Wantage Oxfordshire

We booked into our first AirB&B here, choosing the option of our own private flat in an old school house. It came with a bed, tea and coffee and basic breakfast facilities and our own bathroom. The hosts were very friendly, and liked a set up where you came and went with little interaction. Suited us perfectly.

Wantage is a pretty medieval town and known as the birthplace of king Alfred the great. Had a lovely afternoon walking the local paths and lanes on a mapped out historic walk. We stayed her a week and used it as our first base for heather to get some work done in the mornings, and then we used our time to explore the Cotswolds, Oxford, and the local area.

This was also the of the UK's hot spell, and we sweated our way through a few 35 degree days. No aircon, no fans, no swimming. 

Visited Blenheim Palace, a magnificent home and park of the Duke of Marlborough. He wasn't in when we called, but left a card! Thanks to Sarah, we had prepurchased membership to NZ Heritage Trust, and got into this site for half the price - saving a whopping £25. Heather insisted on the tour of the insides, and we had to patiently visit each room on display and get a blow by blow account of the furnishings, artwork, tapestries and so on. All good stuff, but those of us with the attention span of a gnat would just prefer a 2 minute summary and moving on, especially in that heat.

 

Blenheim Palace is on the edge of the small hamlet of Woodstock. Yet another quintessential English town. The tea shops here specialise in picnic hampers for Blenheim palace.