Christmas in the UK – Qantas and BA Business Class from Sydney via HKG
Jan 28, 2013, 1:56 am
#61
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Kent, UK
Programs: BA Gold, SPG Platinum, Marriott Platinum, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 3,809
After dodging a few waves we carried on towards the cottage. The cottage was reasonably easy to find although with no phone signal we couldn’t rely on trusty Google maps!
We arrived at the cottage and parked the car around the back. Initial impressions were extremely good, it was beautiful and exactly what we’d hoped for.
Rock Cottage dates back to the 19th century as was originally an out building for a local hotel. The cottage sleeps up to 6 people with three generous sized bedrooms, two bathrooms, two lounge areas, a huge kitchen and a large patio and garden area. There were also two log burning fires which were great for keeping warm.
Rock Cottage
The lounge
The snug in the dining area
The dining area
The kitchen
The master bedroom
The master bedroom
We spent a little while exploring (and deciding who would have which bedroom) before unpacking and then settling down by the fire. The owner, Eleanor had left us a welcome package which included some breakfast items such as eggs, bacon, bread and butter as well as a couple of beers and a bottle of wine which was very kind. There was also a really good welcome booklet with lots of information about the cottage and the local area. The cottage was very well equipped, from the plush linen in the bedrooms to the amazing kitchen and bathrooms and even better, there was Wi-Fi!
After unpacking we decided to go out for lunch. The local pub, the ‘Buddle Inn’ had been recommended to us. We found a table and then went to order some drinks from the bar. The service was pleasant and shortly after we ordered our food. This is where the problems began. The food was quite pricey for a pub and after all of the rave reviews (including TripAdvisor) we were expecting something pretty good. My friend’s had ordered the burgers, billed as ‘Isle of Wight burgers’, so we had expected homemade patties. Unfortunately, this couldn’t be further from the truth. What were served were two ‘Tesco value’ style rubber burgers that had probably been cooked from frozen and contained hardly any real meat at all. They were terrible. If you got that in a Weatherspoons in the UK for £4 you’d send it back. Having paid £12 my friends were shocked. We sent it back without much fuss but you did wonder what had possessed the kitchen to send out such rubbish. The rest of the food was ok, but not anything special and it certainly did not live up to boastful reviews on TripAdvisor. We finished up and then left, vowing never to return, which was a shame, as it was the pub local to the cottage. This experience was contrasted heavily to my friend’s local pub which I’ll talk about later in the report.
You know what? We pretty much didn’t do much at all for the rest of the day which was just perfect. I had bought a nice bottle of Champagne to celebrate my friend’s engagement and after that was consumed, we settled down for the night.
Dom Perignon 2003
The following day was New Year’s Eve. We’d all decided before going away that this was going to be a quiet one, for me especially as the past to NYE’s I’d been watching the fireworks in Sydney.
The evening was to consist of a nice home cooked meal after which we’d retire to the sitting room for some more drinks and board games. Very civilised.
We didn’t have any ingredients for the meal so it was up to myself and my friend to go up to Waitrose in East Cowes to collect supplies. We gladly took on the job of ‘hunter gatherer’ although this was met with scepticism from the ladies and a strongly worded note at the top of our shopping list reminding us not to overspend. Blah, blah
.
Off we went to Waitrose, which was about a 30 minute drive away to the North of the island. How I love Waitrose, all that wonderful produce to choose from! I wish that Waitrose existed in Sydney, I’d be in my element!
We collected supplies, spending only about £100 in total which would cover dinner plus all of the other meals that we had for the duration of our stay. Not bad shopping I don’t mind saying.
When we got back meal preparations were started. The kitchen team had decided to try to cook the steak that we had bought on a portable BBQ. I’ve no idea why to be honest. Being the token ‘Australian’ and therefore a BBQ expert of course, I simply stood back and let them get on with it, knowing full well that it was unlikely to succeed, however, I felt that it was preferable to all if my opinion was kept to myself
. I helped by laying the table instead.
The steaks ended up in the oven but it was all ok in the end and a good time was had by all. We retired to the sitting room and played Scrabble before watching the London fireworks and then going to bed. Very quiet indeed.
Preparing the steaks
The table
Steaks on the BBQ
The following morning beautiful sunshine was streaming through my bedroom window and after a lazy breakfast (and explaining to my confused friend why the clock on the TV was an hour slow, she was watching ITV+1
) we decided to head out for a walk down to the sea, south of the cottage.
We’d all packed walking boots as we had expected some mud, boy we were right, I almost slipped and fell in it too, which would have been amusing for my friends, not so much me.
We walked down towards St. Catherine’s Lighthouse, and the ocean which was not as rough as before but I’m sure just as cold. The lighthouse was sadly closed to visitors over the winter period so we couldn’t visit but that did not deter us from exploring further. We ended up at Watershoot Bay, not the most attractive as sadly there was a lot of rubbish that had been washed up on the beach.
Walking down the path next to the cottage
Wide open fields, and the sea!
St. Catherine’s Lighthouse
St. Catherine’s Lighthouse
Watershoot Bay, looking west towards the Needles
A stile, and some mud
We arrived at the cottage and parked the car around the back. Initial impressions were extremely good, it was beautiful and exactly what we’d hoped for.
Rock Cottage dates back to the 19th century as was originally an out building for a local hotel. The cottage sleeps up to 6 people with three generous sized bedrooms, two bathrooms, two lounge areas, a huge kitchen and a large patio and garden area. There were also two log burning fires which were great for keeping warm.
Rock Cottage
The lounge
The snug in the dining area
The dining area
The kitchen
The master bedroom
The master bedroom
We spent a little while exploring (and deciding who would have which bedroom) before unpacking and then settling down by the fire. The owner, Eleanor had left us a welcome package which included some breakfast items such as eggs, bacon, bread and butter as well as a couple of beers and a bottle of wine which was very kind. There was also a really good welcome booklet with lots of information about the cottage and the local area. The cottage was very well equipped, from the plush linen in the bedrooms to the amazing kitchen and bathrooms and even better, there was Wi-Fi!
After unpacking we decided to go out for lunch. The local pub, the ‘Buddle Inn’ had been recommended to us. We found a table and then went to order some drinks from the bar. The service was pleasant and shortly after we ordered our food. This is where the problems began. The food was quite pricey for a pub and after all of the rave reviews (including TripAdvisor) we were expecting something pretty good. My friend’s had ordered the burgers, billed as ‘Isle of Wight burgers’, so we had expected homemade patties. Unfortunately, this couldn’t be further from the truth. What were served were two ‘Tesco value’ style rubber burgers that had probably been cooked from frozen and contained hardly any real meat at all. They were terrible. If you got that in a Weatherspoons in the UK for £4 you’d send it back. Having paid £12 my friends were shocked. We sent it back without much fuss but you did wonder what had possessed the kitchen to send out such rubbish. The rest of the food was ok, but not anything special and it certainly did not live up to boastful reviews on TripAdvisor. We finished up and then left, vowing never to return, which was a shame, as it was the pub local to the cottage. This experience was contrasted heavily to my friend’s local pub which I’ll talk about later in the report.
You know what? We pretty much didn’t do much at all for the rest of the day which was just perfect. I had bought a nice bottle of Champagne to celebrate my friend’s engagement and after that was consumed, we settled down for the night.
Dom Perignon 2003
The following day was New Year’s Eve. We’d all decided before going away that this was going to be a quiet one, for me especially as the past to NYE’s I’d been watching the fireworks in Sydney.
The evening was to consist of a nice home cooked meal after which we’d retire to the sitting room for some more drinks and board games. Very civilised.
We didn’t have any ingredients for the meal so it was up to myself and my friend to go up to Waitrose in East Cowes to collect supplies. We gladly took on the job of ‘hunter gatherer’ although this was met with scepticism from the ladies and a strongly worded note at the top of our shopping list reminding us not to overspend. Blah, blah
.Off we went to Waitrose, which was about a 30 minute drive away to the North of the island. How I love Waitrose, all that wonderful produce to choose from! I wish that Waitrose existed in Sydney, I’d be in my element!
We collected supplies, spending only about £100 in total which would cover dinner plus all of the other meals that we had for the duration of our stay. Not bad shopping I don’t mind saying.
When we got back meal preparations were started. The kitchen team had decided to try to cook the steak that we had bought on a portable BBQ. I’ve no idea why to be honest. Being the token ‘Australian’ and therefore a BBQ expert of course, I simply stood back and let them get on with it, knowing full well that it was unlikely to succeed, however, I felt that it was preferable to all if my opinion was kept to myself
. I helped by laying the table instead. The steaks ended up in the oven but it was all ok in the end and a good time was had by all. We retired to the sitting room and played Scrabble before watching the London fireworks and then going to bed. Very quiet indeed.
Preparing the steaks
The table
Steaks on the BBQ
The following morning beautiful sunshine was streaming through my bedroom window and after a lazy breakfast (and explaining to my confused friend why the clock on the TV was an hour slow, she was watching ITV+1
) we decided to head out for a walk down to the sea, south of the cottage. We’d all packed walking boots as we had expected some mud, boy we were right, I almost slipped and fell in it too, which would have been amusing for my friends, not so much me.
We walked down towards St. Catherine’s Lighthouse, and the ocean which was not as rough as before but I’m sure just as cold. The lighthouse was sadly closed to visitors over the winter period so we couldn’t visit but that did not deter us from exploring further. We ended up at Watershoot Bay, not the most attractive as sadly there was a lot of rubbish that had been washed up on the beach.
Walking down the path next to the cottage
Wide open fields, and the sea!
St. Catherine’s Lighthouse
St. Catherine’s Lighthouse
Watershoot Bay, looking west towards the Needles
A stile, and some mud
Jan 28, 2013, 1:56 am
#62
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Kent, UK
Programs: BA Gold, SPG Platinum, Marriott Platinum, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 3,809
Watershoot Bay
Lapping at the stones
Looking east
Looking west
After a bit of frivolity involving wave avoidance, and me nearly breaking my ankle in the process we made our way back to the cottage for a spot of lunch. We were actually rather warm so decided, for 20 minutes at least, to eat outside in the sunshine. This didn’t last long and we were soon inside by the fire again!
The evening was spent doing not very much again before retiring to bed. The morning of our last day involved getting everything packed up again before leaving a note in the guest book to say thank for the wonderful time that we’d had at Rock Cottage.
We were booked onto a 4pm ferry but had decided to leave a bit earlier since we were all ready. The weather was rather dire but I suggested that we make the short detour to view the Needles, one of the Isle of Wight’s most famous natural land marks. A quick 60 seconds out of the car was all it needed and then we were off to Yarmouth to try our luck at getting an earlier ferry.
We arrived a good couple of hours before our allotted time and was unfortunately told that there was no chance that we would be able to move from our booked crossing. Oh well. Therefore, we headed into Yarmouth town centre for a spot of lunch.
Yarmouth is quite a small town but a pretty one and it was nice just wandering around. We had a coffee at a local pub before heading down to a café near the pier for something to eat. We also then ventured right to the end of the pier but with the weather as it was, there wasn’t much to see.
The Needles
Having a coffee
Yarmouth Pier
Ferry
Walking back along the pier
We boarded the ferry, and took up pretty much the same spot where we sat before. The crossing was pretty easy and in no time we were on our way back to Kent.
Now, as it was early evening, we needed to get something to eat so it was time to visit my favourite pub which was local to my friend’s house. I visited this pub in my previous trip report during the summer and I was therefore very much looking forward to it.
The Five Bells Inn at Brabourne is famous locally for it’s amazing rustic décor and fantastic menu. They only source produce locally with everything cooked fresh. We sat down and ordered food. After our poor experience earlier in the week I decided to go for the burger. I wish that I had taken a photo because the contrast was unbelievable. What was presented before me was a thick homemade patty with a fresh bread roll, salad and homemade onion relish. It was divine. And you know what? It cost £12, exactly the same as the lump of rubber served to my friends at the Buddle Inn.
These sorts of pubs are something that I sorely miss living in Australia. I have yet been able to find somewhere with the same level of charm, elegance and quality. It’s a shame.
After a lovely dinner it was time to head back to my friend’s place for a good night’s sleep as I’d be travelling to Oxford in the afternoon of the following day and then up to London.
Boarding the ferry
On board
Decorations at the Five Bells
Verdict on Rock Cottage
Where to start? Rock Cottage was amazing. It was everything that we could have hoped for, a good sized country cottage with a bit of history in the middle of a small village surrounded by beautiful countryside. The rooms were very well appointed with comfortable beds, luxurious linen and squeaky floor boards abound adding that extra charm. The kitchen and the bathrooms all oozed quality and the fires and the blankets made the place oh so very cosy. I would return in a flash and can more than recommend the cottage to everyone else!
Up Next
I finish up my time in Kent with a trip to a local winery followed by a quick dash to Oxford and then a few nights in London. A day trip to Edinburgh follows with a morning flight to Manchester before returning to Sydney via Hong Kong.
Jan 28, 2013, 6:00 am
#64
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2003
Programs: UA*Lifetime GS, Hyatt* Lifetime Globalist
Posts: 12,337
BTW, Matt! I just cannot get enough photos of English Breakfast you have been eating throughout of your trips at various locations.
Last edited by UA_Flyer; Jan 28, 2013 at 6:21 am
Jan 28, 2013, 9:46 am
#65
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: UK
Posts: 10,709
Thanks for another update.
I am slowly trying to read your excellent reports. At the moment, I am strugglying with tiredness and not doing so well in any area of my life. unfortunatly the first three months of a year are my most busy. However I shall make sure I read it all, maybe one sunday.
I am slowly trying to read your excellent reports. At the moment, I am strugglying with tiredness and not doing so well in any area of my life. unfortunatly the first three months of a year are my most busy. However I shall make sure I read it all, maybe one sunday.
Jan 28, 2013, 2:04 pm
#67
Join Date: Dec 2011
Posts: 113
Great trip report - nice balance of words and pics.
As others have said, your photos are fantastic - beautifully lit and nicely composed. I'm sure others have asked before - but what equipment are you using? Do you shoot with a tripod and flash a lot?
And what settings are you using to get some of those amazing low light indoor shots?
As others have said, your photos are fantastic - beautifully lit and nicely composed. I'm sure others have asked before - but what equipment are you using? Do you shoot with a tripod and flash a lot?
And what settings are you using to get some of those amazing low light indoor shots?
Jan 28, 2013, 4:34 pm
#68
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Kent, UK
Programs: BA Gold, SPG Platinum, Marriott Platinum, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 3,809
Take your time origin. There are a few to get through.
As others have said, your photos are fantastic - beautifully lit and nicely composed. I'm sure others have asked before - but what equipment are you using? Do you shoot with a tripod and flash a lot?
And what settings are you using to get some of those amazing low light indoor shots?
And what settings are you using to get some of those amazing low light indoor shots?
Jan 28, 2013, 8:24 pm
#70
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Kent, UK
Programs: BA Gold, SPG Platinum, Marriott Platinum, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 3,809
I love my 24-70mm f2.8, it's the best lens that I own, so versatile.
I use Lightroom 4 to do all of my post processing work. Normally I'll use a preset and then tweak it to fit the particular set of images. I'll then sync it over all of the images in the set and tweak them as needs be. Some images, like those at Freshwater Bay, I'll spend much longer on, adjusting each element as required.
I think that the fun with Lightroom is that it's completely non-destructive so you can try out different looks until you are happy with no fear of damaging the original.
I use Lightroom 4 to do all of my post processing work. Normally I'll use a preset and then tweak it to fit the particular set of images. I'll then sync it over all of the images in the set and tweak them as needs be. Some images, like those at Freshwater Bay, I'll spend much longer on, adjusting each element as required.
I think that the fun with Lightroom is that it's completely non-destructive so you can try out different looks until you are happy with no fear of damaging the original.
Jan 29, 2013, 8:06 am
#74
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Balham - Gateway to The South
Programs: BA Bronze
Posts: 2,020
I especially love the stormy seas, reminds me of when I always used to go to Rottingdean in January for my annual hols !
The sea is so much ore interesting when it gets whipped up by the wind
The sea is so much ore interesting when it gets whipped up by the wind