A nine day wonder, some deer and some very old rocks: Bradgate Park, Leics

A quick 4 mile walk round Bradgate Park, Leics - you can find directions if you click here

We started at the Newtown Linford car park, passing this - a wood carving under way. But what was it? I couldn't tell.

In through the gates with the Leicester crest on them. In my youth, there used to be a massive ladder stile here, but it's disappeared (too scary for the Health and Safety zealots, I'm sure).

Turning immediately left, the path climbs steeply so that the car park is soon out of sight.

Views through the blue bells over to distant hills and woodland.

When I visited here as a school child, we were told that these were the oldest rocks in the country. (The adult in me says, possibly igneous).

The views are extensive, but a bit hazy today.

There was more woodland than I remember

The war memorial on the summit

But more famous is this - Old John. You can see this distinctive tankard-shaped structure for miles.

Descending to Swithland Woods,... 

...we followed this path

...which had views back into Bradgate Park

We reached the road and walked beside Cropston Reservoir, back in the Park now.

We caught sight of the deer grazing. There are about 400 apparently.

The ruins of Bradgate House, built around 1520 ...

 ...and the home of Lady Jane Grey, who aged 16 became the Nine Day Queen 10-19th July 1553.(Put there by her cousin Edward VI to prevent his half sisters, Mary and Elizabeth, accessing the throne. Jane was executed shortly afterwards)

The ruins are popular with visitors: this was once the jousting yard.

Suddenly, some deer were very close to me! (No zoom lens - this is where they were)

Cooling off in the river Lin

...which flows through the park

Some of the oak trees are very ancient

Bradgate Park was bought for the people of Leicestershire by local business man and founder of the British Shoe Machinery Company in 1928. He would have been very happy to see so many people enjoying his gift.

This was an excellent walk - extensive views, rocks to climb, woods, a reservoir and plenty of history. Plus all the deer. We walked nearer to Cropston reservoir than shown on the map link at the top of this page (and here).  It made the walk about 4.25 miles. Well worth a detour to do this walk, and it's very suitable for young children because it's not too hard and there is lots to see.

Quick walk to great views - Dovers Hill, Chipping Campden

Briefly in Chipping Campden, we had an hour or so to spare, so we did this walk. It was great.

The Cotswold Way starts here, in the village centre. 

We followed the Way past a house where novelist Graham Green once lived.

The route got steep quite quickly, but never unmanageable. In the distance is the village of Broad Campden.

We  paused to look back at the rooftops of Chipping Campden

We were soon at the summit of Dovers Hill

There's some great examples of ridge and furrow up here - surprisingly, given the height of the hill

Dovers Hill is a well known viewpoint. There is a car park, but that would be cheating.

 
Other walkers at the toposcope. (It's not one of the best - not enough detail on it for me)

Sheep, the key to the area's prosperity in the middle ages, still graze the hillsides

View north towards Ebrington Hill, the highest point in Warwickshire

 We returned by the same route


...and 45 minutes after starting, we were back in Chipping Campden. Much quicker on the way down.

It's a glorious place with its honey-coloured Oolitic limestone buildings

...and the ancient Market Place

 ...with its intricate roof timbers. 

A pleasant walk, and only 3 miles. Plenty of tearooms and pubs for afterwards

Today's walk. Park in Chipping Campden and make your way to the Market Place. Follow the Cotswold Way signs out of the village. The road becomes a rough track, then a path. At the top of the hill, follow the Cotswold Way to the trig point and then further on to the toposcope. return by the same route. Choose a clear day for the best views. About 3 miles, with a small but steepish ascent at the beginning.

PS Chipping is the old English word for a market. And it's also the source of the word "cheap". Cheap Street in Leicester leads to the Market there (where Gary Lineker's parents used to have a fruit and veg stall)

Windsor - a river, a horse show and a monarch celebrates

Last weekend I was in Windsor for the Royal Horse Show. I'd never been before.

The castle is right in the centre of town...

...although the show, which is in the private bit of Windsor Park, was a little way outside. The entrance to the main show ring.

The other rings were full of children with show ponies.

The judge's inspection.

There were plenty of shoppers in the horse-y stalls

This was fun to watch: the Landrovers drove up the arches and down uneven ramps. Quite scary.

Having done around 4 miles at the Show, we went out for a walk along the Thames. This was on the bridge - not sure what it is.

Windsor bridge

View east, towards London

The view west

The walk was full of interest -and swans

A Hawker Hurricane on display. The aircraft was designed by Sir Sydney Camm, who came from Windsor.

A pleasant spot for our sandwiches

We saw this boat moored earlier, where it looked huge. Out on the Thames it looked positively tiny.

The Thames is quite wide here.

I loved this sign: "we are closed owing to dangerous river conditions" I bet the river conditions are always dangerous around 5 pm, or home-time, as some might call it.

We walked back to Windsor as we had tickets for the Queen's Birthday Celebrations. This was the Royal Artillery, with the smoke from the field guns guns which they had just fired. Extremely loudly: everyone jumped.




The horsemen and women from Azerbaijan.

Canadian Mounties. Some celebrities performed, but we didn't really notice them: we were more interested in the horses!

The finale.

The Canadian Mounted Police.

A giant birthday cake.

And as we left, the magical sight of Windsor Castle high on the hillside. 

A fantastic visit - once in a lifetime really

The walk: we parked on a private driveway and walked into Windsor and out to the Horse, then along part of the Thames Path. In total, we walked over 8.5 miles.