Chipping Campden

This post belongs to July 3, after Poole and before Chipping Campden to Stanton, but it was not written (or maybe not saved for later posting) when it should have been, so it may be out of place. Anyway, we couldn't get out of Poole fast enough. Not only was it pouring there, but the city was dreary and the B and B truly awful in every way. Even the pigeon at the train station was beating it out of town on the 9:13.






Chipping Campden more than compensated for the unpleasantness of the previous day. It is a town utterly captivating and our B and B was elegant, gracious, comfortable, and run by a supremely lovely woman.

Here is a view out of our bedroom—more like a suite—window:








What our room looked like:






Even the way the curtains were hung was thoughtful. The rods were on the diagonal giving the curtains a graceful swag, and showing off the print:






On the landing, up to our room, was this sculpture, just one of many eye-catching touches:






From this market place, we left on a rather dull tour. We tried to ditch the group, but the leader chased us down. (A two pound tip per person at the end of the "free tour" was suggested, so maybe that was a motivating factor.)






David outside a shop door? No, the toga suggests otherwise.





A garden showing off yellow roses:





A row of attached houses behind a stone wall with flowering shrubs growing out of it:





A peek over the churchyard wall:





Back at the B and B, the owners' dog looking toward the garden:





We had a free day in chipping Campden, which we spent going to two gardens, Hidcote, a National Trust site, and the name of the other, I do not remember. Sarah, our hostess, most kindly drove us there; we were to walk back late in the afternoon.

Different shades, shapes, and textures of green:






Groups of high-school kids were rehearsing Alice in Wonderland, which they were to perform in the gardens that evening.  It was great fun to watch them:






A formal, groomed area, different from most other sections in the gardens:




Like this one, for example! What a colour! And don't you love the way these flowers will not be contained?






These are just so gorgeous:






Lilies:





And fuscia in abundance:





Just a couple of stalks of this bright blue against a massive, shaved green hedge were stunning:




Fluted stone steps:





Delicate white cups:







Loved that doorway hollowed out of the great big hedge:






A vegetable garden needs protection:






Some vibrant colours. Pinky-purple:




Pink, pink and white, and blue:




And this unusual coral




As we walked back the six or so miles, through many a field and farm, guided by public footpath signs (these do not have acorns, nor do they tell you where they lead) and some more or less accurate written instructions, the scenery changed:






We used our rest day to advantage, enjoying a rare interval of perfect weather and amazingly beautiful sights.


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