Happy Sunday

This past week has felt like it’s been the longest week ever! I’ve been feeling tired and sore from the gym, so on Friday and today I headed out on a long walk. On Friday, I went to a local park where there is a lake to walk around with lots of wildlife and open...

Chirk Castle: National Trust

This weekend I visited Chirk Castle in Wales, just outside of Wrexham. It’s owned by the National Trust and with over 700 years of history it’s one of the last castles from the period which is still lived in today! With award-winning gardens covering 5.5 acres of manicured lawns, herbaceous borders, beautiful flower beds, rock...

Nature and Happiness

A lot of the time we think that nature must be good for our health and happiness. The benefits of nature are well documented, whether it is the physical benefits, such as reduced stress, lower blood pressure or lower heart rate, or the benefits of improved mental health. Amongst other things we were only able...

February 2021 – Monthly Wrap-up

I must say this every time I do a monthly wrap-up, but how quickly did February fly-by... One minute it’s February 1st the next it’s March, it came and went without me noticing. This month I set myself a goal to care about my self a bit more, so I’ve been counting my calories, eating...

Holkham Hall in Norfolk

Holkham Hall is an 18th-century country house located in the village of Holkham, Norfolk, England. The house was constructed in the Palladian style for the 1st Earl of Leicester by the architect William Kent. Steeped in history, Holkham Hall has the perfect setting; surrounded by rolling parkland, rich in wildlife and a beautifully constructed walled...

Osterley Park and House – National Trust

Built-in the 1500s by Sir Thomas Gresham, Osterley Park and House is a 'neo-classical manor house' set in Greater London. The peacefulness of this National Trust property contrasted with where it is situated in London is just incredible. Hidden from the road by a brick wall is a Georgian mansion and estate, created in the...

Lost Words of the Children’s Dictionary

31 words have been removed from the Oxford Children's Junior Dictionary. Over the past few years, words such as Conker, Acorn, Heather, Willow and Kingfisher have been removed, often in favour of other words associated with modern technology. The 28 authors, including Michael Morpurgo and Robert Macfarlane, warn that the decision to cut around 50...

Trerice @ National Trust

Just outside of Newquay this little gem is still worthy of a visit; the small Elizabethan manor house makes for an appealing day out in the history of the area. Trerice is a 15th century farmhouse transformed after being owned by the Arundell family for nearly 500 years. As you look at the house, the...