Mr C overslept which meant we were a little late for our breakfast timeslot. As the day evolved the reason for his oversleeping became apparent; he had come down with the lurgy overnight.

After breakfast we loaded our luggage into the car and drove to Bekonscot Model Village, a place that Mr C had wanted to visit for a long time due to seeing it signposted on his many journeys along the M40 The miniature village didn’t disappoint with its well crafted models, fine attention to detail and whimsical names. I learned that Queen Elizabeth II and her sister, Princess Margaret, loved to visit Bekonscot as children.

When we had finished the tour of the village it wasn’t quite time for lunch so we headed off to Berkhamsted to tick off another item on Mr C’s bucket list, Berkhamsted Castle which he had seen often as he travelled by train to London. By the time we arrived in the village it was time for lunch. We dropped lucky with the only parking space available being outside The Dower House Coffee where we both indulged in a slice of Lemon Fudge Cake that was delicious.

We had time to visit the delightful Parish Church of St Peter before moving our car nearer to the castle. Parking near to the castle proved more of a challenge. It was next to the railway station and most nearby parking was blocked by double yellow lines. It took a few circuits around the site of the castle before a suitable space presented itself.

The castle didn’t quite live up to the Romantic Ruin that was teased by those glimpses from the train, but Mr C was glad to have ticked it off his bucket list.

Whilst in Berkhamsted we picked up a ready meal from Waitrose before continuing on our journey homeward, stopping at the motorway services for a leg stretch and choosing to sit outside on the picnic benches with bottled water from the car rather than fight the chaotic options within.

We arrived home to find that a couple of family members had come down with the same lurgy as Mr C…