As our week in Wiltshire came to a close, we had to decide what to do with the last few days before I flew to France on April 16th. Fortunately, Brittany found Arundel.

It’s pronounced like Aaron Dell with the stress on the long A–or even Air’n’dl. Just not uh RUN dul, the way I pronounced it until we heard the locals. I mean, of course. Which would you pick? My version sounds like a car that won’t start. Aaron Dell sounds magical.

And it was, especially Arundel Castle.

This gate was right around the corner from our Airbnb. Unfortunately, it was not the entrance.

To find the current entrance, we walked half a block to the corner, then down the steep street and across against a steady flow of traffic, then down a bit more and around another corner, where about fifty yards further on, we saw the queue to get in.

Even more unfortunately, I didn’t realize the big gate near our lodging was an option as an exit. So although I was super close to it when I was ready to leave, I trekked all the way back to the entrance, up the block, around the corner, up the steep street–anyone else hearing Bears in the Night right now? All this after a day of wandering up and down and around the vast reaches of this castle.

Totally worth it. There’s a glorious garden and a library too huge and stunning to capture in a photo, but here’s a cozy corner.

Okay, and a bit more, because I can’t help myself.

What did I learn here? That it is absolutely okay to let someone else have a turn choosing a destination. That I should listen to those around me and be willing to be corrected. That I should keep climbing, no matter how many steps. The view will be worth it.

I’m still learning to look around before making decisions, hence the exit-gate miss. Sad to say, that is still very much in hindsight. I still haven’t told you about the most outrageous tunnel-vision moment. You’ll have to keep reading.

Wishing you interesting destinations, fun things to learn to pronounce, and vistas worth climbing to see,

Grace and peace to you, as always!