All aboard the Flying Carrot for our holiday to Buckinghamshire, the Codebreakers and London’s great gardens, September 2022. For any members who have not yet been on a SoFA Holiday, I must explain the above title. Our wonderfully comfortable coach is a very bright orange, so no danger of being unable to find the coach at the end of the day! Our excellent driver Carl has christened it the “Flying Carrot”. The weather forecast for this holiday did not look good. However, once again we had our usual very warm and sunny National Trust weather every day. Someone must have been on their prayer mat all week!
Our holiday began on Thursday 01 September 2022. We stopped for coffee and delicious homemade biscuits at the Moat House Hotel in Acton Trussell, set in beautiful landscaped gardens around a lake. We then stopped for lunch at the Bicester Avenue Home and Garden Centre. Some had eaten sandwiches on the coach so enjoyed a little retail therapy.
We then travelled to the 4-star Bull Hotel in Gerrards Cross, a 17th century Coaching Inn with 147 bedrooms. Finding our rooms was a bit of a challenge and we decided we should have all been issued with a ball of string so we could find our way back to our rooms after dinner, which was served at 7pm! Dinner that evening was served buffet style and we all enjoyed a starter, main course and dessert followed by coffee or tea. Our bedrooms were comfortable and, after a good night’s sleep, breakfast was available any time after 7am. There was plenty of choice including a full English breakfast.
At 9.30am on Friday our coach left for Bletchley Park. This is an English Country Mansion and Estate where Code Breakers worked secretly during WW2. It was much larger than I expected and had up to 9,000 people working there. It is thought that the work done there brought forward the end of the war by as much as two years. There was a lot of walking and many commented that not only did our feet hurt, but our brains too, as exhibits explained how enigma worked. We all had a voucher for lunch which included a sandwich, cake and a drink. It was warm and some of us sat and ate lunch on the lovely picnic tables on the lawns. Others ate in the huts just as they had done all those years ago. We left Bletchley Park at 3.30pm and another good dinner was served back at our hotel at 7pm.
Next day, we went to RHS Wisley which was beautiful. It houses one of the largest plant collections in the world. We were given a very nice guide book and a map so we could explore the colourful gardens at our leisure. At 1pm we all met in the Tulip Room for a very good buffet lunch of sandwiches and crisps, a good selection of delicious cakes and a platter of fresh fruit with a drink. It was a welcome rest in the middle of the day. The guided tour of the gardens was cancelled because some of the guides had Covid, but we were able to explore more lovely gardens after lunch using the guide book.
On our final full day, we visited Windsor Castle. It was a bit of a climb from the coach park! Carl led us at a fairly leisurely pace to the lift, through the railway station, past the Royal Train and we all made it to the entrance of the castle and through the airport style security! Most people took headphones, listening to the commentary as we discovered 900 years of British heritage. It is the oldest occupied castle in the world and one of the official residences of The Queen. There was a lot to see! We toured the State Apartments and the staff were very helpful. The Queen’s Coronation Dress was on display and many of us marvelled at her tiny waist. Some of us saw the Changing of the Guards at lunch time. Unfortunately, because it was Sunday, St George’s Chapel was closed to the public, so we couldn’t go in.
After Windsor Castle, we re-joined our coach, (the walk was all downhill this time), and we travelled the short distance to the Savill Garden in Windsor Great Park. Visitors can wander along the paths through interconnected gardens. The Rose Garden was opened by Her Majesty the Queen. There was also a café outside and gift shop. A welcome break for tired legs and feet!
We then travelled back to our hotel and met in the bar earlier that evening. The holiday had gone so well, Frank and Michael treated us all to a glass of wine, beer or a soft drink before our meal.
On Monday 05 September we had our final breakfast at the Bull Hotel and some of us discovered an amazing pancake making machine. Waistlines may have been even larger if we had found it on day One! We boarded the Flying Carrot and travelled to The Hatton Arms in Warwickshire for coffee and cake. Some walked across the field to see the locks. We then continued our journey to The Moat House at Acton Trussell for an excellent late lunch in a lovely room. We were also treated to another glass of wine to have with the meal.
On all the SoFA NT holidays we have enjoyed the most interesting itineraries, with lots of variety, and these have been planned and organised by Michael Rofe, his wife Jean and Airedale Travel. We would like to thank Michael, Jean and Airedale Travel for arranging all these excellent holidays. They don’t just happen, they take a lot of planning and we appreciate it.
When Ian and I booked our first holiday in 2015 (I think) we were a little apprehensive. We knew very few people and wondered what they would be like. We decided to just book one holiday to give it a try. We need not have worried. Everyone was so friendly and welcoming. The hotels we have stayed in have been excellent, serving hearty breakfasts and delicious three-course dinners in the evening. The coach is very comfortable and the coach driver Carl has added to our enjoyment. It is a good way of getting to know people and making new friends. Come and join us! We look forward to your company!
This year sadly, Michael who had done all the meticulous planning for this holiday was not able to join us and he was greatly missed. We wish you a speedy recovery Michael and look forward to you being with us again soon. Frank stepped into Michael’s shoes at the last minute and praised Michael for his organisation and planning. So thank you to Frank, Marie and Carl.
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Article supplied by Jean Higson with thanks. Photographs courtesy of Charlie Craig and Ian Higson.
