David Cross

Tragically the major quake in April 2009 not only killed hundreds but did substantial damage to some of the city’s main monuments.

The Circle for Foreign Languages owns its own building in Elton Terrace off Manningham Lane.

One evening is given weekly to each of French, German, Italian and Spanish. Normally there is alternation between conversations and talks by a member or visiting speaker.

It’s very cheap and can be tried out for a while free. More information from http://www.anthonysimpson.plus.com/home.html

Torla is reached from Sibiñanigo or Ainsa by a minibus whch pulls a luggage trailer. It is a mountain village that has been subjected to growth without planning or taste but fortunately this is not apparent from the centre.

The minibus stops in a vast car park and this is where would-be visitors to the Parque Nacional de Ordesa y Mnnte Perdido must leave their cars and take to the bus. There is an information centre on the way up where you can get out and then continue with the same ticket.

What more could anybody want? On the road from Tavistock to Princetown.

Morwellham is on the river Tamar spread between Devon and Cornwall. There is a fascinating theme park and relics from the copper and tin mining industries of of the old fixtures from whn it was a river port.

Shaugh Bridge is a beauty spot visited by many Plymothians – though many more came when there was a railway halt there. The wooded valleys of the rivers Meavy and Cad join here to form the Plym.

A bit of confusion here – the lovely Lorna is associated with EXMOOR.

A tor is a hill with a granite outcrop at the top. Sheepstor is the name of both a tor and the village lying beneath one flank.
The tor is picturesque, even if it takes a bit of imagination to see the rocks as resembling a sheep. The churchyard of the typical Dartmoor granite church contains two interesting graves – one of German airmen who crashed locally in WW2 and one of James Brooke, ‘first white Rajah of Sarawak.’

This is a true loch (i.e. not a sea-loch) on the south of the peninsula leading to Dunvegan. On the landward side it is surrounded by beautiful Coolin mountains and on the other side it is only a short but rugged footpath to the sea.

There are three ways of getting there.
1. Boat from Elgol – frequent trips in summer.
2. Long but manageable walk from Sigachan.
3, Walk from Elgol via Camasunary BUT NOTE htat this involves a ‘bad step’ and requires a good head and sure feet.

Only €10 return from Atocha for two trains – the first to Cercidilla on the line to Segovia and then a special narrow gauge and often single track through wonderful mountain scenery. The whole trip takes approximately 2 hours each way.

At Los Cotos at the end of this line you are only yards from the Peñalara natural Park. At the Casa del Parque (Park Centre) you can get information on walks of different standards – or you can simply take a picnic and rest in delightful scenery.