International Mama: Discover Britain

Showing posts with label Discover Britain. Show all posts

Saturday, September 11, 2010

Belton House

I had been hankering to do some more "discovering" of Britain when a friend gave us a timely tip. It was English Heritage Open Day, and stately homes that would normally cost us £20+ ($30+) to get into were FREE this weekend. With one eye on the weather, we headed an hour's drive away to Belton House - a 17th century country home, made more familiar by BBC's filming of Pride and Prejudice.

Before long, the sun came out and we were surrounded by floral beauty.

Not-so-native, not-so-wild life.

Recently, De Sheng has been obsessed about whether or not various animals are going to eat him. He was keeping his distance from the fish - just in case.

Running through a maze.

My son went in circles a couple of times before figuring his way out.

We brought along a picnic lunch, but the most memorable moment was De Sheng experiencing his first wasp bite - poor kid. This might not bode well for reassuring him against animals eating people.

I don't have any pictures of the lavishly decorated interior of the house, but there was a games room that the children enjoyed.

Daddy, dressed as..... A Gentleman.

We always knew he was!

After admiring the beautifully restored house, we headed to another part of the grounds that was much more appealing to the children.

They have one of the best adventure playgrounds that we have seen in the country.

The kids had a blast.

All that fun and excitement gave us a quiet ride home again.

For the cost of a quarter tank of gas, a cup of coffee and a miniature-train ride, it was certainly a nigh-perfect adventure.

A beautiful, "summer's end" day with the family in Britain.

10:29 PM | Category: Discover Britain | 1 comments

Sunday, March 28, 2010

Dovedales

The Mole had been working very hard all the morning,

spring-cleaning his little home. First with brooms, then with dusters...

till he had dust in this throat and eyes..and an aching back and weary arms.

Spring was moving in the air above and in the earth below and around him.

It was small wonder, then, that he suddenly flung down is brush on the floor,

said 'Bother!' and 'O blow!' and also 'Hang spring-cleaning!'

and bolted out of the house..

'This is fine!' he said to himself...

The sunshine struck hot on his fur, soft breezes caressed his heated brow,

and after the peace of the underground home he had lived in so long

the carol of happy birds fell on his dulled hearing almost like a shout.

Jumping off all his four legs at once,

in the joy of living and the delight of spring without its cleaning,

he went on his way across the meadow till he reached the hedge on the further side.

It all seemed too good to be true.

Hither and thither through the meadows he rambled busily,

along the hedgerows, across the copses, finding everywhere birds building,

flowers budding, leaves thrusting -

everything happy, and progressive, and occupied.

He thought his happiness was complete when, as he wandered aimlessly along,

suddenly he stood by the edge of a full-fed river.

All was a-shake and a-shiver - glints and gleams and sparkles,

rustle and swirl, chatter and bubble.

The Mole was bewitched, entranced, fascinated.

By the side of the river he trotted; and tired at last,

he sat on the bank, while the river chattered on.

A grave round face...attracted his notice. It was the Water Rat! '

Would you like to come over?' asked the Rat presently.

The Rat...helped Mole safely ashore, and swung out the luncheon basket. The Mole begged as a favour to be allowed to unpack it all by himself; and the Rat was very pleased to indulge him, and to sprawl at full length on the grass and rest, while his excited friend shook out the table-cloth and spread it, took out all the mysterious packets one by one and arranged their contents in due order, still gasping, 'O my! O my!' at each fresh revelation.

When all was ready, the Rat said, 'Now, pitch in, old fellow!'

and the Mole was indeed very glad to obey...

Rat...sat on the river bank in the sun, and made up a song about [the ducks]...

All along the backwater,

Through the rushes tall,

Ducks are a-dabbling,

Up tails all!

Ducks' tails, drakes' tails,

Yellow feet a-quiver

Yellow bills all out of sight

Busy in the river!

This day was only the first of many similar ones for the Mole,

each of them longer and fuller of interest as the ripening summer moved onward.

All quotes taken from The Wind In The Willows.

7:40 AM | Category: Discover Britain | 2 comments

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

Discover Britain: Sherwood Forest

With few nice, warm-ish Saturdays left before the cold comes, we decided to head out to Sherwood Forest and see what we could see. We saw trees...

Lots of trees... including this famous tree right in the middle of the forest.

It really was QUITE large - and old.

More trees.

Hey, look who decided to wake up and join us!

So, while it wasn't all that exciting, it was a nice morning out in nature with the family. Some day we will check out the abbey near the forest as that looked pretty interesting.

Saturday, August 8, 2009

The Heights of Abraham

We did it... we bought a car! And our first exciting "Discover Britain" trip was to a place not far from home called The Heights of Abraham. Our adventures are documented in photographs below:

My son - always thrilled to go "bye-bye" and even more so in a car.

Our 7-week old - looking grumpy, but really just about ready to pass out.

Riding in the cable car up the mountain.

The view

At the top (notice castle over my shoulder that we will attempt some other day)

The first thing to tackle - a look-out tower....

...with really, really steep steps.

And a great view

Then a decent into the caves.

Back out in the sunshine and pausing for a family photo.

I've become a BIG fan of baby-wearing.

De Sheng's favorite part

Back at the bottom and wondering when the food is going to show up.

Two sleeping kids and a lovely drive through fields and forest.

Until we came upon Galilee (or so my husband said it resembled).

Lots of "sheeps" (according to De Sheng)

We walked up to the top of where the rock juts out and enjoyed the view, but of course my camera battery died right then. Then it was navigating narrow, windy roads back home again for quick baths, food and bed. It was a beautiful day in Britian enjoying God's creation.