Mary Queen of Scots

The tour took us to a well, where a young girl is said to have met her fate and continues to lurk around looking for her mother. Then we went to the requisite dungeon and were told tales of bones left to rot on the shackles attached to walls. Lastly, we were taken to the very bedroom where my friends and I were to sleep for the night and there we learned that not only had Mary Queen of Scots stayed there while she was exiled in England, but that the last servant of the house had in fact killed himself there. Immediately after hearing this, everyone bid us goodnight and the six crazies got into our sleeping bags and tried to go get some peaceful sleep. For the most part we did. Only one of our party actually thought she saw a ghost in the night. I was so tired and cold that even if I had seen one, I probably would’ve yelled at it that I was sleeping and gone back to my dreams. In the morning we had a nice breakfast, courtesy of our Lord and Lady and then we packed our bags, returned the sleeping bags and air mattresses and headed off for Robin Hood’s home, Sherwood Forest.

Another few hours ride later and we arrive in the forest of the famed hero… only, it’s not really a forest nowadays. It is more so a large swath of open space. In fact the word “forest” literally means only “King’s hunting land” and it is only through the eventual evolution of language that we now associate the word with the current day idea of tree-lined areas. There we have an archery contest. Six rounds of three arrows each. I managed somehow to win the first place, having shot 116 out of 180, where the average score was about 70 points. I really enjoy archery, I believe I might find a club here and continue to improve upon whatever skills I might possess in that sport. Finally we leave Sherwood and head back into London, concluding the weekend. Returning back into the city we are dropped off at the International Student House (ISH) and I get onto my tube line and go home. Thus ends the journey to York. And my blog for the night. Stay tuned for next time when our heroine (me, in case you were confused) goes off in search of adventure to the Roman city of Bath and the ancient mysterious site of Stonehenge.