Walton Hall and Warwickshire, England- Timeshare exchange

We had never tried to trade our timeshare for something outside the US. Mostly we went to our home unit in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. This time we had a wild hair and decided to try to book England. We contacted RCI and made our request fully expecting to hear that nothing was available that time of year or one of the other reasons that we were unable to book other places we wanted to go. Instead, we got the return call. Did we want to book a one bedroom condo at Walton Hall, Warwickshire, England. Didn't take long to make that decision!!!

Walton Hall was built in Elizabethan style in the 1830s by Gilbert Greenall. Greenall was a brewer and adopted the opulent lifestyle later earning the title of Lord Daresbury. It is surrounded by 65 acres of gardens, ponds, a golf course and a short distance from the little village of Walton. Stratford-Upon-Avon, Warwick Castle, the Cotswolds and Blenheim Palace (home of the Churchills), are close by making for an exciting vacation, with one minor issue left to address. I was going to get to learn to drive on the left side of the road.

You notice, I didn't say wrong side of the road. The English have a logical explanation why they drive on the opposite side of the road. Picture yourself on horseback moving down the narrow roads and paths that would later become the English road system. If you are on the RIGHT side of the road (like us) and are ambushed by a highwayman, you have a problem. Being right handed, when you draw your sword from your scabbard (on your left side) you immediately become entangled in the trees and brush that line the road. NOT GOOD! Now if you were on the other side of the road, you would draw your sword to the center of the road and be able to use it effectively. Don't know if it;s right, but it makes a great story.

Anyway, plans are made. My wife and I, as well as my wife's mom, would fly into Heathrow and take the efficient train system to Birmingham where we would pick up our rental and drive to the hall. Best laid plans. Turns out that England proceeds to sink itself into the most intense heat wave in recorded history. London would exceed 100 degrees while we were there. People in France were dying from the extreme heat. Good time to travel. Our flight arrived without incident and our Tube (London Subway) ride to the train station also went without any bumps. That is where our luck ended.

Our route would require us to change trains twice. Unfortunately, with the heat, the rails were prone to swelling so the trains could only go 20 miles per hour to avoid buckling the tracks. This resulted in trains not being on schedule, and the normally two hour trip to Birmingham taking eight hours. Further, most of the trains we had did not have air conditioning and you couldn't open the windows. They did hand out free water to keep us alive though.

When we finally arrived at Birmingham, we went to the car rental place to pick up our vehicle and a map to our destination. Now more about driving in England. It isn't as bad as you might imagine. Even though you are on the other side of the car, you still drive with the driver toward the center of the road. Remember that when you are turning or entering a roundabout. my wife has a few grey hairs on that one. Also keep in miind, if you rent there, be sure and get an automatic. Otherwise you will be shifting with the opposite hand which is really confusing. We got the automatic and off we went. Luckily most of our initial trip was on divided highways. It was tough to go the wrong way.

Here's another hint. Sign making is not a strong point for the English. After driving past our first turn a time or two, we finally figured out we needed to take one that vaguely looked like the map. We saw the sign for Wellesbourne AFTER taking the exit. That was where Walton Hall was located so we were back in the saddle. Unfortunately, there were many more unmarked turns and we continued to get more lost. Now it was dark and I'm driving on one lane roads in rural England. We stopped at a couple of gas stations and asked where Wellesbourne was. No one had even heard of it. Off we went again.I don't remember exactly how but we actually found the town. We drove through and at the edge of town saw a very small sign that said Walton Hall and pointed ahead. We drove a few miles out of town and no Walton Hall. We doubled back and saw a small sign that said Walton. That was encouraging so we followed the road. It became smaller and smaller and eventually turned into a one lane country road. That didn't seem right so we turned around and went back to the small Walton Hall sign. Off we went again. I told my wife I was going to drive until we reached Wales or Walton Hall and off we went. In the pitch black (11pm) night, about 50 yards from where we had turned around the first time, was a big sign pointing down the road to Walton Hall.

We drove down the country road for maybe a mile or two and there it was. As impressive as it was, we were tired and just wanted to get some rest. There was absolutely no way to get anything to eat so we retired to out room looking forward to the next morning and a hearty breakfast.

Aside from a few clipped curbs and attempts to turn the wrong way into a roundabout, the misadventure was over. It was almost like we were tested, passed, and now we were in for the memories of our lives. Hot memories, mind you, but memories just the same. The next day dawned bright and hot but now were were able to see the breathtaking beauty of the grounds and the magnificent building that is Walton Hall. Breakfast was excellent although, for those of us from this side of the pond, a little different. Eggs, sausage (bangers), rolls and pastries were familiar. Not so familiar at the breakfast table were the grilled tomatoes, mushrooms, baked beans, and blood pudding. We passed on the last one. From the cafe we could see the lake lined with willows and many birds. The rock bridge had been there for hundreds of years and led to the little town of Walton. 

The hotel was offering a shuttle into town so that guests could stock up on groceries since all units had kitchens. We signed up, boarded the bus and off we went, over the bridge and on to Walton. In Walton, we began to get this familiar feeling. We had, in fact, tried to stop at this store the night before and it was closed. Sure enough, that little one lane road we had turned around on the night before also led to Walton Hall.

The Hall is located almost exactly five miles from Stratford-upon-Avon, Shakespeare country, We decided that we would spend our first couple of days exploring there while I gained confidence in my driving skills. After finding a parking place, we began exploring the village. The Shakespear Theater was next to the park. We went through but some reconstruction was in progress so we didn't see much.  The Avon river cuts the village in half (thus Stratford upon Avon). We explored the back streets under threatening skies. As we walked along I spotted a gate that opened up to a beautiful public garden complete with sculptures, groomed flower beds, and magnificent trees. It's a good thing too. Just about then, the skies cut loose. England doesn't get a lot of thunderstorms but due to the heat, we were in for a doosy. We ducked under one of the trees that kept off most but not all the rain. There was a shelter across the park so we scurried over to it. This resulted in one of my favorite memories of the entire trip and, I might add my wife's and her mom's also. Under the shelter were three couples in their sixties I would guess. The women were sisters and the men, their spouses. We struck up a conversation with them that lasted the duration of the thunderstorm They had always wanted to come to Colorado and were hoping to do so soon. They wanted to know what kind of things they should plan, We gave them lots of ideas, Then it was their turn, They told us about all of the "do not miss" places that we needed to visit. The one they insisted on the most was the Cotswolds. After bidding a fond goodbye, we proceeded straight to the tour bus center and bought our tickets to the Cotswolds.

Before I take you there, I want to talk a little more about Walton Hall. Located on an estate in the country, our drives in and out were always offering insite to country life. Pheasant were everywhere and on a couple of occasions we saw Red Deer across the plowed field near the woods. We also was what I thought looked like small wild pigs. We checked with the people at the hall and found out that these were Muntjacs, a very small deer that is an import to Woburn Park from China.

Another trip would take us to the old flour mill that was about a mile from Walton Hall. The local stream provided the power to turn the water wheel that ground the flour used to make the wonderful scones for sale in the gift shop and bakery. We grabbed some and headed back. Always the treasure hunter, I noticed a flash as we drove past a plowed field bordering the Walton Hall property. Backing up, I hopped out of the car and picked up the remains of a bottle, called a torpedo bottle for its shape. Probably 200-300 years old, it had the embossed crown on one side and part of the name of the town, Walton, on the other.

The Cotswolds are a series of hills that are about 90 miles long and 25 miles wide. They encompass several counties with villages that take you back to a period long ago. We would ride the coach up to the highest point in the area into the village of Shipston-on-Stour. You immediately notice the Cotswold limestone that is on all the streets as well as makes up the material of all of the cottages, The truly amazing part is that even the roofs are of Cotswold limestone.

I hope I don't screw this up as I am pulling from memory several years old but as I remember, the collecting of the limestone was quite a production. The villagers needed thin slats of the limestone, especially for the roofs. Frost would often help with the splitting of the stone. When there was evidence of a hard freeze appoaching, the villagers would soak the stone to waterlog them, then they would take them out to the fields for an overnight freeze, The freezing water would exert the pressure between the layers to split them apart.

The bus took us, first, to St. Edmund church with its centuries year old cemetary. The church  still has it's tower from the 1500s. The church, itself was restored in 1855. The interior of the church was beautiful and inviting as all old quaint churches in the country are. We then went to the downtown area where we were turned loose to explore the wonderful old town with it's narrow streets, very old inns and shops, and butcher, and bakery shops all with their wares displayed in the windows,

The ride back to Stratford-upon-Avon was as scenic as anyone could imagine. The wonderful rock walls built hundreds of years ago, lined either side of the road. The driver was nice enough to stop and allow pictures of the expanse of walls, and pastures full of sheep.

I highly suggest that anyone who visits this part of the country does not miss this idyllic area and a special thank you goes out to those three couples that pointed us that direction.

One cannot go to Warwickshire without visiting one of the best preserved castles from the middle ages. Built by William the Conquerer in 1068, it remained a fortification until converted to a country home in the early 1600s. In 1978 it was purchased and turned into a tourist attraction.

After completion, the castle was the traditional home of the Earl of Warwick. In 1153 Henry of Anjou, later King Henry II took the castle and used it to house prisoners. In the 15th century, under Richard Neville also known as "Warwick the Kingmaker" , Warwick Castle was used in to imprison King Edward IV. Many of the wax exhibits inside the castle show village life and the rule under Richard Neville.During the War of the Roses on 14 April 1471 Neville was killed by Edward IV at the Battle of Barnet.

The castle is magnificent and gives you the opportunity to see every aspect of medeival life that we have heard about through our history books, and for that matter, hollywood. You will go through the huge gate to the open grounds surrounded by the dungeon, opulent living quarters with the armor of the nights and their horses. Paintings and tapestries are magnificanet. Furniture is period and illustrates life of that time. By the way, then guys were not very big. Looking at the beds, I'd have to add a two foot extension!

Out the back gate, you can go to the medieval faire and enjoy the merchants, jousting, and sword fights as well as other forms of competition. The path takes you through formal gardens with huge oak trees. You see parts of the original walls that have eroded away. When you return to the courtward, be sure to climb the stairs to the tower if you can, The view of the river avon and the village below are worth being a little winded.

Queen Victoria despised the ancient Roman City of Bath. It is said that when her train was passing the city, she would draw the shades to avoid seeing it. Why so touchy, you ask? It seems that, when she was young (and very arrogant) a reporter from Bath stated in one form or another, that she was not attractive. Needless to say she was torked and thus her behavior. My suggestion to you? Don't miss it. Bath is an ancient Roman city with it's famous Roman bath (surprise) house and many other historic attractions.

We departed the train and went directly to Bath Abbey, right next to the baths. Outside a Roman women statue dressed in period came to life as the children approached her. She put on a great show morphing in and out of her statue persona. Inside the magnificent Abbey were the crypts of the rich and the poor. The rich were on the walls, the poor under the floors. The stained glass and figures above the pulpit were breathtaking. The site itself has housed religion since the Saxons settled on the site. One area allows you to see below the floor where parts of the Saxon church were uncovered.

The Bath itself is large with various treatment rooms underground. Saunas and hot rooms lined with roman tiles illustrate the routine that the Romans went through before entering the main bath. The aqueducts that carried the hot mineral water to the pool are still visible and carrying hot mineral springs water. There are dioramas and artifact kiosks throughout including items that were either prayed over or cursed and thrown into the baths to bring good or bad will to the person named.

We took a bus tour of the city including the Royal Crescent, a magnificent crescent of houses built in 1774. It is located close to Victoria Park, a very popular outdoor gathering area. Guess they forgave her after all. The bus stops at a number of locations and you can get off and on as you wish. We visited the museum of fashions through the ages. I don't remember what it was called. this was kind of a dutiful husband stop. Then it was back to the train and Walton Hall.

That evening, one of the ancesters of the owner of the hall gave a history to the group gathered in the meeting room. It seems that there was once a small village on the grounds that was almost entirely wiped out by the plague. The remaining survivors moved to Walton and the village eventually competely disappeared.

By now, I was pretty comfortable with driving short distances. Since the train didn't quite get us where we wanted to go, I decided to drive the longer distance to Blenheim Palace. I'm happy to report, the drive was without incident, Thank you very much.

Blenheim Palace is the ancestral home of the Churchills and was a gift to John Churchill, the Duke of Marlborough and his wife, Duchess Sarah after his military victories against the French and Bavarians. The celebration was shortlived, however, as political infighting and Queen Anne's disatisfaction with the Duke and Duchess led to John and Sarah's exile. They would return after the death of the queen. The grounds and palace are, to say the least, opulent. You do see, during the tour, that part of the decor was not finished as the crown cut off funds for the biulding. Inside are scale models of the Duke's military victories as well as a collection of miniature soldiers from all ages. Tapestries in each room are incredible. The grounds themselves have oaks that are so old that ten people have to join hand to encircle the trunk (as I remember).

Also of note, this is the birthplace of Winston Churchill, the Prime Minister who held this country's spirits up during World War II and a remarkable statesman.

There is no way to describe all that we saw here. It is well worth the trip if you are in the area.

Yes, we did all of this and more in one week. Now it was time to head back to London. We decided to go back a day early so that we could easily make our flight if the train ran into the same problems. The heat wave had eased but was still pretty intense.

We arrived in London without incident and took the Tube to our hotel, which I cannot remember the name of. It was, however, ultra modern and very comfortable. Right across the street was the British National Library. More on this later. Being typical tourists, our first trip was on a double decker bus touring the historic part of London, Madame Toussaud's Wax Museum, Piccadilly Circus, Parliament, Big Ben, Trafalgar Square, the whole grand tour;

Next it was off to the British National Museum, which was huge and covered the entire history of Britain. The Elgin Marbles (very controversial) were there as was the Rosetta Stone. Sarcophagus (Sarcophagi?) from Egypt also filled one room. Artifacts from the Vikings, Romans, Celts, all were in display after display. Soon, I had to admit, they started to run together. Being a treasure hunter and having had the pleasure of hunting in England, I was in awe of some of the hordes of ancient coins that had. From the US, they had a Totem Pole from the Pacific Southwest that was three stories high. There was no way to see it all.

Back at the hotel, we went to the hotel restaurant for a nice dinner. At this point, I want to stress something. The British aren't exactly known for their culinary excellence but we never had a meal while we were there that was not delicious and filling. This night I ordered Sea Bass with Artichoke and asparagus. It was a truly outstanding dish, as good as any I have gotten in the US.

We had time to kill before heading to the airport the next morning so we decided to go across the street to the British National Library. This would turn out to be our favorite stop on the entire trip, and it was purely done because we had time on our hands. First of all, it is free. The permanent exhibit has evrything that you grew up learning about. We saw the original Magna Carta (in various drafts also). We saw original drawings by Darwin and Da Vinci, the same you see in your textbooks. They had small portions of the original Dead Sea Scrolls. The maps, drawn up back in the 1600's were actually pretty accurate in their depiction of the North American Continent. This was history in front of us and we all agreed, it was the highlight of the trip. DO NOT MISS IT. It is better than the museum!

Off to the airport and it was here that we were reminded that the first part of the trip was not so smooth. At Heathrow, there is a waiting area where you wait for your flight to pop up when you are ready to check in. We waited and waited. Lines were long and the terminals were crowded. Finally, being afraid that we would miss our flight, we got in line and worked up to the counter. We were informed that the flight was full and had already departed and that we would have to fill out paperwork to collect $550 each for the inconvenience and that they would feed us and pay for a night stay. We would be guaranteed a flight the next day. Not happy about it, we did what we were told, and showed up the next morning. Luckily they had told us to come straight to the counter the next morning to get our tickets because when we got there, the whole thing started over. This time, however, we were able to get our tickets. they even upgraded us to business class. We were ready and finally able to go home.

Hope you have many Treasured Pasts.

Stuart

Unfortunately we lost all of our pictures during a computer crash so I have to rely on the internet for help. Thanks to Wikipedia and the Walton Hall foundation for being a source of photographs. Wikipedia states that their pictures are public uncopyrighted although I found one copyrighted one that I did not use. Walton Hall granted me permission to use their photos from their site.