Beautiful England

When the Queen Mary 2 docked in Southampton sometime during the early morning hours we were excited about beginning our adventure.  We made sure we were all ready to step off the ship as soon as we could.  The evening before we had packed all of our suitcases, except one, and placed them outside of our stateroom door for the staff to take down to be picked up later.  All we had to do was walk off the ship and retrieve our bags.  UK Customs personnel was on board to check passports during our voyage, so there is no hassle upon arrival.  This makes it so easy and is so smart of Cunard to have this feature.

Southampton Port

I've mentioned that before we left home we planned what every day would entail.  We took a taxi to the rental car agency and picked up our car.  We were reminded we would be driving a brand new vehicle with only 9 miles on the odometer!  Oh dear!  Here we go....let's ride on the left side of the road again!

Grayden had set our GPS before we left home, with all of the places we are going to visit,  so all I had to do was put in our destination.  On our way to the Lake District (so excited) we are going to be making a couple of stops.  First up is the gorgeous town of Bibury!  It's in the Cotswolds so you know we are in for a treat.  Here's our exit.  Now I must say it takes some getting used to riding on the left, but so far, so good.

I've read so much about Bibury.  William Morris said it was " The most beautiful village in England."  Susan Branch wrote about her visit there in A Fine Romance ~ Falling in Love with the English Countryside.  If you are a serious Anglophile you must read her book.

The River Coln,  a tributary of the Thames, flows through the center of this quaint village. 

  
So let's find the car park and get out and do a little exploring in Bibury.

There were many swans and ducks to welcome us to Bibury.  I wished I had some bread to offer.  When they realized we didn't they paddled to folks that did.

This fellow was downright indignant at our lack of bread!

Let's walk over to Arlington Row.  These cottages were built in 1380 as monastic wool stores.  They were later weaver's cottages that lived and worked in Bibury in the 17th century.  Their cloth was sent to Arlington Mill on the other side of Rack Isle.  Rack Isle was the place where the wool was sent to be hung on racks to dry.  Today this marshy area is a National Trust Wildfowl Reserve.

It was such a beautiful fall day.  I'm so happy that there were still many flowers blooming. 

 The leaves were just beginning to turn.

Walking along the path we came to the beautiful Arlington Row cottages.  Henry Ford tried to buy these cottages and have them shipped back to Michigan to reconstruct in Greenfield Village!

It would be a shame if that had happened!

These cottages now belong to the National Trust.  You may rent one of these beauties if you wish!

How would you like to live in this charming village?

If you would like, you can catch your own trout for dinner at the Trout Farm on the right of the photo.  On the left, the very large building used to house the old Arlington Mill.

  

Arlington Mill now a private residence

Oh England, you are so beautiful!

We are now on our way from small little charming cottages to a grand palace.  I hope you will join us! ♥