Saturday night when I got home from seeing some friends in London, hubby and I had a quick chat about what we wanted to do the following day. Checked the weather forecast and Sun all day! Brilliant. We got out our National Trust handbook and started looking at where is open during February that isn’t too far away.
Belton House is somewhere that I remember going to a lot as a kid – in the summer it has an amazing Adventure playground which Monkey will love as he gets older. I *think* these pics were taken there in the early 90’s – I’m sure it has changed a bit since then though!
Anyway, back to this weekend and the house and adventure playground are closed at this time of year but there is still a lot to see, so we decided to head on up and make the most of the day. It’s near Grantham so only about 40 mins away from us which is easily doable.
It is a beautiful house set in some amazing grounds -and we had a lovely time exploring the gardens…
…the maze…
…and the rest of the grounds. There is a lot of snowdrops blooming too which is just so lovely and very picturesque.
They have a fantastic ride and play cafe but unfortunately it was really busy today as they had a party booking and we couldn’t get a table, they do have another lovely restaurant though so we had lunch there. Monkey loved his pea soup!
We had a bit more of an explore after lunch and then little Monkey got tired leggies so had a piggy back on the way back to the car. I asked Hubby to try and get some piccies of Monkey and I as I am usually the one snapping away and we don’t have too many of us together. Clever Daddy got some great pics of us so I am very pleased.
There are a lot of deer on the estate too but we only saw them from the car so no pictures I’m afraid! We had a fantastic day though and will definitely have to go back as there is plenty more that we didn’t get to see.
Looks like a great day out. Lovely photos there, especially of you and Monkey. We got our NT book out yesterday and headed off to get some fresh air at a local one to us – great minds think alike!
Thank you, great minds indeed!! Definitely had to make the most of the nice weather yesterday after how wet it has been lately! Thank you, I am really pleased with some of them and I hardly ever like photos with me in them! xx
I just love NT properties-we have a good few near us too and they’re great places to explore. And wasn’t it glorious to have a sunny day!! Lovely photos too, especially the one of monkey eating 🙂
They’re wonderful aren’t they and oh yes so lovely to see the sun for a change – we had to get out and make the most of it! Ha ha thanks, loving that he is eating pea soup! And he loved it, which is brilliant! 🙂
Looks like you had a great day. Fond memories of Belton house you all loved it as kids.
Oh wow what a fabulous post. Belton House looks fantastic and you picked such a great day too, sounds like you had lots of fun. Absolutely love the photos, thank you for sharing #whatsthestory
Thank you so much! We loved it and it was such a lovely day after the miserable weather we’ve had lately, a really lovely family day out . 🙂 xx
What a lovely post and brilliant pictures 🙂 xx
Aww thank you 🙂 xx
Wonderful winter fun in the sun! Well done for getting out and making the most of it… It’s been much too scarce for my liking!! Beautiful snowdrops too! Thanks for linking up to #SavouringtheSeason Back again today!!
Thank you, it was lovely to get out and make the most of it, the sun has been far too scarce! Thank you and thanks for hosting 🙂
This looks like such a lovely family day out. The full on sunny days feel such a treat at the moment that it feels a crime not to be out enjoying them. Belton House looks like a perfect place to visit. Hope you will join Country Kids on Saturday with this post.
Thank you it really was. Oh I know they are far too rare at the moment so they have to be enjoyed! It is such a great place, definitely one of my favourites! I certainly will be joining on Saturday 🙂 xx
Thanks for coming over and joining in with Country Kids.
It’s a pleasure 🙂 xx
Wow, what a great day and I adore the snowdrops! #Savouringtheseason
Thank you, it really was a lovely day 🙂 xx
Looks like you had a lovely day! Great pictures 🙂
Thank you it was lovely 🙂 xx
Looks like a gorgeous place to visit. Such lovely photos.
It really is lovely, thank you! 🙂
Looks like a really lovely place to visit and lots of fun 🙂
It really is great, so much to do and see 🙂
Looks like you all had great fun, fab photos! x
Thank you, we really did enjoy ourselves! xx
Thursday’s Child took some bump photos here when I was twenty odd weeks pregnant! Looks like you had a great day. I need to do the same and get Daddy Morkus to take some snaps of L and I which are not selfies in bad light.
Fab photos.
#familyphotofriday
Aww I bet they were lovely! It was a great day! Haha I totally get where you’re coming from, I have selfies of me and Monkey but they are mostly just awful so it’s nice to have some nice pics of me for a change! Thanks! 🙂 xx
We bloody love Belton, now I’m missing my NT membership! We can’t be that far away from each other… Lovely to see you in the photos this week, thanks for linking up with #familyphotofriday
Aww it’s great isn’t it! Ha ha yeah we must be close 🙂 Thanks, makes a nice change for me to be in front of the camera, truth be told I’m too much of a control freak to relinquish the camera and let hubby be in charge of some of the photos! haha 🙂 xx
Looks like a great day!
thanks it really was lovely 🙂 xx
Loving your pics and love Belton House, I really should get round to taking my little man. We don’t live that far from there but we are yet to visit with him.
Thank you, it’s a lovely place isn’t it? Oh yes I am sure he would love it, lots to see and do 🙂 xx
That house looks stunning and the snowdrops are just magical! #CountryKids
It is beautiful and it was so lovely seeing so many snowdrops shooting up, so pretty 🙂 xx
wow what a stunning stately home! and what an amazing soft play area too – wow my two would love playing there. You captured some lovely photos of you and your boy – what a cutie eating his soup.
And i really love the photos from your visit back in your youth – as you say Monkey will love it too when he is bigger
thank you for sharing x x
Thank you, it really is an amazing place, such much to see and do, and lots of fun to be had! I’m sure I’ll be posting about many more visits over the years!! 🙂 xx
What a stunning house, and beautiful grounds too. Looks like there is loads to see and plenty to keep young kids entertained too. I will have to add this to my mental checklist to visit it we are ever in that part of the country.
Some gorgeous photos in this post, and what beautiful blue skies 🙂
It really is a wonderful place for kids of all ages! Thank you, yes it was lovely to make the most of the blue skies 🙂 xx
What a great place for a family day out! Great pics, great post
Thank you, it really is a lovely place for the whole family 🙂 xx