Category Archives: England Lydia June 2013

Through the home of Robin and his merry men we drove to the wonderful walled city of York. In recognition of medieval York’s Roman history, and as we were driving along Hadrian’s Wall, we thought we better combine good Roman and British tradition and stuff pasta in our mouth at Jamie’s Italian. I don’t think the thousands of Roman soldiers in 43AD would have enjoyed their lunch as much as we did. After a stroll along the Shambles and past the Minster we headed our trusty VW Golf chariot north.

It seemed somewhat fitting, that after leaving Cambridge we should head for the wild but beautiful place that captured the fascination of William Stukeley, anantiquarian alma mater of Corpus Christi. In 1776 in his Itinerarium Curiosum it was written

‘ for a mile before we came to Keswick, on an eminence in the middle of a great concavity of those rude hills, and not far from the banks of the river Greata, I observed another Celtic work, very intire: It is 100 foot in diameter, and consists of forty stones, some very large’.

Well a mile before we came to Keswick we also came across the Druid stones in the wild, vast and beautiful hills of the Lakes District. Castlerigg is one of my favourite places and I always try and visit. The surrounding fells form the most fantastic amphitheatre for the circle that always makes me think of secretive druidish practices, pagan rituals and people dressed up in bed sheets. The plaque at the paddock gate tells us that the circle was probably built in 3200 BC during the early bronze era. I think I love this place so much, as unlike the touristy Stonehenge, the Neolithic ritual circle stands in middle Earth miles from anywhere – you expect to see Gandalf, with his flowing beard and white robes direct his staff at the hills to light up the circle.

We drove across the beautiful Pennines between Lancashire and Yorkshire. No wonder the place has been designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). The stunning moors, rivers, woods and the beautiful stone buildings nestled amongst the dales. The stone fences, the green patchwork fields and the total lack of anything resembling people, apart from the smoke coming out of a stone farmhouse, made us feel we really were in hobbit country.

May 23 2013

Oh my goodness. I don’t even know how to start to describe where we are. We spent the morning in Bath, which was lovely – we toured the Roman baths and really enjoyed the fantastic museum. We then headed to a place that had been recommended as the best B and B in the Cotswolds. My friend Pip had stayed here with her partner Tony and their baby tortoises and had told me that I really needed to visit at some point. When I was thinking about our trip, I sent an email to see if there was a vacancy for a couple of days at Byfield House, the place that Pip had recommended. I got this amazingly detailed email back from Jill who let me know that they only had one night available in May/June. Well it turned out that we could fit in the single night. Jill sounded totally delightful on the email so I was keen to come and meet her. She told me that Brett had been born in Melbourne and that Brett’s ancestors were on the goldfields of Bendigo. Well it all seemed as though it was meant to be.

We are in the absolutely beautiful town of Painswick in the Cotswold’s. We drove through spectacular English fields and arrived in this wonderful Cotswold village. A drive down a tiny street, with stone buildings scraping the side of the car.  I stopped to ask someone directions to Byfield House and the comment was ‘oh you lucky things it is the most magic place’ – sounded hopeful so we kept driving and found this stone building in the middle of the town that was lovely, but the stone exterior hid what was inside. Well we are sleeping on the top floor  of a 14^th century Tudor house. I am not often speechless, but arriving here was just totally blown away. Jill and Brett are the most fantastic hosts. The houses in Bisley Street are all 14^th century. The village is a historic wool town surrounded by exquisite national trust woodlands.

Jill is a completely extroverted antique collector and across about four floors the house is filled to the brim with the most amazing antiques and paintings. All incredibly early furniture – it is like sleeping in a museum. We have the whole house to ourselves and there must be at least twenty rooms – all filled to the brim with antiques – Lydia is beside herself and is off with the camera – a bit like a country house photographer. There is a fridge full of food, bottles of wine for us to drink, piles of amazing books and exquisite magazines. I am sitting in an antique armchair completely surrounded by extremely early artwork. Lords and Ladies are looking at me from every wall. It is sort of like being in the most amazing antique shop. The wineglasses are beautiful, every piece of furniture an exquisite example – centuries old. No description can do it justice.

We were welcomed with tea and brownies in the antique kitchen and sat and chatted for ages.

Lydia and I marched across the most amazing fields, past old mills and climbed stiles along the side of the river. To the tiny local pub for the best fish and chips I have ever eaten. I am now climbing into a huge antique bed. Lydia has her own antique filled room next door and our fresh croissants will be delivered early in the am – it is just heavenly!

We had a lovely day in the home of El Papa in Roma. Musei Vaticani was as fantastic as always. My favourite continues to be the Galleria delle carte geografiche, the amazing long gallery painted by Danti between 1580-1583. The golden frescoes on the ceiling are just incredible and the maps – commissioned by Pope Gregory XIII, make this space, I think, even more fantastic than the Cappella Sistina. The Musei was pretty crowded but our wait in line worth it once we entered. Michelangelo’s artwork is unquestionably spectacular, but it always intrigues me how people rush past all of the treasures and don’t even stop to look at what must be the most amazing collection in the world.

I was very excited as the Vatican hadn’t given away their Chagall’s – they were hanging exactly where they should have been.   I know that Capella Sistina is amazing, but personally, I always find it so stark and do hope they bring comfy chairs in for conclave. Always crowded, the security makes so much noise telling everyone to be quiet, for me, it loses some of the feeling of a sacred space. I had not known the Stanze di Raphael was the residence of the Popes between 1507-1585 – I was rushing this morning and tipped my cup of tea all over the wall in the hotel – imagine doing that to the Raphael frescoes.

One really should wear ones glasses. I was convinced our flight back to London left at 8.45pm – no it was 6.45 – I have never gone so close to missing a plane !! Wouldn’t it be just terrible to be stranded in Rome!

We arrived back into Heathrow and collected our car. Well a few years ago my children remember the total saga of picking up a car in Paris on a Friday evening and not being able to get the damn thing into reverse. We had to make sure we only drove forward, until a kindly elderly medico helped by jumping into the car, laughing and driving off waving (he did bring it back) and madam (neither of them spoke English) was in fits of laughter on the side of the road – whilst this madam was in floods of tear after travelling with four L’enfant terrible. Well this time we are in Reading. Totally dodgy neighborhood. We pulled into the golden arches – because I had almost caused us to miss our flight we hadn’t had anything to eat since the morning so we decided we would succumb to salty chips. Anyway, we pulled into this dark commercial area with a whole heap of feral kids with car bonnets up. I obviously don’t get out much cause Lyd told me the same types hang out around Coles – anyway the hoodies, tatts and metal (and that was the girls) made me feel slightly anxious at 10.30pm at night. We ran in got something to eat, came out and started the car up – well do you think I could work out how an hell to put the thing in reverse – we searched the car for books, flicking lights on and off. The car in front of us contained hoodie wearing, delinquent looking UK types and we could see them staring. Well, impressions can be so wrong. We eventually decided that they weren’t going anywhere and we couldn’t go forward so I climbed out (of the locked car) and went and said ‘ I know you are going to think I am really weird by I can’t work out how to put the damn car in reverse’ – out of the shadows came these very cultured young men (not) who climbed into the car – I did think for a moment he would steal the car and Lydia, but no, he was totally delightful – they all thought it was incredibly funny and Lyd is now reminding me of my judgmental ways – they couldn’t figure out why and earth we had left Australia for cold, boring old England

Today’s drive through the Cotswold’s to the home of the Bard of Avon was pretty damn gorgeous. I had never been to this part of England and the gardens of Anne Hathaway’s cottage really looked like a postcard. We drove across picture perfect fields through the Venice of England, Bourton on the Water, and had lunch in a lovely old pub overlooking the idyllic village scenery.

Well we went from honey golden old stone to tonight’s fantastic ‘grand design’ house near Bath. We have the house to ourselves and it really is so stunning. I have been out in the garden with the camera. The awards that it has won and the architectural magazine features are all downstairs and I am looking forward to getting out with the camera again tomorrow.

It really has been 24 hours of total culture change!