Last Friday, returning to my usual bus pass exploring, I returned to Leamington Spa to knock off a few ADLab caches.
To get to Leamington, I used the X12 to International; The X1 to Coventry and then the X18 to Leamington Spa.
After finding my first location and answering the question correctly, I had to walk past some pretty splendid architecture which reminded me of Bath. Reading a plaque about the designer (William Thomas) I discovered that after this job he’d upped sticks and emigrated to Canada where he become their leading architect.
Cache find two was on a bridge over the River Leam where I had to look for a retro item. I found a mosaic of a Space Invader, so that was another in the bag.
It was then into Jefson Gardens where I discovered clock tower, some elephants and a tropical rainforest. To elaborate a little, apart from the clock tower which is just a tower with a clock, next to the river is sculpture / bench depicting some elephants. Across from the bench is an area called the Elephant Wash where circus elephants were brought to bathe. Yes, there was a circus in Leamington Spa in the 1880s. However, the trumpeting of the Nellies, especially on a Sunday, upset the parishioners of the nearby church and the washing had to be carried out further away.
ALso, in Jefson Gardens, next to the elephant bench, is The Glasshouse which houses a collection of tropical plants including bananas and Bird of Paradise.
After finishing the series of five Adventure Lab caches in the park, I picked up a few others nearby before I started my trip home.
I was going to reverse the actions taken to get here (X18, X1, X12) but a number 11 turned up first. The front of the bus said that it was going to Ceventry so why not. Whereas the ‘X’ in the bus service usually stands for eXpress, this one wasn’t so took the circuitous route via Kenilworth and Warwick University.
Finally getting back to Coventry Pool Meadow Bus Station, I had a wait of around ten minutes for the returning X1 when I noticed a bus bearing the number 82 which was heading for Solihull from where I could get the X12 back home.
Until reaching Meriden, the 82 followed the exact route of the X1 but whereas the X1 continued to the airport, my bus turned left to visit the villages of Hampton in Arden and Catherine de Barnes.
After a short wait in Solihull, I hopped on the X12 and about forty five minutes later alighted about half a mile from home. As the bus stop was outside of the chippy and I hadn’t had any proper food, a bag of chips was the order of the day which I munched on my final short walk.