Close enough, unless she's a subscriber 😬👍

You did indeed make it interesting. Close enough...they both begin with Ash...!

@@Poliss95 lol

We need T-shirts that say "I survived walking down the Haunted Stairs" hahaha

When push comes to shove, I'd grip the bannister tightly 😉

Me too!

@@Poliss95 The Haunted Gates 👻

Thanks so much! I'm still jealous of Bev's music matching skills... but I'm doing my level best ;-)

It is both gorgeous and SO historic! A really special place. I hope you get a chance to visit... and if it's in the summer, let me know. We can meet up with you in nearby Winchcombe for a meal!

What I lack in history aptitude I make up for in my flowery language ;-) Cheers!

Exactly! I love walking around old places and imagining the people who walked there centuries ago!

Aye, they do a fabulous job of arranging the gardens to highlight the beauty of the architecture. I agree!

Anita, you are too kind! So glad you enjoyed my little "documentary" ;-) That much historical research was very difficult for me, but knowing that some history buffs enjoy it makes it all worthwhile! I agree that we continue to have monsters today, who only care about their own wealth and status, and many people suffer on their climb to power. The point of history is for us to LEARN from it. I hope we do!

Thank you so much for watching and taking time to comment! I really appreciate it! Cheers! Dara

Yes, the green grass of the garden was so lovely... would be a nice place for a picnic! Certainly amazing views to enjoy whilst eating 😍

Hi Alisha! So good to hear from you! I haven't seen any videos from you lately... have you been focused on other projects? Thanks for watching and commenting. Can you tell from this video why I love the Cotswolds so much? My favourite place on the planet! I hope you can visit someday! Let me know if you plan a trip to England ;-)

Thanks so much!!! I had to tell the story about the courageous maid.. and loved that the King had just come from Cheltenham and I got to fit in a clip of the pump room that I filmed there, haha! You know how satisfying that is from an editing standpoint ;-)

@@MagentaOtterTravels Absolutely!

Thank you so much! I worked very hard on this video, so I’m so glad to hear people enjoyed the historical stories.❤️ Cheers! XX Dara

Peter!!! I was just looking at my photos from Symonds Yat yesterday and wondering how you are doing! Happy New Year! That is a fascinating fact about Giles Gilbert Scott. Thanks for sharing! I love that members of the MOT know so much stuff ;-) Cheers! XX Dara

You and Ian need to come stay with us and go here! And Gloucester Cathedral! Both places are gorgeous and so historic.... and both within 20 minutes from our home ; -)

I agree, the sculptures in the Garden Ruins are so creative and beautiful. Very artistic and inspiring!

Oh, how fun! Glad I could share a few juicy stories that were relevant👍

Thanks so much! I really tried to make the history interesting... even for history dummies like me ;-)

There has obviously been a LOT of drama in the British royal family... for centuries!

Thanks, I do love the queen in her magenta dress. Though some subscribers have said I need to chop off her head to make it more realistic. No thanks!

I went for the "People magazine cover story" kind of history lesson ;-) Let me know if I succeed in keeping your interest!

@@MagentaOtterTravels success! great stories there.

So sweet of you to say! Thank you very much for watching and commenting. Cheers! XX Dara

Us too!!

You can, it's on Airbnb

@@wencireone what???? that just made my day! how cool would that be to stay there?

@@StephenandAndie save your pennies

Did I make them juicy and interesting? I loved your spooky castle video from Norfolk. It is still one of my very favourite videos you've done. Because I loved the stories in it!

Thanks for visiting

Super artistic landscape architects and brilliant gardeners!!

@@MagentaOtterTravels I was wondering how many people are working in the gardens?

Wow, that is high praise! Thank you so much!! It makes the dozens of hours doing historical research and editing all worth it :-) Cheers! XX Dara

I have been to Blenheim, but not since having my KZfaq channel. We visited during the last of the Queen's Jubilees... and it was lovely seeing the patriotic decorations in Woodstock adjacent to the palace. I have a very fun photo of my son skipping around in the expansive gardens of Blenheim... it's one of my favourite photos of him! How lovely to hear the story about the tree! I hope it continues to live on for centuries! Thanks for your comment! Cheers! XX Dara

Yay! Thanks for the sweet comment. I definitely thought of you when I was doing all that history research about the monarchs and writing the script for this video... especially about QE1! I agree, I'd love to be back at Sudeley too... especially on a perfect July day like that!

Definitely wait till a pretty day like the one when we visited! I like sharing the voices of British people I encounter because I get tired of hearing my own dang voice!!! Hey, where should we meet up this summer for a collab video? Remind me what county you live in?

@@MagentaOtterTravels we live in the UK. We never put ourselves in front of the camera, we always try to show the place to it’s best advantage. Keep safe 🙏👍

I think many Americans are not familiar with this castle. Because it is not part of the National Trust or English Heritage network, and not in a popular location like London, it doesn't get the same volume of foreign tourists. But yes, it has absolutely fascinating stories!!! One I didn't mention is that the current owner is an American woman from Kentucky who was swept off her feet by a dashing British aristocrat who was sole heir to the castle. They married and had a happy life and two small children, and then he tragically died from a heart attack at age 40! She has tried to keep the castle open, profitable, and in the family for future generations.

Lucky you! I love seeing white peacocks! I've only seen them in England, and when their tails are open they look like a big lace doily -- just gorgeous! We only saw the white peacocks in cages this time.. no tail display, I'm afraid!

THANK YOU THANK YOU!!! Mostly for saying that the stories were interesting and you enjoyed the video. But also for explaining bull and bear baiting. What a grizzly form of amusement! Sounds AWFUL!

It is a place I highly recommend visiting! And yeah, this pandemic is not ending as quickly as we all had hoped 😣

Oh come on... Cam would be in Winchcombe having a pint at the White Hart. We would be standing in St Mary's in awe of being so close to a former Queen of England. ;-) Thanks for watching, Theresa!

@@MagentaOtterTravels LOL TRUTH!!!

Aye, did you notice there was a pearl necklace covering where I sewed her head back on? It was a lovely day when we visited Sudeley. I hope you get to take a trip there some pretty summer's day! Cheers, Tony! XX Dara

Aye, I agree! They aren't always about travel for us. We have ornaments from our wedding, our children's births, graduations, etc. And of course ornaments from when we kayaked with OTTERS and went to see PUFFINS on an island in Scotland... and a few hedgehog ornaments as well ;-)

That's the idea... I'm re-living all the beautiful sunny summer days in the middle of a dreary, cold winter! haha I agree that bear baiting was horribly cruel! Yes, the story of the owners is also fascinating... I just didn't have time to fit it into this video that was already so long! She is an American from Kentucky that married a dashing British aristocrat with this amazing family home... and tragically he died of a massive heart attack when he was only 40!!! She has tried her best to keep the estate in the family for future generations. But it's definitely challenging!

Looking forward to meeting you in person when you come visit the Cotswolds this summer!💕

@@MagentaOtterTravels excited!!!

Cheers!

We think alike ;-)

You guys make me laugh my head off! Which I suppose is preferable to losing it the way most of Henry 8's wives did...

Why thank you very much, Gerry! I am in love with Sudeley. Which is what motivated me to survive a rather painful week of video editing, LOL! It is a fabulous place, and I was trying to do it justice ;-) Cheers! XX Dara

Thanks so much for saying that. I do think we are incredibly spoilt... or blessed, depending on your perspective. It is a privilege to be able to spend months researching all the places we want to go and then actually being able to visit them. Since we weren't working over the summer (except "working" on KZfaq!!), we had the flexibility to run around and film on all the pretty sunny days. On the grey or rainy days, I stayed in the flat and edited! I hope you get to visit a few of the fun places we show in our vlogs. Cheers! XX Dara

You would love it! I am sorry you missed the Elephants there, though!

These koi are not coy 🤣

@@MagentaOtterTravels oh I would have loved that 🐘

Don't fancy those haunted stairs!!.😳

The grounds are stunning 🤩

Are my sons spoilt OR WHAT?!?!

Thanks for your kind words! Funny thing, this video was released 2 hours ago and it is ranking 9 out of my last 10 in views!!! KZfaq makes no sense sometimes. I did more to promote this one, and I felt like it was getting a lot of views... but each one of my videos gets a slower start than the one before! Aargh! Guess I'm gonna have to film and publish a video that will be more clickbait... just to get more views next time and make me feel better! LOL

@@MagentaOtterTravels we’re having the SAME thing happen to us!!!!

@@FlourEggsYeast so frustrating 😩

I'm grateful to live less than 20 minutes from this lovely castle, but if we lived far away, I would def want to stay in that gatehouse!

Well, normally I am not happy to hear of people's addictions... but YAY! So grateful to have you as a member of the Magenta Otter Tribe, and THANK YOU for your interest in our channel! We had lovely holidays with our family and are grateful to have stayed healthy through them. My son didn't get Omicron until he got back home to Utah ;-) Thanks again for watching and commenting! Cheers! XX Dara

I'm glad it could bring back memories for you like it did for us! Thanks for watching. Now you'll have to tell me if YOU think Richard III was a monster...

@@MagentaOtterTravels Yes & poor George III gets far worse press then he deserves!

Thanks for your comment! I do hope that I inspire Britons and other Anglophiles to visit some of the wonderful places we have seen! And as for the dissolution of the monasteries, I agree. It was motivated by politics and GREED ... since the spoils of these fine buildings then went "to the Crown". But so sad to see the buildings that were destroyed in the process. Have you seen my Gloucester Cathedral video? I'm glad that Cathedral survived! Gorgeous ones like Tintern were not so lucky... Gloucester: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/fcymoM6ZttXbmGw.html Tintern: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/e7mbZLl4rKqwcpc.html

Oh? Did you notice any magenta flowers in my video? Hahahahaha ... I'm so predictable!

@@MagentaOtterTravels but we all love you, so we all love the magenta flowers too 💜💜💜

Oh I'm so glad to hear! Thanks for warning and taking the time to comment! If you've not been to Belas Knap, I recommend watching my video of that as well. Cheers! Dara

Thanks so much! It is a place with amazing historical links!! One day I hope to visit Bedfordshire... and try a Clanger!

@@MagentaOtterTravels 😀. You must visit - but not too sure about the Clangers!! 😀

@@NBNatureTrailvan Now I’m curious! Are you not a fan of Clangers?

@@MagentaOtterTravels I’m not sure anyone is here 😀😀😀

@@NBNatureTrailvan well, now I consider it a challenge to go to the county and find the most delicious clanger 😂😂

It was so delightful meeting that “Essex girl“😀

Yes, quite the shiny shimmery rainbow!!

Tell me if you learn anything new!

@@MagentaOtterTravels I learnt that you're good at your 'job' 👏 as it was all new to me

Thanks so much (as always) for your very kind comment, RW! I was trying to channel my inner Lucy Worsley and do a more documentary style with this video... a bit more difficult for me than just vlogging about magenta flowers and cheese, but I felt it HAD to be done. Sudeley deserved such a video!❤ Cheers! XX Dara

Ah yes, YT does funny things with comments! Thanks so much 🥰

I know, isn’t that sad!? But I guess the human females make up for it by being very colourful! Yours truly in the Magenta hue 💗 And yes, I had many hours of history homework in preparing this video. But I felt like I had to do justice to the amazing stories tied to Sudeley. Thank you so much for watching and commenting!

@@MagentaOtterTravels Hi Dara, yourself and Ian make such fascinating vlogs....or is it blogs? Never really sure! Couldn't help being an MOT member! Btw you don't have to tell me about human females, my ex-wife used to dye her hair all sorts of colours, sometimes single colours, more often multicolour! It got to the stage, if I was on just a day run, I'd leave in the morning and she'd be blonde, I'd come home at night and she'd look like she'd been on a gay pride march!!! It's a wonder I didn't end up schizophrenic!! I must tell you a funny story at this point, I've worn my hair very long most of my life, and once the ex-wife and one of her friends decided to give me dreadlocks, arriving at work next morning, the boss, who never, ever turned a hair whatever I looked like said, "old Frank (forgot his name)s regular driver, (also called Nick), is having a couple of days off, I've promised him a driver who can drive a semi-crash box, so your it!! Semi-crash gearboxes are very difficult, no synchromesh on the gears, so unless the engine revs are exactly right it will never change gear. When I arrived at his yard I thought poor old Frank was going to have a heart-attack, his face went through at least four colour changes. I swear he thought my boss was pranking him. I grabbed the delivery notes, jumped in the truck and took-off before he could change his mind, as I changed cleanly up the the gears, I looked in the mirror, and he was stood outside his office with his bottom jaw about level with his belt-buckle.

Oh yes, I think you are right about Dogwood. They are lovely trees! I sincerely hope that you can visit us in England one day and get to see Sudeley in person yourself!

Oh, that’s really interesting! So fun! I really enjoyed visiting the village of Blockley, where they film Father Brown. Watch this space, as I will eventually get that video published! It’s a really fun one, in which I get to interview “the village idiot“. Of course, that was his term, not mine! Lol

Let us know if you plan a trip there in the summer... maybe we can meet up! It really is such a delightful place to visit. I love how they have used the gardens and landscaping to showcase the stunning ruins and gorgeous church! Cheers! XX Dara

I have upcoming garden videos where we took a friend and she filmed us. But for this video, I bought a tripod! I didn't set a timer... I just deleted a lot of excess footage, LOL! Thanks for your lovely compliment, Bobby! Editing this video was a huge labour of love that required hours of historical research. I felt like I was writing 7 history term papers, haha! Painful, but I was very happy when the video was done.

Yep, pretty epic!

Isn't that cruel and crazy?!?!

Yes, big home, and big showoff! haha

What a wonderful legacy! It is so steeped in history, and both a beautiful and interesting place to visit! 💕 Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment. Cheers! Dara

@@MagentaOtterTravels my pleasure. Thank you for allowing me a brief visit even if it was just in video.

@@wendytracey9737 my pleasure! Whereabouts do you live now?

North carolina

Good thing it was a QE1 topiary. They didn't want to make them of the first few of King Henry VIII's wives because people would think the topiary sheers went too far...

Aye, we always fly the drone from a distance away so we don't get in trouble. I tried to zoom in during the editing, but Ian wouldn't let me... he is always paranoid and thinks that someone will complain! We laughed at your chicken comment. Quite right!

@@MagentaOtterTravels maybe ask the tour guilds or other staff if it would be alright for Ian to use his drone next time you visit a castle or stately home. as you may get a yes. after all, a definite answer is better than not knowing.

I love the image of the world being overrun with ghost chickens. That would teach us meat eaters. Agree with you on the ghosts. As a pre-teen I was fascinated by hauntings and read every book on it that I could, but nowadays, I think that claims of the supernatural are more to goose up the notoriety of a place than anything else. I'm registered and licensed in the UK to operate a drone. My drone is under 500 grams so it has very few restrictions but when it comes to historic properties I'm pretty careful about where I fly. I don't fly over NT or English Heritage sites because their regs forbid it (Dunster was done before I was aware of that). What I do is research where the public footpaths are (which is what I did at Sudeley) and take off from there or a layby and then keep a good distance away from things. In cases where I fly over, close by, or from a property, I get permission. An example of that was Broadway Tower. They have posted "No drones" on the entrance gate. We really wanted to drone there so we asked, and they allowed us to do it early in the morning before most visitors were there. Fortunately, drones under 500 grams don't have the restrictions that larger drones do. They can fly over towns and villages which isn't possible with larger drones. BTW, I really like the public footpath system in the UK. You'd never see anything like that in Texas. It wouldn't work, too many people would end up shot. Do they have similar public footpaths in the Channel Islands?

@@ians3586 yes, we have lots of public footpaths. one of which is a coastal path that goes around the whole island. the only area I know you cant fly here is near the airport, for obvious reasons. I believe your British license would be valid here too, if you ever paid a visit.

@@jeanlongsden1696 Yes airports are the most important places to avoid when it comes to droning. My drone has software that prevents it from taking off in restricted areas (zones around airports or military bases). I would definitely like to see the Channel Islands. I've been interested in the Channel Islands ever since I read an article in National Geographic about them in the 70's that talked about them being a tax haven and a beautiful place for a holiday.

Yes, @Jean Longsden suggested I chop the head off the ornament to be more realistic. I decided to remember her back in the day when she was beautiful and happy and had her head attached!

I'm not surprised ;-) Haha

@@MagentaOtterTravels 😜

Thanks

Unfortunately we didn't. But I desperately want to go!! Fun fact: a couple years ago when I was trying to persuade my son to get married in an English Castle, I looked into the logistics and costs of weddings at Sudeley, Berkeley, and several other castles in the area. How cool to have a wedding in a beautiful place with such interesting links to history like both of those castles!

Dara and I have been to Berkeley Castle but it was many years ago. We also had lunch at the nearby Thornbury Castle but this was at least 20 years ago so we need to do another visit.

@@MagentaOtterTravels Oh yes, a venue like that can add to a wedding’s feel - we did a Cambridge College and it had that sort of effect.

@@ians3586 Berkeley is the one I know best there because its close to where my mums family were (Dursley) and it was my grandfather and my great uncles Home Guard guard station during part of the war, so they both talked about the castle which when you are five years old has a certain vibe to it…..

@@timfitzmaurice537 how lovely!💕

Thanks for your comment, Steve. Yes, I talked about that in my Gloucester Cathedral video... it was one of the few abbeys that was spared from H8's destruction!

The comparison with the cultural damage done by the Taliban is very apt. There are 3 people I wish I could erase from British history for the damage they've done to it - Henry VIII, Oliver Cromwell, and Hitler. Actually, I could probably add 20th century town planners to that list as well.

Hey up, Ian : 20th century town planners ? Bingo ! Ours is a God given world to possess and none to take away.

There's a lot of things that haven't improved over the years. For example they built much more beautiful buildings in previous eras. However, here's an example of how, fortunately these days, we are much more enlightened.

What a horrific form of entertainment! Just awful!

@@ians3586 yes, modern architecture is not that amazing and stunning!

@@MagentaOtterTravels yes, and these days there are still similar animal combats going on with dogs, roosters... 😭

There is a recent documentary on the castle... the family is having trouble keeping up with the expenses ;-)

Haha, I hear you. They can be kind of creepy! I much preferred the topiary version of QE1 that was out the Garden Ruins. THAT was absolutely lovely, along with the gardens in general.

Your dad is funny!

I'm glad you could hear Ian's whispering! I wasn't able to increase the volume enough in that part. I'm still trying to train my husband to talk loud enough on camera... I'm a natural loudmouth! Which is why I do that annoying whisper so much of the time when I'm narrating... subconsciously trying not to be a loud obnoxious American broad when I'm walking around these lovely civilised places! haha

Those were dangerous times indeed!

@@MagentaOtterTravels happy to live in 2022!

Women were property and marriage was often a political arrangement... especially for royals! The ones who married for love were very fortunate indeed! I think that is why I'm captivated by the story of Victoria.