Category Archives: National Trust

Canons Ashby at Christmas

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16th December 2022

Many National Trust houses reopen for Christmas and are decorated with a theme. We try and visit at least each year. There are some houses which are decorated in an extravagant fashion, such as our local house, Waddesdon Manor. This is a big money-making scheme and visitors are charged entry whether they are or are not members of the National Trust. These houses tend to become very busy. We typically visit the smaller houses which have been decorated by the volunteers and are still free to National Trust members. This year we have already visited Chastleton House in late November and squeezed in this visit to Canons Ashby to meet up with some friends of ours.

The weather had been cold and frosty for several days, and wonderful frost patterns had formed on the lawns and outdoor furniture. The house looked spectacular with the bright blue sky and the white from the snow/frost patterns. The house had been decorated with small paper Christmas trees, castles and Welsh dragons, the theme being Arthurian legends. Seems the volunteers had made many of the decorations. Brilliant and, of course, R cannot resist a dragon. There were even dragons eggs and a puffing, growling dragon.

Of course, no visit is complete without a visit to the cafe (not to mention the secondhand bookshop), where, on our second visit, we stayed and chatted until past closing time. Back at the car park, the NT staff were trying to figure out who was still in the gardens, and which cars belonged to visitors.

Thorington Hall

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We had booked Thorington Hall, a National Trust holiday house in Suffolk, for the week. We’d originally booked it for 2020, but….. We headed over there on Monday afternoon, unloaded and moved in. The house was bordered on one side by a host of golden daffodils.

The Hall has Tudor origins, wonderfully sloping floors, large rooms and a quirky layout. Some doors were locked; we suspected this was cos stairs were just too uneven for safety. Previous owners had left their mark in graffiti on one window’s panes and witches marks on the nearby staircase. A magical place to daydream.

The weather was amazing – wall to wall sunshine every day. You could look up at fantastic blue skies and then be quite astonished at the lack of leaves on the trees. Was this to be the summer of 2020??

The next day, first thing, we headed to Tesco in Colchester for a big shop. I dropped off Rosemary and Selina there, while I went over to a BP garage to charge the car. (I was at 40% but wanted a charged car for trips during the week.) It was reported back to me that this was the largest Tesco Rosemary has ever been in, with a whole section in one aisle dedicated to grated cheese! After lunch we took a walk along the river and across fields to Stoke-by-Nayland, returning to Thorington Hall to welcome our first guests.

Magnificent magnolias were spotted on our walks, but we never saw the rumoured otter in the v local river. It did not look like otter country. Perhaps it had been a mink?

The kitchen was well equipped and suitably large with two dishwashers, fridges and freezers and four ovens. The 6-slice toaster came into its own very early on. We didn’t however use all the kettles, nor the urn. Steve served a cooked breakfast every morning, bar our last. Each couple cooked one evening meal during their stay. Standards were very high, and tummies very full!

The Wednesday activity for the walkers was an eight-mile walk to Stoke-by-Nayland, then down to Nayland with lunch at the Anchor Inn and back to Thorington Hall. Those electing to stay in the Hall settled for chatting over a quick lunch of snackrells & a bottle of Cava.

Thursday was the turn of Dedham where we dropped a car off, so that those not wanting to walk the whole route would be able to drive back to Thorington Hall. The walkers split into two groups, the fast and the slow (ie Rosemary & her supporters). When the fast group reached Dedham, I picked up the car and drove to Stratford St Mary to pick up the slow group and delivered them to the Sun Inn in Dedham where we all had lunch. After lunch and a look around the village, the walkers returned to Thorington Hall, while I drove the others there.

Friday, we drove to Flatford Mill, where R was excited at seeing her first cowslip of the year, and from there we walked to East Bergholt for lunch at the Lion Brasserie. We managed a table outside in partial sun. The loos (along a corridor from a very impressive wine storage area) were particularly good; the men’s toilet had a showcase of old shotgun paraphernalia. After lunch it was a return walk to Flatford and then back to Thorington Hall for supper. Our doggy guest turned up with her owners so was able to open her special box of NT goodies. She thoroughly approved of them.

Saturday, we travelled to the coast, parked in Frinton and walked to Walton-on-the-Naze, where lunch was at The Victory. Walton-on-the-Naze appeared rather run down. I have also never seen so many beach huts. We walked back to Frinton and then home.

Sunday was spent driving to Shotley Gate and admiring the Marina and the container ships across the estuary at Felixstowe. There was an Evergreen container ship, the Ever Aim, the same length as the Ever Given which had become infamously stuck across the Suez Canal. If we had stayed until the early hours of Monday, we would have seen Ever Given arrive. A snack lunch was drunk and/or eaten at the Marina Cafe.

Monday, we packed up and left by10.00. The cleaners had all arrived promptly, one in her BMW. It was sad to leave a beautiful house which had given us all a great deal of pleasure.

Banksy – Great British Spraycation

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West Runton 23rd – 27th August

I managed to book a short weekday camping trip (Monday night through Thursday night) to the Camping and Caravan club site in West Runton. It was impossible to book days that included the weekend. The school holidays, and the British Staycation this year conspired against late bookings. We also were unable to get an electric hook-up, so took the solar panel to keep the leisure battery charged. This campsite is in a wooded area with a long dirt track down to the site. We were shown around the site, viewing several potential spots, choosing one that was about 100 metres from the loos and children’s playground. Interestingly during the course of the week, the row we parked on became a complete row of VM campervans. How good is that!!!

This was the first time we have booked a campsite in school holidays, and were fearing the place would be overrun with screaming kids. Yes there were many children, and they were enjoying themselves, but you could easily block them out and come 11pm, there was total silence. Not at all bad, and in future we won’t actively block out school holidays.

Four-legged pets are permitted. R was thrilled to find a tortoise and a hamster.

Our neighbours had stayed in a campsite here a few weeks ago. They gave us some tips.

Tuesday – Cromer and West Runton

The next day we walked to the coast at West Runton, via Incleborough Hill to look over the sea. From here you could see numerous, alarming other campsites and holiday homes. The nearest one to us was the Caravan and Motorhome club site. There is a footpath through this site, allowing us alien campers to walk through their site to West Runton.

We walked down the hill to the sea, where we watched a couple of huge motorhomes trying to turn around after ignoring the height restriction signs at the entry to the lane. A difficult manoeuvre as they were turning on a steep slipway into the sea. Some skidding of tyres on the concrete as they attempted to extract themselves from their predicament. But, they succeeded. Did not find any fossils here.

Lunch time, we headed back to the Village Inn for a drink and some food. Absolute disaster, they had beer, and a large menu of food, with only two items on, sausage rolls being the highlight of their menu. Very poor show. We asked if it was a Covid or Brexit problem, Not sure we were answered.

Being OAPs we headed for the bus stop and caught a bus to Cromer where we went in search of the Banksy. Thankfully someone had put its location onto Google Maps. It was quite a way from Cromer Pier, so 800 meters east, just beyond the beach huts. Good position, only those who really wanted to see it would be bothered to walk that way. R found bits of belemnites & a witches stone. Our neighbours had done better.

Back to West Runton on the bus and a coffee and cream tea in the Hole in One Sports Bar. Yet not quite up to scratch, two scones, but a minute amount of clotted cream and jam. Then the walk up the hill, and a BBQ for supper.

Wednesday – Felbrigg Hall

Today we went for a walk to the National Trust house of Felbrigg Hall. This was a circular walk which took us through woods, past active quarries, down farm tracks and through parkland to the hall. We managed our weekly Sadgits zoom call near a heavy plant crossing. We had to mute the call each time a load of extracted sand was driven past us. We had lunch in the Hall’s café and then viewed the house.

There was a huge walled garden in the grounds. This was definitely the highlight. Never seen such huge buddleia flowers. It would be well worth coming and viewing at different times of the year.

Finally we set off again to complete the walk back to the campsite, the route back was shorter (much to R’s relief).

Tonight the fish and chip van was on site. The chips were fabulous, Rosemary wished she had chosen some. The big snag was I waited 90 minutes in a queue by which time it was getting dark & chilly.

Thursday – North Norfolk Railway

Today we headed off the Sheringham on the bus via West Runton. We arrived at the North Norfolk Railway (The Poppy Line) and purchased tickets for the heritage steam line. It is quite a short trip, stopping at a couple of stations before terminating in Holt. Here we had a long walk to the centre of the town, but not until after checking out the 1930s decorated “house” built from a railway carriage complete with a lean-to, which had R crooning.

Well worth the walk, because we passed the public school of Greshams, which seemed to go on for ever and ever. Wonder how much the fees are? Bonus for parents, they take kids from 2 to 18.

Holt was busy, and the recommended (neighbours) Folly Tearoom was full, complete with a queue. Another would-be customer asked if the café took bookings. Only in advance, said the young waitress. We gave up. Instead we went to Bywfrds for lunch. After lunch a little grockling, and then bus back to Holt for the return trip. We did visit the delightful museum on the platform while we waited.

At Sheringham we walked down to the sea, huge strong wind. The town was also very busy. Interesting display of Tintin in one of the shops. Back to the bus stop and a walk back to our campsite. Started the BBQ for another steak. We were doing our cooking on charcoal. The status of the gas was low, and there was no possibility of buying a replacement gas cylinder. The Staycation has created many new campers, who had bought up all the cylinders during the previous months. (Actually did find Calor Gas in the very local farm equipment shop when we got home.)

Martham and Norwich

Today we packed up and were heading home. First stop was to see friends cum relatives on the way home. So headed to Martham where step-brother Nick has a boatyard and rents out electric day boats and beautiful wooden sail Broads-cruisers. Step-sister Liz was there too. Both very busy helping clients. Before arriving we stopped for lunch at the Poppyland Tearoom. This stop was by chance, we had intended to go to the nearby Nelson pub. Not closed, but looked a bit Covid/Brexit hit, selling food and drinks through a hatch. Backtracked to the Tearoom we had just passed. This was themed Dad’s Army style with unexploded bomb, and Anderson shelters. The food was served army style. Check out my cappuccino decoration. all brilliant. You may see a theme, Poppy line, and Poppy tearoom. This area of Norfolk was well know for growing poppies.

Afterwards we stopped off in Norwich to see step-mum Ann & Liz’s partner Bob. We were shown their newly landscaped garden. Landscaped by Bob and Liz. It was a remarkable change and must have looked even better earlier in the year.

A few days Up North in Wakefield

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We were invited to join a trip to Wakefield, with two other couples, to visit the Hepworth Wakefield for the special exhibition “Barbara Hepworth: Art & Life”, a celebration for the museum’s tenth anniversary. Hepworth spent much of her life after WW2 in Cornwall, but Wakefield lays claim to her because she was born there.

The trip was a first for us, we would have to charge the Polestar 2 away from home. The return trip being too far for a full charge. Rosemary experienced range anxiety on the way there, but Steve had planned several charging locations in Wakefield, and scouted out some emergency stops on the motorway.

The idea was all three couples on the trip would stay at the Holiday Inn Express, meeting up for outings. Restaurants and pub venues had been booked or selected by Norman.

We set off at 9.40 and arrived at our first stop, the Yorkshire Sculpture Park, at 12.20 with more than 40% charge remaining in the battery. The others visited different places.

Yorkshire Sculpture Park

There are two entries to the park, we chose the larger main entry to the North. It seemed very busy with families coming to walk around the extensive grounds. First stop the loos, after which we munched on our Ginsters Cornish Pasties for lunch. We did not do the park justice, it is absolutely huge. We did not even go near to the lake, let alone walk on the lakes south side. Three Henry Moore sculptures were set in open park land, and there were many Barbara Hepworth bronzes in the series ‘Family of Man’. Good to fantasize about which we’d like to have at home. The sculptures I photographed were:

  • Masayuki Koorida, Flower
  • Squares with Two Circles, Barbara Hepworth
  • Eduardo Paolozzi, Vulcan
  • Barbara Hepworth, The Family of Man
  • Niki de Saint Phalle, Buddha
  • Elisabeth Frink, Standing Man
  • William Turnbull, Large Idol
  • David Nash, Barnsley Lump and Three Stones
  • William Turnbull, Large Horse (R wanted this one)
  • Kenny Hunter, Bonfire
  • Marialuisa Tadei, Night and Day
  • Marialuisa Tadei, Octopus
  • Nigel Hall, Crossing (Horizontal)
  • Dennis Oppenheim, Trees: From Alternative Landscape Components
  • Kimsooja, A Needle Woman: Galaxy was a Memory, Earth is a Souvenir
  • Ai Weiwei, Circle of Animals / Zodiac Heads
  • Anthony Caro, Promenade
  • Anthony Caro, Dream City
  • Mark di Suvero, The Cave
  • Henry Moore, Large Two Forms
  • Sean Scully, Crate of Air
  • Henry Moore, Three Piece Reclining Figure
  • Ursula von Rydingsvard, Heart in Hand

Afterwards we made our way to the Asda on Asdale Road, Wakefield, mainly to charge the car on a 50KW charger. It was occupied, but by the time I had registered on the ENERGIE app and entered my credit card details, the owner of the charging car had returned and disconnected the charger. I dutifully parked and plugged in and started the charge. At the 40% level, the car was able to take the full 50KW, but slowed down when 80% was reached. We waited until we had a full 90% charge. We were there charging for a few minutes more than an hour. Surprisngly, I found the charge was free. R went into Asda in search of polish & preserved whole lemons, but neither was to be had.

Next we checked in at the Holiday Inn Express. Rosemary had found out that parking was limited, and it was, but we managed to find a space and parked. Basic hotel (well it was only £55 a night), but comfortable with friendly staff. After settling in, we walked to Harrys Bar, a pub selected by Norman for its reported good beer. We located the pub, nearby, but it was a little difficult to find the entrance. Norman and Valerie were nowhere to be seen. A few mins later, messages from them confirmed they had gone the wrong way, but after recovering from this detour, they still could not find the entrance immediately. Viv and Bill were a little later, but had no issues finding the bar which had an excellent selection of beers.

We thought Harrys Bar had been selected for its proximity to Dolce Vita, the Italian restaurant where we were to be eating later. This was not the case, and was pure coincidence because the location of Dolce Vita had been assumed to be elsewhere (we think confusion over a bakery with a similar name some distance away). The Dolce Vita restaurant is in a rather ugly building when viewed from the outside, looking very much like a utilitarian discount store. Inside it was light, clean and very welcoming. We had an excellent meal here, which started with a Negroni for me, and Negroni with added prosecco for Viv and Valerie (think R had an espresso martini). A nice end to the day.

Barbara Hepworth

Next day we were up for breakfast, which for R and I was the full English (R made a mistake in her ordering cos she didn’t really want it) then it was to the Hepworth Museum (a treat in itself) to see the special exhibition. We spent three hours there, including a light lunch in the café. We spent a couple of hours afterwards, walking around in the rain, first visiting the Chantry Chapel of St Mary the Virgin, which is built on a bridge over the River Calder. R and I also walked to the Trinity shopping Mall to see a Barbara Hepworth, but that had mysteriously changed into Hubert Dalwood’s, Minos. A visit to the Cathedral, and then back to the hotel.

We all met up for a drink at the Black Rock pub, another pub with a good selection of beers, before eating at the nearby Qubana. Modern tapas menu, or starter mains. Very noisy to start with, no sound deadening upholstery in the restaurant. This abated somewhat, as most of the diners appeared to have come early to eat before going on elsewhere. It was again a good meal at very reasonable cost. Norman chooses well.

From the visits to the pubs, I was directed to an app called Real Ale Finder. It shows pubs selling real ales, and is updated by the landlords to show what is on tap. Unfortunately is appears to have a mainly Northern following, and is not much used by pubs around here.

National Trust Nostell Priory

Another morning and breakfast saw us checking out and making our separate ways. But we happened to go the same way as Bill and Viv, to the National Trust house of Nostell Priory. A house set in parkland. We managed a tour of the house. The most notable exhibit to me was the wooden clock built by John Harrison in 1717 when we was only 24. John Harrison went on the build the marine chronometer which aided navigators in calculating their longitude.

Lunch in the courtyard and a walk around the walled gardens before we set off home, arriving back with plenty of power left. With more and more green electricity being produced, it is great to believe the coal mine owners and oil producers will be going broke. So long as they and their investors are made to clear up the mess, and are not allowed to divest their liabilities into shell companies designed to go broke..

Greys Court and the Oxford Sculptors Group

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Saturday 12th June was our first opportunity to see the Wisteria at Greys Court. We had booked just before we visited Wales, and on the day, thankfully it was lovely, being bright & sunny. To our surprise, it was art season, and there was an exhibition of sculpture produced by the Oxford Sculptors Group. It was opening day. The sculptures ranged from small pieces, exhibited inside, to large garden features. The sculptures were scattered throughout the grounds and made interesting items to be photographed. The exhibition is open until 18 July, and well worth a visit.

Our main reason for visiting was to see the Wisteria which because of the cold weather was very delayed in opening this year. (On our previous visit to view the bluebells, not a sign of growth on the Wisteria, despite the Wisteria in Cambridge being out.) The Wisteria did not disappoint.

Rosemary made a trip around the house, while I walked across the fields and wood. Bluebells not to be seen now, though there might have been a cow in the field called Bluebell. The fields were being grazed by a herd of cattle and their calves.

The Polestar car behaved well in the warm weather, and came in with an estimated range of 270 miles, making the WLTP advertised range.

Ascott House

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Ascott House

National Trust house between Wing and Leighton Buzzard

Desperate to take the new automobile out for a drive, we hit upon a visit to the National Trust property, Ascott House. The interior of the house was not open, but the gardens were. We had booked our visit time and managed to arrive late. Little issues such as setting the house alarm off as we left caused a delay. As is always the case, the traffic then becomes intense, so we could not get back on the road, and when we did we became stuck behind farm vehicles. It is harvest time.

No matter we arrived and were surprised at the number of people visiting, making it difficult to get those people free pictures of the gardens. Maybe I should do street photography where people are the star of that genre of photography. Not to worry, the garden was amazing, despite it being past its best. Lovely and warm, the sun was shining. As the day wore on it did become a little bit hazy.

I have been to this house before, probably in the last century. Rosemary visited with some friends just over a month ago. She wanted to show me around these fabulous gardens. Some very interesting fountains and some unusual ponds and displays in the Lynn Garden. The Lynn Garden is not your traditional garden, it definitely would be a fun garden to be in. I thing rugrats would definitly appreciate the large grassy earth mounds. Thankfully they were absent, back at school.

Sad to see all the yellow leaves on the chestnut trees, not autumn colours, but diseased leaves.

Nice to see a couple looking at our new car as we walked back. Didn’t think I would become a car bore.

Upton House and Gardens

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Visited Upton House to see it dressed for Christmas. We try a different house each year, staying clear of the busy Waddesdon Manor which has the cheek to charge National Trust members.

The house was nicely decorated and had been done by the National Trust volunteers. Nice to know our money is being wisely spent. We must look to see where the baubles come from, they seem so much better than the ones sold in shops.

We also ate lunch in their cafe. This was rather disappointing. Previous meals have been good. I could not fault on quantity, my baked potato with tuna could have fed a family. It must have had a least two cans of tuna, and a huge potato. The potato was stale, presumably from another day, the tuna lacked enough mayonnaise and also lacked chopped spring onions. Nope, I did not finish eating it, unappetising and far too much. Rosemary did not fare much better.

National Trust Canons Ashby

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Rosemary wanted to see a National Trust house dressed for Christmas. The most dressed house is Waddesdon Manor which we have seen many times. Last year we went to another house because Waddesdon started charging NT members to go around the house at Christmas. (This is probably the intention of the National Trust, so they can get more non-members in paying the full price.) R was outraged (even though she’s heard all about people booking free NT members tickets and then not turning up) so she insists we go to another house. So, this year we went to Canons Ashby in Northamptonshire.

The house was decorated in various different styles based on one of the many eras when the house has been lived in. The helpers were all dressed up in appropriate costume for the various eras of the house decoration. We wandered around playing with the children’s toys. Of course, the day ended with tea in the cafe and a search through the secondhand bookshop.

Visit to Stoneywell National Trust

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Stoneywell National TrustWe had an excellent trip to Stoneywell National Trust House. The weather could have been a little better. 

Lovely little National Trust house, with  fabulous gardens. First off, you must book to come here, you can not just turn up. This is because of planning regulations and limited access. The car park is a little way off from the house, a mini bus will pick you up and ferry you to the house.  They were waiting for us in the car park. The same on return.

You see the house with a guide in small groups. There were four in our group. The house was built of stone in 1899 and was originally thatch. After a fire the home was re-roofed in slate. The house is built into the rock of the nearby hill. The house is also a built as a zigzag,  is not straight, it has no square walls, no right angles to be seen anywhere. Much of the furniture is original.

Up in the stables there is a small cafe where you can sit inside or outside. Alas we visited on the most miserable and cold day of the year, and we decided not to sit outside, and we also gave most of the garden a miss. We were told it was planted so there were some flowering plants at all times of the year. We did see snowdrops.

We definitely must go back on a warmer dryer summer day and see it when we can relax in the garden.

The staff were amazingly pleasant and informative about the history of the house. While we waited for the bus to take us back we had a great conversation with them.

Cambridge weekend in Carmarthenshire

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Rosemary and I enjoyed the annual weekend away organised by the Berkshire Branch of the Cambridge Society.  The weekend was in Carmarthenshire from May 16 to May 18.  We met up with our friends at the Dolaucothi Gold Mines, old Roman workings, more modern Victorian workings and the 30’s mine. We took a tour through the old workings.  On the way to the hotel we stopped off at Talley Abbey, a ruin. I managed to capture a reasonable image of a Nuthatch feeding its young in a small crevice in the ruin.

The evening was spent in the Cawdor Hotel in Llandeilo.  The rooms were recently modernised, alas ours was a bit on the small size.  The food was very good, and they even had draft real ale on tap.  That is almost a first for a hotel.

Saturday we walked through some beautiful woods to Dinefwr Castle and then on to Newton House.  Dinefwr was the original castle, which was left to decay after Newton House had been constructed.  Some reasonable photographs of nest building Housemartins.  After lunch we walked back to the hotel for our cars and travelled to The National Botanic Garden of Wales. This is the newest Botanic Garden in the UK, and was funded by the Millenium project. The site is based on Middleton Hall with many of the old gardens being recreated.  The Great Glasshouse forms the centerpiece and was built where the old house used to be.  This garden was a highlight of the trip, we really needed more time,  there were areas we did not visit. I look forward to the trust raising money to reconstruct some old lakes.  The  glass house was used in the making of the Dr Who series ‘The Waters of Mars‘

Back at the hotel, another lovely meal accompanied by Welsh Harp music.

Sunday another garden, this time Aberglasney Gardens, another smaller but spectacular garden.  All these gardens looked so fresh, and the  blue skies definitely made them look their best.  A good snack lunch and then on to the Gwili Heritage Steam Railway, where we had a ride up the track and back.

It was a great weekend.