Saturday 24 January 2015

Polesden Lacey


The house, viewed from the front lawn

Last weekend saw us return to Polesden Lacey, a National Trust property we had visited during summer when we lived at Frensham.

This truly is one of the jewels in the National Trust crown in Surrey. The house is not very large (as great houses go), and from memory its interior is beautiful but not gobsmackingly grand. However the exterior and the grounds... they are gorgeous.


Entrance to the house

There's something very appealing and welcoming about the lovely ochre shade of Polesden Lacey's exterior. Adding to its warmth is the strong memory Kevin and I have from our previous visit that the former owners of the property were animal lovers. There is a pet cemetery in the grounds where generations of beloved dogs have been laid to rest, complete with tombstones.


I do love a well shaped hedge or two....

During Winter most of the NT houses are closed for conservation and repair, though in recent years this has been relaxed a bit and you can now visit many of them on guided tours on particular days of the week. 

Although the house was open for guided tours last weekend we really went just to walk the grounds. It was a fabulous winter day, cold but sunny - about 4ºC.  We never tire of traversing Surrey's beautiful countryside, and it's lovely to see people walking their dogs, kitted out in wellies, hats and scarves.


This magnificent yew hedge runs the entire length of the front lawn and along The Long Walk

Griffin

Part of the formal gardens






Kevin admiring the glorious view of the Surrey Hills


Not quite a tunnel of green, but a tunnel all the same


The house was famously admired by the Duke and Duchess of York (Later King George VI and Queen Elizabeth - the Queen Mother) in 1923, when they spent part of their honeymoon at Polesden Lacey.  Well-known Edwardian hostess Mrs Greville was a great friend of the couple and she was responsible for the remodelling of the house in 1906, and for the famed collections of paintings, furniture, porcelain and silver. 



The Long Walk


The day was marred by the discovery in the café over a pot of tea that my wedding ring was missing. Since our mutual weight loss our wedding rings are very loose on our fingers, and with it being a cold day, I had to assume that my ring had come off on one of the occasions when I removed my gloves. We retraced our steps but we had been strolling the grounds for about 45 minute previously, and I didn't have much hope of finding the ring. I imagined it having been trodden into the mud by myself or somebody else, lost forever. I fervently hoped that perhaps I'd forgotten to put the ring on before leaving the house, but knew this was unlikely.

There was nothing else to do but report it to the office, and hope that somebody would find it and turn it in. I gave the staff a pretty good drawing and my contact details, and it was with a sinking heart that we drove away from Polesden Lacey, towards home.

I'm happy to report that we'd only gone about 5 minutes along the route home when my phone rang - a small girl had found my ring and turned it in... bless her low altitude and youthful sharp vision!

Time for a ring resizing I think...

With the issue of my wedding ring resolved, we stopped briefly in Leatherhead to admire the Parish Church of St Mary and St Nicholas, a fine example of Norman architecture. It's the oldest building in Leatherhead and is mentioned in the Domesday Book.



The Parish Church of St Mary and St Nicholas, dating from the 11th century





Almost directly opposite the church is this lovely building, now apartments. Its views over the Surrey countryside from the back of the building are breathtaking. One can only guess at the cost to purchase.



We'll be returning to Polesden Lacey in Spring. Even the drive there is a delight, particularly as our sat-nav sent us on one of those circuitous deviations that are usually the curse of the driver - and we ended up meandering through what must be the nicest part of Leatherhead.

This last week has seen some proper wintry weather arrive at long last. We even had a brief flurry of snow on Monday, just as we were leaving for work. I'm hoping it continues.

Until next time,
- Maree  xo


Saturday 3 January 2015

A Magical Christmas in Norway


Morning view from our bedroom in Gyl


Happy New Year!

We recently returned from a week in Norway where we had the most incredibly beautiful Christmas courtesy of my cousin Marion and her husband Erik. The last time we spent Christmas with them was in 1998 so although we've visited them many times since then, it was a joy to once again experience the festive season in their company.


Our trip started with an overnight stop in Ålesund on Norway's west coast, which has got to be one of the world's prettiest towns. We've been there many times but it never fails to impress us. In 1904 the entire town was destroyed in a huge fire. Kaiser Wilhelm of Germany was a regular visitor to the region and such was his affection for the place that he sent ships with materials to build temporary shelters for the displaced residents, and then the town was rebuilt entirely in Art Nouveau style which was all the rage at the time. It is gorgeous, both in its geographical location and its architectural charm.



Outside our hotel in Ålesund




Ålesund is filled with gorgeous art nouveau buildings



Brosundet - Ålesund's glorious canal area


Our bus to Tingvoll, where my cousin lives, was not leaving until 2.00pm the following day so we had the luxury of several hours to reacquaint ourselves with Ålesund in all its Christmas glory. Nobody does Christmas like the Scandinavians - they are festive season fanatics. Every residential window is decorated with tastefully beautiful lanterns, bringing essential warmth to what is a very dark environment. Even in this area of Norway, which is well below the Arctic Circle, you really only get about five hours of daylight at this time of year.

Shops too, and even offices, are decorated not just inside but often the Christmas spirit extends to the pavement as well.

Almost every shop has beautiful Christmas window displays and pavement decoration too

Some of the delightful Christmas decorations on sale 
- look at Mr & Mrs Fox!  I was sorely tempted...




In Norway just about every foodstuff has a special 'Christmas edition' 
- even the humble milk carton celebrates this special time of year


Kevin and troll friend

Ålesund's steep and winding cobbled streets make for interesting walking








After a very snowy 3.5-hour bus ride, we were welcomed to Marion and Erik's beautiful home which is perched on the hillside above the Tingvoll Fjord. All around are snow-capped mountains and the garden is regularly visited by small roe deer and a surprising variety of hardy little birds. 


Our temporary home in Norway


Our breakfast view each day



Marion and Erik happily take responsibility for helping out the local wildlife during the harshness of winter, leaving balls of fat and seeds for the birds, hay for the deer, and fish-heads and other tidbits for a feral cat with the thickest coat I've ever seen. Do you recall that Pepé le Pew cartoon where he floats out of a clothes dryer, a gigantic ball of fluff? That's what this cat looks like, except he's a ginger tom. I didn't manage to get a photo of him but below are two similarly hirsute examples, owned by a neighbour. The snow does not seem to bother them.


They breed 'em tough here in Norway!





Although there was a a reasonable amount of snow when we arrived, it was definitely on the wane after a couple of mild days. The next day dawned (10:00am!) with sunshine and a fairly balmy temperature of 0ºC. Christmas Eve - 'Julaften' - is the most significant celebratory day in Scandinavia, and involves some formalities including visiting the cemetery to place wreaths and candles at the tombstones of departed loved ones, followed by attendance at a Christmas service. Such a lovely tradition, and quite in keeping with the idea that Christmas is all about family. So many people participate in this tradition that even in a sleepy place like Tingvoll there are staff engaged to manage parking at the churchyard.

But, oh boy! Was it COLD at the cemetery... technically it was minus 2ºC (according to the car), but the wind chill factor must have made it closer to minus 10. We struggled to get our lanterns lit, three of us huddled striking match after match. I had five layers of clothing on including thermal long underwear and windproof layers and still I could feel the arctic blast of that wind!


Tingvoll Church - over 800 years old


Marion and Erik pulled out all the stops for an intimate and delicious Julaften evening meal which included a very special bottle of akavit, which is Norway's own type of 'firewater'. I'm not usually a huge fan of spirits and have bravely forced down shots of akavit in the past, without much enjoyment, but this stuff was smooooooth! We had kicked off the evening with a bottle of very good French champagne, which Kevin and I had brought with us from the UK.

How lovely it was to enjoy a leisurely, formal meal with Marion's beautiful crystal, china and silverware. 


The table set for an elegant Christmas Eve dinner

Christmas tree harvested from the mountain above the village
and decorated with hand crocheted and knitted ornaments.

That very smooth bottle of akavit


Christmas Day walk up the mountain behind the house


Christmas Day was cold and bright. The four of us took a hike up the mountain behind the village - up there it had been -20ºC earlier that morning, but had dropped to a relatively mild -10ºC by the time we got there. My breath froze into crystals on the pashmina I had around my neck and the moisture in my nose froze too. We have experienced much colder temperatures in the past but it was a sensory delight to reacquaint ourselves with extreme cold in this way!

Then it was home for a quick freshen up and change into more formal attire to spend the afternoon with Erik's brother and his family, in their lovely farmhouse nearby. Another memorable meal and excellent company. By this stage we could feel our waistlines expanding - thank goodness for the daily jaunts over snowy terrain!

Just as we left Einar and Elin's home it started to snow. It snowed all night and kept snowing most of the next day. The result? A fairytale setting, worthy of any postcard.


View of the neighbour's house from the loungeroom window

Visiting the neighbours on Boxing Day


A spectacular winter sunset - viewed from the living room

On Boxing Day Kevin and Erik decided to attempt some snow-shoeing on the mountain behind the village - I say 'attempt' because the snow was so powdery and fresh, and there was so much of it, that they spent much of their time up to their waists in the stuff. Meanwhile Marion and I took a 2-hour walk around the neighbourhood, through forest and along empty roads. 


Kevin snow-shoeing with Erik - up to his waist in soft powder snow!
Photo by Kevin Joy

One of the cabins at the top of the mountain above the village
Photo by Kevin Joy


View over Tingvoll Fjord from the top of the mountain
Photo by Kevin Joy

Many of you will know how much I love the cold, and snow particularly. I have always dreamed of living in a place where there is regular snow, much as I know it can be a hindrance - though in super-organised, wealthy Norway it seldom causes any problems. Pavements in towns are heated to keep them ice-free, and streets are cleared by snow-ploughs like clockwork, often several times a day.

One of my strongest childhood memories is of a family trip to Jenolan Caves and the Blue Mountains. Snow was on the way but unfortunately we missed it by about an hour. All the same I have never forgotten the thrill of the cold and the strange hush that heralded the approaching weather. I've sought that feeling ever since.

There is something magical about snow. The deep silence as all sound is softly absorbed. The squeak and creak of fresh powder snow underfoot. The sparkle of snow in sunshine, like diamonds - over an entire hillside. The twinkle of lamps in windows. The miracle of snowfall itself - like shreds of tissue paper floating gently down. The low rumble of snow sliding off the roof once it gets too deep to stay aloft. The blue light.

All is made more beautiful by snow. Trees take on fluid, graceful forms in their white drapery. Water becomes ice, shining like crystal in dramatic shapes.


Icicles everywhere!

Glorious sunshine in a winter wonderland

The photos above were taken on Christmas Day - can you imagine a more perfect environment in which to celebrate the festive season?

On 28 December Marion and Erik hosted a brunch for about 20 neighbours - we all enjoyed preparing for the event and it was a lovely, relaxed occasion. 

And so, sadly, our stay with Marion and Erik came to an end after a week. There was a slight sour note to our last hours in Norway. Unfortunately, due to an incident at Gatwick Airport earlier in the day, our flight was delayed by more than four hours meaning that we ended up spending six hours at tiny Ålesund airport, with our flight finally leaving at 1:15 in the morning and we eventually arrived home in Epsom at 4.00am! 

What else was there to do but buy up at the duty free store?!


Filling in some time at the airport, and using up the last of our Norwegian cash 
- akavit, arctic crowberry liqueur, and Norway's national chocolate


Taken on the day we arrived at Marion & Erik's - before the big snowfall -
me in my natural element :-)

We feel so fortunate to have such wonderful and generous family - what a beautiful Christmas!

Best wishes to you all for a happy year in 2015.


Until next time,
- Maree  xo