Our recent day trip to London was so enjoyable we decided to visit London again the following week.

The train arrived on time but was delayed briefly due to a points issue. Once in London, we caught the Tube to Southwark where we intended to visit Southwark Cathedral and The Shard.

Before visiting either it was time for lunch. The place we had initially chosen had only two staff on so we decided not to stay because the pace was busy and we didn’t want to wait too long for our lunch. We checked out then next place on our list but instead settled upon The Ivy where we were seated in the conservatory area. It was light and airy with the doors open, which provided a cool breeze that took off the heat of the day.

The service was quick and efficient and we both chose the Smoked Salmon and Haddock Fish Cake accompanied by a glass of dry rose wine. Whilst dining, we decided to visit the Cathedral first. It had been on our itinerary for our recent London visit but we ran out of time to visit it.

We walked the short distance to the Cathedral in 80° heat. Stepping into the cool space of the Cathedral was a welcome relief. I found the Cathedral to have a peaceful feeling which perhaps reflects the rich history of the building. There are many interesting features within the Cathedral but sadly there is no guidebook to explain them in further detail.

After getting my Cathedral Pilgrim Passport stamped, we walked to the Shard. We purchased our tickets to ‘The View’, choosing the optional glass of bubbles to enjoy once we had reached the dizzy heights. The operation is very slick; bag search, green screen photos taken and then directions to the lifts that take you up to the viewing floor. The views are stunning and we took our time to spot the familiar landmarks of London. Watching the trains travelling in and out of Charing Cross station from above was like seeing trains on a model railway.

We walked to the top floor which is open to the elements although we found the view from there less enjoyable so we returned to the lower floor to enjoy our ‘bubbles’ looking out over London.

Mr C noticed the flowers in the Tower of London moat so after descending from the tower, we walked across Tower Bridge and around the moat before heading back to Euston Station.

We arrived at Euston Station to find utter chaos! All trains had been delayed due to a major problem with points near Watford Junction. Luckily for us the trains had just started running again. We caught the first train that was heading to Birmingham rather than wait for the later train which we had booked onto. When trains get messed up later trains often get cancelled, so better a train in the hand…

As expected the train was rammed full and we chose a space to stand safely next to the luggage rack. A man kindly gave up his seat for me; he didn’t like the thought of me standing all the way to Birmingham. I was grateful to him but also felt a little guilty.

During our journey the train staff decided to terminate the train a station early, Birmingham International rather than Birmingham New Street. A bit frustrating for us but entirely understandable for getting the trains back on schedule going forward.

This involved a mad dash across the platforms to get the first connecting train that was due to leave one minute after our arrival. There was a bit of Mr C not quite getting on the train whilst the guard was blowing his whistle and as I dashed across the platform, hopping on the train at the last minute. The doors closed behind me and we were on our way.

We arrived three minutes late compared to our original planned arrival which meant we were once again on time for joining our friends for last orders in a local hostelry.

The moat around the Bishops’s Palace was designed to divert water from low lying ground around that caused flooding around the  palace:

Ralph of Shrewsbury saw through an ambitious building project to transform this damp, unstable site. He channeled the water from the wells into a moat surrounding the Palace, which acted as a reservoir. It was now possible to control the flow of the water, to limit the risk of flooding, and to power water mills.*

The moat is home to the Palace swans, they have been trained to call for food by ringing a bell at the gatehouse.

Their story begins in the 1870s, when one of Bishop Lord Arthur Hervey’s daughters first taught the swans to ring a bell at the gatehouse. You can see the bell just beneath the window on the left of the gatehouse and a chain hangs from it for the swans (and sometimes the ducks) to pull.

New generations of swans learn to ring the bell either from their parents, or from the caretakers who live in the gatehouse.*

*From the Bishop’ Palace guide to the Palace and Gardens

*Information from the Baddesley Clinton guidebook.

It was still pretty chilly though.

The first recorded appearance of Leeds in history is as early as 855, when the area of land on which the castle now stands was known as the manor of Esledes – the word ‘manor’ then meaning a unit of land, rather than necessarily a building.  ‘Esledes’ derives from the Old English word meaning ’slope’ or ‘hillside’;  Leeds village still stands on the slope above the valley of the river Len.  In the ninth century the manor of Leeds was in the possession of the Saxon family.  In the years immediately before the Norman Conquest, King Edward the Confessor granted the manor to the powerful house of Godwin, whose most famous son, Harold, was killed by the invading Normans in 1066 at the Battle of Hastings, some 40 miles south of Leeds.  According to the Doomsday Book, William the Conqueror’s survey of his new kingdom, the manor of Leeds in 1086 offered vineyards, eight acres of meadows and woodland, and five mills. *

When we arrived the weather was overcast and it was extremely chilly and there was an unexpected snow flurry. Trying to take photographs and keep my fingers warm at the same time was a bit of a challenge. Later in the day the weather changed completely and the sun came out, but the temperature didn’t improve very much. I was wishing I had brought my hat with me and got tempted by a new one in the castle shop.

*From the Leeds Castle Guidebook.