School’s Out :: 2025

Hi there everyone 😀

It seems to have become a bit of a tradition for David, Alison and my nephew Bobby to kick off the school holidays with a few days staying with us at the lodge.

This is now the third year they’ve joined us … you can read about their previous visits here and here.

As has also become the norm, the weather forecast didn’t look too promising … but it ended up being far better than expected.

They arrived late on the evening of Bobby’s last day at school, ready for what turned out to be four very full days of adventures and new experiences.

And we really did pack a lot in! From a treasure trail around Beddgelert, a coastal walk and paddle on the beach at Borth-y-Gest, crazy golf and an escape room in Porthmadog, to a couple of dips in the pool, fish and chips on the front in Criccieth, the arcade in Pwllheli, two picnics, a wander around Caernarfon, a BBQ, and a visit to Penrhyn Castle. Phew!

Day 1 – Beddgelert
We started off with a Treasure Trail around Beddgelert, with Bobby leading the way …

It’s one of our favourite villages in North Wales … nestled at the confluence of the rivers Glaslyn and Colwyn and surrounded by mountains, it really is a beautiful spot …

Our trail took us past all our favourite places … 

… and we stopped for a riverside picnic … 

… before heading back into the village … 

… and onto the steam railway station, where we were lucky enough to spot the train awaiting its return journey to Caernarfon …

Day 2 – Borth-y-Gest & Porthmadog
On Day 2, we stayed fairly local and started with a coastal walk at Borth-y-Gest … 

… followed by a paddle on the beach …

From Borth-y-Gest, we headed into Porthmadog, where David, Alison and Bobby tackled the (not so) crazy golf course … 

Then it was ice creams in the park … 

… before our big afternoon adventure — the local escape rooms. Things didn’t go quite to plan, but we very nearly made it out, and definitely had a lot of fun trying …

We rounded off the day with fish and chips on the prom in Criccieth. 

Day 3 – Caernarfon & BBQ
By Day 3, Martin and I were starting to flag a little, so we had a slower start and headed over to Caernarfon, where we managed to bag a handy parking spot in the town square …

David, Bobby and Alison got stuck into a rather interesting Geocache … which involved a few wet feet …

We had a wander around the town walls … 

… and a well-earned pitstop in the sunshine at The Black Boy … 

… before pottering in and out of the little independent shops on our way back to the car.

Back at the lodge, we made the most of the late afternoon sunshine with a dip in the pool, followed by a BBQ to finish the day …

Day 4 – Penrhyn Castle
All too soon, it was time for our visitors to head home. But we managed to squeeze in one final stop … a visit to Penrhyn Castle, which is kind of on their way back …

After a final picnic lunch in the sunshine we waved our guests goodbye. We headed back to the lodge where we pretty much flaked out and didn’t move far at all for the next few days 😜

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Sunshine & Surprises at Burghley House

Hi there everyone 😀

Determined to make the absolute most of our weekend away in Stamford, instead of heading straight for home on the Sunday, we’d arranged to meet up with Sue and Ken, my cousin and her husband. 

We’d not seen them socially for a long old time and, as they live in Peterborough, the Burghley House Orangery for breakfast, followed by a mooch round some gardens we hadn’t seen before, made for the perfect place to meet up …

It was another scorcher of a day, with plenty of sunshine and The Orangery made the perfect setting for a leisurely breakfast: bright, airy, and beautifully serene. The breakfast was tasty and it was just lovely slipping straight back into conversation as if no time had passed at all …

Of course, we couldn’t resist a little browse in the shop before we set off to explore the gardens — and somehow I came away with a rather fabulous new hat! 

Our next stop was the Garden of Surprises, which lived up to its name in all the right ways. There was something truly magical about weaving through hidden pathways, bubbling fountains, and playful water features — all while trying not to melt in the scorching heat! 

There were certainly plenty of ‘oohs’ and ‘wows’ heard as we turned a corner to find yet another unexpected surprise. There were also plenty of times when it was very tempting to ignore the rules and go barefoot for a cooling paddle … though we did all manage to behave ourselves and resist …

Thankfully, there were plenty of shady spots to pause and cool down a little, and the sound of water trickling through the garden made it feel an absolute delight …

Next, we made our way over to the sculpture trail. The walk took us through peaceful woodland and wide open parkland, dotted with striking sculptures that ranged from quirky to thought-provoking. We are always fascinated seeing how art interacts with nature — and this trail definitely gave us a bit of both …

There were certainly plenty of moments to just stop for a while and just take it all in …

At the moment there is also an outdoor art installation … Botanic Tapestry … on display. This exhibition of striking botanical flags celebrates the harmony between, art, nature and history. 

It certainly was looking striking on our visit … with the brightly coloured flags waving in the breeze … 

… atop a mound covered with the most spectacular of wild flower displays …

By the end of our visit, we were warm, slightly sun-kissed, and definitely feeling the need for some cool refreshment in The Garden Cafe. 

It had been a lovely way to spend a sunny Sunday and to finish off our weekend away. I’m certain it’s somewhere we will come back to as I would love to visit the house too. 

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