We say goodbye to the sea today, so of course the weather is stunning - typical, why couldn't it have been a few days sooner? And there's more bad forecasting on the way - always hoping for a mistake!
Driving out of Bournemouth today we make a left at some stage and cross country towards Salisbury - since we've not been there for nearly two decades, it seemed like a good idea to pop in. The journey is annoying because of tractors, but that's the countryside of course, if only we'd known that was relatively fast compared to later!
Salisbury is georgous, loads of lovely old proprties surround the Cathederal site and there's so much heritage it's quite astonishing. We take the tour, not minding paying this time as it's a planned visit, and later we get to see a Gormley and the Magna Carta too. The cathedral is amazing, parts over 800 years old, and the tallest spire in Britain
Next we join another three couples who've also booked on the National Trust website or app to visit Mompesson House, an C18 house that was, apparently, in Sense and Sensibilty, but that aside is a "perfectly proportioned Queen Anne house" or so NT say.
We take a turn around some more finding Ted Heath's house and William Golding's school (he was the Head) amongst others, and finally buy some artisanal (ie hand made!) sandwiches to eat in the sunshine at the side of the River Avon before returning to the car.
Moving on we're amused at first, less so later, to see all possible routes to Bibury have "issues." Google's suggestion has huge delays, Mercedes' quite different one has other lengthy delays, no idea which way to turn, but eventually choosing Deutschland over California. We’ll never know if this was a better choice but it certainly wasn’t good, the delays are pretty ghastly. Happily the sun is shining and sat at my side I have the best company in the world!
Arriving at the Swan is always a joy, one cannot help but smile at the adorable building as it comes into sight. We’re soon in our room, a little smaller than last year, but it’s what we could get, and it’s perfectly lovely, albeit a bit short of storage space for us with three weeks of stuff.
Hubby unpacks whilst I do the tech, then we’re across the road into the hotel’s wonderful island garden - flanked on both sides by the River Coln. Mostly he reads and I catch up with some issues that won’t go away unless I make them, later Hubby has to work for a while too so I’m not the only naughty one today!
A relaxing bath, change for dinner and it’s Chardonnay o’clock in the courtyard before enjoying our first “in house” meal this holiday.
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