Monday 25th July - Leeds Castle & Canterbury

Down to the county of Kent today.  Leeds Castle is worth the trip as it is the most idyllic setting.  The castle dates back to Saxon times and the present castle was a favourite of Henry V111 and over the years has been lived in by the Culpepers, Fairfax and Wykeham Martin families. 

Its last owner was Lady Baille who transformed the castle into an elegant home.  Much of that home we see today. The interior design was the height of fashion in the 1920s and 30s.  The house is now owned by the Leeds Castle Trust and offers a wealth of things to see and do.

                                                                                                                    The lucky ones in the centre of the maze!

After the tour of the castle most of the groups head up to the maze.  A few of us get lost and need some guidance from those who have made it to the centre.  Luckily the exit is through an underground grotto so we don't have to battle with the hedges again!

                         We made it out of the maze!                                      Look what I bought!

We assemble by the coaches for our lunch before the short journey to Canterbury.  The route takes us close to the original Pilgrims' Way that many would have taken as they travelled to the shrine of St Thomas in Canterbury Cathedral.

The Cathedral is our first stop in the city. Over a thousand years of history are contained in the magnificent building, the home of the Church of England.  We see the spot where Thomas Beckett was murdered in 1170 and the site of his tomb (destroyed by Henry V111) along with the tomb of Edward, the Black Prince and many other wonders.

Canterbury is a lovely city and most of the groups spend some time in the shops before meeting in the old Butter Market for the walk back to the coaches and the drive home.