Festive Fun at Kenilworth Castle and Garden Birds

 

Yesterday D and I paid a brief visit to Kenilworth Castle - mainly to visit the shop but we did have a short walk around the castle. It was cold but we had a rare sunny day!

I won't go into the history of the castle again in this post but parts of the castle date back to the 1120's and of course it was home for a while to Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, favourite of Queen Elizabeth I who visited the castle several times.

Christmas Wreaths were hung everywhere created by local Kenilworth community groups.

It was somewhat busy there mainly I think due to Father Christmas visits!  The castle had been closed the weekend before due to high winds so there was double the amount of children to see FC! I would have preferred to visit in the week but in the winter they are only open at weekends :(

We went into the Stables very briefly but it was packed so we quickly decided not to have lunch there and bought some snacks from the farm shop at Balsall Common on the way home where I also bought a Christmas Wreath for the front door.

We went into the ground floor of Leicester's Gatehouse - sadly you couldn't access the room where we had seen a Christmas Tree through the window.

Oontitoomps!

Plenty of ivy berries for the birds

This marshy area was once the lake that King John created around the castle.

Garden Birds

A female Blackcap has been visiting the feeders in the garden for the last week.  She is very feisty and chases other birds off the feeders! It is quite a few years since we had a wintering Blackcap. Just a few record shots.

Garden Robin

All photos taken by me or my son with the Panasonic Lumix FZ330 bridge camera. (I don't particularly rate my photos but if anyone wishes to use one of my pictures or my son's I would be grateful for an email first - thanks)

End of November Visit to Herefordshire

At the end of November we returned for a couple of nights to Herefordshire to close down the static caravan for the winter.

The site does remain open in December and only closes for January and February and last year we visited a couple of times in December.  However, we did have  two frozen pipes on the one visit when temperatures dropped to about minus 8! So we decided this year it wasn't worth the risk.  I am sad in many ways as I escape there as often as we can but if I am honest with my birthday in December and preparations for Christmas it is not always easy to get away from home. But I will be counting the days until we can return!

The 3 Herefordshire  trees have all lost their leaves now.

Herefordshire Oak

The Octopus Tree

The Constable Tree

The primula is still flowering.  B has planted more daffodils in pots and English Bluebells in the garden and border for the Spring.

Oontitoomps!

We didn't go out this time apart from popping into Leominster one day.  Most of the time was spent sorting out which food to bring home and cleaning etc.  I've brought a few books home with me so I can plan places to visit next year and I am woefully behind with visiting churches which are on my "List of Herefordshire Churches to Visit"!  To be honest constant bouts of cellulitis this year haven't helped as we have visited less often and frequently when we have been I have not been able to walk far with swollen ankles and feet or drive. I am just hoping next year will be better!

All photos taken by me with the Panasonic Lumix FZ330 bridge camera. (I don't particularly rate my photos but if anyone wishes to use one of mine or one of my son's I would be grateful for an email first - thanks).

November Visit to Herefordshire - Part 3: Croft Castle

 

Thursday was a lovely day - cold but sunny - so we decided to revisit Croft Castle.  Unbelievably this is the first visit we have made this year and yet it is one of our favourite places!

I would have really liked to walk along The Dingle or Fishpool Valley walk as the autumn colours would have looked lovely and there is a lot of fungi down there but my feet and ankles were still swollen from cellulitis and as there are steep slopes and uneven walking we decided a wander round the Walled Garden was an easier option.

Autumn colours by the car park.

Croft Castle (now in the care of the National Trust) has been lived in by the Croft family since the Norman Conquest, apart from a period of ~177 years. The estate covers 644 hectares (1591 acres).

The original castle was a motte and bailey located west of the castle we see today.  The castle was rebuilt as a walled stone manor and was transformed by Sir James Croft in Tudor times. It was badly damaged in the Civil War.  In 1746, due to bankruptcy in the Croft family, the castle was taken over by the Knight family who turned the castle into the current Gothic castle.

We have visited the estate so many times but I still haven't looked round the house although when we visited this time it was closed I believe so it could be decorated for Christmas.

The lion is emblatic of the Croft family's Coat of Arms.

Wyvern

St Michael and All Angels predates the present castle.  The first church was built in the C12th  and the present church dates back to the C14th, it was enlarged in the C15th and re-modelled in the C18th.  The bell turret with ogee shaped cupola was added in the C17th.

Although I was tempted I didn't look inside but if you wish to see the interior please see here St Michael and All Angels Interior

There are wonderful views from the Castle and a super Ancient Tree Trail you can follow which we have walked several times in the past.

Oontitoomps!

Into the Walled Garden which covers 3.5 acres and was restored in the 1950's.

After we'd visited the Walled Garden I had a quick look round the second handbookshop which is located in the old stables.

I was going to take a photo of Timothy when we had tea and cake but B took one look at the prices and frankly small pieces of cake that he refused to buy any!  In recompense, I think!, he bought a reduced white pot rose from B and Q on the way back to Hatfield.

Friday - we popped into Leominster (I put the photos in the first post of this visit) and Saturday we came home.  We shall probably make just one more visit to shut the caravan down for the winter.  I would really like to continue going in December (3 months is a long time not to visit a place I love and escape to!) but after last year's experience with the frozen pipe when we had temperatures of around minus 6 or lower! we have decided it is not worth the risk! I just hope everything is ok after last week's cold spell!

All photos taken by me with the Panasonic Lumix FZ330 bridge camera. (I don't particularly rate my photos but if anyone wishes to use one of mine or my son's I would be grateful for an email first - thanks).