I say, Chipping, Old Chap

Chipping Campden

The farm owners residence

Our next stop in England was just outside a lovely village called Chipping Campden (rather posh), in the Cotswalds, on a farm where the stables have been converted to cottages.  It’s a stunning area, beautiful historical villages (must be good as even Maciek is impressed) and endless countryside.  And our cottage is not unlike the one we had in France, a bit more modern and luxurious though. There’s even towel warmer in the bathroom, and lovely thick luxury towels to hang on it!

Horsing around on our farm

Harry and Emily taking charge

It’s been a very full week, catching up with family and friends.  Saturday was a BBQ at my cousin Warren and Caron’s house with Nan P.  A lovely afternoon where Harry and Emily looked after the kids the entire time so we could just relax!  And to top it off, Maciek got to see Cadel Evans win the Tour!

A couple of days out in Stratford-Upon-Avon with Uncle Stephen and Aunty Karen and then Nan and Grandad.  Some photo’s outside of Shakespeare’s house, a beer in a 16^th century pub, a boat ride on ! Avon, a picnic, fish n chips and ice-cream and a pink balloon made into a pony for Amelia which was put down for a rest and subsequently carried into the air by a breeze which prompted Karen to say “That pony’s just blown off!” which of course had me in stitches!

Caron was kind enough to offer to babysit on Tuesday night so me and Maciek could enjoy a much needed dinner to ourselves in a traditional country pub called the Howard Arms a couple of villages away.  I went the whole hog and ordered a starter, main, dessert and coffee and was so full i had trouble breathing while i tackled the tiny unlit country roads on the way home!

Nan P outside our cottage

50P ferry across the Avon

Shakespeares house with Nan and Grandad

Fish n Chips with Steve and Karen

A trip to Tamworth to see friends and family and a day out a Warwick Castle.

Warwick Castle dates back to the 11^th century and is extremely well preserved.  I have been twice before but now they’ve added some attractions to it which makes it feel a bit more like a theme park.  At various times throughout the day there are shows such as sword fighting, birds of prey display, jousting and we even saw a medieval trebuchet (catapult) shooting a fireball into the distant countryside (mind your head!), all in full costume with hidden speakers belting out medieval music to go with the display.  It’s very impressive.  There are people wandering the grounds in medieval costumes, playing the part, and a Princess Tower, visited twice by Princess Amelia!  We paid to visit the Dungeon with live actors (Maciek was called up to demonstrate an execution and had his ear chopped off!) and the Merlin Tower, both new since I last went.  I wouldn’t recommend them though, not so much for the extra cost but the time they took up.  As children are not allowed into the Dungeon Maciek and I had to go separately which took up nearly two hours, and personally we don’t think they are worth it.  It would have been nicer to have more time to wander around the castle and grounds, as even though we were there for almost 6 hours we still didn’t see it all.  Amelia was given a pea in the princess tower to put under her mattress and she went to bed that night SO excited at the prospect of waking up a real princess if she felt the pea (we put it under her sheet and crossed our fingers!) but to no avail!  She was very disappointed but that didn’t stop her dressing up for the rest of the week in her princess dress and tiara!



The real princesses!



Warwick Castle