Heroes at Highclere Castle

My In-Laws gave me a family ticket to Heroes at Highclere as a birthday present.  I’d never been to Highclere Castle, but like many millions of people around the world, felt as though I knew it intimately … who didn’t love Downton Abbey?  With the centenary of the end of the First World War looming, Lord Carnarvon wanted Heroes of Highclere to be both a backdrop to remembrance and a support to those in the British military family who need help.The highlights of the day for us were the flying displays … the Red Arrows, Europe’s only airworthy B17 Flying Fortress and the de Havilland Nine Formation Team. Our tickets didn’t include entry to the Castle, but we plan on rectifying that at some point in the future.  Highclere Castle was due to close to the public after the Heroes weekend, in order for the filming of the Downton Abbey film to begin. Overall, we had an excellent day out.  My one major criticism was the on-site catering; there simply wasn’t enough to cope with demand.  Picnics were not allowed and there were just two pop-up/mobile catering stands.  Queueing time easily stretched to 30 minutes at peak times and staff were negligent in clearing the few tables that were available.  Now that I know just how near the visitors’ car park is to the entrance, any subsequent visit will include a spot of the British version of tailgating.