Saint Basil

We finished packing so that after breakfast we could just collect our luggage and check out. After my previous days breakfast experience, I opted for the safer option of the coconut toast with pineapple that I had enjoyed on the first day. Sadly, the safe option didn’t live up to expectation, the toast and the pineapple were cold and Mr C’s cooked breakfast was also distinctly sub-standard.

After checking out from the hotel we found that a car was parked in a non-parking space in such a way that Mr C couldn’t get out of his parking space. The lady in the passenger seat explained that her husband had nipped to the shop. I took some photos of the hotel but by the time I had finished, her husband had still not returned. She got out of the car, put a lead on her dog and was about to go in search of her husband when he appeared from around the corner with takeaway breakfast items. Soon after, they were on their way and so were we.

Our destination of the day was Althorp, the ancestral home of the Spencer family. We visited the house first. It being several years since our previous visit, I had forgotten a lot about the house and was reacquainted with the picture gallery and the amazing staircase with its balcony space above. The house is home to a collection of over 300 paintings including many by famous grand masters.

We finished the tour of the house just in time for lunch. Suitably refreshed we walked to the oval lake which is in a beautiful setting. Beside the lake, is a memorial to Diana Spencer with her tomb resting in a peaceful setting on the island located in the middle of the lake. Before leaving the estate I purchased a couple of books and the updated guidebook.

On our way home we purchased the ingredients for lemon salmon with leek and potato mash. We had hoped to dine on the patio but a hail and rain shower changed our minds but at least it freshened the air making the temperature much more bearable.

I opted for the Vegetarian breakfast but when it arrived it was not the best. The eggs had been cooked in a pan that was too hot; the bottom of the eggs were burnt and inedible, the mushroom was dry around the edges and the beans were tepid.

We had decided to go to Oxford for the day so that we could visit Christ Church Cathedral. We opted to use the nearby Pear Tree park and ride rather than drive into the city. After being dropped off in Oxford centre we walked to the Cathedral, stopping off at Blackwell’s sci fi book shop. It had a fabulous selection of board games to peruse. I behaved myself and came away empty handed.

We arrived at the Cathedral to find that you had to prebook a ticket which included a tour of the surrounding university complex. After we had booked the earliest available tickets (15.15) online, we noticed a sign near the shop that was advertising earlier tickets at 13.30. The earlier ticket time suited us better so we asked at the entrance desk if we could change our ticket time and were pleasantly surprised to find we could.

We pottered around a nearby shopping arcade and had lunch in Coffee Smith café where I had a small slice of orange, passion fruit and almond cake. Then we browsed the adjoining indoor market until it was time to make our way back to Christ Church to pick up our tickets.

When we started the tour, we had forgotten that the Great Hall that the Harry Potter dining hall was based on was part of the tour. The hall is awe inspiring and still used for dining every day during term time and for other events.

In the Cathedral I particularly enjoyed the stained-glass windows especially the newest St Francis window. We weren’t able to access the nave due to a performance by a quartet of singers taking place. There was a one-way system in play so when I had finished the Cathedral tour, I had to retrace my steps outside to re-enter the Cathedral to get my passport stamped. The Cathedral guide was very excited to be stamping a passport.

We got caught in a heavy deluge of rain as we made our way back to the bus stop via Blackwell’s main bookshop. The rain was welcome but not ‘just now’. We spent some time browsing the bookshop but once again I wasn’t tempted to make a purchase.

Enjoying the cool fresh air after the rainfall, we freshened up before having a pre-dinner drink in the bar. When it was time to walk to the nearby Brotherton’s Brasserie Italian restaurant it had once again started to rain. The food was delicious but the desserts were enormous!

We returned to the billet for a nightcap and packing before our journey home the following day.

The bed was nice and comfy but I kept waking up due to the heat and lack of air in the room. The breakfast menu was comprehensive and had some unusual options to choose from. I selected coconut French toast with pineapple, honey and yoghurt which made for an interesting change.

After breakfast we collected our bags from our room and walked the short distance to Blenheim Palace. We walked round the grounds in the morning sunshine before it got hot later in the day. There is currently a dinosaur exhibition taking place in the formal gardens but when we found them, we thought that they were a bit something and nothing.

We arrived back at the café area just in time for lunch. After lunch we visited the Palace, chapel and exhibitions. We didn’t remember much of it from our previous visit which was several years ago. The are a few rooms on display in the Palace that are family rooms where photography is not allowed. After leaving this part of the tour there is a big notice to inform the visitor that photography is allowed from this point onwards.

I was taking a photo of an element of the gilded ceiling when a voice piped up in my ear; ‘photography is not allowed in here’. I initially thought it was a room guide but as I turned towards the voice, I realised it came from a visitor. I replied ‘Oh! I thought it was’ and pointed to the sign. After a bit of mumbling and ‘knowledgably’ informing her companions that photography was allowed, she promptly got her camera out without so much as an apology.

By the time we had finished our sightseeing, the cafés had closed so we made our way to the nearest watering hole, The Star, where I had a J20 rather than a cup of tea. As we walked there it was becoming increasingly more overcast. Just as we were about to sit outside the heavens opened causing us to retreat inside where Mr C made a new doggy friend. The dog tried its best to climb on to Mr C’s lap but its legs were just a little to short to manage it.

Back at the hotel, we freshened up before having a pre-dinner drink in the hotel bar area. We dined in the Punch Bowl where I chose a truffle crispy chicken burger. Strangely for a pub with rooms, it closed at 9.30pm so we returned to The King’s Head for a nightcap.

We set off for Woodstock in glorious sunshine, stopping in Leamington Spa. We found a suitable place to park the car and stepped out in search of a suitable place for lunch. Café Royal with its Mexican twist tempted us inside. It was popular so we had to wait outside for a few minutes until a table became available. Mr C chose a panini which when it arrived was quite different to what is usually served. I chose cherry pancakes which turned out to be sweeter than I was expecting.

Before leaving Leamington Spa, we enjoyed browsing around the books in Waterstones, which had a refreshingly different selection of books than usual. I also dealt with a missed call about a problem with a hospital appointment that mum was supposed to have attended that morning. It hadn’t happened, hospital transport had left without her! I missed the person I needed to speak to and needed to call back later in the week to speak to him.

We continued on our journey to Woodstock and booked into the King’s Head, a Fullers Inn. I unpacked my bag whilst Mr C went on a recce of the town. He wasn’t gone long even though he went round the town twice.

Our room was up in the eves with a small window light and a fan that wasn’t working properly. It didn’t rotate so the air in the room was static and warm reflecting the humidity and heat of the air outside. There was nothing for it, we had to ’slum it’ in the bar downstairs with a cool refreshing drink, although much to Mr C’s disgust London Pride (in a Fullers pub) was off the menu. Whilst chilling in the bar I enjoyed colouring in one of my colouring books.

We went back to our room to freshen up, which was difficult in the heat, before dining in the Inn’s restaurant. I chose salmon with orzo, samphire and tomatoes and Mr C elected for pie and chips. Both dishes were delicious. After chatting at the table for a while, we took the remaining wine and sat outside in the warm, refreshing air.