Climbing King Alfred's Tower

A few miles from Stourhead, standing tall in a field but shielded from view by a number of trees is King Alfred's Tower. A folly built by Henry Hare II, the owner of Stourhead, The tower is built on what is thought to be the spot where King Alfred raised his standard against the Danes in 878 AD. Ian and I climbed the 205 steps to the top of the tower which has lovely views of the surrounding areas (you can just make out the obelisk at Stourhead. We made it in just before closing time and were the second to last people to climb to the top for the amazing view. Our legs were a bit shaky by the time we made it back down the tower steps, but it was well worth it.

Sunny at Stourhead

Monday 31 May - Since it was a bank holiday we had monday off and decided to take a trip to Stourhead and see the park in some nice weather. We unwittingly took the long route (via Salisbury) but eventually made it. We had a very nice stroll around the lake and down a number of other winding paths. The rhododendron were in bloom and there was an impressive display of them in a many colours round the lake. We also saw a family of geese with gosling which we stopped to watch for awhile. Then we waited in a very long queue for some amazing ice cream.

Brook Trout at Biibury

On the way home from upton house we stopped in the lovely town of Bibury to collect some trout for dinner. Bibury is one of the many small villages considered the most lovely in England but this town was a particular favorite of Samuel Morrison. There is a lovely stream that flows through the village with many fish of its own; part of the stream is blocked off for the trout farm. We came across a family of swans on the river who let us get rather close and snap a few photos. We also walked past the church and through the very posh hotel in Bibury, where I would some day like to spend a night. After a nice stroll and stocked with fish we headed home.

A Taste of the 1930's

Leaving Westbury we took a very long drive through the Cotswolds to Upton House and Gardens. This estate was bought in 1927 and extensively remodeled by Walter Samuel. It houses a lovely art collection, and imposing billiard room and some amazing gardens. Mr Samuel made his money through the Shell company and there was a lovely exhibition of Shell marketing posters in the house. There was also an impressive bathroom that looked like a spaceship (covered in silver). The Gardens were designed by Kitty Lloyd jones and features an unusual bog garden with some very prehistoric plants. The grounds also have a sunken lawn, a large ha ha, formal and kitchen gardens, a mirror pond, a wild garden, a swimming pool and an orchard. We took a tour of the house with its lovely master bedrooms and massive kitchen then a wander through the gardens. Despite the crowds one could imagine a lovely house party here in the 1930's, I thought the bog garden would make an excellent spot for a murder if the estate was featured in an Agatha Christie novel.

The Wonderful Water Gardens at Westbury

Sunday 30 May - We drove to the tip of the Severn to see the amazing gardens at Westbury court. These restored gardens are the best example of the Dutch style water garden in the country. It was a beautiful day, perfect for strolling around the very relaxing gardens. Canals of water run along the gardens and are lined with shrubbery. Between and around the canals are a number of other gardens including a small walled garden, and a kitchen garden. There was also a rabbit warren and a lovely garden where the grass was about knee high with paths mowed through it. At the back of the garden is what is thought to be the oldest evergreen oak in England. We thoroughly enjoyed our visit and could have spent the whole day there with a book and a picnic but we had other things to see.

The potter, the fox and the cat

Saturday 29 May - Unsure of whether our passports would come in time we decided to rent a car for the bank holiday weekend, just in case we weren't able to get away the following week. We went to Lacock village, which we visited before, briefly over the christmas holiday but everything was closed. We took advantage of our newly acquired National Trust membership and visited the Fox Talbot museum. Fox talbot is considered the father of photography and there were some amazing examples of the earliest photographs, many of which recorded elements of the nearby Abbey estate. After a tour of the museum we visited the Abbey gardens. Despite the showers we walked along the woodland paths and visited the formal and rose gardens. Along the way we were joined by a black and white cat who followed us for a while and was constantly looking for attention. Next up was the Abbey. This Amazing estate was once home to about 35 nuns until Henry VIII kicked them out. The courtyard and its surrounding rooms are very gothic looking and were used for filming in two of the Harry potter films. The Abbey is an amazing place to visit as it has the gothic elements of the abbey as well as many treasures belonging to the families which lived in the Abbey once it became a private residence. After thoroughly exploring the abbey we wandered around the quaint village of Lacock before heading over to my favorite garden centre the next village over.