A Year in a Motorhome - Week 1 - 01 September - Chatsworth House, Warwick, and Skegness

 TUESDAY, 2 SEPTEMBER 2014 Week 1

We had a week to kill before making our way to Portsmouth, the starting point of our yearlong travelling adventure. So we went to see Chatsworth House, as I haven't been there since I was a child. I still remember the big entrance hall, and it would be nice to see some sights inland, as the majority of the travelling this year will be around the coastline.

The weather could have been kinder, but overall, it was a lovely day. The house was amazing, and I love stately homes that are generous with the number of rooms you can walk around and nosey at. Considering the Duke of Devonshire and his family actually live there, I was very impressed. I know I wouldn't like people nosing around my house!

We went onto Warwick and parked the motorhome in the middle of the racecourse. Yes, there is a caravan park in the middle of the racecourse! This would have been even more amazing had there been a meet at the time we stayed. 

Instead, we decided to overdose on history and go to Warwick Castle, too. Now granted, it is supposed to be the best castle to look around in the country (apparently); however, I have seen better, but I like them crumbling and falling apart, where you can imagine them brimming with everyday life in medieval times, which is where I came up with the idea in Didikai Witch,  that the coven of witches hid away in four castles around the country. A secret, romantic world, I guess. 

Anyway, back to Warwick Castle. The royal rooms you can look around are impressive, and the history is interesting. As you move through the rooms, you are also transported through different moments in the castle's history, from medieval banquet halls to Tudor and Stuart times to the turn of the twentieth century, when Queen Victoria's eldest son used to stay with Earl Warwick a lot. It was his haven from the royal court.

The castle was bought by Tussauds, so there were lots of waxwork models depicting how the residents dressed and lived when it was still a working castle. We watched Knights sword fighting, a falconry display and even saw a condor. We watched an accurate jousting match, and you could have a go at archery if you so wished. It was a great day out, especially for children and families out just days. But I really don't think it was worth charging £24 entrance fee. And that was 10 years ago! Especially if you are a family where other tours around the castle and attractions such as the archery cost extra! it could turn into a costly day out.

At the end of our fill-in week, we spent three days in Skegness. It was nice as far as British seaside towns go. A big fun fair and Butlins holiday camp meant one end of Skeggy was very busy indeed, so we walked the other way to the town itself. It was a small seaside town, and we quickly walked around in half a day, but it was pleasant enough and a nice break before we started the real challenge of our year-long coastline tour!

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