Barnes, South London

This is very much a belated posting of Barnes, a place described as The Village on the River. Our friends have bought a house in this charming village so that their son can attend one of the independent schools that has consistently brilliant examination results. The result is that the houses located in the catchment area for this school command astronomical prices: £750,000 for a two bedroom terrace house. 

River Thames at Barnes on a grey October day

The Brown Dog pub - one of those gastro pubs

that so appeal to the middle class

Stourhead, Dorset

I lost my orientation during my travels and it took me a little while to find my way out of the woods. It is fitting that this blog is about Stourhead, one of England's finest 18-century landscape gardens. The landscape garden has been described as a living work of art where "all is grand or simple, or a beautiful mixture of both".

A magnificent lake is central to the design at Stourhead.

The lake's edge is adorned with classical templates, 

enchanting grottos and rare and exotic trees.

Stourhead House 

The Temple of Apollo

Shrouded in autumn mist