B2B Day 68 Albrighton to Boscobel: Of Roses and Royal Oaks

For an OS map of today's walk (4.88 miles; 7.85 km; 322 ft total ascent), click here. (Note that we had an additional 2.5 mile walk back to our Airbnb from the Oakley Arms pub.)

[Because I left my journal with all my notes at a B&B, this will be a rather sketchy blog post that will be filled in later.]

A beautiful breakfast...

This morning began with breakfast at David Austin Roses, which was just across the street. Ken ordered a breakfast sandwich, and I ordered French toast with fruit compote and clotted cream. It was the best French toast I have ever had. Ever. It was light, not too sweet, and the fruit was fresh and juicy. Everything was served on a china pattern of (what else?) David Austin roses. The overall experience was just lovely.

...in a beautiful place

We enjoyed wandering around the rose gardens before heading out on the walk, a fairly simple five mile journey, mainly on quiet roads, to Boscobel House, a site famous in the English Civil War.

We did decide to take in the ruins of White Ladies Priory, an Augustinian nunnery, on the way to Boscobel House.

We met some walkers who kindly directed us to a path to Boscobel House. They and we admired some tall poppies in a field that looked like something from a garden rather than something growing wild in a field.

Boscobel House is where King Charles II stayed in hiding when he was fleeing after defeat at the Battle of Worcester. 

Boscobel House from the west

 

He famously hid in an oak tree (the Royal Oak) to avoid capture. The original oak in which he hid was long gone, but the oak that one takes pictures of was apparently a sapling when Charles was there.

The (decendent of the) Royal Oak

 

It was a cold day. Our photos make it ambiguous as to which one of us is having the luxury hot chocolate in the cafe.

 

Here are some photos of the interior of Boscobel, to give an idea.

 

Our Airbnb was very well located just a half mile north of Boscobel House. We arrived in good time, and our host Nick kindly drove us to the pub, the Oakley Arms. When I arrived, my stomach felt quite "off" and I couldn't even eat the salad I ordered. I wondered if the chocolate/caramel "tiffin" I had eaten in the late afternoon was too rich and wasn't sitting well. It was too bad, because it was a lovely restaurant. The walk back to our Airbnb did help me feel a little better, and we quickly went to bed as it was late.