Saying goodbye to the Castles we started our drive mid-morning from Kenley to Brockenhurst in the New Forest for the 4-day English countryside jaunt.
“The New Forest is just lovely, wild horses and donkeys wandering through the villages and we stayed in a 1650’s forester’s cottage called Cottage Lodge with a snug made from reclaimed ships timbers, hand made bricks and sand.” (30.9.12) For dinner, “Steak and ale pie at the Rose and Crown in Brokenhurst where the hotel dates back to the 13th century”.
Setting off the next day we drove to the delightful Salisbury for lunch in the town square and saw the amazing Cathedral, then went on to Stone Henge. Many of the attractions have an individual audio guide set with head phones and I found this really useful. I think Stone Henge is a combination of an ancient clock and calendar.
Spending night of 1.10.12 in Bath our accommodation was Chestnuts House, in Henrietta Road. “Just Arrived in Bath after lunch in Salisbury, saw the impressive cathedral and wandered the medieval streets, then took in Stone Henge, trying to convince my Mr Darcy (Scott) to do the final scene from pride and prejudice”. Dinner and drinks was at Sam Wellers, with good traditional English pub food and friendly service.
In the morning we did the double decker bus tour around Bath, saw the Royal Crescent and The Circus plus Roman Baths visited the Jane Austen Centre, stopped in for coffee and a bun at Sally Lunn’s Historic Eating House & Museum. BATH. UK. (2.10.12)
Onto Stratford-upon-Avon for Tuesday the night of 2.10.12 we stayed at Emsley Guest House in Arden St and enjoyed dinner at The Windmill, Stratford Upon Avon established in 1599. I adored William Shakespeare’s houses especially Anne Hathaway’s Cottage with the gorgeous garden and I was serenaded by a medieval performer in the gardens of William Shakespeare’s birthplace.
“exploring Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire today and The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust – Group Visits, and plan to see Blenheim Palace this afternoon on our way to Oxford, Oxfordshire“ (3.10.12).
Blenheim Palace outside of Oxford was stunning; we enjoyed lunch in The Water Terrace Café and stayed in Oxford for the night of Wednesday 3.10.12 at Galaxie with dinner at a cool pub called The Red Lion.
“I need some more adjectives to describe what I’m seeing on my UK holiday – I’ve used cute, sweet, quaint, adorable, lovely, beautiful, gorgeous – amazing for Blenheim Palace, gritty for Peckham and bookish for Oxford – suggestions please?” (4.10.12)
So wanting to get a couple of Oxford University souvenirs we went shopping in the morning down the high street then onto Christ Church College to see that famous Harry Potter stairs and dining hall. There was an added bonus of hearing the story of Lewis Carroll and Alice plus spying the little door Alice couldn’t fit through and the tree where the Cheshire cat sat at the rear of the cathedral.
“Student and professor spotting this morning in Oxford, visited Christ Church College, saw the stairs and great dining hall from Harry Potter.” (4.10.12)
Here’s the photos for the New Forest, Salisbury, Stone Henge, Bath, Stratford-upon-Avon, Blenheim Palace and Oxford.
Written by Wendy Perry, Innovator | Thinker | Speaker | Writer