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.  

Our Merlin Adventures begin... Warwick in Winter

Being extremely eager to start our Merlin adventures we decided that the first place we would visit would be Warwick Castle.  I had seen it advertise on TV the previous year and was quite excited to final have the opportunity to visit.  So we packed up a lunch and drove down to Warwickshire.  

As soon as we arrived we realised how cold  and windy it was going to be, but decided as always just make the most of the day out.  From the start I was mesmerised by the castle.  It is so beautiful even on a winters day.  

As we had Premium Passes we were also entitled to go into the Dungeons for free.  I was a little apprehensive as I had read that the actors like to get you involved and being a tad shy this did worry me.  However, there was nothing to worry about. The actors were brilliant. the were engaging and not too pushy. Titch loves gory and horror so this was right up his street; however, I can understand why some children would be scared inside there.  

Inside the castle itself there is plenty to see and learn about. Titch loves learning about the Tudors so was happy to see and read about Henry VIII and his wife.  We also spent time in the towers learning about the History of the castle and the grounds.  Considering it was a cold day, the castle was bust with visitors, but this did not spoil the experience as it is so vast that it never feels too busy.  

As it was Winter some activities were not on but the shows for the Birds of prey and the Bowman luckily were.  

The Birds of Prey show was fab.  The falconer was informative and engaging.  He explained as much as he could about each bird that he brought out and they were all truly spectacular.  

There is also a Horrible Histories Maze to complete and you can join the Knight school to learn how to use a sword. 

It was cold and windy, but a fab day we did have... we can't wait to come back though when it is a bit warmer. 

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.