<!-- wp:media-text {"mediaId":7929,"mediaLink":"https://pigyard.com/wordpress/aviator-hotel-frontsep23","mediaType":"image","mediaWidth":42} -->
<div class="wp-block-media-text is-stacked-on-mobile" style="grid-template-columns:42% auto"><figure class="wp-block-media-text__media"><img src="https://pigyard.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/aviator-hotel-frontSep23.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-7929 size-full"/></figure><div class="wp-block-media-text__content"><!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Content…"} -->
<p>Helène and I decided to spend some of the Bank Holiday weekend together in Northamptonshire. As usual we stayed at the <a href="https://www.aviatorhotel.co.uk/gallery" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Aviator Hotel Sywell</a>.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>On Sunday we met up with some of her friends in Bedfordshire. It was going to be a BBQ however the weather was against us so ate inside. We did manage a 2 hour walk before hand.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph --></div></div>
<!-- /wp:media-text -->

<!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>On the Bank Holiday Monday we met up with Gary and Caroline at <a href="https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/oxfordshire-buckinghamshire-berkshire/stowe-gardens" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Stowe Gardens</a> in Buckinghamshire. We had free passes to get into a National Trust property and Stowe was half way between where we were staying and where Gary and Caroline live.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>The weather looked ominous at times however we managed to find somewhere to eat our picnic lunch in the dry when it was raining.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:envira/envira-gallery {"galleryId":8554,"title":"Bank Holiday Excursions","columns":"0","row_height":150,"margins":"custom","lightbox_enabled":1,"lazyload_enabled":1,"isotope":1,"lightbox_theme":"base","images":[{"status":"active","src":"https://pigyard.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Stowe-Bucks4May24.jpg","title":"Stowe-Bucks4May24","link":"https://pigyard.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Stowe-Bucks4May24.jpg","alt":"","caption":"","thumb":"","id":8549,"height":134.21588594704684,"width":178.5},{"status":"active","src":"https://pigyard.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Stowe-Bucks3May24.jpg","title":"Stowe-Bucks3May24","link":"https://pigyard.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Stowe-Bucks3May24.jpg","alt":"","caption":"","thumb":"","id":8550,"height":134.21588594704684,"width":100.7},{"status":"active","src":"https://pigyard.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Stowe-Bucks2May24.jpg","title":"Stowe-Bucks2May24","link":"https://pigyard.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Stowe-Bucks2May24.jpg","alt":"","caption":"","thumb":"","id":8551,"height":134.21588594704684,"width":100.7},{"status":"active","src":"https://pigyard.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Stowe-schoolMay24.jpg","title":"Stowe-schoolMay24","link":"https://pigyard.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Stowe-schoolMay24.jpg","alt":"","caption":"","thumb":"","id":8552,"height":134.21588594704684,"width":178.5},{"status":"active","src":"https://pigyard.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Stowe-BucksMay24.jpg","title":"Stowe-BucksMay24","link":"https://pigyard.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Stowe-BucksMay24.jpg","alt":"","caption":"","thumb":"","id":8553,"height":134.21588594704684,"width":100.7}]} -->
<div class="wp-block-envira-envira-gallery">[envira-gallery id='8554']</div>
<!-- /wp:envira/envira-gallery -->

<!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>On Monday evening we had a delightful dinner with Helène's daughters at The Rose &amp; Crown in Yardley Hastings.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>We were not sure what to do on Tuesday but decided on breakfast at Beckworth's Emporium and a late lunch at the Navigation in Stoke Bruerne. After lunch we headed to Stoke Park Pavilions. I had lived within 10 miles for over 4o years but never visited this well kept secret.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>It is only open at certain times of the year and we arrived half an hour earlier than the designated time but a lady welcomed us and opened the gates for us. It was an amazing place - it seemed to generate a tranquility that you rarely find. It was helped by the fact that we were the only people there.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:envira/envira-gallery {"galleryId":8560,"title":"Bank Holiday Excursions","columns":"0","row_height":150,"margins":"custom","lightbox_enabled":1,"lazyload_enabled":1,"isotope":1,"lightbox_theme":"base","images":[{"status":"active","src":"https://pigyard.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/stoke-park-pavilion-heleneMay24.jpg","title":"stoke-park-pavilion-heleneMay24","link":"https://pigyard.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/stoke-park-pavilion-heleneMay24.jpg","alt":"","caption":"","thumb":"","id":8555,"height":152.19399538106236,"width":114.1},{"status":"active","src":"https://pigyard.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/stoke-park-pavilion4May24.jpg","title":"stoke-park-pavilion4May24","link":"https://pigyard.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/stoke-park-pavilion4May24.jpg","alt":"","caption":"","thumb":"","id":8556,"height":152.19399538106236,"width":114.1},{"status":"active","src":"https://pigyard.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/stoke-park-pavilion3May24.jpg","title":"stoke-park-pavilion3May24","link":"https://pigyard.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/stoke-park-pavilion3May24.jpg","alt":"","caption":"","thumb":"","id":8557,"height":152.19399538106236,"width":114.1},{"status":"active","src":"https://pigyard.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/stoke-park-pavilion2May24.jpg","title":"stoke-park-pavilion2May24","link":"https://pigyard.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/stoke-park-pavilion2May24.jpg","alt":"","caption":"","thumb":"","id":8558,"height":152.19399538106236,"width":114.1},{"status":"active","src":"https://pigyard.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/stoke-park-pavilion1May24.jpg","title":"stoke-park-pavilion1May24","link":"https://pigyard.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/stoke-park-pavilion1May24.jpg","alt":"","caption":"","thumb":"","id":8559,"height":152.19399538106236,"width":202.4}]} -->
<div class="wp-block-envira-envira-gallery">[envira-gallery id='8560']</div>
<!-- /wp:envira/envira-gallery -->