Wednesday 27 June 2018

England 2 - Belgium 2 : A Trip To Attingham Park


This time tomorrow we'll be up against one another when England take on Belgium in the World Cup but today we played nicely when we met up with our friends, Polyester Princess Ann and husband Jos, at the magnificent Attingham Park in Shropshire.


If you remembered that we visited Attingham Park for my birthday then you'd be doing better than me because I'd completely forgotten we'd been! Back in December I'd worn the maxi Ann had sent me from Belgium for my birthday, today the sender of the dress was able to come with me.

Read my previous post HERE.


What a difference six months makes. On our first visit we didn't spend long lingering in the grounds as it was bitterly cold and blowing a gale. This time the mercury was nudging 30 degrees (the hottest day in the UK this year) and we could take our time.


In full bloom the walled gardens were breathtakingly lovely.


With the scorchio temperatures it felt more like the South of France than sunny Shropshire.


Not a cloud in the sky.


Ann and Jos have been holidaying the UK for years so were fully aware of how rubbish our weather usually is. Ann had hardly worn any of the cold & wet weather clothing she'd packed and was thrilled to find this maxi in a charity shop yesterday.





After a stroll around the orchard we walked five miles around Attingham deer park.


Days like today that make you appreciate how very beautiful England can be.








After lunch in the Stable tea rooms we wandered around the Georgian opulence that is Attingham Park. 




I've shared the interior before but here's a few things that caught my eye. Ann and I were in raptures over some of the vintage clothes on display. That maxi dress!!!



After exploring the house we returned to the cafe for another drink (it's thirsty work, all this sightseeing!)




After a few farewell photos we said our goodbyes - until next year. Let's hope bloody Brexit doesn't put a spanner in the works and affect our European friends being able to visit the UK.




See you soon.

58 comments:

  1. What a lovely place to go for a wander. I love both your dress and Ann's beautiful maxi. What a score! (sorry) :) The gardens are absolutely stunning. I love the gorgeous lilies and was that a cardoon or an artichoke? Wonderful either way, their form is a delight. This weather at the moment is just perfect holiday weather after so many years of miserable summers. It is supposed to be really hot again tomorrow. Scorchio!! :) Xx

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    1. I'd recommended a town in Shropshire with loads of charity shops to Ann - we usually visit every six weeks or so - I'd have bought that dress if I'd seen it first!
      I think it was an artichoke but the veg and flowers were planted together so I could be wrong. The walled garden really was inspirational! xxx

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  2. Fabulous! What better way to spend a gorgeous day. xx

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    1. It was! So glad the weather played nicely for Ann & Jos after last year! xxx

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  3. What a fab. Day out. I just loved the gardens and it looked so hot! We are having frosts and hotties in bed at night. That was a treat to view. Thanks Viv.xxx

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    1. Glad you enjoyed it! it's hot here but not humid, perfect! xxx

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  4. That's so great you were all able to spend time together in a lovely place with great weather. How often does that happen?!

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    1. I know - it's almost unheard of here! xxx

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  5. All of you look faboo! I need to have a nice outing like that with some friends! But first... I gotta find some friends! Ha ha ha

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    1. Everyone loves you, Hollie! Get over here and play! xxx

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  6. It is so nice to live vicariously through you because you take such great photos. I hope Brexit doesn't hamper your exploits. The 9/11 issue has put a real damper on border crossings here and I miss the days when it was no hassle to drive over to Canada.

    I also wish we had as many cool places to visit as you -- that's why I love your posts!

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    1. I dread Brexit happening, I really do? I don't want to be trapped on a tiny island all alone! xxx

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  7. Wow, those are gorgeous gardens and vistas! I love both yours and Ann's maxi dresses - so perfect for a hot sunny day!

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  8. how nice to be able to enjoy outside in the summer. It's so humid and hot here, I nearly passed out walking home from work yesterday. And it's only 3 blocks! It's hard to imagine living in a house that's so amazing.

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    1. No humidity here - that makes all the difference, doesn't it? xxx

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  9. Attingham Park looks beautiful. It has ample place to go around sit and relax. Beautiful to see the pathway sided by flowers.
    Sounds that you are enjoying the summer!

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    1. Attingham was lovely in December but spellbinding last week!
      I live for sunny weather, it's making me so happy! xxx

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  10. you and ann look like summer goddesses in your beautiful maxi dresses and pretty sandals!!
    how wonderful that you were able to meet for another gorgeous day - the house & gardens look picture perfect glamorous and even the weather done its best!
    my skin turns green..... ;-D
    xxxxx

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    1. We wished you'd have been there! xxxx

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  11. What a beautiful way to spend a sunny day!
    Thank you for sharing this with us.
    xox

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  12. It’s been wonderful to meet Ann and Jos at last and how marvellous that this year they had good weather.
    You all look fabulous on your day out and we are looking forward to next year when we can do it all again xxx

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    1. It was such a pleasure to meet them , wasn't it? Where shall we go next year? xxx

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  13. What a lovely day! I love being amongst nature so I really loved these pics! Xxx

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  14. Such a lovely post Vix! You're right about England being beautiful and how we only seem to notice this on the three sunny days of the year! Have I told you that I love your frock? ...fab colours. Xx

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    1. Sunshine really does make everything more appealing, doesn't it? Even Walsall!!!
      I'd seen that dress a while ago on a friend's stall and left it - I was so relieved that she'd still got it at Moseley last weekend. Jon says I was insane not to grab it the first time! xxx

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  15. wowwww, so lovely that you could spend some time together and have fun visiting a wonderful place. Glad that you had a so sunny day to enjoy the gardens (lavender looks awesome!)
    And both of you look so fabulous in your maxi dresses, and watching at you make me feel so enthusiastic!! You Totally Rock!!
    besos

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    1. That lavender puts the straggly stuff in my garden to shame! It felt like Provence rather than rural Shropshire! xxx

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  16. The sunshine shows off this country at its best doesn't it? What a treat for Jos and Ann in particular. The gardens look heavenly, I would be quite happy strolling around them for hours (with a parasol and a bottle of water, I wilt in hot weather unlike you!). I thought the building looked vaguely familiar, I must be recalling it from your blog post, as I'm sure I've never been.xx

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    1. Attingham is gorgeous, you could spend hours there (and we did!) xxx

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  17. What a gorgeous spot for a blogger meet-up.

    Everyone looks happy and relaxed.

    I'm glad to see Jon looks completely healed.

    Suzanne
    http://www.suzannecarillo.com

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    1. I'm watching him like a hawk - every time he goes to do anything remotely physical I'm yelling "BELT!!!" at him. xxx

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  18. Wow, great weather for your day out. We've had the "wait 10 minutes" type of weather where it's sunny one minute and cold and rainy the next. Only time will tell with Brexit, it sure doesn't seem that the UK will be better for it though

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    1. That sounds like our usual summer weather, four seasons in one day! It's been gorgeous here and set to last for at least the next fortnight. I can't believe it! xxx

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  19. Does the hot weather give you flashbacks of Indian beaches? I'm glad you're able to swan about in sunshine. And what a group! Jos and Ann look like great fun to hang out with. My gardens are not quite that big, wait, I don't have a garden! Get me another drink!

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    1. It does! I should pack my bag for our next trip now - it's almost impossible to pack when there's snow on the ground! xxx

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  20. It is just amazing how different places look in different seasons! What a fab place to visit and all of you look so brown and healthy!

    I loved yours and Ann's outfits and your yellow sandals are beautiful.

    I can't believe we voted to leave; I'm still in shock and still bloody angry...

    Hope your week is going well
    xxx

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    1. The closer it gets the angrier I get over Brexit.
      Attingham looked so different in the sunshine, it took me a while to realise that we'd visited before! xxx

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  21. Beautiful! What a fab dress u are wearing. You look great, as/! Life is so good when it's shared with friends xx

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    1. It certainly is, Shelagh! Thank you. xxx

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  22. Both your dresses are amazing, as is the weather! x

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  23. you do look pretty, I love the green maxi. The grounds are beautiful.

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    1. Thanks, Betty! I saw that dress on a fellow vintage trader's rail a while ago, I haven't stopped thinking about it since. So glad it hadn't sold! xxx

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  24. Not a cloud in the sky...and what a beautiful day it was! Isn't it just perfect when nice weather correlates with sight-seeing? The area looks absolutely stunning. It looks like you and Jon had a great time with your Belgian friends. Ann looks gorgeous in that maxi dress, such a great find. Moreover, I bet she didn't regret not wearing those outfits she had packed in anticipation of bad weather. :)

    Isn't it interesting how an area changes when the weather is different. Visiting this place on a sunny day, as opposed to six months ago when you had your birthday, must have been wonderfully different. I think it's a benefit of living a country that has different seasons. I wouldn't want to live in a country where it is always summer or always winter, I find the alternation of seasons fun. One always has something to look forward to....and it is nice being able to have a diverse wardrobe and have both bikinis and coats in one's closet. Speaking of clothes, I love how you outfit seems to match the greenery of the area. You look wonderful in that green dress and that handbag is very pretty as well.

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    1. The sunshine makes a huge difference, it makes our dreary home town almost attractive so Attingham, which is already gorgeous, absolutely spectacular! xxx

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  25. What a fabulous day that was! Can't believe how lucky we've been with the weather too. Meeting you and Jon was one of the highlights of our holiday. We definitely must do this again next year. xxx

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    1. It was an absolute joy spending time with the pair of you, can't wait till next year! x

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  26. I missed this post - glad I spotted it in my feed, it's great to see the four of you having such fun together. And I'm glad the weather behaved nicely for Ann and Jos after they had a rainy time in the UK last year.

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    1. It was so nice that the weather played nicely for them. I've suggested Ann bring all the same cold weather clothes as she did this time to guarantee the sun! x

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  27. What a beautiful location for a stroll with a friend. Definitely looks much more inviting in the warm weather. You and Ann look like brilliant bunches of flowers!

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    1. Such a difference between Attingham in December and in June, I hardly recognised it! xxx

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  28. It looks like a fabulous day, we have been lucky with the weather recently.
    xx

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  29. My memory is certainly not better than yours, so I was glad you reminded about the previous visit! Serendipity - first, Ann's gifted dress, and then Ann herself! You look like old friends, really, who do know how to play nicely. It's always curious how English people call other countries European countries 'Europe' - I guess it really is in your country's mentality that England is not actually a part of Europe (language very much reflects our mentality, and we don't always even realize that). Attingham Park is gorgeous, and I do think that England is beautiful in any weather, but I also know how precious blue skies are in cloudy climate!

    Lots of love!

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    1. We felt like we'd known each other for years - blogging is wonderful for bringing like-minded women together, isn't it? xxx
      PS I'm terrified of Brexit! I love being part of Europe, I don't want to be stuck on a tiny island with a load of xenophobes!

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Lots of love, Vix