On a dismal Tuesday morning, the 10th of September, 19 people comprising 10 Rotarians and their partners drove to the National Trust site at Kingston Lacy en route to our ultimate destination at Corfe Castle. This magnificent home built by Sir John Bankes in the 1660’s and based on a Venetian palace is home to one of the National Trust’s most important art collections. Rubens, Titian and Sebastiano are among the great Western artists whose works decorate the walls. But Kingston Lacy is much more than a house and art collection. It is surrounded by a most picturesque park of 8,500 acres and has a deer park.
On departing Kingston Lacy we headed for our hotel, the wonderful Mortons Manor Hotel in the beautiful village of Corfe Castle (named after the impressive castle built by William the Conqueror and later occupied by Sir John Bankes who moved to Kingston Lacy when it was later destroyed by Oliver Cromwell).
Mortons Manor Hotel was a delight, a middle ages origin totally updated to meet todays demands and the author would have no hesitation in staying there again if visiting the area.
We enjoyed a private dining room where the food appeared to suit all our guests.
After breakfast on Wednesday we walked the short distance to Castle Corfe railway station to alight our train for the 20 minutes journey to Swanage. We were hauled by a 130 years old steam locomotive, a 4-4-0 T3 class locomotive number 563 which, after extensive restoration work, looked as impressive as the day it made it’s maiden journey. The clickety-clack of the old rail line and the smell of the smoke from the chuffing loco really brought back memories of decades earlier.
On arrival at Swanage station a walk to the quay gave a wonderful view of the paddle steamer, Waverley loading passengers for a Jurasic coast tour. PS Waverley is the last seagoing passenger-carrying paddle-steamer in the world. Built in 1946, she sailed between Scottish ports until 1973 and then spent several years sailing the north coast of Somerset and now operates passenger excursions around the British coast. Our boat however was a more modest tourist launch which took us on a cruise around Poole harbour, Europe’s largest natural harbour, offered a scenic backcloth in every direction.
On entry by impressive cliff formations, past Sandbanks with it’s windsurfers and kite boarders and Brownsea Island famous for it’s connection with Baden Powell who founded the Boy Scout movement we approached Poole Quay where several passengers hopped ashore to pick-up Cornish Pasties. On our return trip we passed a stretch of the coast claimed to be the most exclusive and highest priced housing in the country before entering Studland Bay with its wonderful rock formations.
On Thursday morning several members of the group climbed the steep hill to the castle ruins thereby witnessing some magnificent views of the Isle of Purbeck before departing for the National Trust site at Stourhead.
This is surely one of the most beautiful and photogenic parks in the country and it brought our short trip to a fitting climax.
