• Champing with teens (and a dog!)
    days out

    Champing with teens (and a dog!)

    July 25, 2025 - By 

    Have you heard of Champing? It’s a mix between a Church and camping, because several churches have thrown open their doors to campers! Yes, you can stay in some wonderful Church buildings for a totally different experience. We thought this sounded like a fun adventure, and found the gorgeous St Bartholomew’s Church in Lower Failand, just outside Bristol. The experience was dog-friendly (teen-friendly too!) so no-one was left behind. Champing with teens (and a dog!) I discovered Champing on Instagram a few years ago and have been trying to find the right time to try it out. We found a…

  • Exploring Basildon Park
    Berkshire

    Exploring Basildon Park

    February 20, 2024 - By 

    Spring is all around us here in the UK so it seemed the perfect weather for a day out exploring somewhere new. With our trusty National Trust membership cards in hand we decided to visit Basildon Park, only an hour from London. Basildon Park is a Grade I listed building, built in the Palladian style. It runs regular events and you can visit the house, gardens and tea rooms. Exploring Basildon Park We were fortunate with some lovely weather so enjoyed the drive to Basildon Park in Berkshire. We picked up a map and film trail leaflet at the entrance…

  • {Exploring} Hardy's Cottage, Higher Bockhampton
    days out - Dorset - National Trust

    {Exploring} Hardy’s Cottage, Higher Bockhampton

    September 5, 2023 - By 

    Over the summer we spent a week exploring Dorset, surely one on the prettiest counties in England? The weather was pretty good to us and we were able to use our National Trust membership to explore some new properties, such as Hardy’s Cottage and Max Gate, the home he built in later life. Thomas Hardy was a British author, of poems and novels including Tess of the d’Urbervilles, Far From The Madding Crowd, Jude The Obscure and The Mayor of Casterbridge. {Exploring} Hardy’s Cottage, Higher Bockhampton You need to pre-book a visit to Hardy’s Cottage online and turn up at…

  • Exploring Seaton tramway with kids and a dog
    days out - Devon

    Exploring Seaton tramway with kids and a dog

    September 4, 2023 - By 

    Sometimes I forget how lucky we are to visit some of the beautiful places in the UK. This summer we spent a week exploring East Devon, especially the coastal villages of Lyme Regis and the surrounding areas. One place we really wanted to take the children was the Seaton tramway in Devon, this is a narrow gauge heritage tram which runs between Seaton, Colyford and Colyton in East Devon’s glorious Axe Valley, travelling alongside the River Axe. Exploring Seaton tramway with kids and a dog We first visited Seaton tramway back in 2005 and it was really lovely to be…

  • Exploring Ham House Richmond
    days out - Local Review - London

    Exploring Ham House and Garden

    October 5, 2022 - By 

    A few weekends ago we used our National Trust membership to explore Ham House with the kids and dog. We love our National Trust membership, it encourages us to get out and about and explore new parts of the country. Ham House has been on our wish list for a while and we were excited to visit. Exploring Ham House and Garden Ham House is a rare and atmospheric 17th-century house on the River Thames in Richmond, near London. There’s a large, free car park by the river, and a short walk brings you to the front of Ham House.…

  • 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…