London: Kew Gardens

We always find it difficult to decide what to do on the day we come back from a break away, especially when you have to drive back home. As a family enjoy National Trust places and there are quite a few on our journey back to the Midlands; however, on this occasion we decided to do something in London before leaving in the afternoon.  As we stayed in Chiswick we were not far from Kew Gardens and having heard so many good things about it we decided to give it ago.  

We brought our tickets the night before online as they were slightly cheaper, and doing my own research found that in the car park can get quite busy.  So we decided to head to Kew for 9.30 as it opened at 10.00am. 

Although we were there 30 minutes too early, we spent this time plane spotting as Kew is in the flight path for planes landing at Heathrow.  This kept Titch and the Husband good until the entrance opened.  As we had pre booked we just needed to scan our tickets from my phone and we were in.  

One thing we did not realise was how big Kew Botanical Gardens is.  There was so much to do that , even though we had been there for 5 hours, we could not fit everything in.  

If you are worried about what there is for kids, Kew is very kid friendly.  After a bit of a walk alongside the waterside path, we came cross 2 areas for kids. 

The first was a log climbing area. The husband and Titch couldn't resist this. Logs from trees and trucks of trees were laid out as an obstacle course that your could walking around - or run, jump and hop like Titch did.  

Next to this there was also a man made badger set, which we all decided to explore. Titch loved exploring the different tunnels and appearing in different places.  We could have definitely spent more time here than we did, but as we had never been before we wanted to explore.  

Along with the gardens outside there are also a few Temperate houses.  These were great to explore and we all loved looking at the different species of plants.  You can even walk up stairs to a veranda that covers the perimeter of the house so that you can view the plants from a different view. 

There is also a tropical house and although extremely humid inside is worth the visit. We loved exploring and examining the different patterns of the leaves in here and we even managed to spot on Iguana that was lay on a branch.  

Do you want to venture up 253 steps? Well we did.  We paid to climb the Great Pagoda to see the spectacular views across London - 18 miles I think.  As we queued up the member of staff advised us to climb to the top straight away and not to stop on any floor, instead to do them as we come back down.  Oh my... we climbed the 253 steps and we were shattered. It was hot and sticky but definitely worth it as it gave a 360 degree view of London around you. Titch was exceptionally happy that he could spot the London landmarks that he had visited or seen in previous days.  

Kew Gardens as so much to explore that we found it hard to decide what to visit.  We did though visit  The Hive - which Kew Gardens describe as ' a unique, multi-sensory experience designed to highlight the extraordinary life of bees.' We were all fascinated. The sounds that you hear inside are stimulated by actual bees in Kew.  
You will also find at Kew, a treetop walk, a play centre for children, Kew House, Cafes and food vans and they are currently building a children's sensory garden. There are plenty of places for a picnic too. 
We had such a wonderful day, and if we loved closer would definitely purchase the yearly pass to visit as we would never get bored.  

Sudbury Hall and Museum of Childhood

Sudbury is the home to a historic country home and museum of childhood set in beautiful surroundings.  Sudbury was the first place that we visited a year ago when we first become members of the National Trust and being only 30 minutes away is an ideal location for a quick visit.  This time we were meeting friends there who also have two young children.

The car park to the grounds and hall is just across the road and it free to National Trust members.  When entering the grounds there is a small Chapel in front and then to the right you can see the House. Behind the house is the court yard where you will find the restaurant, shop, Childhood museum, reception (for booking the house tours) and the toilets.

Beyond that behind arched shrubs you will find the gardens and a small wooden park - this was where we headed first, and as per usual our child found a tree to climb.

The park is wooden and has climbing equipment, a trim trail,  rope swings, wooden houses and dens and a climbing frame.  The kids spent a good half an hour playing here before we all felt hungry and decided to have a picnic on the grounds just below the house.

After lunch we decided to take the children out of the sun and went to explore the childhood museum.  Inside they is plenty to see and do.  The children enjoyed playing with the old toys, looking at old dolls, and they even were able to climb through a replica chimney to show how small you had to be to do the job.

We then continued our tour around to the house where the children were given a hunt to complete. they were given a small booklet with photographs that they had to spot around the house. This is one of the many things that I love about the National Trust, there is always something on for the children to take part in.

The house inside was beautiful with ornate ceilings and furniture.  I wouldn't say it was the most exquisite house we have seen but it was beautiful in it's own right.

We all would recommend Sudbury if you are a National trust member with children as there is so much to do and see.

Tatton Park - NT

Living in the Midlands we are extremely lucky with our location as most attractions are not too far from us.  This is the same for National Trust places.  Using the app we often look for new places near to us, and about 50 minutes away is Tatton Park.  Tatton park is deer park just on the outskirts of Manchester.

The drive into Tatton park is just what we expect from a National Trust place, open fields, large lakes, garden buildings and deer.  Although Tatton Park is owned by the National Trust it is managed by Cheshire Council and , therefore, there are additional charges for National Trust members for the farm and for parking.

We chose Tatton Park as there are plenty of things to do onsite including the gardens, a maze, the mansion, a park, grounds to walk around and farm.

Firstly, we visited the gardens and the maze, spending around an hour. The gardens like most National Trusts are beautifully maintained.  There are secret gardens behind walls, lakes and ponds to walk around, a Japanese styled garden area and a maze to explore.  Although the weather was warm but cloudy, the gardens were not busy and they were extremely peaceful considering it was in the school holidays.


After a walk around the gardens we decided to head over to the cafe for some lunch. As it was a last minute plan we hadn't packed a picnic so for a change we were going to eat on site.  The cafe was busy but we did not have to queue for long.  It offered a selection of sandwiches and hot food including jacket potatoes.  Most sandwiches were around £4 and the hot meals around the £8 mark which we though was a bit steep, but having no choice we order a Jacket Potato and Tuna, two portions of chicken strips with chips and beans and 3 soft drinks = £29. As we normally take our own lunch we didn't realise that these place charge so much for food.  However, we did think that the jacket potato and tuna was reasonable at £5 seen as it was quite large.

After Lunch the mansion was open so we decided to have a wander through the house. As always the staff are informative and keen to tell you all about the different rooms and artefacts inside them.  The husband was impressed by the house as he thought that it felt homely and I have to agree.  The rooms felt lived in and not like they were for show.

After all the 'adult' stuff Titch was keen to play on the park so that was where we headed.  The park was large and although it was busy, Titch managed to get on all the equipment he wanted.

If you are looking for a day out for all the family I would definitely recommend Tatton Park, I would just take your own food rather than buying from the Cafe.


Information:

Address
Tatton Park, Knutsford, Cheshire, WA16 6QN

Prices for gardens and house:
National Trust Members:  Free
Non Members: http://www.tattonpark.org.uk/visit/attraction-and-park-entry-prices.aspx

Clip n' Climb

So the holidays are here and now we have the challenge of filling 6 weeks with of activities to keep Titch entertained.  One of the main things that we have to consider having a child with ADHD is giving him opportunity to get out all his energy.  We often go to parks or areas where he can run around.  Titch particularly enjoys physical activities and loves climbing, jumping, spinning and hanging upside down - like most kids.

Recently there has been an increase in our local area of play centres, climbing walls and trampolining parks, so we decided to take Titch and two of his friends to a local climbing centre called Clip n' Climb.

Cost: £12 each for 60 minute session and an extra £2.50 if you want to do the vertical slide.

You need to arrive 15 minutes before your visit and the children are given a safety talk before they then enter the climbing arena.  Parents are allowed to join their children in the arena as long as they also attend the safety talk.  If you do not wish to go into the arena there is a small cafe up stairs where you can watch the children climb.

On arrival we were impressed with the variety of walls that they had on offer, and some looked pretty challenging.  As Titch and his friends are older enough we did not go on the safety talk and inside watched from the viewing gallery.

For the whole 60 minutes the children are freely allowed to climb using the safety harnesses that they were shown to use. There were plenty of staff members around to help children who were struggling and support those who were less confident.  One of Titch's friends went a little too high for her liking and couldn't get down. One staff member climbed up to her and with some encouragement she came down safely.  This then encouraged her to try it again and this time she came down all on her own.

Although half way through the 60 minutes another group joined the arena, it did not feel full or over crowded,and the children only had short waits between climbs. Additional staff were also added to the arena at this point so that there was a good ratio of staff to children.

Clip 'n climb was definitely worth the money for the hour that they children spent there. They came out exhausted and ready for some lunch and couldn't stop talking about it all the way home.  Not only did it give them their daily exercise but it also helped develop their confidence.

A bit of fruit

As a child I always remember the days out with my parents in the summer, and I try to give my child the same opportunities that my parents gave to me.

Today we chose fruit picking.  It is something that I remember doing every year when I was little, whether this be at a fruit farm or in fields near to my grandparents house.

There are quite a few fruit farmers near to us but many have suffered this year due to the warm weather that we had been having.

Fruit picking is something that can be enjoyed by the whole family no matter the age.  Today we were after strawberries, Blackberries and raspberries as these are our favourite fruit.


The first farm that we went to didn't have any strawberries but we stayed anyway to pick the raspberries.  Titch loved this, trying to find the berries that weren't too ripe but also ensuring that they were ready to be picked.

After picking raspberries we decided to try a different farm as Titch was keen to pick strawberries.

Here they also had a Strawberry shortage ,but we were able to pick some.  I was definitely the strawberry picking champion though, filling my tub full of larger berries where as Titch found well titchy ones.

Whilst here we also picked blackberries and tayberries which we had never tried before.

Fresh fruit on a sunny day with some ice cream and meringue was well deserved after.  

Trip to London: Day Three Hampton Court Palce

Day Three: Our last day and the day we were to come home.  Being the 'travelling day' we decided on a quieter, less thrill seeker day and decided to visit Hampton Court Palace - a place that I have always wanted to visit.  The night before we looked on line to book tickets and purchased the years Palace pass for a family as it was only £40 more than a day pass, and we knew we would use the pass later in the year when we visit London in August.

We we arrive we collected our annual passes and then headed straight for the maze which Titch was desperate to do.

On the way to the maze you walk through the rose gardens and these are stunning. It did help that it was such a glorious day, but I could have spent ages walked around just taking pictures of the roses.

The maze was great fun, and we all enjoyed getting lost and then eventually succeeding in finding the centre. We then had to find our way out, to which Titch asked if we could use Sat Nav - not sure it would work!

We then headed inside to explore the Palace and the rooms. There was so much to see and do. Titch even got to turn the roast beef that was cooking on the open fire. The smell was amazing.  There were staff all around dressed up, in character, who you could talk to and ask questions.

The grounds at the back of the palace were amazing. We had brought ourselves a picnic and sat under the trees just admiring the view whilst we ate.

We only managed to spend around 3 hours here, but could have easily spend double that, so hopefully we will get to go again.

We have so many beautiful places in this country and luckily when the weather is good as it has been these places just come to life.  

A Blackpool Day trip

Blackpool, some people love it and some people hate it.  And I totally understand why. There are some run down parts which are not appealing to the eye and there is definitely a stigma attached too.  Despite this Blackpool is a traditional British Holiday resort and it is easy to see why so many of us flock here each year. Ice creams, Candy-floss, the beach, Fish and chips, arcades, rides, donkeys - what more could you ask for!

The husband and I hadn't been Blackpool since we were kids ,but thought that we would take full advantage of our Merlin Passes and head to Blackpool for the day.  And just like we use to do when we were kids, the first one to spot the Tower won. 

We arrived in Blackpool at around 9.50am and decided to park behind the Coral Island Amusements for the day costing us £12 for 12 hours which we though was reasonable seen as it was a pretty good location.  

With our Merlin passes it entitled us to free entry to the Dungeons, Blackpool Tower, Blackpool Circus, Jungle Jims, Blackpool Ballroom, Sealife Centre and Madame Tussauds.  Not wanting to cram too much into one day we decided to leave the dungeons, Jungle Jims and the Ballroom for another time.  

We had read online that it was essential to book the circus in the morning so we headed there straight away for opening at 10.00am. We booked our tickets for the 4.00pm show and upgraded to front row seats which included pop corn and a drink.  

We then decided to explore the other sites.  

Our first stop was Madame Tussauds and there were no queues on entry - even inside was pretty quite. We took our time explore the wax figures, reading about the different stars. Titch loved having his photograph taken with different Wax figures especially some of his favourite Marvel characters.  We had a drink in the Rovers half way around and then continued through to the end. I would say we spent about 1.5hours inside but could have spent longer in some parts. As it was pretty quite we managed to get photos with many different wax figures and take part in some of the interactive games. The only downside to Madame Tussauds is the photographs. Now whilst they maybe a great souvenir it can become expensive if you choose to buy them seen as we were stoped at least 5 times throughout the tour.  My advice would be that if you don't intend to buy them then be polite and say no thank you when they ask you to have them done. 

After visiting Madame Tussauds we moved next door to the Sea life centre, and I have to say that we were all really impressed by it. We spent just over an hour in here but missed some of the talks as it was lunch and we were all getting hungry.  the saline centre was spacious and had lots of interactive sections including Touching a Starfish.  Titch and his friend enjoyed stamping their books and receiving pop badges at the end.  The staff inside were friendly and informative and did not mind spending a few minute or so answering our questions.  This is definitely a place that we would revisit.  

For lunch we decided against taking a picnic and inside set our sights on chips from the promenade.

Lunch cost around £10 for 4 meals and 4 drinks - which we thought was reasonable considering we were on the fronts.

I had to order the chips in a bucket and this is how they came, in their own little bucket with a spade.

After lunch we still had some time to spare before the circus so we decided to go up Blackpool Tower, which made me slightly nervous.  Before you go up there is a 4d experience that we thoughts was great and then you are escorted to the lifts that take you up to the top.  These made me a little nervous but the view going up was spectacular.

At the top there is an inside viewing platform with a glass floor. Titch and the Husband were straight onto it; I, however was a little more scared and it took em awhile to step on- it was a long way down.

You then had the option to climb up more steps on the outside.  I did manage another two floors but did not go to the top.


Although a little scared at first, I really enjoyed the experience and would probably now do it again.

By the time that we had come down it was time to head to the circus. I was unsure what to expect so did not have any pre thoughts on how good it was going to be. But honestly it was Fab! We laughed and clapped along like we were kids again.  We were having such a good time that I even forget to take any photos - it only means we need to go again. The circus was a great way to end the day and our time in Blackpool.

Would we go again..? definitely! We all had such a good day and made lots of memories - including an incident with a Seagull stealing a donut out of Titch's friend's hand!

An evening at the park

We often find it difficult to find something to do in the late afternoon once the Husband has finished work.  We love getting out and about and although we live near to the canal there are only so many times you can walk up and down it.

Parks are great places for kids and adults alike to blow off the cobwebs and get outdoors.  We often search for different parks to visit that offer us all a bit of something.  This time we decided to try Brampton park.  Titch had been many times before with his nan , but we had not taken him so it was a great opportunity for us all, including the dog, to get out before Tea time.

Brampton park is perfect for a Sunny evening.  You can walk around admiring the views, or climb a few trees.  Even the Husband got involved this time.

There is a sensory garden and an aviary to explore.  Brampton Park also has a Childhood Museum which is open in the day time, but has we went late afternoon it was closed.  

The park also has a small steam train. This is free to use, but donations are welcome.  

Titch and Dad loved it. 

The Brampton also has a small park, with sings, slides, climbing equipment and seesaws - of which nan couldn't resist joining in on.  There is also a small shop where you can buy drinks and ice-cream and on a wet day a small indoor play centre called Cheeky Monkeys.  

If you are looking for a safe family park I would definitely recommend here.  

Paradise Island - Mini Golf

So today was a bit of a miserable wet and windy day.  we had originally planned on going to the National Space Centre in Leicester ,but as we made our way onto the A50 we soon realised that the 1.5hr journey was going to take at least 3 hours due to an accident. Not wanting to sit in the traffic with a hungry teenager we decided to head to Derby Intu centre for Lunch and a round of Mini Golf.


We expected it to be busier with it being a rainy day but after lunch we headed over to the indoor mini gold - Paradise Island.  There were two course that you could choose from: Shark Bay or Mermaid Rock. Prices were reasonable at £8.50 per adult and £6.50 per child. If you chose to play on both courses it worked out cheaper, but knowing our son one course would be enough.

We decided to complete the Mermaid Rock course. The course was well laid out and well designed,  We didn't feel any need to rush, but I suppose if it was busier this might have felt different.  There are 18 hole to complete - some easy and some not so easy.  In all we spent around 1hour in there and we all had a bit of fun.

Our review:
A great indoor activity for a rainy day with friends and family.  It is well designed and well laid out.  There was no pressure to buy extra games from staff and they were extremely helpful.

Dovedale

Dovedale - this is a place that I used to always come as a kid with my family.  I think my dad and I spent a lot of time explore the Peak District when I was younger.  I especially loved the tales and stories that he used to tell me on our journeys.  My husband had also been as a child , but couldn't remember much about it, so we decided on a crisp Spring day to show Titch this beautiful place.

Dovedale is a National Trust reserve just outside the beautiful and quaint village of Ilam.  If you are a National Trust member you can park for free at Ilam Park but it is then about a 20 minute walk to Dovedale its self through fields and along the River Dove.  There is paid parking just as you enter Dovedale where you will also find toilets (20p charge) and a small shop.  If you are lucky there is a coach pull in where at Weekends you can park for free.  Be prepared for a long queue into the car park on busy days.

Once you have parked up the route towards the Stepping Stones and Thorpe Cloud is easy enough as you simply follow the route of the River Dove.

At the end you will find stepping stone across the River Dove in order for you to continue to walk along the paths.  There is a bridge further back at the start, but the other side of the River has no path and in winter is barely passable due to the water levels.  In Summer the the are by the Stepping stones makes for a lovely paddle. From here you can either continue to follow the path along the River Dove or venture up Thorpe Cloud. Thorpe cloud I s relatively steep and can be uneven so make sure you are wearing your walking boots.

The path along the River Dove is accessible but it does have a quite a few steps in parts.  If you follow this path you can then explore the caves along the way.

You could spent as much or as little time here as you want. There are no picnic tables along the way but plenty of grassy spaces to sit and have your lunch.  

Gong Hey Fat Choy

February Half term is here and once again we were tasked with finding suitable activities to do this week that we can all enjoy and that keep Titch entertained.  we have found it extremely useful having our National Trust membership as there is alway somewhere to go. This time we headed somewhere a bit closer to home - Biddulph Grange.  We have been told that it is beautiful in the Summer when all the flowers have bloomed but even on a cloudy February day it was just as good.

We spent about 2 hours exploring the grounds and was it was near to Chinese New Year there was a Chinese Trail to complete with a prize at the end - a Fortune cookie - which Titch loved :) .

The grounds of Biddulph grange are beautifully kept and well presented. there are lots of things to see and places to explore within the garden. We particular liked the Chinese garden.

Titch not only enjoyed the trail but also enjoyed the grounds, looking at different plants and statues.

And after a cold visit ....

A hot chocolate was defiantly needed.

Christmas Eve Chaos - not

Christmas Eve... every family that I know have their own Christmas Eve traditions.  Ours normally consist of a meal in the evening at a local pub and then home to open new PJ's, a Christmas film, a Christmas story and a Hot Chocolate before bed.  This year was no different. these still happened, but we also wanted a Christmas Eve day time activity that would keep Titch busy and get us out of the house.

Being National Trust Members we decide to see if any where had any activities and luckily we found a place that had a Christmas trail on. The weather was chilly but dry so we thought why not.

So we wrapped up warm and set off to Quarry Bank to hunt for the Bells.  

We were surprised by how beautiful the place was.  The Mill was not open but we got chance to look in the house and then explore the gardens hunting for bells.  Apparently no one had found them all yet today, so this was a challenge that Titch accepted , but unfortunately did not achieve- we found 8/9.  

As it was Christmas Eve we also treated ourselves to a sausage roll, a hot drink and a cake each.  Well we did need warming up after our bell hunt.  

This was definitely a great way to spend Christmas Eve. Titch got to be outside - which he loves - and we had a stress free day.  

An Autumn Break

This week we decide to book ourselves a holiday in the U.K for 4 nights - but this time with the dog in tow. never before had we taken the dog with us so this was a new experience for us.  Now one thing to bare in mind is that although our Huffy is loveable and cute, when he is in the company of another dog he is a nightmare. Whether he is scared or being territorial we are unsure, so we knew this was going to be an interesting break.  We wanted somewhere that would offer us opportunities for days out with the dog and, if it rained, accommodation that we could stay in during the day, so we finally chose a Log Lodge in Gloucester. It was an ideal location as it was not too far from the Cotswolds and was next to the Forest of Dean.

The journey down was relatively peaceful and surprisingly the dog enjoyed sleeping most of the way - except when we went around roundabouts.

When we arrive we were greeted by the owner who showed us around the lodge and gave us all the relative information. The lodge of beautiful. There was nothing on the site other than lodges and a small walking area for the dog. Inside the lodge it was clean and spacious and definitely perfect for a 4 night stay.

Over the week we wanted to get out as much as possible.  Taking Huffy with us we needed to find places that were dog friendly.  The first place we visited was a National Trust - Croome in Worcester. We obviously couldn't go into the house but the grounds were open to dog walkers.  It was spacious and lots of different walking routes and , although it rained a bit, was a great few hours out.

The next day the weather was a beautiful Autumn crisp day, so we decided to head to the Forest of Dean to Symonds Yat. After a few wrong turns and scary up hill drives we managed to find a place to park and went exploring.

The Forest of dean was beautiful and Symonds Yat offered stunning views of the Wye Valley.

On the Thursday we decide to take a drive to the Cotswolds and headed to another National Trust place Woodchester Park.  It was quite scary on the drive up as the fog descended on us and this was the view of the Cotswolds that we had.

We did finally arrive and it rained non stopped.  This did not dampen our spirits. After a good walk around we ventured back to the car for a picnic after cleaning the dog with baby wipes!

Huffy enjoyed the mud and so did we.


After getting back he slept, actually we all did.

Titch enjoyed himself so much that he decided he wanted to draw a picture of the Lodge to remember his holiday.

The British weather was not on our side, but we had an amazing week.  We laughed, spent time together. played board games, and just had fun.  Holidays are what you make of them and no matter the weather you can still get out and about - even if you do end up covered in mud.