Day Out in Holmfirth

On the 18th of July Lee and I had a weekend free so we decided to go to Holmfirth. I love the place but parking is a pain, but since I got my blue badge I knew it would be easier as there are disabled spaces right in the middle. So I said we should go. We parked by the bus station to begin with and wandered into a few shops and charity shops. Holmfirth Pride was the weekend after so there were already lots of rainbow flags and so on up, so that was nice to see. We went in to the Fair Trade shop where I don't think I've ever been before, and I bought some bath salts as I find them really useful for my joints. I need to have more baths actually, I haven't had one in a while! 

We also went into the crystal shop where I have also never been. It is HUGE and has SO many HUGE crystals. You could literally spend thousands of pounds in there. I bought a piece of amethyst made into an incense holder as I lost my incense holder in the move and I haven't found it since. I could have bought more though! They also have jewellery making you can do there so next time I go I would really like to do that because it looked so cute. 

We weren't sure where to eat but settled on Bloc, which was near the crystal shop and which does brunch. We sat outside; it wasn't quite as hot as it had been in the weeks previous, but it was still pretty warm. I had smashed avocado and poached eggs on toast which were really good! I think Lee had beans on toast with a poached egg too. 

Then we walked to Dixon's Ice Cream. It's where Lick used to be so I am a bit sad that Lick had gone because that was all vegan which was amazing! But I guess it just didn't make that much money so Dixon's has come in instead. They have other branches in Huddersfield and Lockwood. They make milk ice which is not exactly ice cream but it is really sweet and delicious. They had different flavours but I went for the original with raspberry sauce which is exactly how it should be eaten. Lee had chocolate I think. 

We then went into a few more shops including the Oxfam bookshop where I bought a book, and the cheese shop where we bought butter and cheese, and the bakery, and the charity shop next to the bakery where I picked up some fabric for cross stitching. Then we went into a bar opposite the bakery, I can't remember what it was called. It obviously used to be a bank. I had an elderflower spritz. It was so nice to just sit for a bit together. 

Lee had had to move the car so we were parked just outside the bar, which was just as well as it was busy! So we came home. I had been wearing this Joe Browns dress which is heavy because it's lined, and it's lovely! I love the colour of it.

 

Pride bunting outside the library, I think

And on display in the Fair Trade shop. I could have spent a fortune in there, they had a lot of lovely gifts and a yarn shop upstairs!

My brunch. I bloody love brunch

And my ice cream! So yummy!

Elderflower spritz

And here's Lee and I

And my dress when we got home

What I bought, excluding the amthyst incense holder!

Family Holiday Day 5

On the Sunday of our trip to Kent we got up and went swimming again first thing. But the big pool was closed so we all just had to go in the baby pool - which was actually deep enough to sit in and float about so we had fun doing that and playing with T and stuff. I got showered when we got back to the caravan and then we all had some lunch before going our separate ways for the afternoon. 

Caroline, Neil and Rob went off somewhere where Caroline could collect sea glass on the beach, and Neil and Rob went to a World War Two museum I think. Me, Kensi, my mum, Beth, and T went off to the rare breeds farm. Lee, Peter and Norman stayed at the caravans and went to the bar to play pool and drink slushes. I offered to drive the five of us so we had T's car seat in the car! 

We got there and paid our admission and went in. It's a pretty big place and you could probably spend all day there and take a picnic and so on, but we went first of all to the petting area. There were rabbits and guinea pigs which we got to stroke and T was very gentle with them! We looked at the goats and the pigs and the horses. We got on a tractor trailer and went on a little ride on it. It was so hot though! 

We played on some tractors with T and then we went in the butterfly house but we did not see one single butterfly! I don't know if it was because of the heat or what. But we didn't! The farm was close to closing by this time so we went and got a drink and an ice cream each and ate them in the shade. We played in the sandpit with T for a bit too, but then we had to get back because Beth had hired a little go kart type thing. As we got back Peter had gone to pick it up so Beth and T went on it with Peter and then when they came back I had a go. It was really tiring on the thighs so I didn't go far but it was fun! 

We took the team photo because it's tradition and you have to. Beth took the kart back and Lee and I got busy cooking tea. We made tacos with an onion, tomato and coriander salad, and a sour cream based dip which were all delicious. We took it over to the main caravan for tea and then had pudding and stuff.

Peter had decided to leave about 9pm as he wanted to stay the night at his parents' to collect a bike, so a few people went for a walk before he left. I just sat and chilled though. We said goodbye to Peter just as the sun was setting. 

In the morning we just packed all the stuff and got going, but Lee and I did stop at the churchyard in Romney Marsh because that's where Derek Jarman is buried. It took us a while to find it but I was glad we had bothered because it was nice to see. We made good time driving home and were obviously happy to get home to see the cats!

It is such a nice tradition we've got going on here, and long may it continue. I'm really glad we took Kensi along with us too! 

Guinea pigs! My mum and I love guinea pigs! I had a few when I was little and then my mum had a couple after I left home

This shire horse was so big and so beautiful, I really liked stroking her

Baby T being so gentle with the rabbits

This rabbit was absolutely huge!

Oh T got to feed the goats too - you could put goat feed down the little pipes and then they all came to eat it! It was so cute!

These pigs were huge too. Some kind of rare breed, I dunno what exactly

Team photo! Taken by Neil

Derek Jarman's grave, where some people have left shells and stones for him

And the church where he is buried, which is very cute too

Family Holiday Day 4

On the Saturday of our family weekend we got up and went swimming, well most of us did anyway. The big pool was huge and really deep too so it was nice to do some proper swimming and play with T. Then Neil made pancakes and we all ate a ton of them with a bunch of toppings, which was nice. Or maybe we did these two things in the other order; I'm not sure and can't remember as it's weeks ago and I am so desperate to get caught up on blogging. I'm driving myself mad with it! Anyway. It was a nice morning. 

We then decided to go right down to Dungeness to look at the lighthouses and the beach there. Lee and I went in our car and met up with my mum, stepdad, and Kensi. We walked round a little bit and then went into the visitor centre and had a cold drink. Everyone else arrived not long after that and they all went up the lighthouse but it was too much for me. Then we all walked round and on to the beach and down a long duckboard. The beach there is all shingle so I was glad I didn't have to walk on that as I find it really strenuous and stressful. I sat at the end of the duckboard on a bench for a while cahtting to everyone else and it was lovely. Lee had taken off to go to the supermarket to get our supplies for what we were cooking the next day, so I went back to the caravan with my mum and co. 

We stopped at Prospect Cottage which belonged to Derek Jarman; you can look at it but can't go in as it's privately owned. It was nice to see though and the garden is lovely so I'm glad we bothered to stop. 

We got back to the caravans and chilled out for a bit. My mum and Kensi made tea. T stole the little stool that I have to use with my camping chair to sit on, and it was so cute. We played some games after tea and I took photos of the stars again. 

One of the Dungeness lighthouses

There was a tiny steam train that came past the holiday park too; we talked about going on it but it was quite expensive so we didn't bother, we just looked at it in the station instead

Looking towards the other lighthouse

This knitting collage was in the visitor centre cafe and I thought it was brilliant

Setting off along the duckboards. There were other people around but it really looks like I was alone in the world at this point!

Closer up towards the other lighthouse

Peter and I, what a cute photo of us! Behind us you can see the power station which is not at all picturesque but very necessary!

Some views of the beach, it was stunning

And towards the power station

Baby T walking along the beach. He isn't a baby anymore but he is a very sweet kid

Some more views of the beach

Derek Jarman's cottage. There were quite a lot of similar cottages on the coastline nearby and a few of them had artists in them selling their work. It was lovely to see!

Views of the garden

And the cottage from the other side

T having stolen my little stool in order to play with his farm models outside

And lastly, the stars

Family Holiday Day 3

On the Friday of our trip away Lee and I left the Airbnb about 10am I guess, and set off down to Kent. We stopped for lunch at a service station again and I went for Chopstix but they gave me the wrong thing to start off with and it included meat, which I don't eat, so that wasn't ideal! We went over the Dartford Bridge and got into Kent. The traffic wasn't too bad, it was just quite a long way through Kent. Once we went down to the small roads it was a bit slow going but we were fine!

We got to Romney Sands about 2pm I think. My mum and stepdad and K had just arrived and had been given our keys so we found them and together we found our caravans and let ourselves in. My mum and stepdad had a caravan just behind ours. In mine was me, Lee, K, and Peter. Then just a couple of rows over was the other one for Caroline, Neil, Rob, Beth, and T. So we were all close together.

The park itself must have been a Butlins or a Pontins once upon a time, and it was a bit neglected. The whole thing looked in need of a good clean and some upkeep. It had shades of Hi De Hi about it! But we're mostly just about being together so that was the main thing. Caroline and Neil arrived not long after us and then Peter and everyone else arrived about 5.30.

It had been T's birthday and we bought him a Jessie doll to go with his Buzz Lightyear and Woody, so he was pleased to get that. He started playing with her immediately! Rob made pasta with homemade sauces which was delicious, and he had made tiramisu too which was SO good! 

Some of us decided to go down to the sea and maybe to swim so I put my swimming costume on and we headed down. There was me, Lee, K, Rob, Neil, and my mum. The beach had a bit of a difficult dune but it was okay. Peter joined us too. My mum and he and Lee stood on the beach while the rest of us walked really quite a long way to actually get to the water. I end up going to about my waist I guess, but I could swim and it was nice to be rocked about in the waves. The water was nice and warm!

We went back to the caravans eventually and I showered all the sand and filth off me and then we had a few drinks. No one was too late to bed as we were all tired. Fortunately the heatwave wasn't too bad right by the sea - it was really windy and I appreciated a breeze blowing over me all night! 

Our caravan when we arrived

Long shadows on the beach about 8pm

Lee and I soaked in golden sunshine

My mum paddling

Me paddling

Rob wading in

All four of us waiting to get in. I don't love this photo of myself but I do love the memory of swimming with my lovely family

Lee took this of K and I wading out - you c an see we were only up to our thighs though!

Looking up towards the sunset when I got out

It was so beautiful

And the clouds were too

And here was the caravan park just before we headed to bed