In an English Country Garden...

Hubby whisked me off to Stratford upon Avon for the weekend on Saturday evening after work, as my Birthday treat.

We stayed at the Shakespeare Hotel right in the town centre and were awoke the next morning by a fun run about to start outside our hotel window!

We decided not to stay in Stratford itself on Sunday, due to the crowds that the event had attracted. Instead we headed off to Warwick. We thought we'd visit the castle, but the entrance fee was quite expensive - I'm sure it would be great fun for a family with young children, but to us on our own, it seemed that it had become more of a theme park since our last visit - Merlin, the TV series, was filmed here and had left its mark...so we decided not to go in.

Just outside the entrance to the castle we noticed a small sign advertising Mill Garden.

This small garden has been featured in many national magazines and has the added draw of being sandwiched between the great castle walls and the River Avon.

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For our £1.50 entrance fee, we still enjoyed the castle experience - From the river bank we were able to sit and watch the firing of the trebuchet on the other side of the river, within the castle grounds...

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The garden itself was beautiful too and we spent a lovely hour there.

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Then it was time for a tea stop...

In rosey china!

Perfect!

Later on we visited the Lord Leycester Hospital buildings.

And the Master's Garden.

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A lovely day, then it was back to Stratford for an evening meal at the hotel...

Followed by a late night walk by the river.

Monday morning, and it was time to tour Stratford itself, properly.

First, we did the tour of Shakespeare's Birthplace.

Photos aren't allowed inside this ancient home, but they were allowed in the gardens...

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The entrance fee also allows access to Hall's Croft and Nash's House, and New Place.

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A lovely weekend.

On our way home, we stopped outside Anne Hathaway's Cottage. We've visited here before, so didn't go inside.

I've had so many vintage postcards of this view for sale in my shop in the past, its like seeing an old friend when standing outside it for real.

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Hope you had a lovely weekend too!

Niki x

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