Last Day - Windsor Castle

Well, we head home tomorrow. It's been a great trip. Kind of sad to leave, but also totally exhausted, so coming home sounds good. Today we went to Windsor Castle for our last hurray in England.

Here's the view of the castle from the outside. Windsor is the oldest and largest continually inhabited castle in the world.



Here's the inner wall, once you come through the outer wall.



We visited the state apartments which are used by the royal family for state functions, but you can't take any pictures inside. Here's the walk up through the gates toward the state apartments.



The castle also has it's own church. It's called a chapel, but it looks more like a cathedral.



Windsor Castle is like a little village of it's own, within the castle walls. Here's the staff housing area.



Well, we fly out tomorrow morning. See you all soon.
Love, Priscilla, Bruce and Jane.

We are Winding Down

Well, we are coming to the end of our trip. Friday we went to the British Museum and the National Gallery. The British Museum, with it's Egyptian, Greek and Roman treasures, was like traveling all around the world. Here is a tablet of hieroglyphics.



And a mummy's tomb.


We couldn't take pictures at the National Gallery, but we saw VanGogh's, Renoir's, Monet's, even a couple of Rembrandt's. Then we went down to Westminster Abbey and attended Evensong. We had hoped to hear the choir sing, but instead it was just a hand full of tourists doing the singing. Here's the Abbey.



Saturday, we went to see the home and chapel of John Wesley, the founder of Methodism. Here's the chapel from the outside.



And the inside.



Today is was Kew Gardens. Here's the Palm House.



There are statues of the animals from the Royal coats of arms outside the Palm House. Here's the griffin.



And finally a funky flower!



Tomorrow it's on to Windsor Castle and then we fly home on Tuesday.

London

We arrived in London yesterday. Hurray, no more driving on English roads. Instead we took the train into the city and boarded one of the Big Bus Tours. Spent the day riding around London. Went to Hyde Park and to the Natural History Museum, as well as seeing Parliament, 10 Downing Street and Westminster Abbey. Here's the Horse Guards.



And Big Ben.


Then today we went to St. Paul's. Climbed up to the dome for a view of the City. Here's the cathedral.



Then onto the Tower of London. Here's a couple of Yeoman Warders, the guards who live at the Tower and do tours.

Wimpole Hall

Today, we went to Wimpole Hall, a 17th century manor house. The house has an interesting history, as it has had loads of owners. It seems no one could keep their fortune long enough to keep the house! Here's the house.



And the view of the formal gardens.



They also have a farm, where they raise many rare breeds of livestock. Here's a Long Horn.



And the cows along the front drive.

Yorkshire, Puffins and Pilgrims

Saturday, we left the Lake District and traveled into Yorkshire. We went to Fountains Abbey, the ruins of a Cistercian Abbey built around 1130. The Abbey, like other Abbeys in England, was dissolved by Henry VII and went into ruins during the Reformation. Years later, it became part of a large estate and the ruins were incorporated into the estate parklands. Here's the Abbey ruins.



We then drove to the coast and took a cruise to see seabirds nesting on the chalk cliffs of Eastern Yorkshire. Here's a colony of gannets, a yellow headed seabird with a six foot wingspan. Gannets almost went extinct 20 years ago, but have made a great comeback. We also saw puffins, razorbills and guillemots.



Monday, we went to Boston, where the pilgrim fathers were jailed before they finally made their escape for the new land. Here's the Boston Stump, the cathedral in Boston where John Cotton was a vicar.



Then we went to the Ely Cathedral. Here's a stain glass window from Ely.

Of Sheep and Roads

We leave the Lake District tomorrow and head down through Yorkshire. So today, we just took a little trip to the nearby town of Sedbergh. We toured an old woolen mill, did some walking and of course took pictures of sheep.

Here's a lamb using Mom for a warm and comfy bed.



And of course, the ubiquitous border collie, waiting for a 4-wheeler trip out to the sheep field.



And here are the roads I've been complaining about. This is the bridge on the way into Sedbergh.



Here's Main Street. Do I really want to drive down that?



Yes, this road is for two way traffic. But wait there are cars parked, so where am I supposed to drive?

Beatrix Potter

Wednesday, we went to Hill Top, Beatrix Potter's home. We took the ferry across Windermere Lake. Here's the lake.



Then we took a bus, appropriately called the Mountain Goat, that wound it's way through little roads and hill farms. Here's the view.



If you saw the movie "Miss Potter," you know that Hill Top is the home Beatrix Potter bought with her royalties from Peter Rabbit. This is where she came to after the death of her fiance. She became a champion of preserving hill farms and raising Herdwick sheep. Here's Hill Top.



Finally, the animal for the day was horses. Here they are.

Sizergh Castle

Tuesday we went to Sizergh Castle. (Don't ask me how you pronounce it!) The original part of it, the tower, was built around 1320. It has thick stone walls and only had one room per floor. It's been added on to and rooms subdivided since. The same family has lived in this castle since 1320, too. Newer sections were decorated in the 1800's, but the original tower definitely had a medieval feel. Here's a picture from the gardens.



The castle had a lovely rock garden, with fringy Japanese maples, tumbling water and pools. Here's a picture.



It was the day for cows, too. A few dairy cows were grazing near the castle. They came over for a drink and photo opportunity. Bruce was taken by the blue roan. Here she is.

The Lake District

Well, we are in the Lake District now, the land of lakes, peaks, hiking, Beatrix Potter, and sheep, sheep and more sheep. Yesterday, we visited Castlerigg Stone Circle, not as famous as Stonehenge, but over 4500 years old. And just as important to the people of the time, as a ceremonial site. As great as the stones were, the sheep grazing around it were the best part, I think. Although, you had to be careful where you walked! Here's a picture.



Then we did a bit of walking near Bassenthwaite Lake. Here's that.



We've seen sheep everywhere and could easily take pictures of nothing but sheep. Here's a typical farm house. Stones are everywhere, as well as sheep. Stonewalls, incredibly close to the road. Stone houses, barns, circles, etc. etc.



And of course, the sheep. Here's a few Cheviot lambs looking into our back garden at the cottage we are staying at.



And another Cheviot lamb.


We kept thinking these guys were Scottish Blackface, but they are Swaledales. Here's a lamb.


And a ram.



We are still looking for the elusive Herdwick. A breed found almost exclusively in the Lake District. Not like anything we have in the US, they are black with white faces. Seen a few at a distance, but no pictures yet. But stay tuned, hopefully we'll find one!

Chatsworth House

Saturday, we visited Chatsworth House, Mr Darcy's Pemberley in the Kiera Knightley version of Pride and Prejudice. Alas, we didn't see Mr. Darcy - but the house is so big he could have been hiding!

Here's the house.



Here's the Cascade - a tumbling water feature. As Jane says, if you don't have your own waterfall-build one.



The house was room after room of treasures, pictures, sculptures, china, furniture. Here's the dining room. Built by the 6th Duke, a bachelor who apparently still needed a bigger table!

Little Moreton Hall

Friday, we left Somerset and headed north toward the Lake District. We stopped over night in Crewe, after spending the afternoon visiting Little Moreton Hall, a Tudor manor house. The motorway was a welcome relief from winding narrow English country roads. No billboards except at the service areas. We really loved this one.


Little Moreton Hall dates from the early 1500's, although it includes many additions, the last one from the 1600's. All black and white angles, with a little "settling"! Here's the house from the knot garden.



And here's the front of the house.



Finally, we spend the night at Crewe Hall - to add a little "posh" to our holiday!