The Dorking Cockerel, Deepdene Roundabout, courtesy of Visit Dorking There’s a large silver rooster sitting in a roundabout, just outside of Dorking town centre. Why, you might ask? Well, I’ll do my best to answer. The Dorking Cockerel, Deepdene Roundabout, courtesy of Visit Dorking It is better known locally as The Dorking Cockerel and the inhabitants of…
Tag: Queen Victoria
The story of the Christmas Tree
It has to be said, I love a good Christmas Tree. It brings a joy to my heart with the anticipation of Christmas and the start of a new, better year beyond. I was a little hazy on the origins of the Christmas tree however. It’s a northern Europe tradition, said my brother, and so…
Take three castles …
Over the last 12 months, I have had the good fortune to visit three castles – all with The Hound in tow – and they couldn’t have been more different. Take Southsea Castle, where in my mind’s eye, I can visualise a stressed and desolate King Henry VIII, standing proudly whilst watching his tried and tested flagship,…
Queen Victoria’s Holiday Home
I have long wanted to visit Osborne House, Queen Victoria and Prince Albert’s Tuscan styled holiday home on the Isle of Wight so it was with great pleasure that I finally fulfilled this ambition. The House itself is in a beautiful position, with views across landscaped gardens down to a distant sea. The shame of…
Glorious Shanklin Chine
I’m focussing on the Isle of Wight at the moment and another magical childhood memory – visiting the mysterious and exotic Shanklin Chime! The formation of the Chine (a local word of Saxon origin for a deep narrow ravine), has taken place over 10,000 years and the stream running through it would originally have flowed into…
Shanklin Revisited
My happiest childhood memories are of the Isle of Wight and a small seaside village – Shanklin. It’s been a while since I last visited and I was hoping against hope that it would appear the same. Thankfully, I was not disappointed. We used to stay at a beachside hotel called Shoreside which I adored – we…
Carisbrooke Castle – a fairytale castle
Carisbrooke Castle, one of the UK’s most perfectly preserved castles, has one of the most difficult access roads ever – a short but steep single track climb with a totally blind, 90 degree turn into the unknown – relying on traffic lights to keep us safe. Once there, high up above the surrounding landscape, the views…
The Victorian Bathing Machine
Being interested in all thing seaside, I have long wanted to see an actual Victorian Bathing Machine in person. So it was with great anticipation that I saw the most exclusive bathing machine of them all this past week – Her Majesty Queen Victoria’s own bathing machine on her very own private beach at the…
KP is Kensington Gardens most precious gem
KP or Kensington Palace, situated within Kensington Gardens, is one of its most precious gems. It is restrained yet exuberant and well worth visiting if you are addicted, like I am, to Lucy Worsley’s BBC4 series on The First Georgians – all geared to celebrate 300 years since the Hanoverians were invited to take over…
a3traveller.com 