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!

Mexico: Spring Break vs. Honeymoon.....and Honeymoon won!

Mexico is a beautiful country, and an even more beautiful honeymoon destination, but, as with most things in life, timing is everything.  This was certainly true when it came to our honeymoon, which was taken during the British Easter holidays.  Unfortunately, this timing also meant that in Mexico, there would be many holiday makers celebrating ‘Spring Break’. This was particularly unfortunate as the Mexican section of our holiday was to be the second, more relaxing part of our honeymoon, having spent four hectic nights in New York.  I was guilty of not heeding my now-husband’s warnings.  We were going to a five-star adults-only hotel – surely students seeking fun and freedom wouldn’t choose a honeymooner’s hotel to stay in, right?  Wrong.  But this didn’t mean to say that our honeymoon was ruined; we were lucky enough to just catch the tail end of the Spring Break vacationers, who mainly left the day after we arrived, and we also sought out the more serene aspects of this beautiful honeymoon destination.  So if you want to escape the parties and excess of Mexico, here are some ideas for a more tranquil time:

Beautiful beaches

We chose to stay at the lovely Golden Parnassus Hotel in Cancun, which is an adults-only all inclusive hotel on the quieter side of the Cancun coast, away from the city centre (if it’s a family-moon you’re after, the Golden’s sister hotel, the Grand Parnassus, is located on the same strip, and welcomes families with children of all ages).  One of the best things about the hotel was its fantastic location on a beautiful white-sand beach.  Each morning we took the option of the hotel's beach sun loungers, shaded by raffia umbrellas blowing in the breeze, and with their own private bar (complete with swing seats to enable you to while away an hour or two sipping a cocktail, looking out upon the blue ocean!).  This way, we were close enough to the pool, our room and the restaurants when we needed them, but had the calmness of the beach surrounding us, rather than the slightly rowdier pool side.

The view of the wonderful beach from the hotel's poolside

Fantastic facilities

Once the Spring Break crowd left, there were some great activities on offer at the hotel.  These included cocktail making on the beach, weaving friendship bracelets in the shade of a gazebo overlooking the ocean, and even free massages by the pool.  One of the most enjoyable aspects of our Mexican honeymoon was indulging in the gorgeous food at the à la carte restaurant.  With everything from exquisitely presented guinea fowl and sumptuous steaks, to gorgeous crème brûlée and chocolate mousse for dessert, all washed down with a celebratory glass or two of champagne, we were spoilt for choice – and all served in calm, relaxing surroundings with a formal air and  even a pianist to hand!

Champagne in the a la carte restaurant!

Excellent excursions

What's more, being located away from the hubbub that is Cancun Town doesn’t mean that you have to stay in your hotel 24/7.  The excellent bus service which runs past the hotels on this strip at a frequency of once every three minutes means that you can easily get into the main town of Cancun, or if you don’t want to go that far, to the interesting flea market, just down the road (and if you’re a Christmas decoration collector like we are, you will be in heaven!  I didn’t expect to find the wide variety of beautiful and unusual decorations available that we did!).  Similarly, your hotel will offer a great range of excursions; without a doubt, the highlight of our Mexican adventure was our trip to Dolphin Discovery on the nearby island of Isla Mujeres.  After an hour’s boat trip, we arrived at this island which has a dedicated sea life experience centre.  Having already swum with dolphins the previous year, we jumped at the chance to swim with manatees on this occasion.  These graceful, naturally curious creatures have a calming influence by nature; not only did we get to learn about these amazing animals, but also feed them and swim with them as well.  Topping off the day with a wonderful snorkelling experience too, this really was the sort of thing that honeymoon memories are made of.

Swimming with the manatees

If you’re a party animal, Mexico will offer you everything you’ll ever desire.  But similarly, if you’re a honeymooner, don’t let this put you off; seek out the relaxing parts, the stunning beaches and scenery, the honeymoon hotels.  It’s the sort of place that you’ll have once in a lifetime experiences – and isn’t that what a honeymoon is all about, after all?