Do you ever find that weekends come and go in a blur of chores, shopping, visiting family, playtime etc. without feeling like you’ve made the most of the time together as a family? We do. So we have decided to make more of an effort this year to visit places. To do something different.
To add a fun side we have also decided to make this into a scrapbook for Monkey. He’s too young to remember these days out so we thought it would be nice to start a scrapbook with pictures, ticket stubs, interesting things we found or did on our day out, so he can look back on them as he gets older. As he gets older putting the scrapbook together will also be a fun thing for him to enjoy.
This is my blogged version of that scrapbook.
I am very lucky in that my lovely aunty bought me a lifetime membership to the National Trust quite a few years ago that gives me +1 entry to all National Trust sites. I did initially think that this would be purely for National Trust places but I think it’s nicer to widen the scope and encompass all days out.
So Page 1!
Yesterday we went to Lyveden New Bield. A small National Trust site but as it is only about 30 mins from home we decided it was a good place to start.
It looks like a ruin but it’s actually a house that was never completed as the owner, Sir Thomas Tresham died mid-way through. The building was started in 1595 – if you want more of a history please visit the National Trust page – I’m sure it would be more accurate than me!
On a grey miserable morning it looks very haunting up on a hill in the middle of the Northamptonshire countryside.
Monkey had on his wellies and his (slightly too big so they look a little like MCHammer trousers) waterproof trousers and he had a whale of a time exploring.
There’s names carved into the stone all over the building and as much as I don’t approve of general graffiti, it is kinda cool seeing graffiti from 1790 all the way up to now.
We had a lovely lunch and some tea in the tea rooms, Monkey enjoyed his lunch and we got some free cress in his lunch platter so will have fun growing that at home 🙂
After a bit of a play with his ball it was time to head home.
Great start to our new Days Out Scrapbook, stay tuned for many more
Sounds like a lovely day x
It really was, nice to get out and do something different for a couple of hours 🙂
Looks lovely there. We were just the same as you, and decided we would make the most of our weekends, too, so since last summer we’ve done just that and feel so much better for it. We’ve just joined the National Trust, too, so have no end of potential adventures on our list now!
It’s really nice and quite local which is good. It’s nice tog et out and so something different at the weekends isn’t it? xx
The house looks incredible! #CountryKids
Yeah it’s pretty awesome and so weird that it was never finished!
What lovely happy photos of family fun outdoors! It’s such a shame that that beautiful house has never been completed. It’s a great start to the scrapbook and thanks for sharing it with Country Kids.
Thank you it was lovely 🙂 I look forward to sharing more excerpts from our scrapbook! Xx
What a great day! That half finished house does look quite haunting against the grey skies. Lovely photos 🙂
Thank you! It was nice to see something different and haunting is definitely the right word for it xx
Oh my such a wonderful idea and such a darling post. It reminds me of me and my folks. We always and still do go to a lot of English Heritage and National Trust places together. I love those types of memories and being big into history going to these places really was a treat.
Lovely post and great for our Lets have an adventure Link Up. xxxx
Thank you! Yeah I remember going to so many of those places with my family too and am really looking forward to going to loads of places with Monkey as he grows up. I hope he loves history as much as we do 🙂 xx
Thank you so much for linking up!! That place looks wonderful, i can see why you wanted to go exploring there 🙂 xxxxxxxxx
You’re welcome, thanks for hosting. It is a lovely place! 🙂 xx
You’re not far from us then, we live about 10 minutes away and LOVE Lyveden!
Oh how funny! We must be close then, we are on the outskirts of Peterborough xx
Pingback: Lyveden New Bield, Northamptonshire - Becoming a Stay at Home Mum