It’s said Frensham Little Pond in Surrey hasn’t changed much since the 13th century although it’s had many different owners and inhabitants since. It was originally created as the Bishop of Winchester wanted a fish supply for when he visited Farnham Castle – some of the original stonework is still visible by the sluice gate. These days the beautiful Frensham Little Pond and surrounding area is an idyllic spot for a wander and a sanctuary for wildlife. Continue Reading…
POD used to enjoy riding her bike but when the stabilisers came off she refused to get back on it. While the bike has made it into the great outdoors several times, its largely remained in the boot of the car. Scooting has been POD’s preference over the past year and having perfected her skills to and from school over recent months, cycling just hasn’t appealed to her.
Much as we love exploring the countryside, there’s something to be said about an impromptu trip to the coast. West Wittering is always a firm favourite but there are plenty of beaches in West Sussex to discover. Like Littlehampton which has two beaches and an extraordinarily long bench.
The picturesque landscape at Winkworth Arboretum near Hascombe in Surrey is a draw any time of year but especially in autumn. Maintained by the National Trust for 60 years, this hillside arboretum has a significant collection of shrubs and trees making it an ideal place to admire those magnificent autumnal hues. So much so we like to sneak in a couple of visits if we can. As luck would have it, POD and I ventured there just over a week ago when she had a rather well-timed inset day.
We had the most wonderful family day out at ZSL Whipsnade Zoo yesterday. Not only was it Hullabazoo’s 5th anniversary, POD got to meet her PJ Masks hero and join in with activities which are part of the #BooAtTheZoo Halloween event. We even saw a tiger take meat from someone while standing on its hind legs which was just remarkable.
Situated between Newport and Ventnor on the Isle of Wight, the picturesque village of Godsill is lined with traditional tearooms, thatched cottages and shops with local produce and gifts on offer. This quintessentially British village boasts some of the oldest architecture on the island too including a medieval church located a stones throw from the high street. Godsill is also home to the first ever Isle of Wight Festival which took place at Ford Farm back in 1968.
One of the places we absolutely had to visit on our recent trip to the Isle of Wight with Red Funnel was Shanklin Chine – the oldest attraction on the island. Situated in Old Shanklin, a stones throw from the Crabb Inn where we had lunch, this remarkable gorge really is a must see. Carved by Mother Nature over thousands of years, Shanklin Chine was open to the public in 1817 although Jane Austin wrote about visiting it four years earlier. She wasn’t the only one, Keats found inspiration for some of his greatest poetry while in Shanklin, referencing “the wondrous Chine here is a very great lion”. The likes of George Eliot, Macaulay and Dickens were also admirers of the Chine.
Loseley Park is one of those places that just makes you take a deep intake of breath. The house has been a family home for some five hundred years and four generations of the More-Molyneux family live there today. Built in the reign of Elizabeth I, Loseley Park is situated in the North Downs in Surrey and surrounded by ancient parkland.
We absolutely loved our first time on the Isle of Wight and we’ve been itching to return ever since. It’s taken a little longer than we anticipated but we ventured back recently. We were kicking ourselves when we did as the Isle of Wight is SO easy to get to on the Red Funnel ferry from Southampton. It literally took an hour and we had seating on the ferry despite it being peak season. Our trip, albeit unintentionally, coincided with Cowes so it was awesome to see an abundance of boats as we approached East Cowes.
We always have a great time at ZSL Whipsnade Zoo which is located near Dunstable in Buckinghamshire. Little did we know what an amazing experience we’d have when we made an impromptu visit earlier this week. POD had two inset days before the autumn term began and while we did consider going further afield, we’d only returned home from Asturias a couple of days earlier.
