No Saturday Left Behind is our motto. So after a week of recovery from our Wales trip, we were off again down to Kent to visit Leeds Castle, about a 2 hour train ride South of London. And happily, we were back touring with the Petts.
We had an exciting time getting there. In peak season there is a shuttle that takes tourists there, but this being January and not peak season, we had to find our own way. So we hopped on the bus. But really, hopped sounds too easy. We're used to London buses, you see, and this was not a London bus. We couldn't fit two buggies on, so Rob folded ours up and wrangled all of the mess in the basket underneath whilst trying to get the girls to sit still on the high front seats they chose to sit on (they're about an extra foot up from the other seats with a little step). I was a few rows back with Ben since the bus was quite full. We were the day's American Circus act. After getting the girls situated and on our way, Rob realized that we were close to the castle, but that there were no signs notifying us of the upcoming stop (not London, remember?) so he was fiddling with his phone trying to figure out where we need to get off and the driver took a big turn and little Ruby wasn't holding on like she was supposed to and WHAM! She face planted. There was a collective gasp from everyone in the bus and the driver pulled over to see if she was ok all the while we missed our stop. So we got off at the next stop and hoofed it back to the castle, with no sidewalks since apparently most people drive. It was quite eventful, but we made it and it was worth it!
We had an exciting time getting there. In peak season there is a shuttle that takes tourists there, but this being January and not peak season, we had to find our own way. So we hopped on the bus. But really, hopped sounds too easy. We're used to London buses, you see, and this was not a London bus. We couldn't fit two buggies on, so Rob folded ours up and wrangled all of the mess in the basket underneath whilst trying to get the girls to sit still on the high front seats they chose to sit on (they're about an extra foot up from the other seats with a little step). I was a few rows back with Ben since the bus was quite full. We were the day's American Circus act. After getting the girls situated and on our way, Rob realized that we were close to the castle, but that there were no signs notifying us of the upcoming stop (not London, remember?) so he was fiddling with his phone trying to figure out where we need to get off and the driver took a big turn and little Ruby wasn't holding on like she was supposed to and WHAM! She face planted. There was a collective gasp from everyone in the bus and the driver pulled over to see if she was ok all the while we missed our stop. So we got off at the next stop and hoofed it back to the castle, with no sidewalks since apparently most people drive. It was quite eventful, but we made it and it was worth it!
Leeds Castle has had many owners through the years and also has the double moat system like Caerphilly, but on a much smaller scale. The castle is on 2 islands in the middle of the moat with a bridge connecting them. Most recently the castle was owed by Lady Bailie (pronounced Bailey) who had a large inheritance from her American family. She completely restored the castle and decorated it in the highest style of the time (early 1900's?) and that's the way it still is today. Lady Bailie loved birds and had the extensive property made especially hospitable to birds. She even had some black swans imported from Australia (the first of their kind in Europe). There are swans of all sorts and geese and ducks and hunting birds, pretty much, you name it, they've got it.
Grace had her camera at the ready and took about a thousand pictures all day :)
The swans were fearless and pecked at everything and Benji was fascinated and kept sticking out his delicious little morsels of fingers towards the swans. Rob had quite the job of making sure Ben came home with all his fingers in tact :)
A barn owl from the falconry display - it was so beautiful and so close!
Brent had some swan food and wanted to feed them out of his hands, but got a little nervous at the last minute :)
I thought that their feathers were incredible when the wind ruffled them. Can you say sewing inspiration?
The castle was really cool inside, but the kids were bored so we had to go too quickly to read the plaques and take pictures
You can't really see, but this staircase is beautiful and intricately carved. Rob said he wants to have one like this our house someday...dream big, buddy :)
They host weddings at the castle, and fortuitously the bride and groom had the best initials.
On the way home we decided to skip the bus fiasco and walk to the nearest train station through the quaint village of Hollingbourne.
What a way to welcome visitors to your town..."hey welcome, don't do anything that will get you thrown in our town stocks!" :)
The girls on the ride home. I love iPads!
It was a long day, but so fun!
The next day these cute kids were pretty tired on the train to church!
No comments:
Post a Comment