Blenheim Palace has always held a special spot in my heart: It's a beautiful estate just a stone's throw from Oxford. We've had many Sunday walks there and the kids have ridden the little train, admired the butterflies in the butterfly house, conquered the maze more often than I can count. I love following the seasons in the palace grounds, over 2,000 acres of 'Capability' … [Read more...] about Blenheim Palace, a winter wonderland family day out
natural childhood
Travel: returning to familiar places
Travel is all about discovering new places, new experiences and new adventures... or is it? Can travel be about returning to the same place again and again and discovering more nuances about a place? Years ago, I remember being very surprised when a friend was going back to the same holiday park in Devon for the third year in a row. I just couldn't understand why they'd … [Read more...] about Travel: returning to familiar places
A Postcard…with love: the Gower Peninsula, Wales
Hi, We're sending our love from the Gower. If you are ever after endless beaches to share with few others, this is the place! We've had lovely long walks, splashed in the shallow waters and delved into rockpools. Little mobile reception, little interruption from modern life. We bought our veggies straight from the farm from a lovely lady as old as fossils (according to … [Read more...] about A Postcard…with love: the Gower Peninsula, Wales
A Postcard…with love: the New Forest, UK
My Dear, We're having such a fabulous time with our friends in the New Forest at Aldridge Hill campsite. It's hot and the kids are in the stream constantly; discovering all sorts of small and large critters, building dams, swimming, swinging, cycling. I totally understand why this site is referred to by the Camping in the Forest folks as a place called away. It's a … [Read more...] about A Postcard…with love: the New Forest, UK
What? No toilets or showers? Camping at Aldridge Hill
What better (or more insane?) way to start our summer holidays of camping, than to pick a site with no facilities aside from drinking water and chemical toilet disposal point? And to top it, invite a friend with her 3 kids who is "not into camping" and loves her 1-2 showers a day. Two big concerns pop into mind- how will we smell after a couple of days? How … [Read more...] about What? No toilets or showers? Camping at Aldridge Hill