The very start of Christmas

Over the weekend we headed over to the first significant event of the Christmas period, the Ludlow Medieval Fayre. However, there was so much festivity on the way that they we actually arrived there later in the afternoon. The first little distraction was Stokesay Castle and the adjacent church, looking like a little fairytale escape and a medieval taste of things to come later that day. We stumbled by some broken boughs of fir and cones that we bundled into the car to take home and decorate with, now adorning the kitchen. The church was framed with holly trees absolutely bursting with berries, has it been an especially good year? The birds must be very happy about that.

Back into the car, we then stopped off at a frost fayre in Church Stretton with stalls of crafts such as knitted teddy bears and Christmas cards, all the usual crafty things, glass and jewellery and mince pies and raffle tickets. Nothing grabbed our interest but it did get me thinking about making a start on some Christmas shopping and what I need to buy. Little Bird is especially tricky to buy for as he has autism and doesn’t understand the concept of toys so much, often clothing is a better option for him. Places like the Condor UK Online shop with a large range of knitwear would be good for some snuggly items for him, he loves to be cosy at home more than anything. I’m also looking for a dressing gown and some pyjamas for him for over the Christmas period, perfect for watching The Snowman in, as is our tradition. Clothing is such a great present option, from children’s cotton socks to boots and jumpers, it’s probably what I’ll ask the family to get him too. Off out into the cold, we then had a little look around the pretty town itself with steam engines chuffing around and shop windows full of seasonal cheer.

I’ve been to Church Stretton before, significantly here when I wrote about it, little did I know that I’d be living not so far away! Funny how life pans out. We had a browse around charity shops and I bought a couple of Christmas carol cd’s for the car, had coffee and cake, then did a little homeware shopping. There is a wonderful store that sells ironware for the house – brackets, signs, door furniture etc and they do garden stakes according to the season. Near Halloween, Sweep picked up a pumpkin, witch and bat one, today I found a Rudolph one, promise to show soon with all the rest of my Christmas goodies. The florists here had a selection of wintry feel plants, skimmia, cyclamen and small firs, I made a mental note to look out for some back in Shrewsbury to tidy up the brick planter at the front of the house. I drive myself silly with checklists that I have to complete before Christmas, not only gifting but smartening the house up and making sure it looks just right. This year being a little tricky as I only moved across to Shropshire in the summer.

The houses here are very pretty and we played a little game of ‘where would we live….’ Obviously out of our price league but fun anyway, walking down the roads by the church, looking in estate agent windows and discussing where we could live when we retire (long way in the future!) Perfectly symmetrical houses with cute windows and some already with Christmas trees and lights put us in such a good mood. Father Christmas drove past driving a tractor and waved, so all in all a very good start before we had got to the Medieval Fayre…..and that will be another post….

*Collaborative post

5 great days out for your next school trip

Learning outside of the classroom is vital for children as they can get hands-on with real world challenges, lessons and ideas. I love it when the children come back from a school trip, as you can guarantee they’re enthusiastic, motivated and ready to learn more about the subject. Hopefully these ideas will inspire your next trip, so come back and tell us how it went, if you choose any!

The Making of Harry Potter

Inspire your class with the secrets behind the films, with Warner Brothers Studio Tours of the Making of Harry Potter. Not only will your children receive a one-hour lesson taught and planned by teachers in the onsite classroom, but they’ll also have the chance to fly their own broomstick! Unlock their creativity with this unforgettable experience and bring the magic to life. The day is part of a cross-curriculum education programme, meeting learning objectives across the Key Stages. You’ll receive resources to use before and after the trip, documenting everything from the arts and props used in the films, to the special effects and technology.

Stratford-upon-Avon

Home to history's greatest playwright, this quaint town is guaranteed to spark interest in William Shakespeare’s work. Take a trip up the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Tower and see for miles around, before exploring the town and all its hidden alleys and charming attractions. Then, enjoy an atmospheric backstage tour of the theatre, where the stories and legends are bound to captivate the entire class. Finally, settle down for a production and show your class the mastery of the Bard. His plays were written to be performed, not read and seeing them on-stage truly brings the stories to life.

Science Museum

Give your class a hands-on approach to science and all the wondrous things it contains. From deepest, darkest space to practical everyday experiments, the Science Museum inspires learning at any age. With specific itineraries depending on your Key Stage, you and your entire class will love the interactivity and immersion. Plus, there are plenty of shows and demos throughout.

Local farms

Do some investigating and see whether your local farms – or maybe ones further afield – offer school trips. Getting out into nature and learning where food comes from is a vital part of a child’s education. Farmers have a huge wealth of knowledge to share and whether they’re helping your class identify birds and butterflies or showing them new-born lambs, every child is guaranteed to have a wonderful day. Places like Odds Farm and Countryfile’s Cotswold Farm Park are specifically designed for visiting schools. They’re the perfect place to introduce your class to everything from soil and erosion to caring for animals.

Imperial War Museum

Let your class relive history at the incredible Imperial War Museum. From evaluating sources on the spot to meeting veterans and evacuees, you can take your textbook learnings and transform them into reality. Depending on the tour you book, your class can speak to people who were alive during the periods of history you’re studying, giving them real insight to what they’re learning about.

*Collaborative post

Autumn daytripping #TestYourTreads

My favourite season is a mere gust of wind and a conker fall around the corner, a time when the countryside is looking magnificent in its autumn finery and no better time for days out to enjoy nature's show. But before we leave, time for a few checks of the car to make sure we are safe on our travels, especially the tyres as with all the leaves on the road and damp days, plus the nights drawing in, the driving conditions will be a little trickier - no matter what you're driving.......even if it's the Zombie Response Team bus that I came across last autumn.....well it is the time of year for all things spooky 👻

So....what to check with your tyres. to make sure they are safe and legal...

• Check the tyre pressure, refer to the car manual to see what the pressure should be (sometimes also in the jamb of the driver's door this is shown) Also consider the load the car will be carrying. When we go on our autumn holiday the car will be full of cases and us plus the dogs so the tyres pressure will need to be increased. We have a portable tyre inflator that plugs into the lighter socket in the car, connect to the tyre valve and the digital display advises of the pressure. This is a usual weekend check before a day trip or any particularly long journeys when we check oil, water and engine fluid levels.

• Check the tyre treads which need to be a minimum of 1.6mm legally but really this depth does not ensure safety and replacements are advised to be at least 3mm. The deeper treads will grip better and have a better stopping distance, especially in wet weather. What you don't want to end up doing is aquaplaning so check these out by looking at the tread indicators on the tyres or there is a check you can do with a 20p as the border on it is 1.6mm, place into the tyre groove to see if yours are above this. 

• Bald tyres are illegal and carry a weighty fine plus could be very dangerous. Do get them checked out and replaced, tyreplus.co.uk have a wide range of tyres to ensure you have the right tyres for your car. Their network of over 700 fitting location and conveniently can replace them at your home or workplace.

• Check the outside of the tyre for any damage such as cuts.

• Check for uneven wear on the tyre treads (this could be on the inside or the outside) as this could suggest that the wheel alignment is not correct and requires a trip to a car garage to sort out for a minimal cost.

• Ensure your spare tyres (if you have them still - we don't as yet have the repair kits that many new cars now have) are also legal and of the right pressure. Make sure you have a car jack, relevant tool kit and the details of your rescue service.

Then we are ready for our autumn day trips to castles, churches, collecting conkers in woodlands and exploring the best of the mellow countryside. 

Remember to #TestYourTreads

*Collaborative post, words are my own.

North Wales #Cultural Drives

I'm history mad, mostly churches and the weekend is when I jump into the car and go on a church crawling trip, dragging my son along who generally enjoys it too, the anticipation of not knowing exactly what we will discover . Chill Car Insurance are putting together a book of Creative Drives and this got me thinking about a drive that I would recommend. 

For me it would be a history drive along the North Wales coast along the Express Way taking in the scenery of the seaside towns and headlands from Flintshire through to Anglesey.  Although in parts industrial, along the Dee Estuary with ports and remains of coal mining, the coast here is a wonderful blend of past centuries with castles and churches aplenty and wind farms and collieries. A short journey off the Expressway and you are immersed in history and reminders of the Welsh fortitude and resilience in this rugged and beautiful landscape.

Holywell
First stop is the enigmatic shrine of St Winefride. With vaulted ceilings above the reputedly healing waters you can follow in the footsteps of pilgrims like so many have done for hundreds of years. Less than £2 for a family ticket that incorporates the small museum and access to the chapel above the shrine. Look for stone carvings, graffiti of people seeking cures and remembering their spiritual experience. There are tours and you can of course at certain times have a dip into the spring waters. One of the Seven Wonders of Wales

Talacre
Not far off the Expressway is  the village of Talacre with its sandy beaches and broad dunes popular with families and great for waking dogs. Part of this area is Point of Ayr,which is the most northern point of the Welsh mainland and the 18th century lighthouse on the beach is the oldest in Wales. No longer an operational lighthouse but reportedly haunted by one of the previous lighthouse keepers. Stop here for salt water paddling, sandy adventures and a bag of chips afterwards.

Bodelwyddan
A familiar sight along the Wales Expressway, the Marble Church due to the fourteen different types of marble used within. The towering spire rising to 202ft is visible from afar, a Gothicly wonderful church to stop off and have a look at inside and out. Built as a memorial commissioned from a wife, Lady Margaret to her husband Henry Peyto-Verney and completed in 1860. The graveyard has more than 80 war graves of Canadian soldiers who were based at the nearby Kimnel Park army camp where they sadly died in the Spanish Flu epidemic after the end of World War 1.

Rhos-on-Sea

A small coastal village with a puppet theatre that is a permanent fixture and shows are at 3pm. Founded in the 1950's the small theatre has over 1000 marionettes. The current show is Hansel and Gretel.  

The smallest chapel in Wales is on the promenade by the beach with amazing views across Colwyn Bay. St Trillo's chapel founded by the 6th century Celtic saint is a rough stone structure, enough room for only a few people and the altar has a holy well underneath. Nearby are the remains of a weir built by Cistercian monks to catch fish which you can see at low tide. 

Also for children, there is an outdoor paddling pool and crazy golf, a quieter resort stop off to entertain little ones. 

LLandudno 
This Victorian resort has a beautiful pier to walk along and is overlooked by limestone headlands on either side of the famous Great Orme and Little Orme - Orm means serpent's head and was named by the Vikings in the 9th century. Famous for this being the place  where Lewis Carroll met the little girl that inspired Alice in Wonderland so there is a trail of white rabbits, Mad Hatters and caterpillars on mushrooms that you can do. The pier is full of the usual amusements and small shops, Punch and Judy by the beach and go on a boat trip on the Sea-Jay. It's a fun filled stop on this cultural drive through North Wales and well worth staying over to experience a full day here. The cable car up the Great Orme will offer superb views and then you can catch the tram back down. Llandudno beach is part sandy and also pebbly with a  huge ridged sea break, this is a great spot for practising skimming pebbles across the sea. There are plenty of places to eat and then it's back into the car to head further around the coast.

Bangor
A bustling university town with a very interesting pier, quiet and nostalgic. Through iron gates are many memorials which are fun to read as you walk along. The beach here is muddy and a great place for watching birds such as oystercatchers and comorants. We have watched mottled brown turnstones on the iron steps underneath the pier, chattering away.

Anglesey
Deserving a whole post of its own is Anglesey but I couldn't not mention it on this road trip for the grand finale is the awesome sight of the Menai Bridge. We often just drive over so we can stop off and see this view from the other side. On Anglesey there is a lot to see, beaches, the colourful village of Beaumaris or the spectacular kite surfers of Rhosneigr.

I hope this brief guide has shown you some of the interesting things to see along the north Wales coast, there are many more and the castles of Conwy and Penrhyn are also notable. The gateway to my road trip starts once we have passed though Chester and it's always exciting to see the first Welsh road sign. 

*Collaborative post

Fluffy cloud reflections

 Nestled in the Staffordshire Moorlands is a 2.5 mile long lake of fluffy cloud reflections and jetties of colourful boats moored in bobbing lines. This was the 'Blackpool of the Potteries' where the North Staffs train chugged in bringing 19th century day-trippers aplenty in their promenading best.

The Aquatic Fete was the Bank Holiday attraction, watched by spectators all bodiced and bustled or Dundeary whiskered and frock coated. Marching bands trumpeted by lakeside views and a tight rope walker triumphed across the ripples. He is still remembered in a carved 150 year old beech tree. 

Built as a reservoir for the Caldon canal system the lake is surrounded by wooded hillside and dotted with wondrous boat houses built by wealthy Victorian worthies. Through lake margins of reeds and the ivy that clambers oak and the silvers of the birches, a whisper of a cold breeze murmurs a little giggle of those fish jugglers and mermaids that wooed the crowds.

A bridge of love locks leads to a bench where I catch a new romance sat talking and parallels a love that started here in 1863 between the parents of a man all Jungle Book'd and Just So'd. Will they call their child Rudyard too?

Five miles of magic paths, speared green with spring bulbs through dark winter earth, booming with the squeaky wheelbarrow woodland of the Great Tit and oars slicing through skyscape water. Funambulism, fancy frocks and fish in the imagination for a little while.

Christmas Flowers

 This week I am writing my end of term essay for uni and so I haven't been a garden visiting and the weekend was spent at a medieval fayre........Looking back to last year, I never shared the floral extravaganza that I went to at Arley Hall in Cheshire. Each room is filled with flower displays so creative and the feeling is unbelievably festive. There are also Christmas trees, see last year and a little shop that sells jams and chutneys made from the produce of the estate and garden. It's an event I really recommend and it's on the 3rd December!

Now back to my history books and time to get writing that essay.