Air Miles

 

 Pre-pandemic, Mister E and I never quite counted the Emirates' air-miles accumulated from travelling to and from New Zealand on two occasions. Indeed, we assumed that having failed to book any further flights they would have lapsed but a couple of months ago received emails suggesting we had only a limited time left to make a booking with them. Use them or lose them, was the moral of the tale.

Of course, that sparked some interest, quickly turning to disappointment when we discovered that when it comes to rewards the equivalent of twice around the world even in business class doesn't stretch to a free flight to the nearest town (not that there are any airports but you appreciate my drift). Truth be told malaise set in and they would probably have disappeared without trace until Mister E discovered that they could be exchanged for hotel nights in the UK.

Hence, courtesy of air miles, we have now had two nights away to coincide with Mister E's birthday. Better still we have another night coming up, with enough left over for a motorway travel lodge; you can't say we don't enjoy the high-life!

We spent our first night in Stamford, as I mentioned in my last post, and the second in the delightful village of Exton in Rutland, undertaking a grand tour of Northamptonshire (Mister E's childhood county) in between. The towns and villages we visited were splendid with many buildings dating back to the 1500's, some thatched and all constructed in limestone. In many ways it was reminiscent of the Cotswolds but without the number of tourists. Mind Mister E insisted we see all the sights, clearly failing to comprehend my inability to enthuse wildly every time, not least when he showed me the lane where his family used to park the car so he could sail at a former gravel pit! Actually the lake now looks very picturesque, the lane less so.

Capturing the sobriety of our country's present mood, it was intriguing to learn the story behind the Eleanor Cross at Geddington. Queen Eleanor died in 1290 in Harby in Nottinghamshire, whereupon the King, Edward I, travelled 200 miles in a funeral procession bringing her body back to Westminster Abbey in London. The journey took 12 days and at each overnight resting place Edward commanded the construction of an elaborate monument topped with a stone-cross. 3 remain to this day including the one in Geddington, minus the cross. We thought it was stunning with Mister E even conceding that it was more impressive than a parking place.

 One of the 12 crosses was erected in Stamford and although it has not survived, a modern spire has been erected in its place decorated with carved roses in the same style as those known to have embellished the original. 

 Unable to escape the theme of death and royalty for long, we made a brief stop in Fotheringhay to visit the site of the castle where not only was Richard III born but Mary Queen of Scots was imprisoned and then beheaded.

Is retirement making me ghoulish? 

Maybe, because what then caught my imagination in Exton was another tale of love and death where Exton Hall lays claim to ownership of the Misteltoe Bough, the story of the new bride who, whilst playing a game of hide and seek after her wedding breakfast, trapped herself inside a chest which then sadly became her coffin.

Thankfully we paused awhile in Sherwood Forest on our way home. Nature the great healer and aid to recovery, where conservation work is being undertaken to preserve the forest and the plant and animal life that is dependent upon the wooded environment. And yes, I did have my photo taken in front of the Major Oak although even my imagination couldn't quite conjure up a depiction of myself as Maid Marion waiting under its broad canopy for Robin Hood and his band of merry men to come along. I mean, at best, it would have been little more than a sapling in their day.