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Unplugged in the Forest of Dean

"So does this place you're going to have a TV?". That was the most-asked question I was posed in the weeks leading up to our stay in the Forest of Dean. When I described the holiday lodge we were staying in, which belongs to Mr Lighty's bosses, the overriding concern for us was whether we would be connected to the outside world via the medium of telly.

I must admit that before we set off for our weekend of forest dwelling, I too was apprehensive of what was ahead. No wifi for three days? That meant no Facebook and Whatsapp and Twitter! No telly? How would Mr Lighty cope without knowing the football scores?! In terms of connectivity, it was going to be a back-to-basics weekend. Turns out, it was just what Mr Lighty and I needed to reconnect with each other...

It's not just about the destination, it's about the journey

 
As many readers would have come to realise by now, when Mr Lighty and I go off on our little jaunts, it's as much about the getting there as the end destination. A metaphor for all of us for life, perhaps, but certainly something that was true of this weekend.

We were determined to use our National Trust membership to its max, and I definitely think we got our money's worth that weekend! First stop en route was Hughenden, former home of ex-British Prime Minister Benjamin Disrali and used as a secret cartography workshop during the Second World War. I love how the house had led a double life, with the above ground floors dedicated to Disrali and the basement dedicated to the war work. Maybe not traditional 'upstairs, downstairs', but interesting nonetheless!

Hughenden

Then it was on to the Caerleon Roman Villa. A different type of history entirely, and not really falling within my historical interests, but Mr Lighty enjoyed looking at how this ancient civilisation lived, set now within striking distance of picture perfect Cotswold villages.

Caerleon Roman Villa

We even made it to the acclaimed Tyntesfield property on our return journey, something quite unlike the other National Trust properties in that it was only acquired by the National Trust in 2002 and therefore the teams of experts and volunteers still have their work cut out sifting through the massive collections they have inherited! A successful National Trust weekend, I think you'll agree.

Tyntesfield

Your Cottage Awaits

 
Of course, the destination and the weekend's aim shouldn't be forgotten in all this. The Forest of Dean and time out together awaited.

We pulled up to Farrier's Lodge in the pouring rain. Anywhere else and this weather would have truly dampened the spirits. Here, the beauty of the lodge and its surrounds more than surpassed a bit of rainfall.

Farrier's Lodge

Originally built as upmarket self-catering accommodation, the lodge now belongs to Mr Lighty's bosses, who very kindly lent it to us for the weekend. The minute I walked through the door I felt privileged, as you stepped into the lap of luxury: gorgeous modern kitchen, comfy and stylishly decorated living room and a spacious bathroom, complete with jacuzzi bath, not to forget, of course, the two cosy bedrooms.

The cosy living room

Mr Lighty soon got the wood burning stove going to stave off the chilly English bank holiday weather, and it was tea and crumpets all round!

Man makes fire!

And Relax...

 
The whole point of the weekend for us was to enjoy a bit of R&R after a hectic few months of renovating, celebrating and working, working, working! The rain that greeted us on arrival was kind enough to depart after about an hour of us arriving, and so we decided to wander down to the village to see what was happening. 

Not a lot, as it turned out. Soudley is a sleepy little village in the heart of the forest. As we walked past the Dean Heritage Centre, we were greeted by dog walkers and hikers but very few people besides. The pub was shut, the landlord having apologetically pinned a note to the door saying that they were still moving in after a change of ownership, the Heritage Centre was closed for the day and everywhere we looked smoked curled enticingly from chimneys, up, up and away into the sky as people bolted themselves in for a Saturday night indoors.

The village pub's lovely welcome sign!

But it was beautiful: the sky had become a crystal clear blue as dusk approached and all was quiet, fresh from the rain; the perfect picture postcard. We decided to retreat, too, and with good food, good wine and a good film, we finally slowed down and let the worries of the world pass us by...

Above and below: Soudley

The Delights of the Dean

After a surprisingly restful sleep, punctuated only by the wake-up call of next door's cockerel, and followed by one of Mr Lighty's fabulous cooked breakfasts, we set off to explore the local area.

We kicked ourselves for not taking our wellies with us, as the forest is home to numerous walks, but we made up for it with a trip to the May Fayre at Ross-on-Wye. It struck me how community orientated the town seemed, how everyone seemed to know everyone else, greeting them with their warm West Country accents. It reminded me a little of where we live, but on a much more rural scale.

Ross on Wye

We also ventured onto the miniature Perrygrove Railway, which to be honest, is only worth doing if you have small children accompanying you, and then visited the Wye Valley Butterfly Zoo, which is worth doing no matter how young or old you are! I was impressed by the magnifying glass and fact sheets we were given to explore the facility, and I think both Mr Lighty and I would agree that our favourite flutterby was the aptly named Glass Butterfly, with its transparent wings.

The Perrygrove Miniature Steam Railway

A beautiful Glass Butterfly

And Relax... (Take Two)

Of course, after all this sightseeing, who were we to deny ourselves the pleasure of more good food, an open fire, a classic film and a jacuzzi bath? The cottage was a welcome sight after months of general work and life stress, and a hard day enjoying ourselves in the Forest of Dean. We even snatched an hour or two on the cottage's delightful terrace, soaking up the sun whilst surrounded by dreamy meadow flowers!

Relaxing on the terrace!

If the aim of the weekend was relaxation, then mission accomplished. Who needs a TV, after all?!

Beautiful meadow flowers

Good food, good wine and an open fire...and relax!

Party in the (Center)Parc

I must admit that a Centerparcs holiday was never at the top of my agenda. "Why go to Centerparcs when you could go abroad for the same price?", I used to think. So when Centerparcs was mooted as a suggestion for a joint 30th birthday weekend away by my nearest and dearest friends, I must admit that I was sceptical.

I think the operative words to note in the above paragraph are "I used to think". All of my pre-conceived ideas changed one weekend last November.

Well Stocked

We rolled up to Centerparcs Elveden Forest, in Suffolk, on November 15th 2013 in two cars filled with people, luggage, food...and above all else, alcohol! September and October has always been known as 'birthday season' amongst our friendship group, as 5 out of the 6 of us are born with 6 weeks of each other. Three hefty 30th birthday parties in the weeks leading up to Centerparcs meant that we had enough alcohol left over to stock a mini off licence. So it would've been rude not to take it with us!

Dave and Tom bring in the alcohol!

Our plan was always to spend our first evening in, with the optimistic hopes of a BBQ. The chalets are set up in such a way that you can quite easily self cater, with a large communal sitting area and dining area, as well as a kitchenette just big enough to prepare a meal for six. Ever the optimists, our November BBQ went ahead as planned, and we spent a cosy evening by the open fire, playing games and, of course, making a dent into all of that alcohol. We were celebrating our 30ths, after all!

Our chalet: a kitchenette just big enough to prepare a meal for six (above) and the large living room to congregate in (below)

If you do want to eat out, there's a wide choice of restaurants on the complex, including favourites such as Café Rouge and Bella Italia, as well as less well known eateries like the all-American Diner, Hucks. Not forgetting, of course, the Pancake Palace, which is a firm favourite for breakfast; they even do gluten free pancakes! 

Pancakes for six!

In Huck's, the all-American diner

One tip I would give anyone going to Centerparcs, however, is to make your restaurant reservations well in advance. We didn't know we could or should do this, and so didn't end up eating until gone 9pm on the Saturday night. And something to soak up that alcohol wouldn't have gone amiss!

Rapid Fun

Undeniably, the centrepiece of Centerparcs Elveden Forest is the Subtropical Swimming Paradise, where the main wavepool is always a blissful 29.5 degrees Celsius. I don't know quite what I expected, but it wasn't an indoor waterpark! With slides galore, including the new Cyclone raft slide, there's plenty to entertain. I think our favourite part by far were the rapids, which take you outside into the crisp forest air. It was hilarious watching the lads upstaged by young boys jumping into the freezing depths of the ice cold plunge pool (and during a November twilight too!), not to mention the fun of the super-fast rapid style slide which eventually bumps you along and brings you back inside the complex again. If you don't want to spend any money at Centerparcs, you could quite easily spend days on end by the pool, which is included in your holiday price!

Something a little more active for the weekend?

Of course, if you do want to branch out, Centerparcs has a multitude of activities on offer. Be mindful of the time of year you're visiting, however, if you're looking to partake in something specific, as some activities are obviously weather dependent, others are only on offer during the week (including some of the craft activities, which, much to my disappointment, I imagine are aimed mostly at families with children). We enjoyed many a game of pool and even one long winded game of snooker, plus crazy golf, bowling and of course, cycling, which is synonymous with Centreparcs (although not usually on a tandem, which was Dave and Tom's hire of choice!). 

Going Tandem: Dave and Tom above, and Tom and Kay below

Our friends were going to enjoy the spa, too, but on discovering that our chalet came complete with its own sauna, it was decided that we were quite happy with that. Kay and Mark even had their own jacuzzi bath in their en suite, which none of the rest of us discovered until the last night - they assumed that all of the en suite bathrooms had one - or so they told us!!

The complex also has its own clubhouse type bar, complete with cheesy disco. If we went again, I would be quite happy to forgo the bowling and bop the night away in there, although I don't think the boys, with the exception of Tom, would agree!

Tom and Kay throw some shapes in the clubhouse disco!

Relaxation, Relaxation, Relaxation

What surprised me the most about Centerparcs was its ability to offer a complete weekend of fun and relaxation. Its seclusion in a pine forest means that internet connection is limited (although there is wifi in the chalets for those that can't live without the likes of Facebook and Twitter) and everything is centred around having fun: from the laughs enjoyed on the rapids, through to enjoying a night in together playing board games, we certainly had our fair share. It's the perfect place for a group holiday, the perfect place to renew friendships and enjoy each other's company, and above all, for us, the perfect place to have celebrated our thirtieth birthdays.

Happy 30th Birthday guys, cheers!

Come to Cromer

When you think of Cromer, the image of a base for a weekend soaking up the local history and heritage doesn’t necessarily spring to mind.  Succulent Cromer crab, buckets and spades, and even the RNLI might be in the forefront of your thoughts, yes, but stately homes and steam trains?  Well you’d be surprised! Anyone that knows Mr Lighty and I knows that we do like to be beside the seaside, but we recently discovered that Norfolk is rich in local culture, too, and Cromer, as a base, is an excellent choice.

Cromer

A beautiful base deserves a beautiful B&B

Of course, any minimoon that Mr Lighty and I go on needs to have a fabulous Bed and Breakfast at its heart.  The last time I was in this part of the East of England was on an A-Level Geograph field trip some 13 years ago, so I was pleasantly surprised when Cromer managed to excel itself in this area. Time for a bold statement: the Wellington House B&B was probably the best bed and breakfast we’d ever stayed in.

Located in the very heart of Cromer, just one road away from the seafront, our hosts couldn’t do enough for us, and nothing could beat falling asleep to the sound of the North Sea lapping at the shore just a few feet away. After a breakfast cooked to order, our B&B set us up each morning for a day spent exploring the Norfolk countryside.

And so our National Trust quest begins...

So, getting back to that history and heritage: having recently acquired National Trust membership, Norfolk is an excellent place to ‘do the rounds’.  Our delve into history started at Anglesey Abbey en route to Cromer (which is technically in Cambridgeshire, but who’s counting?!).  The weather was fine and bright as we arrived at this Jacobean House, which made for excellent viewing-of-the-impressive-gardens-conditions. 

Anglesey Abbey

The silver birch garden, studded underfoot by a carpet of tulipa (mini tulips) was personally my favourite part of the gardens, but the overall effect of the delightful secret-garden style doorways and mirror-clear canal added up to a beautifully landscaped space.  The grounds are also home to a working mill, and the house itself is homely yet stately at the same time.

The Silver Birch Garden

Peacocks and Poultry

On Saturday, our membership took us to Felbrigg Hall.  For me, the highlight of the visit, was the secret garden, with its peacocks and chickens wandering freely. Of course, the house itself was also very interesting – particularly the peculiar slipper bath on display, and the library with its tales of spooky sightings – but there was something quite lovely, almost mythical, about wandering around the gardens with beautiful creatures nearby.

A Peacock at Felbrigg

We were also lucky enough to see a rare highlight of any visit to Felbrigg, which is the Estate Office.  Not often open to the public due to volunteer shortages, we were lucky to visit on a day when staffing allowed the room to be open, meaning that we were able to see where the estate workers would have queued, in the open air and in all weathers, to pay their dues.

The Felbrigg Estate

The Blickling Estate was also on our agenda during this weekend in Norfolk, and although arguably the most impressive of the three properties visited, I think this was probably the least ‘us’.  Maybe it was just a little too formal for our liking, although the living history recordings by the former workers certainly brought the house to life, but I just can’t imagine having lived in such grandeur.  

The Blickling Estate

And a little bit of being beside the seaside thrown in too

Of course, that’s not to say that our weekend didn’t include some more light-hearted visits too, with a trip to the lovely, if still fairly small, Amazonia Zoo (which is within walking distance of Cromer town centre, and makes for a charming stroll through the countryside on a sunny Easter Sunday morning). My obsession with beach huts also took us to tiny nearby Mundesley, and Sheringham, where we saw the North Norfolk Steam train depart.

The North Norfolk Steam Railway

Beach Huts at Mundesley

If you’re looking for seaside attraction, then Cromer won’t disappoint: fabulous restaurants and a long stretch of sandy and shingle beach make it a great mini break destination. Throw in a historic pier, the interesting RNLI museum dedicated to the life of Henry Blogg, and the usual amusement arcades and penny-drop machines and you’ve got yourself a friendly seaside resort. The history and heritage nearby just adds the cherry on the cake...

Cromer Pier