Category: On home turf

Hampton Court Palace… it’s one of those places you’re sure you must have visited as a child with your family, but which, as an adult, you feel like you should still revisit. Which is exactly what I did, one hot August weekend. We cycled all the way from Hackney (which is a good 30km ride) and I couldn’t have been happier to finally lock up, pay the (rather steep) entrance fee and find a shady spot in the picturesque grounds to hoover up the picnic we’d brought. Rehydrated and refueled, a couple of hours of leisurely exploring ensued; we couldn’t have picked a better day for it. The gardens were blooming, there were cygnets on the ponds, and the palace itself provided a cool and calming oasis from the heat and bustle of the grounds. I’m an absolute sucker for a stately home or castle, even more so if the grounds are as impressive. Despite feeling somewhat short-changed by the entry price, it was, of course, worth it (it always is).