Downton Abbey

We had to vacate our hut by 10.30am, but we had plenty of time to pack up and have breakfast.  We then set off to Highclere Castle, better known as Downton Abbey.

It’s somewhere I’ve been wanting to visit and is only 30 minutes drive from where we were staying, and we were lucky as it’s only open on certain days.  We chose not to go inside, but just to enjoy the grounds and the building.  It was a good decision as there was quite a queue to get in, and I had a peak through the windows and it looked very busy.  I saw the dining room and the drawing room though which looked exactly as it did in the programme.

Anyway we spent an enjoyable couple of hours wandering through the woods and the gardens and then had our picnic sat facing the castle.  It’s a magnificent building!

By the entrance gates there was an old Citroen van which had been converted to make a mobile cafe/bar, so we sat there and I had an ice cream while Alan had a coffee.  We got chatting to a guy who turned out to be the head butler of the castle which was very interesting as he had been in charge of supervising the filming of Downton Abbey.  I asked if they’d filmed much of it inside, as I assumed it would have only been the main entrance and drawing room, but he said that in the first series they filmed everything there, including the bedrooms.  But later on they copied the bedrooms and made studio sets.  In some respects I wish we’d gone inside now I know that, but maybe we can do that another time.

We’re now on our way home and so far the traffic is fine.  It’s currently 30 degrees and 3pm, so I guess everyone that was heading to the coast is already there.

I’ve just had a text from Laura our doggy sitter to say that she’s just left the boys and said they’ve been as good as gold for her.  We’re looking forward to seeing them, but first we’re calling in at Elif and Seyran’s so Alan can meet Luca.

The hot tub is set to 35 degrees, so I know where I’m going when I get home - I think this is probably the hottest bank holiday Monday on record!