Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
boasts lions, tigers, giraffes, camels, monkeys, and other animals. Kids will enjoy this and
it can be fun, but it's a little incongruous considering the surroundings; skip it unless you
crave the novelty of seeing exotic animals in the English countryside.
Woburn Park, Bedfordshire, a half-mile southeast of the village of Woburn, 13 miles southwest of Bed-
ford.
&
01525/290333.
www.woburn.co.uk/abbey. Admission £13 adults, £11 seniors, £6.25 children
3-15; park only £3 adults, £2 seniors, £1 children. House mid-Apr- Oct daily 11am-5pm (last entry 4pm);
park daily 10am-4pm. If driving from London, take the M1 north to junction 12 or 13, where directions
are signposted. House closed Nov-early Apr. There is no public transportation directly to Woburn
Abbey, but the house is only a 15-minute taxi ride from Flitwick train station.
Where to Eat & Stay
The Black Horse
GASTROPUB Our favorite pub in Woburn opened in 1824
as a coaching inn, and it retains a dark, woodsy interior evocative of that era. It sits
behind a stucco-sheathed Georgian facade on the town's main street. Accompanying
the ales and a simple but selective wine list are cold cuts and cheese, with main
courses ranging from chargrilled steaks and sweet potato and roast vegetable cro-
quettes, to Woburn venison hotpot and a hearty sausage and mash. Most ingredients
are seasonal, and locally and ethically produced. Afternoon tea comes with fruit
scones, clotted cream, and homemade jam. Suffolk's Greene King IPA and Abbot Ale
are served on tap.
1 Bedford St., Woburn.
&
01525/290210.
www.blackhorsewoburn.co.uk. Main courses £11-£15. AE, MC,
V. Daily 11am-midnight.
Bugle Horn
PUB FARE This traditional country pub serves great homemade food
at reasonable prices. The Bugle began as a Georgian farmhouse, but became a wine
store for Hartwell House (see below) in the early 1800s and a pub soon afterward. The
menu features all the classics: Lancashire hotpot; chicken, leek, and ham pie; scampi
and chips; and beer-battered fish and chips. Seasonal and organic ingredients are used
where possible. It has an enticing garden for those warm summer afternoons, and
superb cask ales—Charles Wells Bombardier and Wadworth 6X among them.
Oxford Rd., Hartwell, Aylesbury.
&
01296/747594.
www.vintageinn.co.uk/thebuglehornhartwell. Main
courses £11-£15. Fixed-price menu £8. AE, MC, V. Daily 11am-midnight.
Hartwell House
This is one of England's great showcase country estates, just
2 miles southwest of Aylesbury on the A418. The mansion was built in landscaped
parkland in the 17th century for the Hampden and Lee families, ancestors of Robert
E. Lee, the Confederate general in the U.S. Civil War. Wander from the morning room
to the oak-paneled bar, pausing in the library where a former tenant, the exiled Louis
XVIII, signed the document returning him to the throne of France. Bedrooms are as
regal as the prices. The stellar guest rooms ooze with comfort, charm, and character,
and the
dining room,
which is equally pricey, features seasonal local farm produce and
exceptional traditional and contemporary English cuisine (main courses £22-£30).
Oxford Rd., Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire HP17 8NR. www.hartwell-house.com.
&
01296/747444.
33
units. £215-£500 double; £500-£700 suite. AE, MC, V. Free parking.
Amenities:
2 restaurants; bar;
exercise room; indoor heated pool; room service; spa; 2 outdoor tennis courts; laptop rental £20 for 24
hr.
In room:
A/C, TV, hair dryer, Wi-Fi (free).
Inn at Woburn
After visiting Woburn Abbey (see above), head to this Georgian
coaching inn for food and accommodation at the gates of the estate. Guests are
housed in one of several well-furnished and beautifully maintained rooms, while a
more modern block provides “executive bedrooms,” which don't have the charm of
5
