Hi there everyone 😀
After our morning exploring Byland Abbey and a quick pit stop in Helmsley it was time for the main event.
We were due at Castle Howard late afternoon for their annual Christmas event. This year’s theme was The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and we were all very excited.
Before heading for the castle we braved the throng for a wander round the gift shop in the courtyard, but it was very very busy so we wandered down to the marquee at the side of the castle to see what they had in there.
This was full of Wizard of Oz stuff and every kind of green Christmas decoration that you could imagine …
It wasn’t long before it was time to make our way to the main entrance where we received the warmest of welcomes.
We made our way up the grand staircase …
… to find Dorothy’s house, blown in by a whirling tornado, unceremoniously landed on top of the Wicked Witch of the East.
In Lady Georgiana’s bedroom we met the Good Witch of the North …
… who suggested the best way for us to find our way home was to follow the yellow brick road … which exactly what we did.
We met some friends along the way … the Scarecrow …
… the Tin Man …
… and the Lion …
They all joined us along our journey through Munchkin Land …
… and a meadow of powerful poppies that were aiming to send us all off to sleep …
In The Great Hall we could see the glistening towers of the Emerald City in the distance …
… and the most dazzling and grand Christmas tree of all …
In the library we could sense that we were very nearly at our destination as the room was flicking between a bright white …
… to the most emerald of greens …
In the Garden Hall we finally got to meet The Great Oz …
After meeting Oz it was into the Tapestry Drawing Room, where we were confronted by the evil eye of the Wicked Witch of the West … who was hell bent on getting revenge for her sister, the Wicked Witch of the East, who we’d last seen with her legs poking out from under Dorothy’s house …
We met her, and her flying monkeys … for real … in the music room …
In Winkie’s Workshop we saw our friends, the Tin Man and the Scarecrow, undergoing repairs following their run in with the witch …
… and then we got chance to wander the streets of streets of the Emerald City …
Finally … we got to meet Glinda, the Good Witch of the South …
… who helped us find our way back to Kansas … where home awaited …
It wasn’t quite time for home for us though. We were heading to the Plum and Partridge in Husthwaite for a nice meal … where things were looking very festive …
