Wellies? Everywhere. Barbours? Of every (muted) hue. Adorable puppies? Rampant. As I gazed around it could all only mean one thing – I had ventured out of London into the countryside!
Blenheim Palace is a huge estate near Oxford that plays host to international-level horse trials every year. For £22 you can roam much of the grounds watching the finest horsey specimens be put through their paces by their talented riders. We chose to take in the cross-country, and watched in awe as huge hedges, drops and obstacles of every kind were navigated… usually with apparent ease.
If you got bored of the horses, there was agility of a smaller nature too!
I enjoyed the familiarity of being back amongst horses, although the dress style and accents were somewhat different to a New Zealand event! The setting couldn’t be beaten either, with rolling hills, wide rivers, and of course the Palace in the background. We wandered over to take a look around one of England’s largest “country houses”.
Eight Kiwi girls walk into a Palace…
Blenheim Palace was built in the early eighteenth century on land given to the first Duke of Marlborough by Queen Anne as a reward for his efforts in the War of the Spanish Succession. It’s a huge complex, with hundreds of rooms, and several wings and exhibitions to tour. Blenheim Palace has seen a lot of history within its walls over the years, but one of its most important contributions would have to be as the family home of Sir Winston Churchill – he was born there in 1874.
I imagine the window-cleaning bills are insane…
A fairly modest outlook
I loved these amazing autumn colours!
Entry to the Palace was one of the steeper tickets I’ve bought this year, at £22.50 for entry everywhere, but we subsequently learnt that most of the funds go directly to keeping the Palace, Park and Gardens in the beautiful order that they are. Once inside, we forgot the hit on our wallets as we gazed around the opulent rooms, covered in family portraits, gilt and stunning colours. I think my favourite room was the incredible Long Library, with a full-size organ at the end!
The incredible family Chapel
As far as stately country homes go, it doesn’t get too much better than Blenheim Palace. If you can time your visit for the horse trials or one of the other amazing events they hold in the grounds, even better! Click here for more information on visiting the Palace.
Where’s your favourite countryside spot?
