Normally it’s just myself and Jo who go away, but – in advance of Latitude we did want a trial run with Michael and James.

 

So we drove the sixty odd miles and arrived at Anglesey Abbey– and how nice it was to see the dedicated area of the car park for motorhomes!

The entrance area was clean and very busy – I think it’s wonderful just how many people obviously have National Trust Memberships – and take the time to visit – with out membership you would be paying over £45 for a family of 4.

The first thing that struck me was how the grounds are laid out with some statues for emphasis, leaving through paths that lead to the house.

 

 

 

 

 

I don’t know what I was expecting from the house, but knowing that part of it was pre reformation I was intrigued – though not outwardly large, it was certainly well appointed. The first Lord Fairhaven had bought the house in 1924 and extensively renovated it to house his collections – especially of British landscape art, though he also had a great eye for beauty:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lordy never married, and left the house to the National Trust on the proviso that it was maintained as it was when he died in the late 1960’s – which is how the kitchen / servants areas present now – also, in the main dining room is a wonderful, assumed medieval, hand grind stone carved into the shape of a dog.

 

 

 

 

 

Outside the back entrance to Leaving the house, we walked up to Lode Mill- there had been a mill on the site recorded in Domesday Book 1086 but the current mill was built in 1745 – I was fascinated with the inner workings, but there was no extensive access inside – possibly due to a lack of volunteers on the day.

Again the walk there through the grounds was beautiful – the water was swift moving, and the multitude of arbors were diverse and enthralling – the silver birches struck home and I wondered if it was Lordy recalling some of the scenes where he served in WW1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We then left and drove a few miles to Cherry Hinton CAMC campsite – this is an interesting campsite due to the geography – there are different elevations and quite narrow entrance tracks. A lovely warm welcome, and a fair size grass pitch – due to the weight of Ziggy and damp ground at the time of year, I will review booking hard standing in the future.