Two particular English delights

The other weekend we went for a walk with our good friends Karen and Graham and their twin teenage kids. It was a cold and muddy day and the ramble took us over a sufficient number of boggy fields to fully coats our boots with a thick gelatinous layer of clay that added about 2kg to each foot. As you can tell therefore it wasnt the day that was the delight! The company was fine and I supose once you got a bit a bit of a head of steam up and the rosie glow came to your cheeks the cold wasn't too bad either. However the delights were elsewhere.

On the walk we passed the wonderfully named Ightham Mote. (How can you go wrong with a name like that eh!) This is a wonderfully restored moated manor house that is still largely intact from when it was built in 1320 and then extended in Elizabethan times. It was in fact the largest and most costly National Trust restoration job ever - in excess of £10M. We have visited there before and today was just a walk past it along the country lane. But it reminded me of the wonderful sense of history that lurks in hidden corners all over England. The building has been lovingly restored and captures all the quirky history down through the ages

You can see more pictures on the National Trust website link - Ightham Mote pictures

The other delight was the pub we stopped at afterwards. Log fires, fantastic beer, really good food - everything a pub should be. When they are done well, English pubs are magnificent institutions.

Graham and me had a serious discussion at the bar as we were getting one of the rounds about trying to reverse the decision that we should drive back instead of the women. It didnt succeed but we had a lovely afternoon. A brisk walk and two pints of Old Speckled Hen - job done