GREAT ESCAPE
FROM DUKES to DINOS AURS
Janette Sykes encounters a political titan and a pioneer palaeontologist at two of England’s foremost World Heritage Sites
A Magnificent Blenheim Palace
B Personal memories of Churchill’s life
C C&CC site outside Oxford makes a great base for exploring the surroundings
D Fascinating history at Lyme Museum
E The busy harbour at Lyme Regis
F Stroll on the beach and you could spot a few fossils!
G Janette’s dog Cara loves to travel, but prefers shorter journeys these days
H The ammonite connection – witty streetlamps in Lyme
I Mary Anning sold many of her finds to finance her work, and you can still buy fossils in Lyme today
Long-time caravanner Janette Sykes is a regular contributor
EVER SINCE READING John Fowles’ haunting novel The French Lieutenant’s Woman and watching the film starring Meryl Streep, I’ve had a secret hankering to visit Lyme Regis, on west Dorset’s internationally recognised Jurassic Coast.
Once my husband and I had decided that now would be the ideal time to explore this precious prehistoric landscape, part of England’s only natural UNESCO World Heritage Site, we began to plan our trip.
The holiday got off to a relaxing start for us and our dog, Cara (who is getting on in years and doesn’t cope well with mammoth car trips), as we had also decided to break the long journey from our home in the Peak District with a two-night stay at Oxford.
That way, we could visit another prominent entry on our bucket list – magnificent Blenheim Palace.
Our campsite was perfectly located in the suburbs of Oxford, just off the city’s ring road, so it was only a short drive back north on the A34 and A44 to reach Woodstock and Blenheim.