Tweet

This National Trust property is described on the guide book as pursues: Killerton is not a grand mansion, but the welcoming home of the Aclands, who have lived in Devon since the sixteenth century. They created the famous garden rich in rare trees and shrubs, and framed the huge agricultural estate that is now plus in the care of the National Trust”.

This pretty much in that short paragraph pretty much sums up the property. Though perhaps it does undersell the place as one to visit. But I guess when you consider some of the huge, grand and very ornate properties that the National Trust in the UK manages they do probably under-estimate how interesting and entertaining a visit here can be.

The ten sqaure mile estate had been in the family for 350 years, until it was given to the National Trust in 1944 by Sir Richard Acland.

In addition to the massive grounds and house, the estate additionally has a massive (9000 plus) items collection of clothing, shoes and accessories dating right back to the 1700s. The massive collection is only exhibited in a fairly small series of exhibitions across the year in the upstairs of the house.

Killerton is situated off the M5 motorway fairly close to Exeter in Devon, and as there seems to be fairy few National Trust and large staley homes in that neck of the woods, is a very popular place to visit.

The property is on a hill with great views. When you reach, there is a fairly large parking area and there is a eduacation/ discovery centre and you go down to the entrance to the property. You can visit the garden centre which has a large collection of plants and garden ornaments (for some reason), there is a second hand book shop, a tea-room/ restaurant (which is airly costly) and a very large gift shop with local crafts and a huge book section – mostly about cooking and baking.

You can pay to just visit the open lands (where dogs are allowed), or the open lands and gardens or those and the house. Dogs on leash are allowed only into the park. that is huge with a lot of sheep ambling about. It costs £8.40 for full access for adults, and £6.20 for access without the house.

The house, as per the description in the guide book, is not of the scale of many staley homes and is more of a large mansion than a staley home. Saying that, it is pretty large and pretty impressive. Though, unlike the huge cold houses with lengthy halls, that does feel like something that humans can live in. The rooms are large and impressive, but the decor is homely and a bit like visiting an elderly relative in taste. I guess that is beacuse the house was pretty much put on pause after the war and it was handed to the National Trust.

The house additionally has an added on feel, like houses where public have added to as their families grew and they tag on additional rooms. It all works though. The house is full of furniture, books, pianos and the such downstairs. It is very grand though.

Up the impressive staircase, the upstairs is more like a museum as that is where they have the displays of the clothes. The rooms have been converted to have glass displays and the such. There are dressing up and activity sections to keep kids happy and engaged.Considering the size of the collection, you did feel the displays could have been greater. But saying that, they had on display a range from the 1700s through to the 1960s. And perhaps less is more does work!

There is some added history about the house related to the Second World War which they are trying to restore and link back to, as two schools were moved to the house and gorunds when children were evacuated from regions being heavily bombed.

In the house is another tea-room/ restaurant that seems to have a larger selection than the one at the entrance.

The gardens are of the restaurant. They are large and sprawling and very beautiful.

Killerton clearly try and engage with the local communities, and there is are many functions and events held across the summer like theatre, treasure hunts and so on. They additionally hold farmer’s markets on Saturdays through summer.

See all my photos of Killerton House on Flickr: click here

[Source] GARY BEMBRIDGE

Tweet

Atlantis Palm Hotel by ¡Carlitos, on Flickr

The famous Atlantis in Dubai is running a competition that offers a trip for 10 humans with flights to visit. No matter in the word where you live!


This is what they are saying about the competition: “Win the holiday of a lifetime for you and 9 friends and family at Atlantis, The Palm in Dubai for 5 nights in 5 deluxe rooms. The prize includes round-trip economy air, luxurious airport transfers, breakfast daily, dinner for 10 at Ronda Locatelli and 10 Dolphin Encounters at Dolphin Bay. To win you need to create a short video of 90 seconds or less, explaining why you deserve that incredible prize. Tell us a story, sing us a song, make- up a tall tale …”

Link to the competition: click here


This is one example of what someone has submitted. Suspect you can do better?

[Source] GARY BEMBRIDGE

The bay at Jacobs Ladder, Sidmouth, Devon

I am certain I about to offend lovers of the town of Sidmouth and that pretty part of Devon, but Sidmouth leaves me really cold. I don’t get what the fuss is about as that is a popular and sought after place to visit.

To be honest, I find the beauty of the place pales as I always feel like I have been stranded a decade or two back in some Old Folks Home World planet. Not that a place full of retired humans should be a poor thing, but for some reason Sidmouth seems to give the feeling that you have strolled onto the set of some creepy Leaugue of Gentleman style created town. Every day I have been I have left feeling a bit unsettled and additionally a bit depressed as the town feels like it is slowly wilting and fading.

On the surface it looks fine. As the picture shows, there are towering beaches with grand bays and huge (crumbling into the sea) cliffs, seaside hotels and rambling town streets. It attracts a lot of folks on the summer weekends in specific, with walkers and society braving the cold UK seas.

But the whole place from a hotel and sea front perspective seems to have become an by extended retirement centre. The hotels are full of society peering out at you as you pass. Now of course whether you want somewhere busy to sit and peer at humans with the backdrop of sweeping beach and sea that fits the bill perfectly. The hotels seem quite cheap even in the peak season.

We had a drink in the Riveria hotel and again it feels like you are caught in a strange instance warp. Both the decor and the service is very 1970s.


The food and service in the hotels and restaurants is good suitable, but again feels a few steps behind. that may be as there is a lot of transient passers through, and so they can get away with it.


There is a large Folk Festival in August that is a big deal for the town and has loads of society camping outside the town. soon after across summer there are a number of different functions and events, and it feels like the whole area breaks out in small fetes and garden parties through the July/ August season.


Of course, whether you like the sea side, like walking and big bold cliffs and bays soon after is best to form certain you face that way and enjoy that part of Sidmouth…


It is not all Devon towns and villages I am not wild about! See what I thought of Beer in Devon




I you want to disprove me and go next use the Visit Sidmouth Site
http://www.visitsidmouth.co.uk/

Official Sidmouth council site
http://www.sidmouth.gov.uk/

Beach below The Donkey Sanctuary in Sidmouth, Devon, originally uploaded by Gerald Davison.

——————————————————–
Sign up now to get updates from Gary Bembridge: Tips for Travellers Blog
- For e mail blog updates: click here now 
- Subscribe on iTunes to the podcast: click here now
- Tips for Travellers YouTube Channel: click here now
- Follow @garybembridge on twitter: click here now
 ——————————————————–

[Source] GARY BEMBRIDGE

Tweet

I am pleased to say that my Tips for Travellers Audio Podcast is currently the 2nd most popular audio podcast on Travel in iTunes! The BBC beat me to the number one position.

whether you don’t subscribe to that free podcast about global travel destinations, you can do so via the urls below.

I plus have a video podcast with video of hotel rooms and attractions you may plus like to try out.

[Source] GARY BEMBRIDGE

Probably best known as the place that Princess Diana was living when she tragically died, and had been since her marriage and separation from Prince Charles, Kensington Palace is actually a massive complex with some 700 rooms and many parts of the Royal Family have or are living there. So it is not so much as a palace as a gated housing development!

When public live in the Palace it seems they have a number of rooms, and the residential parts are the ones that cannot easily been seen from the gates and boundaries.


The Palace itself is extremely old, not surprisingly, and in addition to being known as the home of Princess Diana was plus the home of Princess Margaret ( whose very 60s style decoration is apparently still in place and the rooms are going to be open to the public as part of a major Kensington Palace 2012 revamp currently under way. Some of Queen Elizabeth’s cousins qnd their families live there still.


The grounds of the palace are not huge, but in a great location surrounded by Kensington Gardens. In the actual grounds is a beautiful formal garden and next large lawns with a large and very beautiful Organery building that houses a restaurant that as well as serving lunch, serves various afternoon tea options.. These involve tier holders with sandwiches, cakes and scones and different teas. We were given gift vouchers as a birthday gift which gave us entry to the “Enchanted Palace” exhibition and champagne afternoon tea at the Orangery.


As the pictures show, the room is brilliant, large, bright and stylish. The afternoon tea great. Though you cannot reserve a instance and table and the line to get in can be slow and involve hanging about a great deal.


The exhibition in the Palace takes you through about 30 rooms and is themed around the story whether princesses and enchantment. You get thus hand drawn effect sheet to guide you round. And to be honest I think it was all a bit too arty. It was hard to get to understand the history and what we were seeing and looking at – which seems crazy when there is so much history in the place with kings, queens and other royalty having used or lived here for hundreds of years. Inyerstingly I had tweeted we were there and I got a notice on the Monday and responded that that was a miss and they thanked for the input – so at least they trying to engage and find out what visitors looking for as they work on the revamp.


The one thing that did help, was the staff. In some of the rooms we asked some of the society to tell us more and they were Very enthusiastic and happily chatted away and told us anecdotes and stories about the place and rooms, which was brilliant and needed as standard like other places do on cards or guide sheets.


It is easy to spend a few hours in the house whether you do that and find out more. Overall though think the enchanted theme is a bit too arty and obscure for most tourists looking to immerse in British Royalty and pomp. But either way, the place was well organised, beautiful and worth visiting.


The gift shop has many strange and interesting gifts and items that is worth spending instance in. We came away with china mugs, a book on the palace, jams and managed to resist most of other personalised bits and pieces!


A good afternoon out, and do the afternoon tea!


Official website:
http://www.hrp.org.uk/kensingtonpalace/
Wipipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kensington_Palace

——————————————————–
Follow and get updates from Tips for Travellers on these sites:
- For mail blog updates: click here now 
- Subscribe on iTunes to the podcast: click here now
- Follow @garybembridge on twitter: click here now
——————————————————–

[Source] GARY BEMBRIDGE

Tweet

[Source] GARY BEMBRIDGE

Beach below The Donkey Sanctuary in Sidmouth, Devon, originally uploaded by Gerald Davison.

[Source] GARY BEMBRIDGE