Surrey Archives - Page 15 of 19

The Majestic Commons

We’re lucky to have so many National Trust sites to visit in Surrey. From Winkworth Arboretum and Claremont to Polesden Lacey and Hatchlands Park, we’ve seen quite a few now. But there are many, many more to explore and of course re-visit.

With POD at home one day during the week we try to get out and discover new places. This time was the turn of Witley and Milford Commons, described as a rich and varied landscape buzzing with wildlife.

It’s designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest.

When we arrived we were met with heathland views of burnt orange. The bridlepath was also littered with patches of lush green moss.

Having spotted some interesting looking trees, including one that resembled a duck, we headed towards the secluded woodland glades. You could already sense there was something special about these Commons.

Majestic trees that seemed hundreds of years old wore coats of moss and algae. Quite a breathtaking sight at times. You could almost imagine you were part of a fairy tale and the trees danced after dark!

POD found the excess water squelching underfoot highly entertaining. As was finding sticks of varying sizes and placing them in pools of water.

Although we’d missed it en route, the rain returned shortly afterwards. Little drops closely followed by a huge downpour. Our exploring cut short, we rushed back to the car only for the sun to appear!

It’s said on a late spring evening you might hear the song of a nightingale at the Commons. And during the warmer months they’re alive with bird song from Tree pipits and Woodlarks. We’ll most certainly be back, hopefully next time with a picnic!
Country Kids from Coombe Mill Family Farm Holidays Cornwall

The new one

First came the red one. A beautiful coat purchased for POD when she was a year old. She was out of it so fast we bought a bigger size of the beige one.

You couldn’t see her hands initially but she grew into it quickly. Here she is skimming stones with Daddy.

The beige one survived many a muddy puddle.

And it was loved by everyone right to the very end.

The new one is from the same retailer as the red and beige ones. It’s wonderful. Soft to the touch and comfortable. POD is disguising her joy in this photograph.

But she adores the purple one.

It’s only a matter of time before she’s jumping in those muddy puddles!

Linking up with The Gallery at Sticky Fingers. This week’s prompt is new.

Forest adventures at Alice Holt

The smell of damp conifers was incredible after all the rain. Inhaling deeply you could almost feel the fresh air kick start your lungs. The sun was shining, there was hardly a cloud in the sky and it was mild.

Managed by the Forestry Commission, Alice Holt covers over two thousand acres of Corsican pine with 350 acres oak.

The forest looked awesome. A shiny sheen was visible on the leaves and there was green moss was everywhere. Like an immense carpet framed with bracket and conifers. Rays of sunlight peeped through the trees making the ground below sparkle.

The pirate sheep in the timber play area is always a hit as POD can climb the side ropes to get on board and steer. She loved pretending to be a pirate with Daddy, shouting “you can’t have my treasure” up above.

There were a lot of puddles to wade through after that and POD tested the majority. Christening her new coat and snazzy welly warmers in the meantime.

POD likes to collect things when we’re in the forest but today was all about escaping. Running off as fast as she could with Mummy and Daddy chasing behind. It was the most hilarious game ever!

With the crash helmet in place, it was time to test out the new scooter. POD decided to keep her helmet on afterwards providing on tap entertainment to unsuspecting passers-by. Nothing like a bit of forest fun in a beautiful woodland setting to blow those cobwebs away!

Country Kids from Coombe Mill Family Farm Holidays Cornwall

The beauty of nature

After the explosion of colour we experienced in the Glasshouse at RHS Wisley, there’s a mixed bag of photographs this week.

The garden has taken a real beating recently. A leaning fence flaps like a bird when the wind blows and the ground resembled a giant puddle up until a couple of days ago. Quite a relief the willow tree in the garden is no longer there – beautiful as it was.

It feels too early but buds are beginning to appear and flowers are starting to bloom. Rosy red apples remain in a nearby tree. The birds are happily chirping away – even at night-time.

These signs of life coupled with the occasional bout of sunshine are a fabulous reminder of last Summer.

Having fun with our toddler in the garden, even it if meant chasing after her with a blob of Factor 50 in your palm, enjoying alfresco dining and taking lots of photographs.

We saw a glimmer of those heady days when we visited friends in Sussex recently. It was chilly when we ventured out for a walk but the sky was blue and the sun shining. It is the best feeling when fresh country air hit your lungs!

After navigating our way through muddy woodland, we crossed open fields scattered with frosty leaves. Then whilst walking down a lane we saw a butterfly basking in the sunshine. A strange yet welcoming sight for January. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if Spring was on its way?

Linking up with Mammasaurus for How Does Your Garden Grow?

The year in pictures

Welcome to our review of 2013 – a look back at the highlights of the year in pictures.

January

This month saw the launch of Paloma, our marketing and new business consultancy, with the view to achieving a better work/life balance. PODcast grappling with a box of frogs was also born. POD touched snow for the first time. She also made a return to swimming after a year’s absence although it was short lived!

February

The Doves’ quest to explore what Surrey had to offer kicked off with Bocketts Farm, Birdworld and the Hunt for Big Billy. The photograph below was taken at Butterflies in the Glasshouse at RHS Wisley.

POD caught chicken pox in February but she did get to see Ben & Holly Live once she improved. It was her first theatre visit and she loved it.

February also saw Team Honk do #goodwork when they created something epic for Comic Relief’s 25th anniversary. Annie from Mammasaurus, Tanya from Mummy Barrow and Penny from Alexander Residence went to Ghana with Jonathan Ross and Davina McCall. They sent digital postcards from the places they visited and created pure magic when the entire blogging community got behind them.

March

In March we visited the Silent Pool – thought to be where Agatha Christie drowned in 1926 after her car was discovered at nearby Newlands Corner. We also saw the 900 year old ruins of Waverley Abbey and Godstone Farm where POD stroked a rabbit for the first time.

April

April saw POD caught dancing on video (just adorable!) and learning the alphabet while emptying a fruit and veg basket. She also enjoyed an adventure in the forest and pouring water on herself in the garden.

May

This was the month POD ran free at Newlands Corner, saw fairies in a bluebell wood and visited a secret garden. She sat in a puddle at Box Hill, licked her first lolly and blew her first dandelion clock.

She also received her belated Christmas Day birthday present – family members clubbed together to give her a surprise playhouse.

June

June was the month I got my maxi dress stuck in an escalator! POD had her first haircut and we saw pigs, goats and ice-cream at the Surrey County Fair.

The main event in June was BritMums Live. It was inspiring, educational, emotional and fun – I met so many awesome people too. Lots of images stick in my mind but this one is especially poignant.

July

We spent a lot of time enjoying the sun in July. It was the time for covering a wriggling toddler in suncream and keeping cool. We also explored Stoke Park and the wonderful Loseley Park for the first time. And returned to RHS Wisley.

I took a lot of photographs of bees…!

The What’s The Story? blog hop launched in July – created so everyone could share the stories behind their photographs. It’s been incredible so thank you to everyone that’s shared posts over these past months.

August

August is always a busy month for us with birthday celebrations and the like. We spent a lot of time in the garden.

September

After such a great Summer, September was the time to reflect on how fast our toddler was growing. She shot up about a foot!

It was also the month POD was Christened – certainly a day to remember. She looked like a little fairy.

POD also attended her first wedding – another excuse to wear a beautiful dress. Not ideal event in the midst of potty training but we weren’t to know she’d shout “Mummy I need a poo” in the the best man’s speech.

October

We started our quest for those Autumnal hues at Winkworth Arboretum, returning just a few weeks later! Another National Trust property we saw for the first time was Claremont – described as a place where the views always change, the water sparkles and the secret glades wait.

Polesden Lacey is another National Trust gem. It’s a beautiful country estate that was owned by a well-known hostess for her to entertain royalty, politicians and the best of Edwardian society.

Forest fun at Alice Holt is another favourite and provided great entertainment for POD. Cared for by the Forestry Commission, it offers walking, cycling trails and play areas. It’s home to Go Ape.

Autumn at RHS Wisley saw us enjoy an eye spy game that used all the senses. At the end of the month we threw ourselves into crafting with a spot of Halloween fun.

November

In November we joined 17,000 others for a magnificent firework display at Stoke Park.

We visited the follies of Painshill Park for the first time too – the highlight being the crystal grotto. Hundreds of thousands of crystals including calcite, gypsum, quartz and fluorite have been used to re-create an extraordinary folly.

Autumn was fabulous this year – perhaps because we saw it through a toddler’s eyes. This Autumnal round-up post showcases a collection of photographs from some of the places we explored. We also visited The Savill Garden at the end of November and spotted this beauty.

November also saw me win my first photography award thanks to Loseley Park and Surrey Life.

December

We took the chunnel to Bruges in the early part of the month. It’s a beautiful city full of medieval buildings and cobbled streets. Not to mention a Christmas market where we sampled Bratwurst and Glühwein.

Whilst there we were able to take in the Snow & Ice Sculpture Festival which was designed to celebrate Disney’s movie Frozen.

In the UK, we had a lot fun with the Children’s Trail The Twelve Days of Christmas at Claremont. Especially in their Ha-Ha!

POD was born on Christmas Day 2010 so the Christmas Tree going up always evokes memories of that time.

This year POD got to meet Father Christmas in a crystal grotto. She asked for a scooter and a blue balloon.

She got to enjoy mucking around in puddles and with trees before her big day which she shares with some interesting characters!

That’s it folks. I hope you’ve enjoyed looking back on 2013 as much as we have. Here’s to 2014 being even better – Happy New Year everyone!

Mucking around

A break in the clouds saw us head off to explore the magical quest that is the Enchanted Story Trail. Armed with a map of RHS Wisley, our mission was to discover the secret hideouts and burrows of a host of curious characters. From tropical treasures to plant-loving pirates, it promised festive magic at its most charming.

POD enjoyed Foraging for Father Christmas in the garden so we knew she’d love it.

Sometimes the best laid plans don’t quite work out the way they were intended! After queuing in the Glasshouse and reaching the front to discover there was another 20 minutes to wait, we cut our losses.

We’d been cooped up indoors for a couple of days so unperturbed we opted for a walk instead.

We re-visited the Christmas Display while we were in the Glasshouse then headed back outdoors. It was wet from downpours the day before but the sun appearing made for a beautiful day. The grounds looked as wonderful as they always do at Wisley.

POD was delighted there were so many muddy puddles to stamp across and jump into. No puddle was left untouched as she took it upon herself to test each one.

It was only a matter of time before she got muddy – not that it deterred her!

She got to sit in an ancient tree that looked like it had eyes. Despite perching above Daddy, she loved it and would have stayed for some time given half a chance.

After giving a tree a hug, POD adopted a large chair as her throne for a time where she issued orders and waved her arms around. Daddy played peekaboo with her from behind it.

She then occupied herself under a tree investigating the acorns, chestnut husks, leaves and sticks that lay beneath it.

When she stretched to remove a dead leaf from the branches you could really see how much she’s grown these past months. Hard to believe she was three on Christmas Day!

Country Kids from Coombe Mill Family Farm Holidays Cornwall

Father Christmas in the Crystal Grotto

When we visited the follies of Painshill Park, we heard you could meet Father Christmas in the Crystal Grotto.

It’s the latest of their follies to be restored and its quite extraordinary. Stalactites hang from the ceiling and the walls sparkle with crystals. Hundreds of thousands of them were used to re-create it.

The Crystal Grotto seemed a great location for POD to meet Father Christmas for the first time. Or so we thought. POD has continually believed all Father Christmas does is fish. When we asked what else he does, her response was “nothing, he just fishes”.

Taking her views into account, we headed for the Crystal Grotto with an open mind. Painshill Park is an elegant 18th century landscape garden – described as a magical wonderland with hidden surprises.

The route to the Crystal Grotto was fabulous and specifically designed for kids. POD was delighted when she saw an elf carrying a barrow load of presents – she loved pretending to be one too. Father Christmas signs were used to show the way and POD enjoyed chatting to them. One even got a cuddle!

The Chinese Bridge looked wonderful decorated with lights and we could see the Wishing Well tent over the other side of the Serpentine Lake. Once we crossed the bridge we could also spotted two reindeer made of lights and the path leading to the Wishing Well tent.

The Crystal Grotto itself looked even more incredible than usual with its fairy lights and Christmas tree. Father Christmas sat on a red leather chair surrounded by presents.

POD was so excited she ran round talking and pointing for a minute hardly able to take it all in. When she spotted the man himself, it was coupled with “look Mummy there’s Father Christmas”.

Having composed herself, when he asked what she’d like for Christmas she requested a scooter and a blue balloon. After receiving a present and capturing a photo, we were quickly moved on to make way for the next child.

We left via the usual entrance tunnel which looked amazing with its path all lit up. What an astonishing experience for POD, seeing Father Christmas for the first time in a Crystal Grotto.

Country Kids from Coombe Mill Family Farm Holidays Cornwall

Christmas tree memories

The sight of our Christmas tree always evokes memories from December 2010 – POD was born on Christmas Day. It’s impossible to look at the tree without smiling. It looks wonderful in the evening when it’s all lit up but it holds sentimental value too.

The decorations purchased just before her arrival are especially poignant – an array of red baubles, red beads and fir cones tied with red and green ribbon.

Over the past three years new decorations have been added to the tree, each creating their own memory. These include Beatrix Potter characters – POD’s favourites being “Mrs Tinkywink” and “Jemma Puddyduck”. There are several hand-made decorations and a dove too.

With POD’s birthday on Christmas Day, it’s hard not to be a little emotional at this time of year. Her first birthday saw her mesmerised by a Christmas tree despite not knowing what was going on around her. The most memorable photograph is one of her poking a decoration with a curious look on her face.

On her second birthday she developed a fondness for pulling the decorations off the tree in-between having fun with cardboard boxes!

This year we will no doubt see POD really appreciate her birthday and Christmas. The tree even went up early December so POD can enjoy it for longer.

The fir cones tied with red and green ribbon remain my favourite decoration. Not only are they beautiful, they’re a perfect reminder of what was a truly unforgettable Christmas.

Claremont’s Twelve Days of Christmas

Described as the place where the views always change, the water sparkles and the secret glades wait, the National Trust’s Claremont is steeped in 300 years of history and was once the playground of princesses. POD enjoyed rolling down the turf amphitheatre, the only surviving one of its kind in Europe, when we initially visited in October. A great start to our toddler’s list of 50 things to do before you’re 11¾.

Claremont is a wonderful place to visit, there are so many unexpected features to discover. As well as the turf amphitheature, you’ll find the serpentine lake, nine pin bowling alley, grotto, Camellia Terrace and Belvedere Tower located in acres of open space. On a clear day views from the majestic Belvedere Tower stretch to landmarks such as Windsor Castle, The Shard and Wembley Stadium.

There’s also a Thatched Cottage which is a Victorian haven filled with toys, games and dressing up clothes. It’s currently been transformed into a magical wonderland where children can meet Father Christmas. It’s beautifully decorated and encapsulates the spirit of Christmas perfectly.

A Children’s Trail began at the weekend. In essence Claremont has re-imagined the Twelve Days of Christmas song but with their own twist. The idea behind it is that you find a series of clues on trail boards dotted around the garden which provide clues to the missing answers.

For example on the second day of Christmas my true love sent to me two white [doves] in a cedar tree. A lovely one given we saw lots of them at Claremont and our surname is Dove. It was great fun and we were successful in answering all questions which meant POD won a prize.

While we were at Claremont we also enjoyed the ha-ha which is a hidden ditch that encircles part of the grounds. Daddy and POD ran up and down it on many occasions – mirroring each other’s facial expressions. It’s full of leaves at this time of year as well so that added another level of enjoyment – especially for our toddler who found kicking them highly entertaining!

We’re linking this post up with #whatsthestory here on PODcast.

We’re also joining #MagicMoments at The Oliver’s Madhouse.

Christmas display at the Glasshouse

After enjoying the fabulous Autumn hues in October, POD and I headed for the Christmas Display in the Glasshouse at RHS Wisley. Still characteristically beautiful, a few orange Maples remained and we found great displays of Autumnal colour on the ground.

An enormous Christmas tree greeted us when we reached the state-of-the-art Glasshouse. Inside we were treated to air plants with red berries as well as the traditional festive Poinsettia.

Baubles were placed throughout the Glasshouse to give it a Christmas feel. POD enjoyed these but was more excited about testing her new wellies in muddy puddles.

We stumbled upon wonderful species including a hairy purple plant which appeared green when photographed with a flash.

The tropical part of the Glasshouse is my favourite and today was no different – just awash with colour.

One of the most fascinating things we saw were Lady’s Slippers which are members of the Orchid family. As the name suggests, the flower looks like a slipper albeit a teeny tiny one.

We also came across several Carnivorous Pitcher Plants which look like something from the Day of the Triffids series! In essence the veiny cup-shaped plant has a deep cavity filled with sweet-smelling liquid that it uses as a prey-trapping mechanism. The larger pitchers can apparently trap small frogs, snakes and birds. No people though!

January sees the return of Butterflies at the Glasshouse, I’m sure we’ll be back at RHS Wisley for that.

We’re linking this post up with How Does Your Garden Grow? at Mammasaurus.

Older Posts

Newer Posts

Surrey

The Majestic Commons

The new one

Forest adventures at Alice Holt

The beauty of nature

The year in pictures

Mucking around

Father Christmas in the Crystal Grotto

Christmas tree memories

Claremont’s Twelve Days of Christmas

Christmas display at the Glasshouse

Adventures

Visiting Mayfield Lavender Field, Banstead

A wander at Frensham Little Pond, Surrey

7 reasons to love Barracudas camps

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