After my usual (travel) 3 course brekkie, we headed off to see Hampton Court. While we breakfasted, there had been sunshine outside. However, the skies were clouding over as we left.
Tube from Paddington (Bakerloo Southbound line) Waterloo Tube station where we headed upstairs to Waterloo Train station - trains have a little red symbol. From there you catch the South West Train service at platform 2 to Hampton Court station. We used our Oyster cards but had to load Pay as You Go money onto it as our weekly pass didn't extend to Zone 6, where Hampton Court is.
It took about 35 minutes to get from Waterloo. The palace is a short walk over a bridge from the station. There is a large set of gates set into a tall brick wall with a long driveway going up to the palace. We got our tickets inside 19.30 which include maze, palace and gardens. The drive goes up to the entrance used by Henry VIII.
First stop was the Maze. It was commissioned by William III around 1700 and is made from yew hedges. Some of the hedges are a little sparse these days so you can see through to the next path. Inside the hedges are wrought iron fences so you couldn't really walk through them if you wanted to cheat. Where the hedges are thick they tower above your head; the path is only about a metre wide, if that, so it must have been quite spectacular and scary when it was in its prime. Took a number of wrong turnings before finding the middle. It didn't take too long and it was fun.
The grounds of Hampton Court are huge. If you lived in the area, you could just walk through the gates and use the parklands as picnic areas or walking areas; assuming you are allowed to picnic there. We walked around the gardens for a while then headed into the palace itself.
There are two big courtyards inside, surrounded by buildings. The original manor house was developed into a palace by Cardinal Wosley in 1500. Wosley lost it to Henry during the time of applying for his divorce from Catherine of Aragon. The palace was further developed by William III.
Alex was disappointed there was no lavish gilding like Versailles had. The rooms are really tall and there is wooden panelling, probably oak, that covers the walls. Those oak trees must have been magnificent. The doors are huge and heavy timber. There isn't much furniture from the period in the palace. There are huge tapestries covering some of the walls. The Great Hall had long banqueting tables set up. All along the walls above our heads were stag horns. A small room next to it had many more of the horns. Spoils of the hunts I assume.
We wandered round and round the rooms. I had coffee and carrot cake for lunch in the Privy (private) Kitchen. This was built by Elizabeth I away from her apartments so she didn't smell and hear the food preparations. Floors like all these old places, are worn tiles and stones. I was walking on the same floors that had been traversed by Henry and Elizabeth.
The last place we visited there was the Great Vine. It was planted in 1769 and is the largest grape vine in the world. I expected a grape vine to be grown over a trellis or up a wall. This is grown over a huge trellis but under glass - of course, it needs more heat than England would have! It is 4 metres around the base. The grapes are sold in early September.
The rain had set in again while we were inside. 1.50 procured a plastic poncho for Alex who has no raincoat, or umbrella now. We walked back to the station and trained it back to Waterloo. Had a brief look in M & S store in Waterloo station. There are a lot of sandwiches and food choices you could grab quite cheaply for lunch or dinner in most of these stores - M & S, Sainsburys.
Dinner was at Pride of Paddington pub. Fish and chips. I exchanged mushy peas, which I loathe, for a bit of salad. There was no curry sauce. Dessert was apple crumble - it didn't mention it also had rhubarb - with Devonshire cream custard. It was huge and I couldn't eat it all.
Tomorrow we check out of Cardiff and head up to the Hilton Metropole to join our tour group. We are also planning to go to Madame Tussard's. Have purchased tickets online for 3 attractions - Tussards, London Eye and Sea Life Aquarium 51GBP. We can use the ticket to enter the last two places any time in the next 30 days.
Tube from Paddington (Bakerloo Southbound line) Waterloo Tube station where we headed upstairs to Waterloo Train station - trains have a little red symbol. From there you catch the South West Train service at platform 2 to Hampton Court station. We used our Oyster cards but had to load Pay as You Go money onto it as our weekly pass didn't extend to Zone 6, where Hampton Court is.
It took about 35 minutes to get from Waterloo. The palace is a short walk over a bridge from the station. There is a large set of gates set into a tall brick wall with a long driveway going up to the palace. We got our tickets inside 19.30 which include maze, palace and gardens. The drive goes up to the entrance used by Henry VIII.
First stop was the Maze. It was commissioned by William III around 1700 and is made from yew hedges. Some of the hedges are a little sparse these days so you can see through to the next path. Inside the hedges are wrought iron fences so you couldn't really walk through them if you wanted to cheat. Where the hedges are thick they tower above your head; the path is only about a metre wide, if that, so it must have been quite spectacular and scary when it was in its prime. Took a number of wrong turnings before finding the middle. It didn't take too long and it was fun.
The grounds of Hampton Court are huge. If you lived in the area, you could just walk through the gates and use the parklands as picnic areas or walking areas; assuming you are allowed to picnic there. We walked around the gardens for a while then headed into the palace itself.
There are two big courtyards inside, surrounded by buildings. The original manor house was developed into a palace by Cardinal Wosley in 1500. Wosley lost it to Henry during the time of applying for his divorce from Catherine of Aragon. The palace was further developed by William III.
Alex was disappointed there was no lavish gilding like Versailles had. The rooms are really tall and there is wooden panelling, probably oak, that covers the walls. Those oak trees must have been magnificent. The doors are huge and heavy timber. There isn't much furniture from the period in the palace. There are huge tapestries covering some of the walls. The Great Hall had long banqueting tables set up. All along the walls above our heads were stag horns. A small room next to it had many more of the horns. Spoils of the hunts I assume.
We wandered round and round the rooms. I had coffee and carrot cake for lunch in the Privy (private) Kitchen. This was built by Elizabeth I away from her apartments so she didn't smell and hear the food preparations. Floors like all these old places, are worn tiles and stones. I was walking on the same floors that had been traversed by Henry and Elizabeth.
The last place we visited there was the Great Vine. It was planted in 1769 and is the largest grape vine in the world. I expected a grape vine to be grown over a trellis or up a wall. This is grown over a huge trellis but under glass - of course, it needs more heat than England would have! It is 4 metres around the base. The grapes are sold in early September.
The rain had set in again while we were inside. 1.50 procured a plastic poncho for Alex who has no raincoat, or umbrella now. We walked back to the station and trained it back to Waterloo. Had a brief look in M & S store in Waterloo station. There are a lot of sandwiches and food choices you could grab quite cheaply for lunch or dinner in most of these stores - M & S, Sainsburys.
Dinner was at Pride of Paddington pub. Fish and chips. I exchanged mushy peas, which I loathe, for a bit of salad. There was no curry sauce. Dessert was apple crumble - it didn't mention it also had rhubarb - with Devonshire cream custard. It was huge and I couldn't eat it all.
Tomorrow we check out of Cardiff and head up to the Hilton Metropole to join our tour group. We are also planning to go to Madame Tussard's. Have purchased tickets online for 3 attractions - Tussards, London Eye and Sea Life Aquarium 51GBP. We can use the ticket to enter the last two places any time in the next 30 days.
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