authentic english village near London
On 2013-06-22 18:03:52 +0000, Graham Harrison said:
If it's not too late I'd like to offer a rather different suggestion.
Take the train from Paddington to Castle Cary. The station is about a
mile from the village centre. There are taxis but for the next 3
months it's going to be quicker to walk because the road across the
railway will be closed. There is a map on platform 1 showing the
walking route but you don't need it. Go up the stairs onto the
pedestrian bridge, turn right, down the stairs then follow the
footpath. When you get to the road go straight across and into the
road straight ahead. When that runs out there is a path that bends
left and goes up. Turn right at the top along the wall of the
churchyard (or go through the churchyard) and then take the footpath
that runs along the front of houses with a field on your right. Keep
going straight on and you'll come into the square with the "lock up" in
the middle. The "lock-up" is a small, circular, prison just big
enough for one person. The butcher keeps the key. Look at the
rather grand post office then walk down the cobbled street and admire
the Market House (which is undergoing some work as I write). Visit
the museum on the top floor of the Market House. Just opposite the
Market House is a path which also leads to the hotel car park. The
path is called Paddock Drain. Walk up the path and have a look at the
community garden and the information board that tells you about the
Castle (that isn't here any more). Continue up the hill through the
field to the observation point at the top. Retrace your steps and
when you get back to the Market House turn tight until you reach "The
Bakehouse" (just past NatWest Bank). They do very nice Thai or
English lunches and a tempting assortment of cakes and pastries.
Wander along the main street to the horsepond which has a war memorial
in the middle and a little further to look at the church and the wood
behind it. The next step depends on the time of the year and how much
time you have. There is a bus which runs from Castle Cary to South
Cadbury about once every hour. It's run by Southwest Coaches and the
timetable is online. Get off the bus and walk into South Cadbury
along past the Camelot (pub) and a 100 yards on you'll come to a path
on your right. Follow this to the top; you will have climbed "Cadbury
Castle" which some people claim is related to the legend of King Arthur
(explains the name of the pub). Get the bus back to Castle Cary and
it will take you back to the station. Now take the train to Bath for
a night. Spend the next day in Bath and finally take the train back
to Paddington.
And give Lord Lucan this envelope.
E.
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