The Deer at Dyrham.‏

We'd passed the entrance loads of times, doing the 190 mile school run to and from Canford, but running late as usual never had time to stop. So when the rain finally eased and the sun appeared in October, we decided to check out Dyrham Park and took the familiar route down the A48 towards Bath.

Luck, as well as the sunshine, was with us. We'd arrived just as one of the National Trust Volunteer Rangers was leading a guided walk around the grounds. When we planned the visit we didn't realise how important the area was to the history of the world. The surrounding parkland was the site of a critical battle in 577AD between the Saxons and three British kings. The Saxons won, sending the Britons fleeing into Cornwall and Wales taking the Celtic language with them. If the Saxons had lost, we and the rest of the English speaking world would be talking Welsh. A meddwl ofnadwy!

The Saxons called the area 'Deor Hamm' or 'deer enclosure' and over time the name changed to Dyrham. A large herd of Fallow Deer still roam the parkland, and at this time of year the young bucks take part in fierce battles, barking out their challenges, to gain supremacy and the right to mate.

We watched for a while before making our way to the mansion at the centre of the estate. Built by William Blathwayt around the end of the 17th century, the buildings are impressive but it was the gardens that were once the highlight. Considered to be a wonder of the age, the splendid and elaborate Dutch-style water garden filled the entire valley behind the house. Unfortunately they proved too costly to maintain and were replaced by parkland in the early 1800s and if we hadn't had Johannes Kip's 1710 engraving, no one would know how fantastic they once were. 

Most of the house is closed to the public from mid October, but the kitchens were open. Inside, more volunteers were demonstrating how hot chocolate would once have been made. Chilli was the surprise ingredient, which didn't appeal to Keith or most of the schoolchildren on half-term that were tasting it. 

We'd worked up quite an appetite but didn't fancy eating in the crowded restaurant with hundreds of noisy kids. So walked back up to the car and drove to another place we'd passed on the school run and never been in; the Bathampton Mill pub. Like Dyrham Park, it turned out to be a real treat. We had a delightful meal sat looking over the rain swollen river and small weir, the arches of the little Bathampton bridge glimmering in the reflected sunshine. Being stuck in the UK isn't that bad on some (or should that be sunny?) days.