#Oakham Castle

[thepastisalreadywritten]

By India McTaggart and Tracey Kandohla

21 April 2024

The first statue of Queen Elizabeth II since her death has been unveiled to the approving barks of nearly 50 corgis.

The permanent memorial to Britain’s longest-reigning monarch – complete with her own immortalised dogs – has been hailed as a fitting tribute for the “mother of our nation.”

The eye-catching 7ft bronze statue went on display on what would have been the late monarch’s 98th birthday, with a group of her favourite dogs stealing the show.

It takes pride of place outside the library in the market town of Oakham, in Rutland, Britain’s smallest county.

It depicts a youthful Queen Elizabeth – who stood at just 5ft 4in – standing at 7ft in regal robes with three loyal corgi companions at her feet, one peeking out from the creases.

It serves as a permanent reminder of her 70-year reign and her enduring affection for the Pembroke Welsh breed.

Sculptor Hywel Pratley believes the memorial will become a hit not only with royal fans, but that it will attract social media users wanting a selfie beside the late monarch and her dogs.

Speaking before the unveiling in front of a 400-person crowd and with a host of local dignitaries attending, he said:

“The plinth is designed to be sat on and I can see the statue becoming popular with the Instagram generation, and why not?

It will make a perfect backdrop for pictures and people will be able to reach up and pat a dog or if small enough even sit in its back.”

Mr Pratley, 51, who is half Welsh and lives in Chelmsford, Essex, told how he chose to add the corgis for a “bit of fun and to tap into the late Queen’s humanity and address her friendliness.”

He explained he made the statue larger than life because a “life-size Queen Elizabeth is too small. She deserves more.”

The £125,000 statue was commissioned by Dr Sarah Furness, the Lord-Lieutenant of Rutland, following the Queen’s death in September 2022.

Addressing the crowds in the spring sunshine, she said:

“We are witnessing a piece of history today with the first statue of Queen Elizabeth to be commissioned since her death and who gave us 70 years of exemplary service.

Rutland may be a small county, but the response to this had been huge with contributions from local businesses and individuals of varying sizes.”

As she spoke, barks from 46 dogs from the Welsh Corgi League rang out, and she said, smiling: “You can hear them!”

She added: “The statue is for everyone.”

Before his cancer battle had been known and made public, King Charles III had been invited to unveil the statue.

It is not known if Palace officials had agreed to the request.

Instead, the honour fell to Alicia Kearns, the Tory MP for Rutland and Melton, before being blessed by Debbie Sellins, the Bishop of Peterborough.

One resident, Hilda Townsend, said: “It is just wonderful. We are the tiniest county, but the first to honour the late majesty in such a big way. It is a very fitting tribute.”

Her husband, John, added: “It is absolutely amazing and, as Rutlanders, makes us extremely proud.”

The unveiling of two of the three bronze corgis was given to two young children who had won a local school art competition.

In an emotional speech, Ms Kearns, 31, said:

“It is an incredible statue of our beloved Queen, who showed unwavering commitment.

We hope we can reflect on her legacy of compassion, strength and leadership. The statue was no mean feat and is for all of Rutland and all of our country, and to come together in joy. Rutland leads and others will follow.”

The MP revealed that the King would be visiting the statue.

Crowds of local residents mingled with visitors from further afield, some waving Union flags, with children sporting gold paper crowns on their heads.

She told spectators: “I am proud to play my very small part in helping to celebrate her reign,” pointing to the statue and saying: “She belongs to all of you.”

Following the unveiling, a lone bagpiper played a lament to the late Queen and the National Anthem was played, with crowds joining in.

Dozens of corgis, some wearing red, white and blue, then posed beside the new monument with their owners and officials before parading along the packed streets to Oakham Castle for a meet-and-greet session with the public.

Among the corgi owners was Katrina Emptage from Lincoln, with her two-year-old pet, Mable.

She said: “The statue is absolutely amazing and I’m delighted to be here to see it and be part of the corgi parade. It is very special.”

The late Queen held a life-long, deep affection for the breed after she fell in love with the dogs as a child.

She owned more than 30 over the years, many of which were direct descendants of the first, Susan, which was given to her as an 18th birthday present by her parents in 1944.

Speaking of his inspiration, Mr Pratley said:

“I very quickly thought that I would like to have a corgi nestling in her robes by her feet because what a great symbol it is, artistically, of her being mother of a nation.”

[katietdesigns202]

Architecture Magazine

Moving onto module 2 of first year we have been set a brief to design for an architecture magazine. So I set out to take some photos in the local area, my thoughts were to chose a modern building as I think in a magazine it would look  really crisp and clean. However when I went out I found it difficult to find an interesting modern building which I could get close enough to to grab some detailed photos. Instead I went to Oakham Castle in Rutland which is a historic building from 1180, I took a good walk around the building before I took photos as I wanted to see what could be the main features and plan in my head. The day I chose had really nice lighting for the photos and in the end they turned out really nicely. When arriving hoe I played around and edited some of the photos into black and white, I think for my magazine it will make the photos look so much stronger. 

[thenormantonpark]

Normanton Park

Normanton Park Price

  Standing majestically next to the shores of Rutland Water, solely 8 miles from the market town of Oakham, it offers easy access from the A1 and M1. This is the right venue in your leisure break, all of your capabilities, meetings and occasions. The lodge is near enterprise centres and local attractions including the Great Hall of Oakham Castle, Rockingham Racetrack, Burghley House and more.

 This is the perfect venue in your leisure break, and all of your capabilities, meetings and occasions. Rutland Water has an international reputation for crusing, trout fishing and bird watching. This three-star resort is located in the picturesque county of Rutland, Leicestershire.

 Due to Coronavirus (COVID-19), this property is taking steps to assist protect the safety of visitors and staff. Certain companies and amenities may be reduced or unavailable as a result. Due to Coronavirus (COVID-19), this property has decreased reception and repair working hours. In response to Coronavirus (COVID-19), extra safety and sanitation measures are currently in effect at this property.

 The three-star B/W Normanton Park Hotel is situated in the picturesque county of Rutland, providing magnificent views of Rutland Water from the hotel and grounds. Only eight miles from the market town of Oakham, B/W Normanton Park Hotel presents quick access from the A1 and M1.

 Understand extra about surrounding amenities by going toNormanton Park location map. Normanton Park is flanked by the AYE to the north which supplies convenient connections to the Central and West part of Singapore. The growth shall be 1.07 km away from Kent Ridge Station along the Circle Line MRT. One Normanton Park is also near Ayer Rajah Expressway, a delight for drivers as it will get you a smooth transit to any part of Singapore! One Normanton Park is also positioned to offer easy accessibility to private and public transport.

 The new Normanton Park is inside proximity to research, tech and business clusters such as Science Park, one-north, Alexandra Business Corridor. Good schools like Anglo Chinese School , National University of Singapore, Singapore Institute of Technology, United World College and Fairfield Methodist School. The ninety nine-12 months lease growth can be situated within the District 5 neighbourhood.

 Due to Coronavirus (COVID-19), this property adheres to strict physical distancing measures. Due to Coronavirus (COVID-19), wearing a face mask is obligatory in all indoor frequent areas. If it is not provided, your booking might be cancelled on arrival. Please notice that canines can only be accommodated in certain rooms. Kirby Hall is an Elizabethan nation home, situated near Gretton, Northamptonshire, England. Kirby was owned by Sir Christopher Hatton, Lord Chancellor to Queen Elizabeth I. It is a number one and early instance of the Elizabethan prodigy home. Construction on the building started in 1570, primarily based on the designs in French architectural pattern books and expanded within the classical type over the course of the many years.

[loreweaver-universe]

The Throne of Eldraine prerelease went pretty well!  I went 3-1 and won four packs.  I pulled an alternate-art Oakhame Ranger and Flaxen Intruder--doubly cool on that last one, since growing up I knew the artist--and got The Circle of Loyalty for my prerelease card.  I ran a green/white aggro deck; Gilded Goose did some WORK for me, though, especially in the last couple games.  Food tokens are much better than I expected, and if you can create a notable number they really swing things in grindy games in your favor.  I also pulled a Fabled Passage, which I’m pleased about.  My prize packs had both a regular and a foil Castle Vantress, which I found somewhat amusing.  All in all, I had fun, won some games, and would do another if given the opportunity.

[rupertmatthews]

A privilege to attend the Installation of the new High Sheriff of Rutland at Oakham Castle today. (at Oakham, Rutland) https://www.instagram.com/p/Cb-UqTlAXj7/?utm_medium=tumblr

[troop2017]

On the opposite side of Rutland Water from where we were staying lies Oakham, the county town of Rutland.  So we decided to visit.

This is a pleasant little town although there doesn’t appear to be an awful lot going on.  We parked up on the side of the road and went for a little wander, heading towards the church – which you can’t really miss.  In the old market place we found this Butter Cross with it’s stocks.

We then took the path to the church, although we didn’t visit on this occasion, and then found an old school house behind the church.  When I say old it has a inscription in Latin on the outer wall, and graffiti from, perhaps, the 16th century (we couldn’t be sure!)

From here we went into the castle grounds from the modern park (the front entrance is by the butter market).  I thought that the grounds were all that was left, thinking that the building was a rather more modern church building (see the main photo above).  How wrong could we be??!!  It’s actually a 12th Century hall and is still used as a court building to this day!

As we walked in I just stopped and stared to try and take in what I was seeing – what an amazing sight! (The photos really can’t do it justice).

Entrance is free and there are a couple of guides available to answer any questions you might have, as well as plenty of information boards.  The horseshoes are presented by any dignitaries who visit the town, and include many from the current royal family.  Below I have included photos of the oldest one (from 1470..)

The end wall of Oakham Castle

In the judges chair (and wig) at Oakham Castle

The oldest horseshoe (the large one) from 1470

There is also a small shop, several toilets and refreshments.  This was a real hidden gem and it would be so easy to miss out on it.

On our last day in Stamford it rained most of the day, and the only thing that we did was to walk across the fields from our campsite to the village of Ryhall, which is a nice little village.

On Wednesday when we moved on to Whittlebury Park for the grand prix .  Once settled in we headed out to visit Rushden as this is where Calv was born and lived until he was about 7.  I was very impressed that he remembered enough to drive straight to his old house in Coronation Avenue!

We wandered around the area, with Calv remembering various places and events, such as the school railings that he got his head stuck in when he was 5, the shop that they used to run down to and the shoe factory that his brother Phil used to work in.  We also found his eldest sister’s house in Irchester where he and his niece used to play – this we very nearly missed as there has been quite a lot of development around the house.

On the way back we went through Higham Ferrers which was absolutely delightful – the picture below is of the church at Higham Ferrers (we didn’t take any pictures of Calv’s old house as it didn’t seem the right thing to do!)

The next 5 days were spent at the British Grand Prix – read all about it here 🙂

A surprise to be found in Oakham Castle On the opposite side of Rutland Water from where we were staying lies Oakham, the county town of Rutland. 

[jodybouchard9]

5 Beyond-Basic Basement Remodel Ideas for Every Personality Type

Basements don’t have to be dingy, dark, or seriously creepy places. In fact, there’s a whole heck of a lot you can do with that big underground space if you’re willing to put in the time.

Of course, you can do a basic basement remodel that uses the area in a very practical way—like adding a guest room (for your least favorite relative) or even a third bathroom. But we get the feeling that if you’re reading this, you’re not here for basics.

Which is why we rounded up five remodel ideas that’ll make you actually want to spend more time in your basement (and make you forget all about those weird furnace noises). Whether you’re looking for a place for you or for your latest hobby, we’ve got you covered with these beyond-basic basements.

1. The entertainer: Prohibition-era underground bar

Photo by Rae Duncan Interior Design | RDID  Looking for a space to have friends over that isn’t strewed with the kids’ toys or piles of old mail? Then you’re going to love this Prohibition-era bar.

“This style basement is a really fun and sophisticated nod to the speak-easy days when you were transported to an underground bar,” says Doreen Amico-Sorell of Sorell Interiors. “It’s perfect for the family who likes to entertain Gatsby-style.” (In other words, with plenty of booze.)

Must-have item: Leave the chaos of the modern world (and the upstairs living room) behind for a perfectly crafted cocktail, best enjoyed in one of these ultrachic Oakham bar stools from AllModern.

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2. The fitness buff: Retreat-style yoga studio

Photo by Von Dreele-Freerksen Construction Company  Who needs a yoga retreat in Bali when you can just retreat to your underground meditation studio? We love the all-wood look of this basement yoga studio, which is perfect for anyone looking to teach a class or simply sweat out stress with friends.

“The best part about a yoga studio remodel is that there’s minimal expense due to the lack of furnishings,” says Amico-Sorell. “However, you’ll still want to fine-tune the decor to encapsulate that feeling of Zen.”

Must-have item: Round out the Zen vibes of your new studio space with a few of these braided jute floor cushions from CB2.

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3. The streaming addict: Binge-worthy basement theater

Photo by raumdeuter  If your hobbies include less stretching and more chilling, then you’re going to love this retro home theater. Cue up your watch list and make some popcorn, then settle into one of these plush sofas to enjoy the show.

“There’s something to be said for having a theater in your basement,” says Amico-Sorell. “It appeals to everyone in the family (and their friends), and it adds to the resale value of your home. The starlit ceiling projector is a nod to the old-day theaters when going to see a movie was a whole experience.”

Must-have item: Complete your in-home theater by adding a starry-ceiling projector like this one from Bed Bath & Beyond.

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4. The book nerd: Dreamy private library

Photo by Viscusi Elson Interior Design – Gina Viscusi Elson  If you can’t have a castle in the English countryside, you should at least get your own private library. Display all of your favorite reads—and then some—on these wall-lined shelves, or put your feet up and dive in to your TBR list with a cup of cocoa.

“Home libraries are on-trend,” says Stephanie Purcell of Redesigned Classics. “With so much technology and everything online, the nostalgia for the tactile feel of an old book is something that can’t be replicated.”

Must-have item: Keep your home library feeling tidy and on-theme by adding a few of these vintage-inspired book boxes from Wayfair to store loose odds and ends.

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5. The sports fan: The ultimate game room

Photo by Sight And Sounds  If you’re really the biggest fan, you need a place to watch your team play—and what better spot than one where the beer flows freely and the only patrons are the friends you invite over?

“Every sports fan’s dream come true is a place they can relax, watch a game, and have a drink,” says Purcell. “But bars can be so expensive and full of rival fans, so why not create your own sports oasis?”

Must-have item: Make your game day the real deal by adding one of these live-sports tickers from Amazon.

The post 5 Beyond-Basic Basement Remodel Ideas for Every Personality Type appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com®.

[firstmlastn-blog]

First D like Dramatic blue sky in #castlegarden in #leicester 🏰 Topic photo session: "Where's a good place to sit? " 💺 * * @panasonicgh5 + @sigmauk 18-35 f1.8 * * ISO 100 * F-number 5 (1st), 1.8 (2nd) * Focal length 30mm * Shutter speed 1/60s (1st), 1/125 (2nd) * #photoshoot #january #2020 #winter #portrait_ig #portrait #instagood #bokeh_shotz #photooftheday #picoftheday #polishboy #leicesterphotographer #photography #oakham #oakhamphotographer #instagram #instalike #enjoylife #portraitvision #portraitmood #portraitpage #portraitgallerys #castle #garden #bluesky #sky_collection (at Castle Gardens, Leicester) https://www.instagram.com/p/B7BmdBTn1Bd/?igshid=t1enmo5ab0is

[chriskarrtravelblog]

Hidden England: Rutland travel guide

Rutland packs in picturesque villages, mighty castles and scenic views: England’s smallest county is full of surprises

Not many people have heard of Rutland, not even those who live in the UK. Comprising less than 150 square miles in the very heart of England, scenic, sleepy Rutland is flanked by the more famous counties of Leicestershire, Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire. 

Rutland regained its status as a ceremonial county in 1997 and was given the motto “Multum in parvo”, the Latin for “Much in little” – and rightly so. What the smallest county in England lacks in size, it makes up for in charisma. With pretty Rutland Water at its heart, this is a county of golden ironstone villages, ancient churches, breathtaking farmland vistas, twinkly old pubs and the picture-perfect market towns of Uppingham and Oakham – home to two of the country’s most historic schools. 

While many gems lie just beyond county lines, there’s plenty to be explored within. Oakham – the county town and home to Rutland’s only train station – dates back to medieval times and is peppered with independent boutiques and coffee shops like Castle Cottage, purveyor of locally legendary cakes. The recently restored Oakham Castle, built 1180-90, is one of the oldest aisled stone halls in the country. Inside hang 240 horseshoes, gifted to the Lord of the Manor by royalty and peers, with the oldest dating back to Edward IV’s visit in 1470. The castle is the longest-running seat of justice in England – since 1229 – and is still occasionally used as a Crown Court. Nearby at Rutland County Museum visitors can learn more about crime and punishment in the county, and take a look at the only surviving ‘New Drop’ gallows in England.

The Buttercross at Oakham. Credit: eye35.pix/Alamy

A mile or so east, you reach the shores of Rutland Water. The reservoir has an interesting history, having been constructed in the 1970s via the demolition of one and a half villages and the flooding of a valley. The village of Upper Hambleton survived, and now sits on a peninsula, home to the 19th-century Hambleton Hall hotel. 

Rutland Water has evolved not only into a notable fishing and bird-watching destination – site of a programme to reintroduce osprey to England – but also as a place for bike and boat rides. Cycle round the scenic shores on bikes hired from Normanton – stopping for a pint or a pub lunch en route – or sail on the Rutland Belle from Whitwell.

Illustration credit: Michael A Hill

Another reservoir, the Eyebrook, straddling Rutland and Leicestershire, offers stunning views and is a Site of Special Scientific Interest after being used in 1943 as a practice site for the Dambuster raids. Be sure to pop into nearby Stoke Dry church, whose walls bear a 13th-century mural. As legend has it, this is where Guy Fawkes and his co-conspirators thrashed out plans to blow up James I in 1605. 

Travel a few miles south, just over Rutland’s border into Northampton, and you come to the Norman Rockingham Castle, standing proudly above the Welland Valley, with dramatic views across five counties. It was built under the instruction of William the Conqueror and boasts a Great Hall with portraits of Elizabeth I and her advisors, Lords Burghley, Howard and Dudley. The Long Gallery was once the focal point of family entertainment and holds an array of family artefacts, including a well-loved rocking horse.

Belvoir Castle. Credit: Ian Dagnall/Alamy

Those on a castle-hopping tour shouldn’t miss Belvoir Castle in nearby Leicestershire. This fairytale Regency castle, home to the Duke of Rutland’s family since 1067, holds one of the country’s finest art collections, displayed in some breathtakingly grand rooms. 

Smaller than Oakham, Uppingham is known for its antiques shops and the renowned Goldmark Gallery, which specialises in 20th-century art and hosts a drop-in buffet lunch daily, free of charge. Bustling pubs line the square of this historic market town, which puts on an annual Fatstock Show: an opportunity for Rutland farmers to show off their pigs, sheep and cattle.

Another lovely town hereabouts is Stamford. Often described as the finest stone town in England, it built up and prospered in Georgian times thanks to the wool trade and its position as a mail coach interchange on the Great North Road, almost halfway between London and York.

Peterborough Cathedral in nearby Cambridgeshire. Credit: Ivan Vdovin/Alamy

Its attractiveness has led to its use as the backdrop for numerous TV costume dramas and films, including the 2005 iteration of Pride & Prejudice. In the village of Little Casterton nearby, Tolthorpe Hall is home to the Stamford Shakespeare Company, which puts on summer plays in an auditorium in the grounds. 

Any trip to Stamford should include a visit to magnificent Burghley House, one of England’s finest Elizabethan houses, set in sprawling parkland. It was built and mostly designed by William Cecil, Lord High Treasurer to Elizabeth I, between 1555 and 1587. A series of special events celebrating 500 years since Cecil’s birth is planned for 2020.

It’s a short detour to another historic site, Fotheringhay. While only the earthworks and the conical motte remain of Fotheringhay Castle, the site is worth a visit for its significance in British history. In 1587 the castle was chosen to host the trial and execution of Mary, Queen of Scots, whose body was subsequently transported to nearby Peterborough Cathedral for burial, before being moved for final burial at Westminster Abbey. 

With scenic views and historic sites galore, you could spend days exploring this pocket of hidden England, but make time too for its low-key charms. The real spirit of Rutland is to be found in its countless sleepy (or not so sleepy) villages, whose cosy pubs play host to fireside meet-ups in winter, and whose squares and grassy verges come alive with the clinking of Pimm’s glasses come summer. “Much in little”, indeed.

READ MORE: Regional guide to the Peak District

The post Hidden England: Rutland travel guide appeared first on Britain Magazine | The official magazine of Visit Britain | Best of British History, Royal Family,Travel and Culture.

Britain Magazine | The official magazine of Visit Britain | Best of British History, Royal Family,Travel and Culture https://www.britain-magazine.com/features/hidden-england-rutland-travel-guide/

source https://coragemonik.wordpress.com/2019/12/21/hidden-england-rutland-travel-guide/

[worldedudaily]

Castle is recognised for its educational offering

Castle is recognised for its educational offering

Oakham Castle has been recognised for the quality of its educational services with the 2019 Sandford Award.

The castle is run by Rutland County Council and picked up the prize last month at a special presentation at The Museum of Childhood in Bethnal Green, London.

The Sandford Award acknowledges and promotes quality and best practice in educational provision by sites across Britain.

Pupils…

[gonomadtravelposts]

Tweeted

England: The Tiny County of Rutland just published on GoNOMAD Travel - https://t.co/KyMeVecRZC Rutland is England's smallest county, but the author states that seeing the Rutland Water, the Normanton Church, and Oakham Castle make it worth the trip. pic.twitter.com/shz4xbFOdF

— GoNOMAD.com Travel (@GoNOMAD) July 2, 2019

[mikyla-michael-blog]

26.5 Made it to Oakham.. even a “castle” there, it’s just a church haha

[csclincs]

Photos from my Oakham walk

Photos from my Oakham walk

Oakham Castle and Parish Church

I found the geocache that was near the church, but the rain stopped any further caching.

The Butter Cross

Stocks at The Butter Cross

It was not all town walking I did head out into the countryside and found somewhere suitable for a tea break.

Oakham Castle Gate

Spent the day on my own – no talking!

[rupertmatthews]

A quick stop at #Oakham Castle @oakhamcastle to check on policing issues (minor anti-social behaviour) and the quality of the scones (excellent). (at Oakham, Rutland) https://www.instagram.com/p/CYq-Ou7sIQS/?utm_medium=tumblr

[troop2017]

I’m going back 2 weeks now to our trip around Rutland Water.  The main point of visiting this area was to go around this reservoir.

Built in the early 70’s the area lost Lower (or Nether) Hambleton and much of Middle Hambleton (some of which survives as the promontory jutting out into the reservoir (an extra 7 miles on your bike ride if you choose to take it – we drove another day!)  At low water it is still possible to see the foundations of some of the buildings that were demolished (which included a mediaeval cottage…)

You can read here about some of the dwellings that were lost – quite an interesting read (if a bit long..!)

The reservoir is now a bustling and well used leisure area.  The day we cycled around it we were most certainly not alone – they were hundreds of others cycling or walking the route (perhaps not all the way around though!), as well as hundreds more enjoying the facilities available around the water or sailing, kayaking or paddle boarding on the water.

It was wonderful to see so many people out and about enjoying the big outdoors 🙂

Obstacles on the water at Rutland Water

View of yachts on Rutland Water

One day we will have a go on that obstacle course 🙂Parking was fairly reasonable at £6 for the day – you can purchase an all day ticket for £6 which allows you to park in different car parks around the reservoir.  See here for a map showing the different areas.

We parked at Whitwell, where the obstacle course is situated as well as a couple of cafes, toilets (of course), a climbing wall, cycle hire and The Rutland Belle departs from here over to Normanton (see the main photo for the church).  The church here can be visited and is available for weddings etc.

Unfortunately there are no public areas for launching your own kayak, and there are lots of rules to be followed.

The cycle ride itself is very pleasant, a mixture of concrete, woodland and gravel paths with a couple of, very short, sections on the road (no problem at all); it’s punctuated by a number of gates to negotiate and, surprisingly, quite a few uphill sections (although you do, of course, have the downhill sections as well).

We took sandwiches with us but if we ever do this again would stop for lunch at The Horse and Jockey at Manton.  There were several cyclists here and it did look rather nice 🙂

We saw quite a few campsites as we cycled around, but on exploring them we found that none of them offer facilities (by which I mean toilets) – not for tourers anyway, maybe for tents.  Some of them looked really nice, so it’s a real shame that none are suitable for us.  Maybe for a night or 2 I suppose…

Here’s a couple more pictures from our day.

Before moving onto the Grand Prix we had 2 more days here which were spent visiting my cousin in Caythorpe and visiting Oakham with it’s unexpected castle!  I will tell you about these in my next post.

An 18 mile cycle around Rutland Water I'm going back 2 weeks now to our trip around Rutland Water.  The main point of visiting this area was to go around this reservoir.

[airhotels-blog]

# As always usually happens in a long #journey, the first two or three stations imagination stands still at the place of where you started, and then suddenly, with the first #morning, met on the #way, #turns towards the end of the #journey and now #builds there the #castles of the #future . #Book now your #travel http://www.airhotels.co/city/Oakham #Reblog http://airhotels.tumblr.com LIKE US #FACEBOOK https://www.facebook.com/AirHotels #TUMBLR http://airhotels.tumblr.com #TWITTER http://twitter.com/air_hotels http://http://www.airhotels.co #Instagram @airhotels