By 10.15 this morning eight of us had come together at Bargate to await the bus to take us to Bishops Waltham.   Waving bus passes we gleefully boarded the X10 which soon whisked us off to BW, via Bitterne and Durley, arriving there just before 11.00am.

It was decided to visit the Palace ruins first and struck out for the entrance I had used previously due to the nearest entrance being closed for repair work only to find that the reverse situation had occurred so we had to trot back 100 yards or so.

Anyway, once inside the grounds we were suitably impressed by what had remained standing following 900 years or so since it was first built to accommodate the Bishops of Winchester.   It was truly amazing to think how tall and strong were the walls having been constructed mostly with flint stone.

Working our way around the site we saw the areas where the bakery and brew house had operated.  We moved on to what had been a church and crypt before coming to the Great Hall  remains.    Quite a lot of windows and walls were still standing and one could easily imagine how it may have looked back in the days when King Henry Vlll was a visitor and had been entertained there.

Time then for a shady rest as a relief from the hot sun before making our way back to the village/town(?) looking for refreshments.    It was still decorated for the Jubilee celebrations so there was a lot of patriotic colours to be seen in bunting across the Main Street, flower beds, other containers - of which there were many - and shop windows.   Even the ironmonger’s shop had a window full of washing up bowls in the National colours!    The knitters and crocheters  of the area had also been busy and many a lamppost and other street furniture had been given little woolly hats and other coverings: 
at least Totton had a few flags to celebrate. 
Walking to the top of the High Street we discovered a Tudor building which housed The Anvil cafe where we were welcomed and were found a table for 8 in the shade in the courtyard.    Orders were taken,  sustenance provided and consumed and we spent about an hour there chatting, laughing and reminiscing about days gone by - elder people do that, you know.   

Making our way back we had hoped to call into the “House of Magic” but found the emporium closed and so meandered towards the return bus stop.    We had a pretty cheerful bus driver and she drove at a cracking pace back to Southampton.   She only picked up two other passengers so having us 8 on board probably made the journey worthwhile.   We were back at Bargate by 3.30 pm and all agreed we’d had an informative and pleasant day.

Thanks to those who joined us and we hope to do something else soon.   If anyone has any ideas of an interesting destination accessible by bus we’re all ears to know and to try it out.   Wherever it is, good companionship is the ultimate mantra.

Chris & Ken