Leeds Royal Armouries visit

Last Friday my Dad and myself decided on a day trip to the Royal Armouries in Leeds. I had never visited before, which is surprising seeing how easy it is to get to from here and they have a regular Wargames show (Fiasco!) every year.

The building that houses the armouries is an impressive modern construction (I seem to always assume these collections are kept in castles or similar period buildings). Stepping through the door we were told to take a look at the Hall of Steel at the far end of the reception area. It didn't disappoint. Not only was it surrounded at its base with rows of cannons, mortars etc, but above us were a lofty arrangement of steel breastplates, swords, helmets and the like that gave the impression of stretching into the sky.

We decided to start at the top floor and gradually work our way down. It soon struck me that there was so much to see you could easily spend a full day here. Especially if you wanted to intersperse that time with one of many daily talks they have, or as we witnessed, a display of sword fighting in one of the halls.

My favourite part of the exhibition was the medieval section. I'm always intrigued by the craftsmanship that goes into suits of armour. Especially when they are so intricately decorated and engraved.

We dropped by the Waterloo display and I was immediately drawn to one of the two Siborne dioramas in existence. This was the smaller one apparently, but was nonetheless fantastic. Given the fact that it's over 100 years old it easily stands up to today's Wargaming standards. The figures are painted nicely and the foliage of bushes made with twisted wire and brushed fields is superb. We bumped into a museum assistant who was also an avid Wargamer, and he mentioned that each figure had been made by a silversmith and added that there was a rumour that the French Eagles on the flag tops were made from real gold.

In the same area they had on display Wellingtons telescope from Waterloo, and Napoleon's sword that was given to him by Tsar Alexander at Tilsit. As the assistant pointed out, it was the same sword that is mentioned in Tolstoy's 'War and Peace'.

If you haven't yet been, it really is a great day out. It's free to get in, the parking nearby in the multi-storey is not expensive and if you're going to combine it with the Fiasco! Wargames show it would be one to remember.