Back to Burford May 8, 2012

Somewhere along the drive between Bourton-on-the-Water and Burford. I can't say where because somehow in that short distance I got lost.

Back 'home' in Burford.

I think I got a beef pie from the pub across the street and ate it at the picnic table outside my new room.

From the courtyard looking towards the Priory restaurant.

Jousting at Blenheim Palace - May 7, 2012

Bank holiday Monday May 7

This was the day that I'd be moving across the courtyard at the B&B to the larger room with ensuite bathroom. I thought I'd buy some postcards and have a relaxing afternoon in but first decided to drive back to Summertown to email from Starbucks. That was one of the easier drives. At a fair-sized, well-marked roundabout, the turnoff onto Woodstock Road takes you straight down to the Summertown shopping area in no time.

I had heard about a jousting match at Blenheim Palace but it was cold and pouring rain. I considered driving up to Chipping Norton, just to stay in the warm car.

But after emailing from Starbucks in Summertown I drove north toward Woodstock and though I hadn't really decided on whether or not to go to Blenheim Palace, there it was. You can't miss it.

I drove through the gates into the huge grounds, parked the car and walked across the muddy field. Perhaps I could have taken the train.

There were pheasants - tamer than ours, not that I've seen one for several years.

My purple umbrella that I would later leave in the gift shop and never see again. There was some uncertainly about the jousting taking take place because the ground might have been too slippery for the horses. But someone in the gift shop - white building on the right - did some checking and reported that it was going ahead.

I did one tour of the palace and saved the other for later because the jousting was about to begin. It involved another long walk down a wet, sometimes muddy path to get to a field with a roped off ring area.

Let the jousting begin

A photo shoot.

The four horses and riders gathered...

Then went charging into the ring one by one. It was hilarious good fun with lots of banter between riders and announcer. Horses were fast and very agile, like polo ponies.

Some 'casualties' happened at ground level.

Some final laps... 

... then the crowd herded back to the palace. I enjoyed that immensely even in the rain. It was probably the first time I laughed since Winslow.

On a nice day one could spend hours exploring the 2000+ acre property.

I should have written more about Blenheim Palace, home of the Churchill family. Apparently photography wasn't allowed because I have no photos of the interior. 

At the front steps, if you look up, you see a bunch of eyeballs looking at you.

It doesn't appear to have stopped raining but it must have if I left without my umbrella.

Back in Burford I had fish and chips for supper.

An early morning walk around Burford

Bank holiday Monday, May 7th

After suppertime each evening when the town had quieted down, I would move the car from the parking lot to High Street and park across from the B&B.

Breakfast at the B&B didn't start until 9:00. I was out walking the back streets at 7:30 am - this time exploring the left side (facing down the hill) of High Street.

It was overcast and chilly. Not many people were out. A fellow exercising his dog in a field said hello. A woman drove up and asked directions. It was funny how often people asked me for directions, but I suppose it's easier to look like a local in England than in some other countries.

People here seem well-heeled, and they probably are if they live in the Cotswolds. I wish I'd been more brazen and taken pictures of some of the stylishly dressed women in town. Even svelte elderly ladies could be seen in leggings and boots.

The Lamb and Bay Tree inns are sister hotels both on Sheep Street. 

Beautiful wisteria. I was always surprised to see it in this chilly weather.

I concluded that there were no ugly buildings in Burford...

... or no ugly anything for that matter.



Back in town, there are a fair number of bakeries and eateries.

This was probably lunch the day before - some sort of tomato tart and the kind of green salad I like but Glenn didn't.

Despite its small size, Burford is quite a good place for shopping. I would have loved that colour of riding hat. 

I bought only two items for myself in England, other than stationery, and both were in Burford - a pair of Rieker shoes and this scarf.

A walk up the hill out of town - May 6, 2012

Burford, Oxfordshire

Sunday



Just steps from the town of Burford - and it is a town not a village - you're out in the beautiful countryside smelling the earth. I wanted to explore the group of buildings on the hill across the bridge. As usual, the off-pavement walk was my favourite.

The bridge just past the traffic signals crosses the 40 mile long river Windrush.

I passed by this pretty corner yard, crossed the road by a roundabout...

...and found a footpath. England has the most interesting gates / barriers to negotiate.

The path was lined with buttercups.

What is this place? I still don't know, but have the idea that technically it's not part of Burford, though I could be wrong.

Wandering around looking for a sign of any kind. It was nice and warm here.

On the internet I read there is: 'a network of dry stone walls at least in length equivalent to the Great Wall of China.' I presume they mean in the Cotswolds in general.

I felt like I was in France, not that I've been to France.

Luckily I paid attention to how to get back to the path.

 A wall within fences.

Some planes flew over from the airshow south of Oxford - lots of streaks in the sky. If Glenn had been with me, maybe we would have gone.

The steeple stands out from this viewpoint.

Cottage names & doors, Burford

One door

Three doors

Four doors

Four doors