Beautiful Baby Jack

The first English breakfast of the trip consumed, and an entire morning free before our first ever rendezvous with "The Honourable Jack", so what to do. We decided to drive from Berkshire (bark-sheer) to Buckinghamshire (buck-n-um-sheer) to visit Cliveden (Cleve-dun) House at Taplow near Maidenhead. Cliveden is yet another English stately pile surrounded by lush gardens managed in modern times by the National Trust, this one purchased at one time by John Astor from the original owner. We were unable to visit the house, which is now an up-market hotel, no doubt featuring overnight prices we would consider outrageous for a week-long stay, but we did get to wander the grounds in front without feeling the benefits of shotgun pellets keeping the peasants in their place. An elaborate clock tower was the first thing that came into view, square in section but with a spiral staircase visible on the exterior and gilt, gilt, gilt glimmering brilliantly in the sunshine.

Having taken a few snaps around the tower, we wandered off to see the grounds we had actually paid to visit, on the way getting into conversation with one of the guides on her first day back from leave celebrating a 'milestone' birthday who helped us with our decidedly shaky Latin in transcribing the enormous carved stonework which spanned the entire side of the house. We then headed towards the Partere, geometrically designed formal gardens laid out for viewing from the rear of the house, before strolling the paths that meandered down to the Thames. Having gone down, we then had to climb back up a different set of paths to reach the Water Gardens; a series of ponds or lakes featuring fountains, fish and water lilies and a pagoda-like structure.

Who can walk past a Maze? Well obviously we can't! But we did find our way to the centre, and seem to have found our way out again because we have been to other places since. However, by that time we needed to be on our way to see His Royal Jack-ness, so we retraced our route back to Windsor and continued a bit further south to the large pub/restaurant that Lucy had made a reservation. Not quite sure of our timing we arrived 15 minutes early, but as we climbed out of the car Lucy and Adam pulled up beside us in the car park. We walked across to where they parked, watched them unload the buggy/stroller and load Jack-the-lad into it while we cooed and oohed and aahed. The 30 seconds of squinting and squirming in the brilliant sunshine that we witnessed was the only diversion from calmness, serenity and laid back-ness that was evident in the couple of hours we spent together.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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