Day 17: Winchester and Portsmouth
Diterbitake: 24.07.2023
Langganan Newsletter
Our day begins with rain, so we have to be very logistical to keep everything as dry as possible and to keep the car clean and dry. René usually stands outside under the awning, operating the kettle and toaster, while I prepare everything for breakfast. After that, the kids are banished to the tent upstairs and we pack up the car again. This involves moving the back seat several times, storing the food cushions and the 4 suitcases, placing the blankets and pillows on top, and then sorting the rest of the items in a Tetris-like manner. Then the child seat, which is parked on the driver's seat, is placed back in its position and the passenger seat is moved back in the direction of travel. Now we just have to fold up the roof tent and we are ready to go. We are well rehearsed, so we can go through the process in 60 to 90 minutes.
And in the rain, you can't use the ground, so you have to be very systematic.
We leave Oxford and arrive in Winchester around 11 o'clock. The small town was the capital of England in the 10th and early 11th centuries, and before that it was the capital of the Anglo-Saxon Kingdom of Wessex. We choose a parking lot in the city center and start our tour. The first thing on the agenda is a visit to the Cathedral. We consider whether to save the £25 entrance fee and just enjoy the view from the outside, but we're only here once. So we visit the church from 1079. It combines architectural styles from the 11th to the 16th centuries and resembles the other cathedrals we visit on our tour. We see the grave of Jane Austen, who died nearby at the age of 37 and was buried here. There is also an exhibition on the scientific analysis of artifacts and tombs, which is very interesting. There are 6 coffins on a wall near the altar, containing 1 queen and 5 bishops. They were recovered and examined, the bones were analyzed using DNA, scans, and measurement techniques. Afterwards, the bones were placed back in the coffins on the wall. Videos and the results can be seen.
There is also the opportunity to create your stained glass window using virtual technology, which is projected onto a glass wall. A library with 9000 works, some from the 16th century, is also on display. Using PC technology, you can browse through individual books. Overall, the visit is worthwhile. Now time is running out, we pay for 2 hours of parking and want to explore more of the city. Then our path leads along the Bishop's Seat, next to which are the ruins of the old Bishop's Seat. We look at the remains of the castle and can imagine the extent of its size. Then we stroll along the river and the old buildings with their beautiful gardens. Finally, we end up at the town hall.
We have tickets for the Marine Museum in Portsmouth at 2 o'clock. So we immediately start our journey. The Marine Museum consists of several parts, and today we start with 1 to 2 areas and continue the tour tomorrow. We start with the Explosion Museum of Naval Firepower. Everything there revolves around ammunition, from gunpowder to the latest technology. The kids like it and it's a detailed exhibition. There are many interactive offers and a lot of information. There is also an exhibition on the night hunters, who hunted large warships with small speedboats at night, which is extensively described. Since we still have time, we drive another 10 minutes further south to the Submarine Museum. There is the HMS Alliance, a submarine that was built in 1945. It was used in the Pacific against the Japanese. Employees give us an insight into the use of the boat and how the technology worked. We look through the periscope and René tries out a cabin. It is impressive how 60 men worked in such a small space. There is also the Holland I, the first British submarine from 1901. It only has the technology and torpedo tubes, as cabins were not yet developed at that time, as only short distances were submerged. Finally, we take a look at the visitor center with lots of information about submarine history.
It is half past 4 when we sit back in the car, but the remaining journey to the campsite is quickly done. We are in a secluded part north of Portsmouth. It is quiet and very green. Unfortunately, it starts raining again when we arrive. But we make the best of it.
And in the rain, you can't use the ground, so you have to be very systematic.
We leave Oxford and arrive in Winchester around 11 o'clock. The small town was the capital of England in the 10th and early 11th centuries, and before that it was the capital of the Anglo-Saxon Kingdom of Wessex. We choose a parking lot in the city center and start our tour. The first thing on the agenda is a visit to the Cathedral. We consider whether to save the £25 entrance fee and just enjoy the view from the outside, but we're only here once. So we visit the church from 1079. It combines architectural styles from the 11th to the 16th centuries and resembles the other cathedrals we visit on our tour. We see the grave of Jane Austen, who died nearby at the age of 37 and was buried here. There is also an exhibition on the scientific analysis of artifacts and tombs, which is very interesting. There are 6 coffins on a wall near the altar, containing 1 queen and 5 bishops. They were recovered and examined, the bones were analyzed using DNA, scans, and measurement techniques. Afterwards, the bones were placed back in the coffins on the wall. Videos and the results can be seen.
There is also the opportunity to create your stained glass window using virtual technology, which is projected onto a glass wall. A library with 9000 works, some from the 16th century, is also on display. Using PC technology, you can browse through individual books. Overall, the visit is worthwhile. Now time is running out, we pay for 2 hours of parking and want to explore more of the city. Then our path leads along the Bishop's Seat, next to which are the ruins of the old Bishop's Seat. We look at the remains of the castle and can imagine the extent of its size. Then we stroll along the river and the old buildings with their beautiful gardens. Finally, we end up at the town hall.
We have tickets for the Marine Museum in Portsmouth at 2 o'clock. So we immediately start our journey. The Marine Museum consists of several parts, and today we start with 1 to 2 areas and continue the tour tomorrow. We start with the Explosion Museum of Naval Firepower. Everything there revolves around ammunition, from gunpowder to the latest technology. The kids like it and it's a detailed exhibition. There are many interactive offers and a lot of information. There is also an exhibition on the night hunters, who hunted large warships with small speedboats at night, which is extensively described. Since we still have time, we drive another 10 minutes further south to the Submarine Museum. There is the HMS Alliance, a submarine that was built in 1945. It was used in the Pacific against the Japanese. Employees give us an insight into the use of the boat and how the technology worked. We look through the periscope and René tries out a cabin. It is impressive how 60 men worked in such a small space. There is also the Holland I, the first British submarine from 1901. It only has the technology and torpedo tubes, as cabins were not yet developed at that time, as only short distances were submerged. Finally, we take a look at the visitor center with lots of information about submarine history.
It is half past 4 when we sit back in the car, but the remaining journey to the campsite is quickly done. We are in a secluded part north of Portsmouth. It is quiet and very green. Unfortunately, it starts raining again when we arrive. But we make the best of it.
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