12 Days of Christmas at The Vyne
I have been twice before to The Vyne, in 2023 and 2025. It was nice to revisit the property.
The house was an interesting mix of medieval cellars, Tudor palace, and a 17th century family home. Unlike on my first visit the first floor was closed as it was on my second visit in 2025.
Though not the official start of their Christmas season, they had already put up their decorations. They have gone for a Twelve Days of Christmas theme, which I thought was very clever.
The Vyne
A former Tudor powerhouse turned 17th century family home, set in gardens, woodlands, and wetlands.
Current saving £497.75
One adult £18.00
Parking n/a
Total saving £18.00
Cumulative saving £611.75
Membership cost £96
Net cumulative saving £515.75
I enjoyed walking around the house and the grounds. I stopped for a scone and a coffee.
The Vyne #365photos2026
Cooking a curry #365photos2026
Lungo #365photos2026
La Panza #365photos2026
Lunch #365photos2026
I’m going back to the future #365photos2026
A glass of white please #365photos2026
Orford Ness Landing Craft
Over on the Suffolk coast is Orford Ness. What was once a secret military base was sold to the National Trust back in 1993. It was a place I had wanted to visit for a while. I had sailed past Orford Ness as a child in the 1970s and 1980s, but had never visited there, well then it was a secret military base.
One of my memories was the landing craft that was stationed at Orford which was used to transport vehicles and supplies from the Orford quayside to Orford Ness. I remember as a child thinking how cool it would be to be driven onto the landline craft to cross the river. That was never going to happen, as it was a secret military base.
In September I made a trip to the Ness to explore. It didn’t surprise me too much but that landing craft was nowhere to be seen. It was forty odd years since I last saw it.
However, on one of the displays in one of the buildings on the Ness was a photograph of the Landing Craft. It was exactly as I remembered it.
Interestingly the real vessel is still working as a diver support ship.
I think that because I also had the Matchbox toy landing craft, it embedded that memory.
