Having a need to be in the Birmingham area we set off along the M40 and before long were driving through a winter wonderland of white, not from snow but from wind frost which entirely covered the vegetation. Knowing that there was a short detour which would take us through Aston Wood, we exited at Junction 5 and followed the A40 to Junction 6 stopping for a photo-shoot along the way.
Our first destination was Earlswood where there are some lakes that were made as a water source for the nearby canal. The lakes were completely frozen over, not thick enough to walk on but enough to make them beautiful in a monochromatic winter way. After a 5-mile walk around one of the lakes and the countryside nearby we set of for Hagley Hall.
Hagley Hall (think Hagley Park, Chch) is the family home of the Viscounts Lyttleton (think Lyttleton Harbour) as it was the 4th Lord Lyttleton who was involved in the settlement of Canterbury, NZ. Somewhere along the way a marriage brought the Cobham name to the family and it was the 10th Viscount, Lord Cobham who was Governor General of NZ from 1957 to 1961 (think Cobham Drive, Wellington). Because of the NZ connection we were warmly welcomed as we were taken on our private guided tour. (Given the bitterly cold day, I don't imagine there would have been a huge visitor turn out.)
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