I was able to give them.

After a quick but extremely interesting visit to these 2 sites it was time for lunch at the Swan Hotel and a little shopping at a camera shop and the Edinburgh Wollen Mills. The later had a shopper with a lovely Chihuahua, Diamond, who enjoyed his cuddle with Hazel so much he tried to climb into her jacket to come home with us. We had to reluctantly say goodbye, and promptly got Coopers medical bill when returning to the ship !