So we made our way to the riverside, only to be told there was a thirty minute wait. So we looked around and there was a pub behind us so we went in there and bought a diet Coke. £2.40 for a glass full of ice and about 100ml of Coke (if that). Total con. Still, at least we got to use the loos.
Then it was off on the punt. 11 of us, 2 Chinese, 2 Yanks (1 wearing a two-tone TAG Heuer Aquaracer), a family of three Italians and a couple of Indian kids. Oh and us of course, the British contingent. It was quite nice, a bit hot, but a pleasant way to spend 50mins. We saw several of the colleges from the river, accompanied by a moderately entertaining commentary from the punter, who wasn't getting any feedback from the passengers at all - thankfully he wasn't anticipating a collection!
After we got off the punt, we mooched around a bit and had our sandwiches on a bench while we chuckled at some clueless kids in a punt meandering from one side of the river to the other. Perhaps it's harder than it looks?
Then we walked down by the river a bit, but quickly came to a road and walked back the way we'd came towards the centre of the town. We tried to find Hotel Chocolat but quickly realised our map was utterly useless, and it was so flipping hot we decided to give it up and get off to the hotel.
Returning to the Park Street Car Park (via the strange and disturbing public toilets) we were overjoyed to discover that we had (quite by chance) made it back to the car within the four hour window, after which the egregious charge of £8 rose to a terrifyingly outrageous £17. Seventeen pounds for four hours and one minute of parking. Ridiculous is all I have to say about that. No wonder there were plenty of spaces...
Down Hall Country House and Hotel was lovely, and very big! Our rooms were described on Booking.com as 'compact', but they were anything but. We had a massive bed, two chairs and a lovely view over the garden.
The bathroom was pretty massive as well, with twin sinks and a bidet (which we didn't use).
I was quite happy to sit down and read for a bit, but Rose was clearly restless, so we went to the gym and did half an hour on the treadmill and then I did ten minutes on a Concept 2 PM4 rower, which was great!
We wanted to eat from the bar menu, but the restaurant looked much nicer (the tables in the bar were hopeless for eating), so we retired to the terrace to think it over. And then realised we could order the bar menu and eat on the terrace - so that's what we did. Two burgers and chips later, we were very stuffed... too stuffed for a pudding, but we did manage a 'Sex on the Beach' cocktail each. Lovely!
We went back to the room and watched First Dates, then crashed out. Very comfy bed, but the room was a little bit warm (should have opened the window) and the pillows were a bit hopeless. One was too thin, two was too thick... story of my life.
In the morning we had breakfast (included in the room rate), it was pretty indifferent to be honest. The Full English looked better but we didn't fancy it. So we had our cereals and packed up our stuff. About an hour later we arrived at Wimpole Hall, which had everything going against it from the off, but managed to win us over.
It was bloomin' hot and our enthusiasm for the walled garden was limited. Seriously, what is it about walled gardens, they are always half-arsed and half-empty, with lots of dying plants scattered about and vegetable patches that are as exciting to look at as an empty road.
We wandered along to the farm, which was okay. There was some very noisy pigs, some cute goats, some very still horses (a bit weird)... chickens I suppose, and... some Shetland ponies, some proper ponies and some sheep (though we couldn't see them for the squads of kids bleating in their faces).
We wandered off again, but it was too hot to walk very far and we headed back to the house. The formal gardens at the rear of the house were... well pretty unexciting to be honest, and at this point the general feeling was 'if the house doesn't kick some butt then this has been a bit shit'.
Thnakfully, the house was perfect, not too big, not too small, not a ruin, and with just enough cool features to keep your interest. The front aspect was pretty impressive for a start.
Inside we learned that the house had been given to the National Trust upon the death of the daughter of Rudyard Kipling who had bought the house with her husband just after the Second World War. He unfortunately died fairly soon and she spent the rest of her life (until 1979) restoring the property.
This door is fake (see the painted door handle in the photograph below)
This bed was sold at some point but was tracked down and brought back to Wimpole Hall as part of the restorations. Quite a statement piece!
The Chapel was probably the most impressive of all the rooms, with incredible trompe l'oeil paintings on all the walls and the ceiling. It was nice and cool in the house as well, which was a blessed relief, because it was roasting outside. Thankfully we parked under a tree so the car wasn't too bad when we got back in, and we had a decent run home too.
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