• A socially-distanced visit to Hughenden Manor
    Buckinghamshire - days out

    A socially-distanced visit to Hughenden Manor

    September 13, 2020 - By 

    It’s been 9 months since our last visit to Hughenden. When it re-opened in June we found tickets were like gold dust, but we finally managed to visit this weekend. A lot of things have changed since our last visit but it’s still worth a visit. So let me tell you a little about our socially-distanced visit to Hughenden Manor. ​Hughenden Manor was home to Queen Victoria’s favourite Prime Minister, Benjamin Disraeli. It provided a backdrop for political drama, royal visits and an enduring love story. And it has a secret wartime story to tell. A socially-distanced visit to Hughenden…

  • Exploring Rickmansworth Aquadrome with kids
    days out - Hertfordshire

    Exploring Rickmansworth Aquadrome with kids

    August 28, 2020 - By 

    We’ve visited Rickmansworth Aquadrome in Hertfordshire quite a few times over the last few months. We’re so lucky to have a variety of places to walk on our doorstep. Our pup loves it when we take him somewhere new and the circular walks are a great length for his little legs. Every time we visit we seem to spot something new and Rickmansworth Aquadrome is a lovely place to take kids. Exploring Rickmansworth Aquadrome with kids The main features of Rickmansworth Aquadrome are Batchworth Lake and Bury Lake. The lakes were formed through gravel extraction which ceased in the 1920s.…

  • a trip to Ray Mill Island and Boulter's Lock
    Berkshire - days out - Local Review

    Ray Mill Island and Boulter’s Lock, Maidenhead

    August 4, 2020 - By 

    Last weekend we were looking for somewhere new to take the children and the puppy. We ventured a little further afield than normal, yet still only 30 minutes from where we live, and found the delightful Ray Mill Island and Boulter’s Lock, Maidenhead, Berkshire. A pretty place on the Thames with a little cafe, perfect for a picnic and a little boat watching. Ray Mill Island and Boulter’s Lock This little island in the Thames is in Maidenhead. The island’s name dates from when the Ray family managed a flour mill there. There is no car park on Ray Mill…

  • Exploring Pynchester Moat, Ickenham
    days out - Hillingdon - Local Review - London

    Exploring Pynchester Moat, Ickenham

    July 18, 2020 - By 

    Now lockdown is easing we don’t seem to be exploring as much as we were. We can go further afield and more attractions are opening up, which means we are going further for our days out. On one of our many puppy walks/geocaching expeditions we came across Pynchester Moat in Ickenham. We went on a lovely sunny evening and it was the perfect length of walk for our pup. Exploring Pynchester Moat, Ickenham The moated site known as Pynchester lies in a bend of the River Pinn, behind houses in Copthall Road West and just within Harefield Parish. It’s a…

  • social distancing at Copas
    days out - Local Review - London

    Visiting the Pick Your Own Farm with kids

    July 3, 2020 - By 

    We’ve been so excited, waiting for our favourite fruits and veggies to be ready to pick. It seems ages ago since our last visit to our local Pick Your Own farm in Iver, just down the road from Ruislip. You can now book a slot to visit, so we booked an early morning slot and set off to pick some delicious fresh fruit. Visiting the Pick Your Own Farm with kids A huge sign greeted us, letting us know what was available to pick. We showed our tickets and were let through to the fields. We picked up some buckets…

  • Exploring Denham & Denham Country Park with kids
    Buckinghamshire - days out - Hillingdon

    Exploring Denham & Denham Country Park with kids

    July 1, 2020 - By 

    We have explored so many amazing places that I feel like I will never get a chance to write about them all. It seems weeks ago since we made it to exploring Denham Country Park with the kids. It’s another one of those places right on our doorstep which me had never got around to visiting, until now. Exploring Denham Country Park with kids We’re lucky to have a few Country Parks within easy reach of us, definitely one of the perks of living on the outskirts of London. Whilst we haven’t been able to enjoy a trip into the…

  • Walking amongst the moon daisies in West London
    days out - Hillingdon - Local Review - London

    Walking amongst the moon daisies in West London

    June 27, 2020 - By 

    We’ve discovered some amazing places to walk our puppy near us. I’m not sure we would have found quite so many pretty places on our doorstep if it wasn’t for the puppy. He loves going on a walk, especially if he can run through long grass. We recently re-visited one of our favourite walks to tick some more geocaches off our list. We went out after dinner when it was cooler and came across the most wonderful fields of moon, or oxeye, daisies in West London. They were so pretty shining in the late afternoon light. We definitely have a…

  • Re-visiting the Battle of Britain House Ruislip
    days out - Ruislip

    Re-visiting the Battle of Britain House Ruislip

    June 21, 2020 - By 

    One of the best things to come out of this period of lockdown has been the chance to discover our local area. We’ve lived in Ruislip for 6 years but also seem to seek out the same places, namely the Lido and the Farmers Market. With a lot more time on our hands, and a puppy to walk, we’ve discovered some gorgeous new places on our doorstep. It seems a long time ago since we ventured out to the ruins of the Battle of Britain House in Ruislip Woods. We decided to place a geocache there so recently went back. Re-visiting…

  • poppy fields near Welwyn, Hertfordshire
    days out - Hertfordshire - Local Review

    A trip to the poppy fields near Welwyn, Hertfordshire

    June 12, 2020 - By 

    Our council always plant wild flowers around where we live and this year they included some gorgeous colours of poppies. We keep meaning to stop so a can take a closer look. A few days ago a friend posted some beautiful photos of her boys visiting fields of poppies near London and we decided we should visit the poppy fields too. When are poppies in season in the UK? Poppies are annual plants with some seedlings germinating when soil is cultivated or disturbed. There can be rapid growth between April and June, and the first flowers usually appear in June.…