We are so lucky to be living within a few minutes of this lovely National Trust property – Wentworth Castle Gardens. I have heard from other locals that it has only been in the National Trust’s possession for a couple of years now.
The Lost Gardens Of Heligan, Cornwall
We first discovered The Lost Gardens of Heligan for ourselves on our first trip to Cornwall 9 years ago. Back then our oldest three children were quite young, and the Gardens have changed a bit since then (of course! That’s the nature of gardens). We found that The Gardens had a lot more to offer the children this time around – especially with the improvements they have made in The Jungle area
Dover Castle, Kent
As we were in Kent during half term visiting Grandparents, we decided that we would try to take the children to Dover Castle because neither Ben or I had been before and it’s fun to go somewhere new. We were hoping to combine the visit with a walk along the White Cliffs, but although we were experiencing an unusually warm February, the coast was covered in fog.
Planning a Family Friendly American Road-trip
Last year our family of seven embarked on a 3-week road trip in California, Nevada, and Utah. It was a daunting prospect to be on the road with 5 children aged 12 and under, but we found a way to make it fun and manageable. It took a lot of forward planning to make our trip the best holiday we have ever had.
Kilsby Village
Shortly after we moved to Northampton from Kent in 2011, I made a big discovery on my paternal line. I found out that the Greaves family lived in Northamptonshire and Oxfordshire between 1800’s and 1500’s. I was going through a phase of questioning where “home” was for me. It made me feel more settled in Northamptonshire, knowing that my family lived here hundreds of years before me.
Badby Woods, Northamptonshire
Today I was in an exploring kind of mood, so we went to Badby Woods in Northamptonshire. We found the ruins of Dower House on the Fawsley Estate
Sharpenhoe Clappers, Bedfordshire
All the photos I have seen of Sharpenhoe Clappers have been taken in the summer, when everything is green and glorious, but we went in October when the leaves were dry and crispy, and covering the ground which is also lovely in its own way.
Lyveden New Bield, Northamptonshire
Lyveden New Bield is and Elizabethan lodge in Northamptonshire dating back to 1605 but was never completed. It is surrounded by moats, grassy areas, and woodland.
Kenilworth Castle, Warwickshire
It was quiet at Kenilworth, and there weren’t many children around for this late in the summer holidays. I let the kids lead the way and I just followed to supervise and keep them safe. I pushed the empty pushchair while Sam held my hand and walked beside me. Sometimes the older children would take Sam’s hand for a few minutes before handing him back to me so they can run off to investigate something new.
Hollywood Boulevard, California
I had no idea how many stars there were on the Walk of Fame. There are around 2,500 stars that cover 15 blocks. It was really exciting at first, spotting all the names of celebrities. The kids didn’t recognise many names – but they did see a few: Daniel Radcliffe, Donald Trump, Shrek, Winnie the Pooh. We read as many as we could, but the streets were inevitably busy with tourists, street performers, and cameramen.