18th & 19th October for my Morgan MOT & Service Journey

It is the day of that annual event and journey that takes me back to South Buckinghamshire each year in preparation for the Friday short journey along to Station Garage Taplow (SGT), Berkshire, original home of our Morgan Roadster 100.

With bags packed and hood down, here is The Green Goddess sitting next to Big Brother (engine wise) ready to enjoy the autumn sun as we journey north along the byways and motorway between South Hampshire and Buckinghamshire.

My regular destination for the night is The Ethorpe Hotel in Gerrard's Cross. A Perfect B&B which is all i need for the few hours spent there.

Just time for a quick cup of coffee, scan of the newspaper and a few photos before I head off to Beaconsfield to meet my son. 

A Quiet Nook for those who happen to need one?

The Reception Hall

The ornate Staircase sort of dates the Hotel as do some of the photos around the walls of the corridors.

The main road  in Gerrard's Cross called Packhorse Road.

The lane which crosses The Common

Could this be a Cider Press?

Another view of the Hotel before it became shrouded with large trees

Playing the Gerrard's Cross Golf Course.

The local Fire Service, as was.

A road somewhere near to the station

The difficult junction when exiting the Hotel to turn right.

It is Friday and time for an early breakfast as I need to deliver the car for its service etc. 

It is another bright clear autumn day but that brings with it a damp morning and very wet Morgan to dry off.

My partly eaten, 'Part English' as I am unlikely to be having a normal lunch today.

I received an apology from the waiter who thought that I had already been served before. "No. You are younger than the chap who was here before you. Are you heading off to work?"

He was quite surprised when I said I was 74.

The damp car just waiting for my attention.

Dried Off, Hood Down and we are ready for the short drive along the country lanes in the Rush Hour traffic to Taplow.

I make a stop for two side screen shots across The Common in the morning mist.

I am now at the garage 'inspecting the plumbing' and taking the opportunity of their latest wall hangings.

My irresistible 'facilities' shot. 

Here we are waiting our turn as I leave for the station and a few hours in London.

The platform at Taplow and the recently electrified line into London

My train is next to arrive on this busy East - West Line.

 Here we are, and it is a nice new train.

I have arrived at Paddington Station and begin my short walk to Hyde Park.

The Regency Terraces around Sussex Gardens

The Garden has become a Triangle bordered by busy roads feeding into Central London

Just around the next corner is the tower of The Lancaster Hotel

I am now about to cross into Kensington Gardens on the opposite side of the Serpentine Lake. Ahead is Prince Albert's Italian Garden and Fountains.
The 1861 building was originally a Pump House.

The fountains look stunning today 

Now here is a sight that I did not expect in October - The Park's Rolls Royce Ice Cream sales are still in progress.

Feeling rejuvenated by the waiters comments I get in the queue for my 99 whipped cornet

The history of the car.

Just one of these gorgeous fountains

Peter Pan is still waiting for me to turn that corner.

One of the Serpentine barriers make a perfect perch.

It is Bath Time for the Pigeons.

There was a very noisy rumpus going on among the trees which required investigation. A flock of noisy Parakeets were being fed by this lady and her son.

The pigeon fraternity seem to be losing out to the parakeets. 

Neither seemed to have any fear of the other.

The son was not so sure.

The temporary cloud cover over The Serpentine Gallery was soon to clear.

There was a new exhibition here but I had other plans.

One of the long routes which cross the park, frequented by cyclists and skateboarders alike.

My first view of The Albert Memorial.

The sky is still watery under this unexpected cloud cover.

One of the Gated Ornamental Walks 

Stunning Statues surround the base of the monument.

And, Prince Albert just sits there musing in his golden glory.

Another of the Statue groups.

The whole memorial close up. Very popular with photographers.


One can almost guarantee to see something odd occurring while visiting London.

Here we have a group of Cycling Paramedics practising fast rides along the footpath and then leaping back onto the roadway? 
Much praise was given by those standing to those who did not fall off.

The Trainers Cycles.

The Royal Albert Hall - One day I will hopefully be here to see it without the dreaded scaffold.

My usual route to the museums is along the side of the hall and into the curved road called Kensington Gore

The statues at the Main Entrance to the hall. 

I will not be going that way today.

These apartments surrounding the Albert Hall are very grand by most standards. 

Here is one of the polished marble entrance halls.



Mansions would be the right description.

The beautiful curves must have given the builders something to think about. 
I wonder what shape the rooms are inside?

The older side of The Imperial College of Science & Technology

The Modern Facade of Imperial College just around the corner in Exhibition Row.

Ah. My Destination. 
The side door of The Victoria and Albert Museum.

The recently completed Sainsbury Gallery with the older wing in the background.

The even older front section of the museum.

A Modern Museum with Modern facilities as I head down to the basement level.

A Lonely Reception Desk way down below me.

Those Modern facilities that I mentioned.

Plenty of space with no users.

A novel hand washing & draining system, with automatic taps.

Heading back to the surface for a short walk to the cafe and some lunch.

New Plaster merges with Ancient Stone at the small gift shopping area.

Typically, without a map, I take the wrong direction which gives me the opportunity of this photo before crossing the courtyard and circumnavigating the water feature there.

My cafe destination is on the other side.

The cafe is so busy today that I take my lite lunch in the passageway among friends.

Crossing back across the courtyard, lunch over, I realise how many people are taking the opportunity of a seat in the warm sunshine here.

A Flower Sculpture, if you like such things

My route takes me through the massive gift shop where I noticed this unusual framed print for sale.

This giant glazed porcelain exhibit was not there during my last visit. 

It seemed to be attracting people with wondering stares just like mine?
It is a piece by Rachel Kneebone.

The upper level.

Make what you can of this close up of just two tiles.

Rachel Kneebone is a contemporary British artist whose complex porcelain sculptures comprise organic forms in a system of interaction that unravel the human experience. This presents one of her recent works, the monumental '399 Days', alongside masterpieces of the V&A's Medieval and Renaissance collection, highlighting the ongoing representation of mourning, ecstasy and vitality in figurative sculpture.

She creates porcelain sculptures that strive to represent the human body in all its complexity. She is concerned with what it means to inhabit a body, its physical limitations and cognitive possibilities. Inspired by themes of transformation and renewal, her complex sculptures are born of intense emotions. She expresses movement and fluidity in a medium usually associated with stillness and calm.

The rest of this sculpture hall.

A Wall Display of  Ceramic Plaques

Vandalism occurs even in here as someone has tried to get at this advertisement

After a short circuit of the ground floor exhibitions I decided to head back to Paddington using a different route across the park.

Sunlight and Shadows at the exit.

Through the Pillared Exit

A Stunning Blue Sky over Exhibition Way

Between the trees I spot The Shard and a little of The Millennium Wheel

A more open shot, only spoilt by the giant cranes, ever there .

A Good Bye to Prince Albert

Well Done to the  Park Gardeners who have provided this London Landscape of Insect Homes 

The Eastern Serpentine viewed from the Hyde Park Road Bridge - Can you see the tiny rowing boats and the famous Serpentine Cafe on the right?

The northern section with my planned route following along the right hand bank.

The Serpentine Sackler Gallery and Cafe. 

I pass on this one as there are only so many cups of coffee that one can drink in a day.

The Park Map with the Red ' You are Here' spot.

Henry Moore's 'The Arch' with Kensington Palace in the distance.

Kensington Palace seen here on full zoom. 

Another of The Park's random gazebos.

Back at the Italian Gardens fountains I can see the waterfall from this side.

John Thomas' sculpture.

It seems everyone is just enjoying the warm sun

Modern Cafe or Ancient Memorial Arch Seating?

Someone got the symmetry slightly wrong just here? 

Back on my new train to head back to Taplow. Now I can rest my weary feet for half an hour. 

I step off and the train leaves for its final destination at Reading

Line Electrification completed, they just need to rebuild this temporary footbridge over which I stagger back to collect the Morgan which passed its MOT well.

I am a whole hour early of the plan to collect my son from his office. I will use the opportunity to exercise my National Trust |Card and make a visit to Cliveden House & Gardens on the way.

Entering the Cliveden Estate I notice that they have built a posh new home for the Ticket Sellers. Much warmer than the nice Shed they had the use of before.

For our Low Slung Sports Car Owners, however, they have also built the highest and roughest Cobbled Sleeping Policeman that I have ever anywhere or had the misfortune to cross. I just crawled over at zero speed, just avoiding a nasty belly scrape.

The Green Goddess is nicely tucked away in the corner of the car park.

Even the Car Park Cafe has been give a nice new building.

A quick visit to the Japanese Water Garden before I go on my longer Garden Walk

Three Fountains where only one existed on my previous visit.

The view down the valley where the main drive runs along from the main gate.

The lakes have lost their muddy appearance. I wonder if the collection of Koi Carp are still in there.

The Japanese Gazebo on its little island in the lake. It used to be Red & Gold?

Walking back around the lake towards the car park I will be passing the recently replanted Cliveden Maze.  

The Maze entrance. Very tempting but I have never had the time to explore and risk getting lost in there.

A AH! Here is my Cliveden Nemesis. 

The infamous Hotel Gate Stop that caused so much bother when it hit the sump of my Morgan.

The Gate Stop as it used to be and surrounded by four pot holes.
Ours was not the only sump to receive its summary treatment. 

While I could obtain no acceptance of liability from the NT Insurers at the time, it is interesting to find that Cliveden have since resurfaced the whole 'pot holed' area and almost buried the gate stop. 
Now, Ferrari's and Roadsters can pass over it in safety.

The Old Regency Gate House, accessed from within the estate.

Moving on along my walk, I pass the car park again along the drive. 
I arrive at the end of The Grand Drive and the location of this magnificent fountain.

The Top of the Fountain Statue

At the far end of the drive is Cliveden House, now a very expensive hotel, but still partially open to visitors on selected days.

The House, on zoom. 
Cliveden used to hold two Car Rally's here along this drive, but like Waddesdon Manor, both have ceased to allow them.

However, I will arrive there later as I continue on to The Long Garden

At the gate I come across this large mystery 'MISREPRESENTED' placard. Something to investigate later.

The Long Garden, looking towards the west. 

Summer Flowers removed, the garden has been recently replanted for spring.

A Novel Garden Line Marker

When last here, this Topiary Tree was almost dead. It is amazing what the gardeners have been able to do for its recovery.

More of the Topiary and some of the many Statues.

The half way ornate seating area.

The wall garden is still in flower despite being well into Autumn. The road to Bourne End runs along the other side.

The same garden but looking East this time.

When sitting in this Ornate Porch, the view is down to the River Thames between the trees.

Another route back to the fountain on the drive.

Along the woodland path is the family's Pets Cemetery

Placed here 100 years ago

It is not long before the ornate Cliveden Clock Tower comes back into view.

Lots of Gilding and keeping perfect time with chimes on the hour and the quarters.

One of the many ornate Roof Hip Finials

I won't be using it, but this is a new footpath and gate with access to the House Terrace.

Looking back along the path the Italianate Gazebo and balcony almost hangs off the end of the Terrace 

If I was to carry on down the long hill I would eventually arrive at a line of steps leading on to the River Bank Path of The Thames.

I am so pleased that I took this walk because I can see that the whole of this terrace wall has been renovated and the gates, to what are fundamentally large sheds, have also been renovated and gilded. A £6m project, I understand.

https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/cliveden/features/the-chamber-of-secrets-at-cliveden-is-now-open

The stunning view of the House and Terrace.

High on the corners of the first floor terraces are these two renovated Putty.

The Sounding Chamber.

This central gate, set under the Grand Staircase leading to the terrace was never open during past visits. 

Now it is beautifully gilded. What can be inside? 

Cliveden’s a property with a history of powerful females. And, to commemorate the generations of women who have lived and visited here, they are hosting a year-long program in 2018 to celebrate their lives.

Throughout 2018, they are looking at four women who lived at Cliveden and comparing different accounts of them from their contemporaries, the press, and the history books. 

How did people of their time view them? 

What legacy have they left behind and how do we see them now with the benefit of hindsight? 

Have they been portrayed fairly, or have they – like so many others - been misrepresented? 

The women we're looking at from Cliveden's infamous past are;

•    Elizabeth Villers: The Royal Mistress: 1657 – 1733
•    Princess Augusta: The Scheming Princess 1719 - 1772
•    Harriet, Duchess of Sutherland : The Champagne Socialist 1806 – 1868
•    Nancy Astor: The Rattlesnake in the House 1879 - 1964

Inside is a previously hidden marble fireplace and freeze above.

The view through the gateway.

More of the beautiful renovations to the terrace wall.

I have now climbed the steps up to the terrace and admire the view over the Parterre Garden 

The Italianate Gazebo and Garden from terrace level.

The view along the Terrace Flowerpots.

I take a sneaky shot through the Dinning Room Window.

And again, a look into The Library Lounge

These Side Door steps and statues have also been renovated recently.

The Side Garden Floral Pattern.

Still plenty of colour for the Hotel Guests to enjoy.

Here is a second of these unusual placards?

Overhead, against the blue sky, one of the many Red Kites soars on a thermal.

One of the ornamental urns found along the pathways.

The Front of House, Hotel Car park.

A more cluttered view of Cliveden House

Autumn Sun through the West Wing Balustrade.

One of the two wings has undergone some window filling over the years.

At the end of The Orangery back wall is this ornate Dovecot. 

Around the other side, the Orangery has been converted into a coffee shop and Cliveden's main cafe.

Having circumnavigated the toilet block I notice this new undertaking down in the valley. 

In the past this area was just a mass of brambles. The derelict Generator House was under the brambles.

Some history of The Generator House.

It is now 5pm and time leave Cliveden and collect my son for the rush hour journey with me, back to the Hampshire Coast.

The visitors exit gate lies ahead.

Another change ahead. 

The One Way toothed rumble strip has been replaced by an automatic gate with yet another Gate Stop - Keep the Morgan well over to the left.

Frank