<a href="http://pigyard.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/stocks-barnmay17.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-4376" src="http://pigyard.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/stocks-barnmay17-200x150.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="150" /></a>A week away with the Usual Suspects staying in the lovely Stocks Barn a few miles south of Hereford. The barn is open plan upstairs with steps up to a landing and dining area with more steps up to the kitchen to the left and sitting areas to the right. Lots of steps but very interesting layout.

<a href="http://pigyard.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/hereford-water-worksmay17.jpg"><img class="alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-4375" src="http://pigyard.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/hereford-water-worksmay17-150x200.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="200" /></a>A trip into Hereford was a must although the town is like most market towns these days with many boarded up shops amongst the regular traders one finds in most places. A visit to the local <a href="http://www.waterworksmuseum.org.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">waterworks museum</a> gave the techies amongst us the delights of seeing late Victorian steam and Lister engines with a large team of veteran volunteers keeping them all in working order.

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<a href="http://pigyard.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/hereford-cathedralmay17.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-4374" src="http://pigyard.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/hereford-cathedralmay17-200x150.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="150" /></a>A visit to a city and you have to visit the cathedral. Part of the attraction is the <a href="http://www.themappamundi.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Mappa Mundi</a> however at £5 to see it and having seen it before I decided not to bother. The depiction of the world as understood in 1300 Britain leaves a lot to be desired. It's a case of the ignorant misinforming the uneducated with depictions of the voyages of Jason and the Argonauts along with the Red Sea being parted and Rome at the centre of the map.

Midweek found us in the <a href="http://www.elanvalley.org.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Elan valley</a> looking at Dams which help to supply water to Birmingham and a special treat of seeing Red Kites being fed at <a href="http://www.gigrin.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Gigrin Farm</a>.

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A trip to Hampton Court Castle is a must if you're ever in the area. It's a pleasant mixture of formal, walled gardens in an impressive estate setting. The design is really impressive and the work that goes into keeping it maintained is incredible.

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And finally a drive to Abergavenny. A small market town but the surprise was found in the <a href="http://abergavennynow.com/abergavenny-market/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Market Hall</a>. These owl creations were hovering above the market stalls and were, without doubt, the most impressive point of the whole place.

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