We stay in a hotel Macdonald Alveston Manor Hotel & Spa dating back to the 16th century and built over a monastic settlement from 960.They say Shakespeare’s Midsummer Night;s Dream was first staged in the grounds here. It is full of oak panelling and carved doors with stained glass and a tiny rickety staircase leading up to our room which is lovely.
The river Avon is beautiful, an arched bridge straddles the river where swans gather and a small protected island where ducks are sitting on their nests, except for one I see who is stranding away from her nest, just thinking about life and whether she’ll go back and sit for a while longer. There are colourful house boats moored and punts to take out.
And the Tudor architecture is stunning in black and white and the narrow boats on the river are so colourful.
The next day we go to Hidcote Manor garden which is superb. The flowers! The little streams and waterfalls and back to Stratford looking at the Tudor houses, the local asparagus season is underway as well. We go to another garden - The Courts Garden smaller but nevertheless as beautiful. Loving the meadow lawns and wonder why we in Australia manicure ours within an inch of its life. Bees love these lawns full of clover and daisies and all manner of wildflowers.
Then we’re off to Devizes to stay on a boat of a friend. So beautiful this life on the waterways and such an interesting group of people that do it. Ones that stay forever, others that move on continually. We meet a lovely couple, the lady makes the most beautiful crocheted cushions and jackets and they live on their narrow boat with two biggish dogs! Fascinating.
In the morning we cradle our coffees on the front of the boat watching as the geese, ducks and swans float by. Another world, a different way of living upon the water.
We head into the town of Devizes North, cute Tudor houses, post coronation flags, lovely galleries and shops and on our way back home, we see Avebury Henge stone circles and in the distance of Cherhill, the huge white horses made of white stones, some of which are from the 18th century but others in the country date back millennials. We eat at Melksham at an old pub, I have a fantastic crispy tart with a huge slab of goats cheese, roasted baby tomatoes, a balsamic glaze and beetroot.
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