Oxfordshire continues...June 22nd to 25th June

 All the next week here in the UK is forecast to be hot. They send out  "red alerts" "danger of death" schools close etc. Although ironically thousands of Brits go to Europe - Italy, Spain, France for summer holidays where 35C is not uncommon. These temperatures are not bearable in the UK as generally housing is setup for cold, damp weather, domestic airconditioning is a dream for many. Not to mention the council zealouts who do not allow planning permission for aircon  - "open a window but close them at night"...I ask you. 

So we have plotted out the weeks activities allowing for our walks, swimming for the black labrador we are caring for before the 3pm forecast 33C arrives. Monday saw us drive to Newbridge (25mins drive) which is on the Thames River. The river is small and clear in this part of England. It actually starts near Cheltenham about 50km away. If you think of the, at times, brown very wide river meandering through London it is such a contrast. We walked about 11km on what was called " New Bridge to The Blue Boar loop".  Lots of canal boats, locks and good places for the dog to swim, she was overjoyed. 

Wandering along the path we kept seeing bright blue dragon flies. 

The path passed bird hides, avenues of trees and a field of cows and calves. The deciduous lime trees ( Linden sp.) are in full flower and the scent is a delight We had a couple of these at Jefferswood. Finished up back at New Bridge at The Rose Revived - such great pub names.

Later afternoon Jeff was chatting on the phone to a friend and there was a terrific thump. I thought one of the many pigeons that live around the house had undertaken a kamikaze on the house but no. One of the cypress trees, weighted with ivy, had just fallen over from the neighbours landing on the fence and the roof of the house. So neighbour got onto the "Town and Country" arborist and put up a sign to say the Public Footpath between the two properties is out of action. Next morning a couple of lads spent 4 hours removing the tree, Jeff repaired the fence, replaced spouting. A couple of stone tiles need replaced but not paramount. We tidied up gardens and hay presto all good. Heaps more light coming into the kitchen now.

Weirdly the owner of the home we are looking after, sent a whatsapp message next morning that the village community group had advised there was a burst water main at Poffley End, so no water. Barely noticed and given the panic about the temperatures they were onto it quickly.  We did not bother to tell him about the tree as it was sorted, but the village drum beats loudly all the way to Scotland where they are holidaying. He had already advised us "how to cope with hot temps" 😵‍💫.  Jeff replied all under control re tree. Got the lawns mowed and then a terrific thunderstorm gave everything a soaking, perfect.

Just below the Sainsbury carpark is the Windrush River in Whitney so handy for another swim for dog , Omey, at days end.

Stick chasing in action.

Next day in the car early heading to Waddesdon Manor near Aylesbury. Hectares of parklands and the "Rothschild pile" as Jeff calls it. Owned by the National Trust since it was gifted in 1957.  No one actually lives there and has been open; house, gardens, aviary etc to public for 65 years. Some 500,000 people visit every year. It was built 1874-1889 as a weekend retreat and to entertain the rich and famous. Also houses an enormous art and antiques collection. Rothschilds hosted evacuated children and asylum to jewish boys over World War 2. These days exhibitions, sculpting, artists get opportunities. Various films, TV programmes are filmed there. 

Rothschild wanted to replicate the French Chateaux style. Very OTT but amassing wealth via banking can have that effect, apparently.

The usual scaffolding for the endless maintenance required.

Gardens were stunning 

The parklands were excellent with many large deciduous trees. Although we are members of the National Trust via Heritage NZ, we did not go into the house, aviary etc. We love these walks.

Good views over Buckinghamshire.

A chap at the hardware store in Witney, where Jeff bought replacement spouting, bracket, was a lapsed kiwi having lived in the UK for 24 years. He mentioned a great village to visit, walk and a river Omey could swim in called Bibury. There was also a cafe in the area called "The Country Kiwi" run by a chap from Invercargill no less.

Bibury is on the River Coln and was in the Doomsday book, 1086 AD. It is a major destination for tourists due to the row of weavers cottages from 1380, historic mill and fab teahouse. We were really only interested in the 8km river loop walk and so we were there by 8.30am and had the place to ourselves before the hoards, and heat arrived. Omey loved the swimming of course.

The most photographed Weavers cottages at 8.30am. Masses of selfie takers by 11am.

Delighted to walk past a white heron

What was the flour mill.

This is a family home just out of the village, hidden out of sight really.  

We called into the teahouse and met a couple who have made a business out of taking in greyhounds while owners are on holiday, good opportunity spotted. They are booked out until November taking four at a time plus their own called Fox. A bit drippy but a gentle soul, the greyhound that is.

The Country Kiwi cafe was very busy with lunch trade so not much of a chance to talk to the owner, Aaron. They stocked some kiwiana - pineapple lumps, Whittakers peanut slabs which the lass serving said they sell out of "all the time".

One of the joys of countryside UK is the public paths, bridleways, permissive paths everywhere. A field of wheat, barley etc will have a path right through the middle of it. These public right of way exist independently from land ownership originating from pilgrimage routes, Roman roads and Neolithic tracks.  We are never short of paths through woods, fields, along streams etc. In saying that, many rivers are "Private" for fishing.

Oxfordshire June 17th - 21st

The forecast for next week is to be in the mid 30C temps. Seems astounding if it happens. In anticipation we thought we would check out walks that have somewhere that the dog, Omey, can swim to cool off. We set off to the Minster Lovell loop from Crawley. Plan to walk a figure 8 with Crawley in the middle, second loop being Wychwood Way.

Minister Lovell Hall had beem a 15th century family home. They ultimately had to forfeit the property to the Crown in 1485 after fighting for Richard 3rd at the Battle of Bosworth.  Because Henry 7th won he passed a retrospective law that said anyone who supported King Richard 3rd has committed treason and land would be confiscated. Vast lands were taken making Henry 7th very powerful. Difficult to pick the right side in those days, forfeiture or execution or both was the outcome.

Certainly had been a functional grand residence. To the left of the above picture is a bend in the River Windrush, a clear Cotswold river. Omey was straight in. She loves swimming.  We made our way back through Crawley village towards the well known local pub, past the quinessental Cotswold homes.

We were rather taken by this piece of art in a window. Very effective, you took a double take.

The folks we are housesitting for left us some ordinance survey maps, general house notes and the best local pubs. Great names like the 'Lamb and Flag', 'Bird in Hand' and the ' The Lamb Inn'. Having completed the first 6km loop lunch was called for before the afternoons walking loop.

We sat outside under one of the umbrellas and Jeff was a starter for the Wednesday special, moi fancied a starter of goats cheese on toast.  They were delicious. The pub is family run, opening 11am each day. Omey behaved herself and sat quietly under the table. We then set off to walk the Wychward Way, which is an ancient forest on 500ha. It had been substantally larger but had been cleared for agriculture, villages etc. The British Navy cut down Oak and Ash trees in the 1770's for shipbuilding. It was a fabulous 7km loop.

This is part of what is called 'Five Ash Bottom Avenue' being the remnants of Ash trees still alive after 200+ years.  Astounding they continue to grow with hollow trunks.

A stone keep around a well.

Wild fallow deer come out of the woods to graze.

Following day we found the Windrush River again on a walk around Witney Lake. Can  park in the Sainsbury carpark (3 hours free) and cross over the road to the public walkway. Witney is the biggest town near us with all the essentials - Waitrose, independent shops, Boots, Marks and Spencers etc. 

Omey the swimmer. We keep our extender lead on her at all times. Jeff had to help her out at one stage as it was a bit steep and slippery getting out of the water.

A friend from Newcastle was down visiting family in Oxford , half an hour from here.  So we met Lesley at 'The Back Lane Pub' for lunch in Woodstock. We had sussed it out on Monday when we did the Blenheim Palace walk from Woodstock. Omey sat under the table and we had a lovely couple of hours catch up. She had moved from a large house and garden in Horncliffe to a modern Newcastle apartment when her husband died. Took quite a lot of adjustment but she is settled now. 

Over the years we have noted many changes to the English countryside and towns. Rewilding is the thing to do via government subsidy if you are not bothered to farm animals, cereals or food in general. Traffic islands, roadsides are let go, litter all along the 'A' roads. Many new housing blocks built on the edge of villages to home the 8 million extra inhabitants over the last 20 years. Traffic can be overwhelming and the Brits pet hate - potholes - the poor quality of general roading due to no maintenance and too may vehicles, particularly on the B ( provincial) roads.

Rewilding, thousands of hectares like this. England can not feed itself, no self reliance. Whereas NZ can feed itself multiple times over.

Your average 'B' road.

A by-election was held in Makersfield near Manchester on Friday and the winner is supposedly going to unseat the UK Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, and the usurper will solve all the UK problems, nirvana and prosperity will be achieved for all! Their present problems have been decades in the making and a further shift to the left will not fix the rot.

We wandered up the the local school fete yesterday morning. Was not up to much but Jeff enjoyed viewing a few classic cars on display.

We undertook an afternoon walk to Holly Grove - Conygar Copse from North Leigh on a 10km loop. We use a Komoot app which brings up a huge range of walks on public paths within a designated area; lets say within 10km of where we are housesitting. On the left are what I would call "Johnsons Blue" a perennial in our gardens but which seens to grow wild here.

We called in for a swift half pint on the walk. Can be tricky as having a snooze afterwards seems a better idea than walking another 5km in the woods.

These are accommodation huts behind the pub. Beauty of not being in a room over the bar, kitchen and having some quiet space.

Got to 30C today, Sunday, we walked the lake early, stocked up on groceries. Visited folks Jeff had met one morning, young couple with twin 12yr old boys. They are renovating one of the villages houses they live in, he runs a building business, she works for Mercedes. Exhausting.

England 12th June - 16th June

 

The quintessential English pub called " The Bear and Ragged Staff". We stayed two nights at Cumnor, near Oxford.

Strolled down to the village Post Office to get the Saturday newspaper, an institution of huge proportions and real journalism. Drove the short distance to Witney to meet our first housesit folks. They are both ex GPs with a black labrador, heading away the next day for holidays. Super property and folks. 

Robin and Jane own a Morgan. A car Jeff had fancied until we went to the factory in the UK one year and took a Morgan for a test drive. Did not meet expectations.

Front of 1 Wood Lane, Hailey nr Witney surrounded by rural walking trails. 

Moi on a summer seat in the backyard

After meeting the folks we headed into Oxford using the Park and Ride option from Peartree Park. Being a Saturday it was heaving and they have congestion parking, few carparks in Oxford and if so at an outrageous £20 as against Park and Ride £2.50. No contest!

We always go to Waterstones bookstore and found a new one called Blackwells, which was unbelieveable for its astounding range of books. One could go mad.  A few essentials from Marks & Spencers, another UK institution. Although there were Saturday crowds a great vibe in the city with its iconic university buildings.

Blackwells downstairs, this is repeated on other floors. Book heaven.

Saturday afternoon Oxford - blue skies. Moi at right, great to get the merino jersey off after being so cold in Switzerland.

Settled into 1 Wood Lane Sunday morning. First thing we do is take our new pet for a walk as soon as the owners leave. Seems to settle them down. Next was an enormous shop at Waitrose for the weeks groceries. Disgorged our packs a washed most things, especially our small backpacks that were reeking after two weeks on our backs while cycling. Felt great to not be moving on for a while, fabulous bed and all the creature comforts one would want. The female labrador is 9 years old, very sweet natured and loves walks of which we undertake at least twice a day.

Omey loves rides in the car to anywhere...

Monday we went into Witney township proper, 5km away or 3 miles ( UK still use imperial for distance). Jeff had no trouble swapping roadside for driving in the UK after our 6 weeks on "the otherside". Jeff pottered about with Omey, who folks love to stop, pat and chat as they are all dog mad here,  while I escaped to a much needed haircut. When you move into other homes there is always a few things missing for your own domestic purpose. Jeff loves going into the charity shops and gathering....placemats/coasters and slippers for the flagstone floors.

Today, as Blenheim Palace is only 20 minutes up the road, we thought we would go and using the public entrance from the village of Woodstock, do the Blenheim Palace 10km perimeter walk with Omey. The alternative is to pay £31 each for entry to the big house, walled gardens etc but could not take the dog of course. Smarty pants as it sounds we have seen numerous big houses over the years but always love the big parklands attached, in this case 2,000 acres owned by Duke of Marlborough whose Blenheim Palace is the family estate since 1705. Includes magnificent old trees : oaks, limes and beech.

This was erected on the death of the 1st Duke Marlborough would was gifted the property by the then Queen Anne for commanding the Battle of Blenheim.

Ironically the palace had quite a lots of scaffolding on it for the constant maitenance required on these 300 year old piles.