• gingerbread biscuits
    Monday Happy List

    Sunday Happy Things {Week 419}

    October 23, 2022 - By 

    Starting the week by writing the Monday Happy List is something I’ve been doing for a while. It’s a chance for me to sit down and reflect on the things that made me happy in the previous week, as well as to record some of our family adventures. It’s a post I always love to sit down and write. I’m mixing things up a little by posting this weekly post on Sunday instead of Monday! Sunday Happy Things {Week 419} We love Halloween and spent last week doing some lovely seasonal things. My daughter carved her pumpkin at Scouts and I made…

  • 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.…

  • Ham House bathroom
    Monday Happy List

    Monday Happy Things {Week 414}

    September 19, 2022 - By 

    Starting the week by writing the Monday Happy List is something I’ve been doing for a while. It’s a chance for me to sit down and reflect on the things that made me happy in the previous week, as well as to record some of our family adventures. It’s a post I always love to sit down and write. Monday Happy Things {Week 414} Last week we seemed to find our routine again which meant I had a bit of time in the evenings for myself. I finished the Eva Verbruggen tapestry project from my latest Hoop Club subscription box which was…

  • Exploring Bembridge Fort with kids
    days out - Isle of Wight - National Trust

    Exploring Bembridge Fort with kids

    June 18, 2022 - By 

    Despite having grown up on the Isle of Wight I didn’t know it was possible to take a guided tour of Bembridge Fort which is owned by the National Trust. We recently spent a week on the Isle of Wight and booked a load of fun things to do with the kids. If you’re looking for something a little different to do then why not book yourself on a tour of Bembridge Fort? It’s on the top of Culver Down with the most amazing views over the Island. Exploring Bembridge Fort with kids It’s important to note that access to…

  • exploring Sutton Hoo with kids
    Family Life - Suffolk

    Exploring Sutton Hoo with kids

    June 10, 2021 - By 

    Earlier this year my daughter was studying the Anglo Saxons during that loooong period of home learning. She learned all about Sutton Hoo and we thought it would be fun to visit the site when travel restrictions eased. So last week we found ourselves in the pretty village of Southwold for a week, with tickets to Sutton Hoo. Exploring Sutton Hoo with kids The Sutton Hoo site is managed by the National Trust and comprises of Tranmer House, the Royal Burial Ground and the High Hall exhibition. Due to current restrictions we had to pre-book our tickets due to restricted…

  • Exploring Osterley Park West London
    Family Life - London

    Exploring Osterley Park West London

    December 19, 2020 - By 

    A few weeks ago we were looking for somewhere new to explore near us. 2020 has been all about exploring our local area. We’ve discovered some lovely places in West London and were keen to visit somewhere new to us. We didn’t have to venture too far to find Osterley Park in West London. Owned by the National Trust, we pre-booked our slot, and headed out for the day. Exploring Osterley Park West London The National Trust’s Osterley Park and House, is in Isleworth, West London. It comprises of a Georgian estate in gorgeous parkland. Like so much of London,…

  • 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 Lydford and Lydford Gorge with kids
    Devon - Family Life

    Exploring Lydford and Lydford Gorge with kids

    August 22, 2020 - By 

    Last week we had a great week exploring Devon. We try to go a few times a year to visit family and there’s always somewhere new to explore. We took the opportunity to meet up with some friends and met half-way from where we were staying at Lydford Gorge. This is the deepest river gorge in the South West with a 30m high waterfall, owned by the National Trust. Exploring Lydford and Lydford Gorge with kids Due to the current pandemic restrictions you can only visit certain parts of Lydford Gorge such as the waterfall car park, the circular walk…

  • vintage Christmas at Hughenden
    Buckinghamshire - Family Life - National Trust

    Celebrating Christmas at Hughenden

    December 14, 2019 - By 

    Before anyone gets excited I should perhaps clarify the title of this blog post. No, we haven’t been invited to spend Christmas Day at Hughenden Manor, but we visited last weekend to meet Father Christmas and enjoy their winter activities. Hughenden Manor is our favourite National Trust property and we try to visit at least once during the seasons. You might think a visit in winter would be a little dull but we love it as the staff and volunteers make sure they pull all the stops out. Having visited Father Christmas there a few years ago, we knew we…