
What a fantastic weekend away, meeting up with the family at Rutland Water. We all had a lovely walk around part of the reservoir before heading off for a wonderful evening meal at The White House in Stretton, where, back in 1664, the pub game of Nurdling was apparently invented. The food was fabulous, and it was a great evening together.

We stayed in a lovely Airbnb in Cottesmore, which was perfectly situated for our plans. The following morning, we headed into Oakham, spending some time there before enjoying lunch at The Hungry Bird.

On the journey home, we took a detour to a place that brought back plenty of childhood memories. I spent a great deal of my younger years on a boat on the River Nene, and Fotheringhay was a regular place for us to moor up.

What I never realised at the time was just how much history surrounded this small village. Richard III was born there in 1452, while Mary, Queen of Scots, was imprisoned at Fotheringhay Castle before being executed there in 1587.

It’s funny how places from your childhood can take on a completely different meaning years later. What was once simply somewhere we moored the boat is now somewhere I can appreciate for its incredible place in British history.

What a fabulous weekend, full of interesting facts, beautiful places, great memories, and, most importantly, fantastic family time.
Richard
































