Hever Castle

Henry VIII is by far my favourite monarch, and the stories of his six wives do fascinate me so when we were passing through Kent, I was keen to stop off at Hever Castle - childhood home to Ann Boleyn (wifey number 2 whose head rolled over adultery charges - literally) 

Run by Merlin entertainment - it has lost much of it's authenticity. As you know, I love love love a castle, a ruin or anything mildly historical. But Hever Castle itself lacks the grandeur and mystery of others I have visited. Apart from some truly stunning oak panelling, and a room that Henry slept (and probably shagged poor old Anne) in, there isn't much that set the actual castle apart. 

A Cheesy Quest in the West Country

As you are well aware, I like to have adventures. And one of my recent adventures was definitely a "cheesy" one.

In the car we got and off we drove to the West Country, which, despite the epic rain is gorgeous country - and home to Cheddar Gorge.  

Now, you may guess by the name, but Cheddar Gorge is in fact, home of Cheddar Cheese. Oh yes, that famous cheese, loved the world over, originates from a small, sleepy (and now rather touristy)  village in Somerset.

The village itself isn't just known for it's cheese- but also the famed Cheddar Gorge and Caves, which despite the adornment of a large Costa Coffee, felt to me more like Switzerland, with cobblestones, rushing waterfalls and rivers, and enough mountain goats on the hillside to make me burst into song a'la Sound of Music.