My Castle Tour of England - Day 3

FIVE castles on Day 2!!! I was pretty tired after that day. Day 3 I cut it back to just three castles; Leeds, Rochester and Upnor. I had plans to meet up with a good buddy of mine. He and I went thru pilot training together and he was flying F-15C out of Lakenheath AB, so I had somewhat of a schedule to keep.

Breakfast was again awesome and the folks at the New Flying Horse Inn were so great that I didn't want to leave, but history was calling me. I had been told that Leeds Castle was something amazing and that I wouldn't be disappointed. Everyone was right, it was amazing and I could've easily spent the entire day there just wandering the grounds and soaking it all in. Rochester was just amazing at how the walls still stood, but the interior was gone, just gone. And at Upnor I had no idea that there were several of these river fortifications and that they served a purpose for centuries. Again, the history geek in me was jumping up and down.

Well, on to the pics!


Leeds Castle

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com/​photos/wafp/7273043966​/

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com/​photos/wafp/7273136406​/

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com/​photos/wafp/7273155040​/

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com/​photos/wafp/7273311432​/

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com/​photos/wafp/7273342036​/

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com/​photos/wafp/7287173008​/

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com/​photos/wafp/7287229804​/

...continued

Upnor Castle

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com/​photos/wafp/7289236860​/

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com/​photos/wafp/7289312966​/

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com/​photos/wafp/7289351346​/

very nice Trent, in the first group I liked 1,3,4,5 and 6 best.

I've just caught up with your day 2 and day 3 threads. Some more excellent images there, the ones of Rochester particularly bringing back memories for me. I spent quite a bit of time there in my reenactment days, camping and fighting in the grounds to entertain the public (and ourselves of course ).

The interior of Rochester keep was all wooden, and there was a fire which destroyed the floors and roof, but left the walls intact. I don't know when it happened, I'm not sure it is actually recorded with a date, but that is when the interior went from being rooms on several floors to one big empty void (well, two empty voids, as the centre stone wall still stands).

Looks like you made very good use of your time and got to visit a nice selection of castles, of various periods of history and design.

rick_reno wrote in post #14832658
very nice Trent, in the first group I liked 1,3,4,5 and 6 best.

Thanks Rick! I wish I had better light while at Leeds, but it gave me plenty of chances to work on my "manual" shooting skills.

sandpiper wrote in post #14832853
I've just caught up with your day 2 and day 3 threads. Some more excellent images there, the ones of Rochester particularly bringing back memories for me. I spent quite a bit of time there in my reenactment days, camping and fighting in the grounds to entertain the public (and ourselves of course ).

The interior of Rochester keep was all wooden, and there was a fire which destroyed the floors and roof, but left the walls intact. I don't know when it happened, I'm not sure it is actually recorded with a date, but that is when the interior went from being rooms on several floors to one big empty void (well, two empty voids, as the centre stone wall still stands).

Looks like you made very good use of your time and got to visit a nice selection of castles, of various periods of history and design.

Thanks! Rochester was great, even though I am terrified of heights, I loved walking around the castle in the really narrow passageways. I've said it before to those that live in and around these castles....I envy you