A large black dog’s spirit (no, not the liquor!) pervades Leeds Castle. Appearing as an omen of death, it is said to have once saved a woman’s life. Seated in a bay window, on seeing the ghost, she jumped away and immediately the wall and window collapsed into the moat. Whether true or not, YouTube has videos of the ‘ghost’!

Leeds Castle in England is open throughout the year and at a single payment of £18.50, is a must-visit wonderful day-camp spot. One can see black and white swans in the moats, and peacocks approach you fearlessly.
It was an old manorhouse built in 9th century, but the definitive history begins from 1119. Named after Led, Chief Minister of King Ethelbert IV, it is an unbelievably beautiful castle, with a heritage to match. Spread over 500 acres of beautiful parkland, it changed hands many times, becoming a royal palace in 1278. It fell into private hands in 1693 and the last owner, Lady Baillie, before her death in 1974, left it to the Leeds Castle Foundation, “to manage its affairs and to levy a fee for visitors and to allow public performances and Board meetings and conferences/seminars there, all on payment, in perpetuity”! So, it is kept as a living house, with bedrooms that regularly accommodate guests at weddings, conferences and banquets.
The Castle occupies three islands surrounded by an artificial lake. A Falconry Demonstration, the bedrooms, the aviary and the maze are free to see with the ticket. A par-33-2681-yard-9-hole golf course, the up-close Falconry Experience, personal Aviary keeping, ‘aping’ on trees and Segway-scooter riding are on additional payment.
The aviary is home to a few extraordinary birds and the maze is immensely interesting. In 1988, it was constructed with 2,400 yew trees to make 6’ tall and 1½’ wide hedge in concentric squares, till one manages to reach the mound on top. And then, one can see the shortest-cum-easiest route that one missed! The technique of solving a maze by keeping one hand on a wall while walking through fails, because not all ‘walls’ are connected; one gets lost at the last level; there, seeing a warden leading a couple, we walk behind and reach the mound. For the return, another warden tells us to go straight down the stairs to the grotto; we are out in less than five minutes!
It is 12.30 pm and we are hungry. The Falconry Demo is shifted to a single show at 2 pm. A quick decision on lunch first and we rush to the crowded Fairfax Restaurant. Sated, we reach the demo-site at 1.45 pm.
A young Army captain arrives by jeep. Starting exactly at 2 pm, he takes out a huge one-year owl named Bailey. He explains how its eyes are placed cock-eyed but it can see 270 degrees. Making children stand in three rows, he calls Bailey; it swoops down, almost touching their heads! He repeats it with children seated; then brings out an American peregrine named Fosters, which performs similar feats.
The grand finale is by another falcon. It flies at 180mph, perches on the tree indicated and comes whooshing down when ordered! The captain makes a little girl pull an imaginary wooden rabbit and run; the falcon swoops down and picks it up. It can neither leave it nor eat it, and when ordered, speeds into its cage.
The time is 2.20 pm, many rooms are closed, as the Castle is rented out for a show (just as for Cliff Richard, Elton John and Meatloaf before). Many films have been shot here too. At the gift shop, wine made from the grapes in the vineyard, besides postcards and typically regal British souvenirs are available. And before we know it, our time at Leeds Castle is over!

The writer is a travel enthusiast