A week in Bucks

Following on from our trip to Cambridge for the Lipodystrophy UK patients day (as mentioned in my blog about World Lipodystrophy Day), Cathy and I headed for Buckinghamshire for a week's holiday. We stayed in an Air BnB (first time we've done that) in the pretty village of Frieth. 

We chose Buckinghamshire because Shrewsbury were playing Wycombe on my Birthday Eve and I wanted to go to the game. We also had plans in the area for my birthday - but that merits its own blog post!

I'll admit I didn't realise Bucks was quite so rural. Literally a few hundred yards off a motorway or outside one of the towns and we were on winding country lanes surrounded by farms. I was taken aback by the seemingly massive population of red kites. They seemed to be floating and swooping around almost everywhere we went. In Hambleden there were warning signs about them in the dining area outside the Old Post Office. And I thought seagulls were bad...

I didn't get attacked by a red kites, but I did get my feet pecked by some chickens.

We visited some very pretty towns, like Marlow and Henley. High Wycombe was a bit more utilitarian, although we found some decent shops there. Marlow and Henley are both on the Thames with picturesque bridges and lots of bookshops and galleries. 

Another sign that Bucks is clearly quite a wealthy place was the cars. On the edge of one small village there was a Lamborghini dealership and we saw one parked up on the street in Henley. In Marlow, we got back to our car after eating out to find a McLaren road car parked opposite us. 

We visited Turville, which was the setting for the Vicar of Dibley and has also featured in several episodes of Midsomer Murders. On the hill above the village is the windmill that was the location of the Potts's family home in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. 

The Birthday Eve football was very one-way. With Wycombe in contention for promotion and Shrewsbury looking doomed to relegation, there could be an entire division between the two teams next season. The game ended 0-0, with a heroic defensive performance from Shrewsbury. Apparently Wycombe had 32 shots on goal, while Shrewsbury only managed two. It must have been very frustrating for the Wycombe fans but it was great fun for us in the away end, cheering every clearance. 

On our final day of the holiday we ventured outside Bucks, to the only wildlife park in Berkshire, Beale Park. We decided to have an 'animal encounter' and met Nev, the gorgeous Brazilian tapir. He's a big softy who likes having tummy rubs. 

It turns out that Nev is actually a fellow Cymro, as he was born at Folly Farm in Wales! Tapirs have natural waterproofing, which meant we ended up with oily fingers after petting Nev.

There were plenty of other animals as well and we also got to ride on a little train. It was a great day out and a lovely way to end our week's holiday.