Hever Castle

Last week was a tough old week, to be fair, this week hasn't been without it's stresses either. Everywhere I look, I am surrounded by boxes and there are still more that need to be packed. I've given myself a week off from packing; it's not such a big deal, the chain is still not complete as the people at the top are having difficulty finding a property (I hope they find one soon though, I have children who need to get into new schools/colleges). I did get a number of new boxes packed last week though and after a busy time, I decided very last minute that yes, I would accompany the OH on his camping trip to Hever. This went down well with him, apart from the fact I'd left it so late in the day, that he'd already packed the car and then had to squeeze the big tent, and my mattress, in to an already full car.

Hever Castle, as most of you will know, I'm sure, is the childhood home of poor Anne Boleyn, who quite literally lost her head, poor girl (Henry VIII may have been a king, but a good husband, he was not). Nowadays, Hever is a tourist attraction, with various events going on throughout the year. Last weekend it was the Hever Castle Triathlon, and the OH was there to look after the participants during the open water swim in his kayak (or if I want to wind him up, his canoe - kayakers hate if you call their boat a canoe).

Hever Castle, Kent, United Kingdom

We left mid morning Friday. The weather forecast for most of the weekend was very wet and windy, and the OH wanted to get there and get the tent pitched before the heavens opened. Since he was part of the swim safety team and they required easy access to the water, the site manager kindly let us pitch next to the river, away from where the competitors would be camping.

Next we, well the OH, started getting unpacked and ready to pitch said tent. I offered help, and when eventually he took me up on it, we quickly realised that I was as much use as a chocolate teapot, in fact, I wasn't even that useful! All 5' of me seemed to be in the way wherever I was stood, which is actually quite impressive, and the strong gusts of winds weren't much help either. Anyway, he successfully managed, more or less single handed, to get the tent and car awning up and we could relax for the rest of the evening, in our tent by the river.

Now I must add, the OH didn't stop at this; he decided in his infinite wisdom, to put up the gazebo too, so that our plot resembled a mansion like camp in the midst of the all the camper vans and single person tents. Though when it rained on Friday night, everyone was very grateful he had put up the extra shelter, and gathered beneath to socialise before the hard work commenced on Saturday.

I got up around 6am, shortly before the boys and girls set off to paddle to the meeting point for the days work and the morning brief. It was still dark, but not too chilly, so I took advantage of the lack of queues at the showers, unless you count the two crane flies and moth with whom I shared my shower. They were less trouble than expected and did allow me to shower in peace, which is more than the girls did when they were little! My crane flies and moth just sat on the walls quietly, which given my fear of moths was a good thing because I'm not sure my screams at a flying moth would have gone down well with my fellow campers. Feeling quite proud of myself, I headed back to the tent and settled in to read before the OH returned around lunchtime. However, I sat down and promptly fell asleep before waking to glorious sunshine and a fabulous view (once I'd opened up the windows).

Saturday's shift over, the OH and I had something to eat and drink then set off to have a look around the Castle. We set out quite late in the day, so really only got a quick look, but I'd forgotten just how huge the grounds were. The Castle itself, is relatively small, but the grounds are absolutely huge. Since it was late, we didn't take up the challenge of the maze, but we did have a lovely walk around and the ducks seemed more than happy to pose for some photos.

These two weren't worried about the wet weather forecast

We crossed over the bridge and made our way over the small drawbridge through to the Castle Courtyard. Unfortunately, there was a large group of people loitering and ruining any chance of getting a decent photo (very inconsiderate, do they not realise some of us have a blog!). I'm fairly sure they were on a mission to try and photobomb all my attempts, as the leader of the group was loitering on the drawbridge when I tried to take the photo below, thankfully she moved so I acted quickly before the rest of her group followed her.

We enjoyed a leisurely walk and took a different route back to the campsite, via the swim venue. OMG how long is that swim course? Far too long for my liking, not to mention, I wouldn't fancy swimming in water that fish, ducks, swans and geese have peed and pooed in! Nope! Not for me at all, but there are plenty of people who do enjoy it and I am happy to sit back and cheer them on, they're far braver and fitter than I! Not that I did any cheering on this particular day, since the swims were all finished and the participants were off cycling or running elsewhere (also something I'm not really up for).

Now, we had seen the weather forecast so, in my infinite wisdom I had rushed out to buy suitable footwear and given how it hammered down Saturday evening and a lot of Sunday morning, I'm flipping glad I did! Once that rain came down, it came down. It was relentless, but thankfully, the tent stood up to the wind and the rain, which is always a bonus!

The OH had another early start on Sunday morning, and I shared yet another shower with two more crane flies (minus the moth). After little sleep, due to the hammering rain and driving winds overnight, the shower was very welcome and made me feel a little bit more human. Though not so human that I would consider doing a triathlon. I am somewhat in awe of these boys and girls. One look at the wind and rain and I would have packed up and gone home! This bunch of athletes, got themselves up and ready and were setting off, pushing their bikes to the start line of the challenges that lie ahead of them and they didn't look in the least bit miserable about it!

Even though it rained, and I admit, I really was quite chilly at times, I did enjoy my weekend. It was nice to not have to do anything at all. No routines, no housework, no cooking at certain times, or having to walk the dog in the rain (if you can get him out of the house that is, he's not keen on getting wet). It was just a weekend of relaxing, reading, taking in the view and spending time with the OH. That said, it was lovely to get home, see my girls and my dog, and sleep in my bed!

Oh, and just in case you were wondering, the boys and girls on the swim safety team had no emergencies, they did their job well, kept everyone safe and encouraged them round the course.

If you would like more information on Hever Castle or the triathlon please see below for useful links:

Castle Triathlon Series 2020 Bookings

Upcoming Events at Hever Castle