Someone has pointed out that there seem to have been no blogs since April!!
so here is three in one

We are still here and walking about 3 times a week. You can always look at the Programme of Events (Past Events) to see what has been happening and there are always updates into the Gallery http://https//picasaweb.google.com/dunstablebogtrotters so that you can see photos of what we have been doing.

These are just a few of our trips since the last blog - Brecon Beacons in April, glorious Welsh scenery.

Saffron Walden YHA which was built in the 1500s visited in May as we decided we had to visit before it closed as a hostel.

Saffron Walden YHA as was.

This was one of the dorms in Saffron Walden

Our most recent trip Bulgaria in June. Click the videos at the bottom to get an idea of some of the views we encountered on our trip.

This is the war memorial known as "Mother Bulgaria" in Veliko Tarnovo a major city.

The amazing Tsarevets Fortress which overlooks VT, see the video taken from here below.

Bulgaria was amazing, 8 of us visited Central Bulgaria near Veliko Tarnovo staying in Resen Lodge, run by a very amiable Scotsman called Ronnie who looked after us admirably and arranged transport in his bus where ever and whenever we wanted to go.
This is us with the bus admiring one of Bulgaria's numerous statues.

Resen village was rural with lovely mountainous countryside full of wildflowers, birds, butterflies and other wildlife. There were also numerous churches and magnificent monastries. Most of the villagers kept a few cows or goats which were collected in the morning and taken to pasture and then on their way home the animals just seemed to peel off from the herd and made their way home.....
The food portions were generous to say the least and a salad lovers paradise, ie 15-20 different salads on every menu, the local alcohol was also very good and up to 80% cheaper than at home. We had a few dramatic thunder storms, but we managed to avoid them and they soon cleared up leaving the atmosphere clear and cooler - otherwise it would probably have been a little too warm.

We did several trips out which included walks of varying lengths, mountains, caves, an eco forest and usually a bar or restaurant.

This is Etar which is a preserved working village museum of buildings and life as it would have been in the 1800s.

Resen Lodge, complete with en suite, rooms with air conditioning, bar, swimming pool and 2 resident rabbits!

Generally I think we can say a great time was had by all (even those who could possibly say if you could describe what that bar looked like at the end of the afternoon you probably weren't there!)



This is Shipka monument, a huge memorial with this glorious panoramic view.



Another glorious Bulgarian view taken from near Resen where we saw the Eagle Owls. See the Bulgaria Album.

The view from above Veliko Tarnovo taken from the Tsavarets Fortress site