The Shoe Inn, Exton

Today's pub adventure had us heading south to Exton in Hamshire to sample the Shoe Inn. It was a clear day just perfect for meandering through the Meon Vally. Merrilyn chose this particular pub because of the quality of the food and produce. The Inn has a veggie garden out back where they grow a lot of the fresh produce used by the chef. The remainder is sourced locally. Whilst it didn't quite have the atmosphere of the Fox & Hounds the food was spectacular. James had his usual roast and yorkie. Whilst I had a delicious venison cooked to perfection and Merrilyn enjoyed a ploughman's. We couldn't pass up pudding so followed all that with cheese, sticky pudding, and mulled wine. Our journey home took us through tiny country lanes between fields dotted with sheep and, of course, alight with that warm late Autumn sun.

We've posted a few photos here.

Fox and Hounds

Today was the perfect day to spend in an old English pub. It was tipping down outside and the temperature was around 6 degrees. Our choice was the 16th century 'Fox and Hounds' in the tiny Warwickshire village of Great Wolford. The closest big town is Moreton-in-Marsh. It was a very good choice indeed, and Martin's favourite pub to date. The atmosphere was snug and warm with hunting prints and photos on the old walls and dried hops hanging from the black beams. James and I liked the photo of a puppy and a fox cub having a snuggle! He also liked the 'DOG' bowl by the door for hungry and thirsty canine visitors (and told his Doggy all about it when he got home). We were impressed by the fireplace which was so big it had its own bread oven on one side. The chef here makes his own bread from local organic flour. The meals were delicious - James and Martin had the usual roast and yorkies! We like to choose pubs where the chefs take great care with their food, sourcing it locally and preparing it simply. The service was a little slow as by 1pm the bar and tables in both rooms were full and the kitchen was flat out, enough time for us to decide we really needed pudding and coffee.

We ran for the car as the rain continued and headed in a mostly southerly direction, taking the time in some villages to meander about and dawdle through their little one-way streets and lanes. I loved the honey-coloured buildings, the same sandstone used in the nearby Cotswolds. James with his big round tummy fell asleep and I was feeling very snoozy as we drove through Chipping Norton, Milton-under-Wychwood and Burford. All in the pouring rain down narrow, winding roads - Martin did a good job! It was getting dark and the charming old houses cast golden light from inside as we drove through Little Faringdon and my favourite, the gorgeous Lechlade.

Now it really was too dark to see anything so home we went. After dinner James and Martin put up our new flashing, coloured Christmas lights. James ran around and around - he was so happy! It must be nearly Christmas...

Photos are here.

Windsor Christmas Lights

At 5:30 this afternoon (well it was dark so whilst technically afternoon I would rather think of it as night) we joined many fellow Windsorians in the cold and dark to watch the Christmas lights turn on. The ceremony was preceded by carols and a lantern march from Eaton to Castle Hill.

The Queen has donated the tree that now sits outside Henry VIII gate and she lit the round tower for the occasion. So at 5:30pm the band stopped and, following the mayor's short (thankfully) speech the lights adorning both the tree and Peascod Street we lit. Imagine our view. We stood just downhill of the tree with the spectacularly lit round tower in the background. As the twinkling tree lights lit we turned and took in the view down Peascod Street as the suspended lights there twinkled also. It was only a few degrees outside so everyone was rugged up. There is something special about Christmas in the cold.

Can't wait now for Copenhagen. Just over four weeks....

Blackboys Inn

During the week we had a look through our Pub book and decided to drive south to Sussex. We'll cover the entire country and put on many pounds at this rate!

We chose the 'Blackboys Inn' in the village of Blackboys, near Uckfield. This charming old pub is a Grade 2 listed building built in 1389 with walls and beams inside over 600 years old. It's set back from the road and has a duck pond out front. James was enthralled with the ducks' house in the pond, complete with wooden ramp for lazy ducks with tummies full of bread. Inside, the dark beams were decorated with dried hops, and an eclectic assortment of antique prints, copper pots and all sorts of other old things covered the walls. I liked the chandelier hanging over the till! I have a particular interest in this area of Sussex as my ancestors resided in nearby Heathfield before emigrating to Melbourne. Armed with details from Uncle Peter (thank you!) I had six generations of family tree available to me!

We were early enough to get two round copper tables together in a nook next to a front window. As the boys explored outside in the sunshine I waited at the table and overheard a group of four ask the waitress for their reserved table. Their surname was Barrow. It was a good thing I was sitting down, as this is the surname of my ancestors and partially the reason we had decided to come down. I asked the gentleman about his name and apparently his Barrows come from north Kent. There may be a link there but it's probably a long shot. You have to laugh when strange coincidences like that happen!

So James had his usual Sunday lunch, roast beef with Yorkshire pudding. He was a happy boy. I had a Stilton ploughman's and Martin had duck (probably the fattest one from the pond that couldn't get up the ramp!) Outside the day was warming up so after lunch out into the sunshine we went. My great-great Grandmother, Sarah Barrow, was born in the nearby town of Heathfield in 1858. She and the family emigrated to Melbourne in 1870. There are few old buildings left in Heathfield that date from this time and despite our best efforts and GPS we couldn't locate the church where Benjamin Barrow (Sarah's brother or father) was noted for his service as bell-ringer. I was just happy to see where they lived and wondered why they (or anybody) would leave this beautiful part of England to start a new life on the other side of the world.

Heading west homeward-bound, James asleep in the back, Martin plugged in the Ouse Valley Aqueduct. We parked on the side of the road, roused James and crossed a stile into a cow field to stand underneath this gorgeous old railway bridge. Built in 1841 as part of the London to Brighton line, and having 37 towering arches, it took our breath away. Such a marvellous engineering feat. It is still used for trains and we got excited every time one rumbled overhead!

As usual the sun set at 4.30 and it was dark by the time we got home.

Photos are here.

Windsor Great Park re-opens

You may recall that a little over a month ago the Great Park was closed as it fell within the exclusion zone for foot and mouth disease. This was a big disappointment to us as the park is gorgeous during Autumn. To our relief, the Park re-opened during the week. James was happy too. We told him it closed as the cows were sick. So he was glad they were now feeling much better.

We started off at Bishops Gate around 4pm and made our way into the Park and down a bridleway. By the time we arrived at the Copper Horse the sun was setting. James was looking forward to clambering over the rocks and spent time finding lots of little hiding places.

Most of the leaves have now dropped giving us lots of opportunities to play in the thick blankets. We all had fun kicking the leaves.

By 5pm the sun was set so off home we went. We all enjoyed walking the park again. It is such a lovely way to spend an afternoon.

Photos are here.

And a short slide show...

Our second weekend of scouting England for interesting pubs with good food and good atmosphere. This one has been on the list for a very long while, though - the 16th century 'Cricketers' in the sweet village of Clavering in Essex. Why travel all the way to Essex, you ask? Well, you know Martin and I are big fans of Jamie Oliver and this is the pub where he grew up and began to cook. I was so excited! His parents, Trevor and Sally Oliver, still own and run the pub today. I felt like I was on a pilgrimage to see where it all began and I guess our expectations were pretty high. I rated the chance of actually seeing Jamie at less than zero but it didn't matter in the least.

We had a reservation in the bar side of the pub. There is also a set-price menu in the adjoining restaurant but that's not for the three of us! We know that the Olivers value their produce very highly and so everything was organic or free-range, and things like bread and desserts made on the premises. So ensconced in the bay window seat with the brilliant but low autumn shining in we ordered drinks and lunch. We decided on spicy pumpkin soup, an avocado salad with gorgonzola and pomegranate, sea bass with an Asian-inspired sauce, salmon with red peppercorns and salsa verde and James really enjoyed organic breaded salmon with lots of vegies (he even asked for lemon!). The food was simple and delicious - just what we expected. However I really, truly couldn't go past the fig, pistachio and cranberry semi-fredo for dessert which is a Jamie classic. Guess who ate the other half of it??!!

We finished up and drove back through the village the way we had come as we'd seen a sign to Clavering Church on the way in. It was a quaint and extremely well kept church and the sun was casting a golden glow over it's ancient stones. We spent a little while looking around the grounds and inside as well. Not sure how old it was but it was definitely Norman and probably older than the pub. Just what every good village needs!

We drove south to Waltham Abbey, a 14th century Abbey just north of the M25. It is a beautiful building in itself, with a stunning wooden ceiling, but it also boasts the grave of Harold, the last Saxon king of England after his defeat and demise at the Battle of Hastings in 1066. It took some find to find his resting place but it turned up in the grassed ring where the original altar stood. Another tick off the history list!

We had a lovely day and I've had my Jamie Oliver fix. Now the next pub needs to be good...!

Photos are here.