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The Griswolds go to Warwick Castle by AST Tour Member Nick Lloyd
This is a little tale about the spare day we had in Birmingham after the greatest Test Match in history (if you are a Pom anyway) finished a day early. A number of the tour decided to head off and have a hit of golf on the spare day, but half dozen of us decided to become "culture vultures" for the day. After consulting with a couple of learned gentleman name Mark and John MacDonald, it was recommended that we go and visit the esteemed Warwick Castle, so Mooch, Rob, Rod, Craig, Banger and myself thought that would be a good way to fill in some time.
What followed was something that was about as well planned as the Griswald's holiday to Wallyworld and left a few of us appreciating AST having the tour so well organised and thanking God that we weren't left to our own devices too often. After consulting with the receptionist at the motel she told us the easiest way to get there was to get to New St Station - about 10 minutes away on foot, so off we trekked. Well 50 minutes later after going up and down winding footpaths, via two other railway stations and through about 5 levels of the Bullring shopping centre we finally found the station. After buying our tickets we were told to go to a certain platform - what we hadn't been told was specifically which train to get on. We jumped on the first train that came along thinking it would take us to the Castle, alas it was not to be. In fact the train seemed so old I think that the conductor was shoveling coal into it to make it move, and at the speed of a slow melting glacier.
Eventually we got to a small town called Dorridge for another 10 minute stop - a joyous place to send any loving mother in law. Well, the train turned up 30 minutes later, but at least we were on the right train and heading off to see all the jousting and feeding of the vultures that the Mac brothers ensured us was a "must see".
Finally we arrived and we start doing all the touristy things - the odd photo here and there and so on. First stop was the dungeon - a one at a time stairway to the bottom and up again. Rob and myself decided we would go to the next building, and naturally the others would follow once they emerged from the dungeon. We took in religious artifacts, dining tables, suits of armor and read stories about various kings and queens, befopre it became apparent we had become separated. So out to the courtyard we go, hoping they might be there. No such luck so next move is to go up a heap of steps to the lookout. This old relic did have a use after all and 5 minutes later we spotted the lads! Reunited again, we headed off to find the jousting and the feeding of the birds of prey - the supposed highlights of Warwick Castle. Alas, we saw absolutely none of it! A few buxom wenches serving food and drink in various stalls was probably the highlight. We did see a few vultures, eagles and owls at rest in their cages, although one cage was vacant and the thought did hit me that maybe Mark and John were so enamored with the bird show they may have souvenired one!
Anyway, we managed to find our way back to the station after covering a fair bit of ground on foot and experience is a wonderful thing, as we actually got on the right train this time - it was even a modern conveyance. The train trip back was quick and easy and gave myself a chance to reflect on the day's events, and after being to Kryal Castle, Tower of London and even the blowup castle at the show I think the moral of the story should be - "If you've been to one castle you've been to em all!"
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Nick Lloyd with Hoggy
The train pulls up to New St Station
Dorridge - a great place to leave your mother in law
What a relief! - our first view of Warwick Castle
Mark and John Mac celebrate finding their way back to the hotel bar after the excursion to Warwick Castle |
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