I have always loved looking at restaurant menus. I am straight on a restaurant’s website looking at a menu as soon as the booking is made, even if it is weeks in advance. Daily specials when we arrive pass me by because I made my decision a fortnight before, and I make no apology for that. I love planning what I am going to be eating and I didn’t realise
We love exploring, either close to home on an afternoon out, slightly further afield on a weekend away, or to a far flung destination picked because it happened to be on page 83 of the travel guide and we were asked to pick a number between 1 and 230.
Exploring
Lap Land Silverstone
AD — Gifted tickets Just off the M40 might not be your first thought for where to find Lap Land this year, but if 2020 has taught us anything, it’s to expect the unexpected. And so off we went in early December, to a perfectly socially-distanced-doesnt-matter-if-its-raining event that the whole family can enjoy. In the comfort and safety of their own cars, visitors will drive on the iconic
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Henrhyd Waterfall
We visited the Henrhyd Waterfall when we were staying at the Glanusk Estate in the Brecon Becons recently because we had heard that the scenery was stunning and that it was a must see when you’re in the area. The waterfall is the tallest in Wales and situated just outside the tiny village of Coelbren. To be honest you might not have heard of it but if you
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Exploring
The Oak Retreat, Glanusk Estate
It’s up a lane, behind the church and you would never know the Oak Retreat on the Glanusk Estate was there unless you knew where to look. Thankfully Harry, whose family own the estate, was on hand when we arrived at teatime one Saturday to show us where to go, and. to hand us our keys to this little woodland haven. The Oak Retreat is a wooden hideaway that sleeps
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Exploring
A day out at Exbury Gardens
Exbury Gardens was the destination for a much needed socially distanced mooch with my pal, Annie recently. We hadn’t met up in months and I think both of us were feeling the social distance living at opposite ends of the M3 so with the weather looking good for a morning’s mooch we headed off last week. I hadn’t been before but Annie lives locally so has annual pass and knows
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Why we need drive in cinemas to stay
Drive-in cinemas need to stay please! Drive-in cinemas in the US have been a thing since the 1930s and within thirty years there over 4000, but still there are very few here in the UK. That was until lockdown, or rather the easing of lockdown. With cinemas and theatres still closed, or with regular customers nervous about sitting near strangers for a few hours, drive-in cinemas have popped
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Exploring
5 top tips for a day out with elderly relatives — AD
How to plan a day out with elderly relatives Now that the weather is warming up and some of the recent restrictions have been lifted you might be thinking about planning a day out as a family, so here are my 5 top tips for a day out with elderly relatives. Consider the terrain What might feel like an easy place for us to walk around can be much harder
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Exploring
Outdoor Adventures to have this summer — AD
Outdoor Adventures you need to plan now! it is safe to say that 2020 has been a very strange year. Many of us have had cancelled foreign holidays cancelled or moved to next year and so might be looking to have a break in the UK. I am not a fan of the word staycation, but it does seem quite apt doesn’t it? We should have been heading off to
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Exploring
Window Wednesday — Basildon Park
I know we can’t visit National Trust properties at the moment but we went to Basildon Park a few months ago so I have finally got around to sharing the photos for Window Wednesday in the hope you can add it to your list of places to go when we are able to travel again Basildon Park is one of the most modern properties we have visited because although it
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Exploring
Window Wednesday — Rainbows
Rainbows and children’s art in windows and on pavements Window Wednesday has been paused of late because we haven’t done an awful lot that has offered me the opportunity to post a photo of a window (and if you are new to Window Wednesday here is a little more about it) I am not sure where the idea came from but as the lockdown came into force children all over
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#BlossomWatch
National Trust launches #BlossomWatch to emulate Japan’s Hanami National Trust asks people to start a new tradition that emulates Hanami – the Japanese tradition of celebrating blossom Conservation charity aims to build #BlossomWatch year-on-year to become an annual moment of celebration in nature’s calendar #BlossomWatch encourages people to enjoy blooming trees they can see from their windows or in their gardens and share their best images Fleeting chance to see blossom is one of
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Exploring
A note of caution from the National Trust
National Trust urges caution as good weather at the weekend could tempt people onto roads Trust warns that a good weather forecast combined with Mothering Sunday could tempt people onto the roads and toward tourist hotspots Coast and countryside will be open as usual but people are urged to use local outdoor space and not travel unnecessarily, in line with government guidance Trust has pledged to allow free access to