With the rain and cold scuppering our more ambitious travel plans, we decided on a day trip to Blenheim Palace, just outside of Oxford. The accidental birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill, it looked impressive enough from the outside to warrant a visit. So we piled into the car and a mere 50 minutes later (thanks to The Man's Cairo-style driving), we drove through the gates and up to a toll-booth. Turns out that despite being a UNESCO World Heritage site -- an entry fee of a mere £17.50 must be paid. Sulkily, I handed over the wad of bills.
Blenheim Palace.
But despite my sulkiness, I have to admit it was worth the price. The architecture of the palace is stunning, and the interiors do not disappoint. Filled with paintings and tapestries and with a grandiose library and dining room, it's a veritable feast for the eyes. The gardens are groomed to within an inch of their lives, and even the man-made lake looks idyllic.
The Italian Gardens.
After taking in the grounds, running through the second-largest hedge maze in the world and scaring the butterflies, we headed back to London -- £17.50 poorer but richer in culture and heritage.
In the centre of the hedge maze.
3 comments:
Cool- thanks for the mini tour!
Cheers-still cold and wet here- saw my breath this morning.
Thanks Nancy! It's much better here this weekend - like summer, at least. Hope it's warmer there, too!
Hmm yeah, despite this place being a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it's interesting that there's a hefty entry fee to pay. But I can say that visiting there is quite worth it. Particularly interesting here, as per your blog tour, are the library and the hedge maze garden. A rich culture and heritage is priceless.
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