We’ve just got back from a busy weekend. We drove to my parents house in South Gloucestershire on Friday evening. Saturday was then spent first taking my car to a garage in Dursley. Mitsubishi had recalled all cars like mine to have a part exchanged so as they were doing it for free in it went and we found a playground for Morgan to play on.
Next stop was a trip to Ikea for Anna. It isn’t often that we get to go to ‘big’ shops. We had breakfast in Ikea although I think I was cheated out of a sausage and a hash brown! We then bought a few bits and pieces before heading off to the Early Learning Centre where Morgan bought a new toy! Next was lunch in the Pizza Hut Another treat whilst in the big smoke!
We then drove out of Bristol and back to South Gloucestershire, up onto the Cotswolds and visited the National Trust property of Newark House. Morgan fell asleep on the way there so we sat in the car park for a while. Anna had a sleep too so I sat there twiddling my thumbs waiting for them both to wake up. By the time we were ready it was getting late so we didn’t have much time but we did manage a quick look around the house and a quick stroll through the woodland garden.
Newark House is situated high on Cotswold Hills so has some really nice views over the rolling Gloucestershire countryside. Many of the views are completely devoid of anything from the 20th Century. The house itself started life as a hunting lodge in 1550 and is now owned by the Clutterbuck family who bought it in 1790. The Clutterbuck Family still own it and live in it although some parts are open to the public.
Morgan quite enjoyed his quick look around the house as there was a little teddy-bear hunt with bears hidden in each room for the little-ones to find.
After wandering around the house we had an ice cream and then took a stroll through the woodland and down to the lake before heading back to my parents for dinner.
As with many National Trust properties, the admission price is quite steep unless you have an annual membership or are particularly interested in the history. We like stopping off at these places and with a membership it doesn’t matter if you don’t spend too long there or visit often for a nice little walk. To be honest we aren’t that interested in the history. I do like the gardens and we do like to have a quick nose around the property. The advantage of the membership though is that it doesn’t matter if you don’t spend too long there as you don’t feel as though you need to get your moneys-worth on that one visit.
Newark Park Gardens
Morgan with ice-cream on his nose!
Anna and Morgan at Newark Park
Newark Park
Sunlit garden building at Newark Park
Summer Foliage at Newark Park
Newark Park House
A tired 3yr old!
We had a nice family day out on Saturday, shopping in Carmarthen. Anna had never been there before and I had only been there as part of Brad’s Stag weekend. We didn’t really need to buy anything in particular and Anna did suggest going to Aberystwyth instead, but I fancied a day out and a bit of a drive, so Carmarthen it was.
We used my SatNav to get there so took some roads I’d never been on before, but the journey was quick, easy and uneventful. Once parked (always a pfaff with me!) we needed somewhere to eat and ended up in the Boars Head Hotel which was really nice and served good food.
We then wandered around the shops, tried to exchange a pair slippers that Morgan got for Xmas which were too small for him, but didn’t succeed as they didn’t have any.
Moran got pretty excited in Woolworths with all the toys and spent some of his Xmas money on a ‘Sportacus’ action figure. Of course, we have a Woolworths in Aberystwyth so could have bought that there, but that wasn’t the point. Anna and I didn’t actually buy anything, but we had a nice day out and Morgan had fun too. Overall though the ’shopping trip’ just confirmed our suspicions that we are useless at shopping… Although give us an internet connection and a credit card and we’ll do just fine!
