Wednesday 21st August
Drive towards London on the Great West Road and at Heathrow the planes are flying very low as they come in to land . Turn left to Osterley Park and you are a world away in an extensive park landscaped with lakes around the impressive Osterley House.
The original house was built in 1572 by Elizabeth I's financial adviser.
Robert Adam was commissioned to update it in the 1700s for the Childs family who were wealthy bankers. One of the four wings was removed to create the grand portico entrance. The house was not lived in but was used for corporate entertaining on a grand scale,

Adam's attention to detail in every room is illustrated in the Etruscan room where doors, painted walls, furniture, fireplaces, etc all match and are of the highest quality.

The cattle were unmoved by the low flying aeroplanes.

The gardens were lovely.

 

Tuesday 20th August
We could not have chosen a better day to visit Cliveden. The sun was shining but it was not too hot to walk which is essential to explore this place.
The gardens were immaculate.

The long terrace in front of the house faces south and affords long views over the garden, woods and farmland.

The building is enormous with the central room between the steps holding a display about Nancy Astor, who lived here and was elected as the first female MP 100 years ago.

We watched two red kites hunting and fighting over this area. They came very low on several occasions.

A steep path led us through the woods down to the Thames where there were cruises, motor and rowing boats for hire as well as passing barges and boats.

The footpath by the river was lovely though the climb back up to the grounds is a steep and long haul.

Our reward at the top was a view of the house and the top of the woods.

A wide formal path through the woods led us for over a mile to Wood Gate.

About 20 sculptures by Sir Anthony Caro added interest. We didn't succeed in guessing the name of a single sculpture.

We left Cliveden as it was closing and drove to Marlow where we saw several boats take to the water at the rowing club.

The weir is visible downstream from the 1832 bridge which is very narrow for today's traffic.