That is tonight in Wales, I decided it was only right to do a sampling of the local... However we are not up to Wales just yet. We are somewhere around the night of the 16th and the rather adorable little 400 year old Ebrington Arms pub in the picture postcard area of Chipping Campden (having come to England I thought it would be nice to be in a country where the place names make sense and are easy to understand... Being in English and all... I was mistaken).
The pub however was very nice, having recently started brewing their own beer, Yubby, and we enjoyed an excellent restaurant quality country meal (I had the ultra rare-cooked pigeon starter with scorched lettuce, and pork loin and belly for a main and a Baked Alaska for dessert which I think was the most intensely sugar-packed thing ever created by man... I think they somehow found a way to infuse sugar with more sugar and then coat it in concentrated sugar and then put it in marshmallow form...), then we moved on from Italian wine to port in the peaceful country garden. As with the East End Arms the bar area retained it's traditional ancient character while the rooms were modern and exceptionally comfortble and well appointed. All jolly civilised.
Following a very decent Full English Breakfast (when in Rome... Mmmmm black pudding) we were off in the (un)mighty Vauxhall again and found our way into the tidy little town of Warwick, deep in the heart of countryside that was walked by some of my ancestors... skyline still dominated by the famous and imposing Warwick Castle as it would have been back in their day.
Warwick is a good day out for anyone interested in such things with a live 'dungeon' display and a link in to the Merlin TV show to keep the kids happy, and some interesting history for the grown ups. Now owned by a private concern that operates it as an attraction, the castle contains rooms set up in the style of different periods and a nice collection of armour and weapons.
Oliver Cromwell's death mask in the background there. The first fortifications on the site were built around the year 1000 and it has been an established seat of power since, including being a stronghold beseiged during the civil war.
We strolled Warwick village and I found a couple of interesting antique shops, but again refrained from purchasing anything too excessive. Swords and armour are still on the list though. A must for the mancave apartment... After that it was back out to the country and down more narrow winding lanes between high hedgerows, finally ending up at the not-so-traditionally named Fuzzy Duck boutique pub and hotel... Which we were most happy to find was even nicer again than the last one... For dinner was pigeon again for entree and (appropriately) a very nice piece of duck for dinner, a bottle of nice French vino and once again into the garden on a warm and fresh English night for a wine after.
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