Cliveden

This wasn't really a proper walk, but I have to share this great place with you!. As it's school holidays, I let Maurice choose what we'll be doing. Although we've been here numerous times before, I still love it. Especially after walking a bit further from the grounds which means less people. 

Walking from the car park towards the gardens, one comes across to some nice water features and a maze. We always race to see who gets to the centre and then out again first. It's amazing how you forget the route by the time you are visiting again.I'm ashamed to say that most of the times Maurice is winning.

This time we started from the shop as last time when we came I promised my son to go there at the end of the walk but ended up coming back a different route. We can never pass the book section so today I got for Maurice a book called "50 night time activities to do before you are 11 and 3/4". I'm hoping to go camping with him and that might give us some great ideas. He also chose a bug hunters set, which contained a book about bugs, a little jar to put them in and a thing to catch them with. I have no idea what you call it:) We had a great time finding bugs and he even managed to catch a spider which is very brave of him as he used to be very very scared of spiders.
Cliveden stands on the banks of River Thames -actually some 40 meters above it and the grounds slope down to the river. It has been home to some really posh people like Prince of Wales. During his tenure of Cliveden it is here, where "Rule Bitannia" was first performed in public - in the cliff-side amphitheatre. If you have no idea what it is, here's a link

William Waldorf Astor, who was the richest man in America at the time, bought Cliveden in 1893.He brought with him a collection of Italian statuary which he had acquired during his years as US minister in Rome. His great interest in the Italian Renaissance found expression in this formal garden with its evergreen hedges and topiary.

One of the owners of Cliveden was The Earl of Orkney. - he owned it for 40 years. And his influence can be still seen today in the layout of the house (where we didn't go) and the garden.He commissioned the Venetian architect Giacomo Leoni to build this pavilion c. 1727

Maurice looking for bugs

Maurice loves to climb and this was a perfect place. He combined the bug searching with the climbing. This giant was called Canning Oak after George Canning who was the Prime Minister for the shortest time - 119 days.Aparently it was his favourite spot  - to sit under the oak tree and look down at Thames. (well, when the oak was still alive:) This oak had been in this spot long before the first manor was built in Cliveden in 1666 and finally gave up in stormy weather in 2004. The things it must have seen!!!

There are constant renovations taking place in Cleveden. At the moment there is work going on at the back of the house and the terrace. When we first came, these steps were just a muddy path.Look at them now! Oh how easy it is to go downhill! :)

I don't know why but I believe in challenging yourself. Whatever it might be. People who know me would probably never believe that I am shy, but I am.I am overthinking and analysing everything. There's been so many situations in my life when I have just been worried that my kind deed might not be enough. Like instead of giving someone 10 pounds I am worried that it's not enough and I should give 100 pounds and then not give anything at all. Over the years I've become a bit better, but I really have to control myself and talk myself out of it.One of the things I've never done in my life is asked someone's permission to take picture of them. I've either done it secretly or just not done it. When we passed this old man painting, I had a little chat  with him - just a small talk really(which was a big step already for me). But then I decided to go back and ask him if I could take a picture of him, thinking it would be so nice to share it with you. So I did and he kindly agreed. The point being - people are not scary! They like company, they like to talk. And if they don't - it's them who will miss out.

I just had to add this one to remind you again - the beauty is in small things. Every single day! 

I'm off to bed now as it's past one but I had to finish this otherwise I forget what I want to say. 

Thank you for reading - it means a lot!