2025 Stevens Family calendar: April

Goin' to the country

I have mentioned many times that we aren’t really city people. Our 2024 trips took us to more cities than we usually visit (our June section focuses on cities). Still, most of our traveling time was spent away from the hustle bustle.

And, in France and, especially, the United Kingdom, that often meant pastoral villages, mountains and forests. That’s what we covered on our April Pages. So, let’s take a look …

Main Page

This main page features only three photos that represent the countryside we visited. On the left side is Aber Falls, one of Wales’ most renowned waterfalls. Caty and I hiked to the falls and spent quite a bit of time photographing it.

The photo we used is on the left, but we had multiple options; Left and upper middle: Caty Stevens

Next is a picture of the French Alps taken somewhere along our route to Chamonix. 

We pulled off the road to take a picture and I have no idea exactly where we were

We had another option for this particular place; but we went with the boldest; Photo: Scott Stevens

The third photo is a medium-length view of Near Sawry, England, a beautiful little town in the Lake District where author Beatrix Potter lived in a lovely house called Hilltop.

This town had it all: fields, sheep, quaint houses, narrow roads and stone walls

Our other options were to pull in tighter …

Or zoom way out; Photo: Caty Stevens

Calendar Page 

The calendar page is decidedly pastoral, evoking a feeling of cozy cottages amid gentle landscapes. 

First up is a wide photo of Derwentwater, a beautiful lake in Keswick in England’s Lake District. 

After a boat trip around the lake, Caty and I drove to an overlook called "Surprise Overlook," because it was the only break in the thick trees, for this view

We had a couple of other options, as well

Next, is a shot of the very narrow Ashness Bridge, which we had to cross over to get from Derwentwater to the overlook. 

We used the left, but all were nice views; Photos: Caty Stevens

In France and Switzerland, much of the countryside is planted in vineyards. 

The next shot on the calendar page is white grapes growing on a
steep hillside in Matigny, Switzerland

Since I am a red wine drinker, maybe I should have gone with other grapes we saw
in Bordeaux and Provence; Left and right: Scott Stevens

Since this page is designed to muster feelings of cabins and forest, it seemed only right to include this gorgeous shot of the famous “Folklore Cabin” from Taylor Swift’s Eras tour (she’s on the roof). 

This isn’t real countryside, but it works; Photo: Caty Stevens

Next is a quaint house in the small village of Lus-la-Croix-Haut, where Scott and I spent the night in a farm cottage. This was one of the prettiest areas we visited in France. 

This was along the narrow lane that took us to the farm

Wales was filled with beautiful vistas, some of which made it into the calendar. 

This was the view from Pentre Ifan, the dolmen I featured on last month’s page

Here’s another view in the same area

And, finally, it isn’t European Countryside without sheep. There are some dotted in the distance on some of these pictures, but we needed a better look. And, where better to see sheep than England’s Lake District?

These Swaledale Lambs were frolicking inside the Castlerigg Stone Circle, also featured last month

More Unused Photos

Before I show you more photos we didn’t use, I must confess that there can be confusion about what I used on this page vs. September, which concentrates on small, quaint towns, and November, which includes snowy mountainscapes. 

A lot of pictures could be used in two – or even all three – of these sections. And, some could even fit in with February’s castles or May’s churches. 

Mainly, this page is country settings that may or may not include houses, walls or hamlets. 

Hilltop, Beatrix Potter’s home in Near Sawry, England

September is (for the most part) slightly larger villages with a lot of concentration on being in town.

Fos, on the border between France and Spain, is a small village and castle surrounded by green; Left and lower right: Scott Stevens

And November is predominantly snowy and alpine in character.

This alpine village could have fit in any of the three

This is just how they broke for me. It may or may not make sense. 

Let’s look at some unused photos.

One reason we went to France was to see vineyards near or at harvest time. So, in addition to the ones I showed above, we had more wine/vineyard-related photos in our portfolio.

White grapes and the fruit of the Strawberry Tree in Provence

A vineyard in Gordes, France

The signature château at the Château Les Carmes Haut Brion winery; Photos: Scott Stevens

The Château Les Carmes Haut Brion winery; Photos: Scott Stevens

Painted casks at Château Les Carmes Haut Brion

Wine and grapes at Château Les Carmes Haut Brion

Us wine-tasting at Château Les Carmes Haut Brion winery

Cider is also made in France; A press in Beaufortain

Lakes, ponds and bays are an important part of country scenery. I already showed you a few shots, but there were more. 

Another view of Derwentwater, this time a lake-level

Mute Swans feeding on Derwentwater

The shore at Derwentwater

A small lake in Beaufortain, France; Left: Scott Stevens

Black-necked Swan at Tierra del Fuego National Park, Argentina; Right: Scott Stevens

Lapataia Bay in Tierra del Fuego National Park

A small pond in Tierra del Fuego National Park; Photo: Scott Stevens

Another shot of the pond; Photo: Scott Stevens

An old boat at La Bocatoma, Tamaulipas, Mexico

A parade of Meso-American Sliders at La Bocatoma

A final shot of La Bocatoma

Of course mountains are always a huge draw for us. And, we visited multiple mountain ranges, including the French Alps … 

Same mountain, three views; this was on our route to Chamonix, France

A striking massif

Steep mountains with ruins on top (who would/could build here?) 

We traveled through the Pyrénées on the border of Spain and France. 

Our favorite valley in the Spanish Pyrénées

Another angle; Photo: Scott Stevens

 And, another; Photo: Scott Stevens

Horses grazing along the highway

The River Garonne in France

Oh, heck! One more favorite shot of the Spanish Pyrénées

We even spent two nights in Andorra in the middle of the Pyrénées.

We visited Mirador Roc del Quer, which was also shown in the calendar opening;
Lower left: Scott Stevens

And, we went to the Tibetan Bridge in Canillo (also featured in the opening); Photo: Scott Stevens

This is the view from the bridge

Another look at the bridge

And, I was surprised at the incredible mountains in and around in Monterrey, Mexico.

 

Los Condominios (The Highrise) and mountains near town

The biggest appeal of many places we visited was how very, very green the landscape was. We had lots of good green photos we didn’t use. 

A country lane at Derwentwater

Welsh woods; Right: Caty Stevens

The bounty of British gardens

A female Common Redstart at Derwentwater

More Welsh woods; Right: Caty Stevens

Ushuaia, Argentina; Photos: Scott Stevens

Tierra del Fuego National Park; Photo: Scott Stevens

A closer look

As you may know, hot air balloons were first developed and flown in France. So, we were thrilled to see one outside Gordes.

Landing near a vineyard; Left: Scott Stevens 

That’s it for the photos we used and didn’t use. Up next? We’ll go to church!

The evening procession at the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes; Photo: Scott Stevens