Date of trip: September 2005

Will and I took a trip to England and went on a tour called “In Search of King Arthur” with Backroads Touring. We invited my parents as they had never before been to Europe and we thought it would be a great introduction for them.

I should probably mention that King Arthur is not a historical but mythical figure, that is, he may not have even existed. The word arthur was actually not a name but a title in the old language so it’s hard to say if there was a real Arthur. Our tour ended up being more about the western countryside than about Camelot, but we did see a few places connected to the legend.

Highlights:

-Winchester Castle in Winchester is a must see on an Arthur themed tour as it’s Great Hall houses the famous Round Table. Even if there was a real King Arthur, there’s no way this could have been his table as it is not old enough and actually belonged to Henry VIII in it’s present form. Still, it is beautiful and a piece of history none the less.

-What would a trip to England be without a visit to Stonehenge? Will may say it’s just a pile of rocks, but it is a striking sight. The rocks are huge and it’s literally in the middle of nowhere. Dated 2800 B.C. it is likely the oldest man made structure I have ever seen.

-Visiting the portrait gallery in Montacute House, an Elizabethan manor in Somerset is surreal. How crazy it is to see portraits of Queen Elizabeth and Henry VII that they actually sat for? Very.

-There’s nothing like driving through Dartmoor to make you realize your not in the USA anymore. Looking out over the rolling green hills at the wild ponies and sheep grazing I was shocked when our guide told us the entire park was, by law, open to the public. As national property, it belongs to the country and the people have a right to every inch of it…no ropes, no fences, no “stay on the trail” signs. We even stood on a stone postbridge built in the 13th century…before America was even discovered.

-England has a “Riviera” on it’s western coast. Britons flock to the beaches and the boardwalk during the warmer months. Here’s something I found amazing: on the beaches are built little huts the size of a child’s playhouse. They are tiny…you could maybe fit a small table and two chairs inside. They are so coveted they can fetch upwards of $65,000 when they change hands! Can you imagine????!!

-The Swannery in Abbotsbury has been a sanctuary for hundreds of swans for over 600 years. I don’t think you’ll find a place where you can get closer to a swan but beware…they can be a bit snappy.

-Another must on our tour was Cornwall as it is the legendary birthplace of King Arthur. Tintagel Castle is the star attraction there, but I should point out that it was built in 1233 by the Earl of Cornwall, when Arthur was already a tale. It is likely that he wished to associate himself with the legend and there is no evidence to support the idea that Arthur himself lived there. Although the castle is only ruins at this point, you get a pretty good idea of how magnificent it must have been. Built high on a mountain it offers dramatic ocean views and there are several caves off the water…could one be Merlin’s Cave? A trip to Cornwall would not be complete without tasting a Cornish pasty. It’s sort of like a pot pie, but it’s folded over so you can actually hold it while you eat it. They come in many varieties including vegetarian!

-Though most people stop in Bath to shop at the high end retailers that line the street, it’s been famous for it’s hot springs for thousands of years. Today you can visit the ruins of a Roman bath temple there. It’s the best preserved site of it’s kind. It was a place of worship for the Romans, but also a kind of social center as bathing was a communal activity back then. Not quite a modern spa, but not that far off either. Don’t drink or touch the water in the pools as it is full of algae, but do stop in the restaurant near the exit for a glass of purified hot springs water which is free if you present your admission ticket.

So…..final thoughts. Was there an Arthur? I don’t think it really matters. Every country has their legends and fairy tales and they are just as much a part of our history as what we know as fact. Some say Arthur died after being wounded in a battle on Salisbury Plain and was carried away by barge. Some think he died and some think he still lives today, waiting patiently for the day Great Britain needs him to once again lead as their king. Maybe that is the case, but I don’t think Charles looks too worried do you?

For more pictures, please visit my Photo Gallery or click on any of the photos posted above.

South Western England Links:
Backroads Touring (our guides)
Winchester Castle Great Hall and Round Table
Stonehenge
Montacute House
Dartmoor National Park
English Riviera Official Site
The Abbotsbury Swannery
Tintagel Castle
The Roman Baths in Bath