August Life Update; Visit To Bolton Abbey, Yorkshire.

Hi readers,

On Saturday, my boyfriend and I visited Bolton Abbey in The Yorkshire Dales near Skipton. It was just over an hour's drive from his home in Preston and the Abbey has been on our to do list for about a year now. I did visit a few years back and there might even be an old post on here about it! But my boyfriend hasn't been and I thought it was a day out we both would enjoy.

Set in wonderful countryside with the river wharfe weaving it's way around and boarding on one side Barden moors and further up the ancient Strid woodland is the ruins of an Augustinian Priory dating back to 1100's and the Priory Church. The whole area is so picturesque and fascinating to explore.

There are three car parks to pick from; one at the village and entrance to the abbey, one in the middle at the Cavendish Pavilion, where I chose to park and the third close to Strid woods. Each car park is close to cafes, toilets and shops etc. We when were arrived large groups of people had set up 'camp' for the day and it was really busy. We had lunch and then decided to go to the Valley of Desolation on the moors.

However, we didn't make it! We walked for 40 minutes along a path that was more of a track other people had made through dense woodland and brush. Along the way we meet people who had decided to turn back because the path was too narrow and steep in some places. Despite being determined to get there, we had to give up as it started to look dangerous.

We doubled back and went to visit the Abbey, firstly though we took a break in these giant beach chairs!

We had the option to cross the bridge, which we choice or to take a chance on the stepping stones - see next photo. The river was really low due to all the hot, dry weather England has been experiencing this summer. So, it probably was a good time to cross the stones but they were busy and later on we saw two children slip and fall off them. That made feel like it had been a good idea not to cross via the stepping stones!

The abbey ruins are huge and since a lot of the walls and window frames are still in place its easy to picture what this place would have looked like. There is also a surrounding graveyard but you can't walk around the headstones and have to stay on the pathways. 

Even though it's a little bit sad to see such a once grand place reduced down, lucky the church survived and is still in use today. Inside, gives ideas about how the rest of the priory would have looked. The stain glass windows are really something to behold and they are so tall! At the back of a church are a few tables were you can by religious items, guidebooks and other things to help support the church and remember the day. I brought two wooden crosses, three postcards and two bookmarks.  

The church is so quiet and peaceful. It was also a nice place to get away from the sun from! The weather forecast had said it was going to be cloudy with some patchy sun, but it was actually clear and hotter then that! I could have spent more time in the church but we had a 30 minute walk back to the car, so we had to leave. 

Expect from when we went onto the moor, we were either following the river or going against it.

There were a lot of people, swimming, paddling, catching fish and bugs, playing with their dogs or just chilling on the shore. The river actually seemed more of a draw then the abbey. I can understand all that and not just because of the nice summer weather but because the river is super pretty and the countryside it meanders through adds to the appeal.  

We did sit a few times and watched the river, the people and their dogs having fun. I was half tempted to go for a paddle myself but we hadn't brought a towel and I was driving. Maybe next time! 

Overall, we both had a great day out. I can see us coming back to Bolton Abbey again as it's a great place to walk and we only did some of it! Next time I'd like to see the woods and try to get to the valley.

Thanks for reading!

July Life Update; Devon Holiday

Hi readers, 

Last week, I went to Devon on holiday with my boyfriend, my parents, my younger brother and his girlfriend. we had a great week visiting lots of different places in Devon and Cornwall. This post is going to be photo heavy and also quick. I've a job interview tomorrow and there's far too much to write about in one post! Here are some highlights;

Tintagel Castle  

There's just something about this castle that makes it stand out above all the others in England for me. Maybe its the connection with the King Arthur Legend, maybe its the fantastic views or the scale of the place. Tintagel is a must visit for anyone, though you'll need to be fit enough to climb all the stairs up! 

I've been a few times now and though my memory is mostly of a ruined castle on a cliff top, it's the beach and 'Merlin's Cave,' I recall the most. Getting down to the cave is little tricky as though there are steps at the bottom you have to climb through a rocky section. The beach is small and covered in stones. There are a few different caves but Merlin's is the one on the left, under the castle. 

A few years ago, they added this statue of king Arthur. It stands on the far edge and looks back over the medieval houses that can be made out. It's a big photo shoot for everyone! I took a few photos and a selfie. The statue is sort of creepy at first due to this ripped up cloak and it sort of looks like the ghost of Arthur. 

They've also added this gallery next to the gift shop where you can read the legends connected to the castle. I liked the 'pop up books' they had there, some awesome paper crafter has created them. 

The views in the area must be some of the best of Cornwall's rugged coastline! That just adds to the greatness of the place. There's just something about powerful sea waves pounding against jagged cliff sides that appeals to me.     

Charlie Bear Museum

I never knew Charlie bears had a shop and museum you could visit! I've collected the bears for years and love them lots. By chance my boyfriend wanted chips when we stopped for lunch in a little village and whilst waiting, I saw a leaflet for the bear museum. I thought we were too far away to visit but as it turns out the next day we were going to the same town and a few roads away from the museum to have the car's air con fixed! So I got to visit the museum! 

It was really great and there were so many bears. I also got to meet the owner Charlie as she was showing an American visitor around and it was so special to talk to her. I suggested that she needed to design a bear named Hayley as there isn't one! She said it was a possibility and thought it was fated I ended up at the museum today. I agreed with that! 

I took so many photos, I just selected 3 to post up here, though I could do a whole blog post about this place alone! I thought it was that good! Of course, I didn't leave empty handed and brought myself the 2018 bear. My mum and brother also about me a bear each for my birthday, so I brought 3 home to add to my collection! 

This is so a heaven for all Teddy bear loves and a must if you are in the area!

Otter wildlife Park

This was one of the first places we visited. It's a small animal home, though they specialise in otters. They are so cute and funny to watch and seeing them get feed is the best thing. There's also two owls talks a day and you get to hold an owl or other bird of pray.

My favourite section was the walk through deer bit, where you can feed birds, deer and wallaby. Most of the animals are tame enough to eat out of your hand and be stroked. There was a wallaby with a joey which was so cute and seemed really interested in my mum. The wallaby was so calm and soft! 

This is a really nice place to spend a morning or afternoon. 

Breakfast with Peacocks 

We stayed at a country club called Woodford bridge. They had lots of peacocks there and they were really use to people, guess they have all been fed over the years. It became something of a habit whilst we were there that when we had breakfast or dinner outside a peacock or a peahen and her chicks would come by for food. 

It was really nice, though a few times scary as peacocks are really big close up. They also wanted to try and get inside all the time! There was one day when I had a peacock at the kitchen window watching me for ages and he also pecked on the glass a few times too. 

I did collect some nice feathers throughout the week and brought them back home with me. I wouldn't want to keep peacocks as pets though!

 The Gnome Garden

This is one of my favourite places in Devon! It's a large garden where you go around and look at a huge collection of gnomes and their friends! You have to put on a fluffy gnome hat so you fit in and you get to try your hand at fishing in a pond. It's just a fun place to spend a few hours. There's also a fairy garden trail and a quiz to do. The shop is really lovely and the old lady owner makes clay pixies and other things which you can buy. 

Jamaican Inn 

This is another hot spot for all visiting Cornwall. Made famous by Daphne Du Maurier's novel by the same name which is said to have been based at the original inn there. There is a museum dedicated to her and a shop with lots of themed items. There's also a farm shop selling local produce and let's not forget the pub itself! 

We'd visited before but this time we had tea here. The food is bit more expensive then a normal pub but it's worth it! The plates are big and the food so lovely! I also got to try out a new Rattler cider - strawberry and lime, also I got to eat the steak and ale pie I'd been craving! 

Well worth the visit for sure! 

We visited so many other places, but I just don't have the time to write about them. I just want to add that the ice cream and sorbet they have there has to be the best. I had a lot whilst I was down there! I never got to try a cream tea which is also famous in Devon, but I've had lots before, so I knew I wasn't missing out really. 

We also got to try out my new board game; Kill Doctor Lucky which everyone enjoyed playing! It's like the prologue to Cludo! And is more a game of chance and luck then anything else. I think this is going to become a family favourite now. 

And that was my holiday to Devon. There's so much more I could write though but it's getting late and I've a busy day tomorrow now. Hopefully, one day I'll go back and then I can write more about it! 

Thanks for reading!

(Please note all photos copyright to me. Please do not use them.)

June Life Update; From My Bed

Hi Readers,

I'm ill in bed. I'm having a flare up of my IBS and it's making me feel like I've got a bad stomach bug. I'm not sure what's set it off but I've not been that careful about what I've been eating over the last few days. It's been hard because I've been working every day since Thursday - covering for the second receptionist it, my normal shifted then an extra one on Sunday I got asked to do. Also, I didn't have a date with my boyfriend and that's made me feel a bit lonely too.

I've not done much today though things seemed to be improving this evening, so I've just written two short stories for my blog and now I'm here writing this for a bit. Then I'll have to try and got to sleep but it's so hard when you need the loo all the time! I keep thinking I should write a separate blog about all of this but I've just not got around to it.

Anyway, I ordered three new books of Amazon two weeks ago now and they've been added to my reading pile, though I'm currently reading Red Queen right now. I only ended up getting them because Montenegro had been reduced to £3, odd from £14.99 and it's been on my to buy list for over a year now. It's the second book of a strange vampire series and I liked the first so getting the second was needed. But it's so expensive, so I had wait for a reductions and who could argue with that one? Then I ended up with the other two books because I didn't want to pay shipping!

I really wanted to read Red Queen as the first book Alice was so good. I so needed to do a review about it on here! Might do a combined one now though. Reading had helped me though much of the day and watching TV too.

I've also been flipping through this; my dad's guide to Cornwall as it were. We go away in about 4 weeks and my dad has put together this file of places to go, eat and shop etc. We all got to pick what we wanted to do and not wanted to do before hand and this is the print out with his notes. There's lots of cool places to visit like castles, manor house, museums, towns and beaches. Really can't wait for that as I love Cornwall a lot. Plus, my boyfriend is coming and I get to share the adventure with him. 

You can expect a blog post all about that real soon. Might have to divided into two parts as I know it's going to be a long one!

My dog has been really sleepy and wanted to snug into everything lately. Her favorite place is on the sofa in all the blankets. She also likes to bury her bones behind the cushions were my dad normally sits. We joke she is giving him presents as the pack leader! It's really funny when he sits on one though! 

It's days like today that make me super glad of my dog though, because I know I can pet her and she'll make me feel calm and I can tell her anything and she won't judge me for being ill. She's helped keep me going today. 

I wanted to share this last time I wrote but I couldn't fit it in that blog post. I've been busy making some baby things for my best friend who's going to have a little girl soon. I'm mostly done with knitting the things I wanted to make for her now and with some wool left over I wanted to start knitting my own stuff for that hopeful one day. 

I made this blanket but I wasn't happy with the shape. I'd asked my mum how many stitches and she said 50 but really I wanted 60. I was half temped to just unravel it and start again. The wool is chunky and soft and takes no time to knit but then I decided to keep it as maybe I could give it to one of my sister- in- laws or another friend some day. 

Now, I've got some more wool of the same kind but in a different shade; purple, blue and yellow mix which I really like and have made a teddy bear pillow out of in the past. I'm going to make a larger blanket and mum is going to make a hood to go with it. That should be really nice. 

I like knitting as it's nice to do whilst watching TV, I find sometimes, I can't just sit there, I wanted to do something and this is perfect for that. It keeps me busy when I'm ill and chilled too but I've not been able to focus to do any today. Might try tomorrow though. 

I've gotten into adult coloring big style and this is my current favorite magazine. How fitting that it's filled this month with two of my favorite animals - wolves and bears who are also my spirit animals. It made me really happy to see it on the super market shelf! 

This is another thing I like to do when I'm ill, bored or need to calm down. Though as much as I wanted too, I've not started on this one yet. Like knitting I need more focus then I've had today but soon I'll start and maybe I'll post some photos on here. 

In a slight connect to that, I've hung a dream catcher above my bed again. There was a prompt for a short story that had the imagine of one and I wrote a story that can be read on my other blog with it. I got reminded about how dream catchers are meant to capture the nightmares and since I've been having a few bad dreams/ nightmares lately including one were I was chocking to death and then woke up with asthma attack. 

I like to think of this dream catcher as being powerful because it has the wolf painting on it. Since I hung it up I've not had any nightmares and only one bad- ish dream. So maybe dream catches do work after all? Or maybe it's my belief that it will. Whatever it is, I hope it carries on and I can have more restful nights. 

That's it really for today or this night as it now is! I'm off to try and sleep a bit and hopefully feel better in the morning. Here's a cute photo of my snug teddies for tonight; Fifi fox and Astrid unicorn. They are so soft and comforting!  

Thanks for reading, see you next time. 

All photos used belong to me. 

June Life Update; A Visit To Hoghton Tower

Hi Readers,

So, today I wanted to share my trip to Hoghton Tower in Lancashire with you all.

Lately, my boyfriend and I have been struggling to find new places to go on dates too. In the last two years, we've been to a lot of places and done lots and though I like spending the weekends with him inside in front of the TV or playing games, I prefer to be out exploring places! 

We have many places we'd like to visit on our list but some of them are too far to travel to or too expensive right now. Plus, the next few weeks are set to be very busy what with my 30th birthday and a week in Cornwall with my family!

My boyfriend discovered this Tudor house wasn't a far drive from his house, so we decided to go and check it out. You can only visit the inside on a tour and you had to book on to a time slot. That cost includes the gardens too or you can pay just to walk in those. Sadly, we didn't get to do the gardens as we ran out of time. There was a large car show event on the day we went and so we timed our arrival for the ending of that which was lunchtime.

We missed the tour we were aiming for and had to wait an hour for the next one. We were able to go into the courtyard and see the outside of the house. Because you had to pay to be in this area it wasn't so busy. The car show was being held at the front and the fields either side of the driveway.

There was a really nice tea room just off the courtyard and it was thankfully empty when we arrived. We had lunch and cake before our tour. The tea room also sells afternoon teas there but they seemed expensive to me and I was happy with my ham sandwich and rainbow cake!

In the tour group there was only like eight of us and the tour took nearly and hour and a half. There was no photography or phones allowed in the house. The tour guard we had was really good. He was full of history about the house and got everyone involved by asking us questions. For example; why when King James 1 came to visit he decided not to stay in the room prepared for him? And who was depicted being crowned on a tapestry?

My favorite part was when he told us that Hoghton Tower is one of the most haunted places in England and though he hasn't seen or felt a ghost there has been times when he's come into the first bedroom and seen the cradle there moving by itself.

You can actually take ghost walks in the castle in the autumn/winter and I'm hoping my boyfriend books one of those for us to do later on in the year!

Hoghton Tower as well as being visited by kings and queens also had famous writers to visit, namely, Shakespeare and Dickens. The tour guide told us its rumored that Shakespeare was a friend of the family and taught the children. On the other hand, it is know that Dickens based on of his short stories at the Tower which he visited when it was in some disrepair.       

Close to the end of the tour and due to time, the group had to decided to visit the collection of dolls' houses or the priest hole and the well. We choice this last one which seemed more interesting. The house had many hidden holes and we got to see about three all together, though this last one you could really look inside it and get an idea of what it was like to have to hide inside.

The well was interesting because it was all inside and had a wooden mechanism to lower and rise the bucket. It was enclosed to protected from evading parties and insure the house had a supple of water. There was also a witch mark burned into the beam to keep evil away. The guide let some one drop a coin down and we heard after a good few seconds the splash of water.

The tour was really good and we learnt a lot! 

I did mange to snap the below photos which were in a room and corridor from the tearoom to the toilets. Though the actual rooms inside the house were far grander.   

This is a view looking into the gardens. I really wished we'd had time to visit them and the shop but we had only half an hour left after the tour and they had closed the shop early and my boyfriend was worried about traffic leaving the Tower. 

I told him we'd have to come back one day to see the gardens and I'm sure we will. 

So, if you are in the area of Hoghton Tower it's worth checking out! And that's it for today's post. I just want to leave you with a photo of my dog sunbathing. It's been really hot here for the last few days, surprisingly! And my dog is loving it. Me not so much though! I can't wait for it to get cooler again. 

All photos belong to me.

If you want to check out Hoghton Tower here's the link to their webside; http://www.hoghtontower.co.uk/