My National Trust membership has really been worth its weight in gold over the last week! As a child I was taken (dragged?) to NT places and I swore never to do that to my children. Now I take (drag?) my children to NT places regularly because they are free (or at least our pre-paid card gets us in free), educational, wholesome, etc etc....! The easiest way to make a NT visit palatable to them though is to combine it with a get together. Today we not only met my parents and Grannie but also my Uncle, Aunt and two cousins who although technically are the the same generation as me are much closer in age to my children and thus great favourites with them.
Little Moreton Hall, Cheshire
Sneaky Coffee-ers: Anna, Ethan, Naomi, Edward and Susie; Mum, Dad and Grannie; Uncle Lloyd, Auntie Isobel, Mark and Tim
Bought: Our family had a cafetiere of coffee, two 'afternoon tea' for kids (carton of apple juice and a chocolate crispie cake), a glass of milk and a bottle of posh juice. Lactose intolerance has made cream tea a treat of the past.
Cost: Dad paid! Thanks Dad!
Cafe: In the actual hall - unusual and charming. A bit on the small side and we were lucky to get three tables on which to spread out.
And: I was on a table with Auntie Isobel, Tim and Susie. We had fun. Susie shared her drink and cake with her doll.
Showing posts with label National Trust. Show all posts
Showing posts with label National Trust. Show all posts
Friday, 13 August 2010
Monday, 9 August 2010
9th August 2010
School holidays present long periods of trying to keep the children entertained and busy without spending too much money. National Trust properties are ideal but the kids are not always enthusiastic! However - this lack of enthusiasm can be avoided if the visit is made with another family. Today we did exactly that!
Croome Park, Worcestershire
Sneaky Coffee-ers: Anna, Ethan, Naomi, Edward, Susie, Sarah, Chris, Elliot, Maddie, Esther
Bought: I bought a cream tea (scone for Ethan and Naomi to share, tea for me) three cartons of drink, one can of drink and a large hunk of shortbread for Edward and Susie to share.
Cost: £9.60 (eye watering I know, I know I previously suggested that Heaven would contain a National Trust tea room but since have decided this will only be so if it is free - and as many people have pointed out it WOULD be free because Jesus has already paid the price!!!)
And: The cafe here is in an old RAF base which makes it spacious and suitable for a cafe if a little featureless otherwise. In fact the main feature was copious amounts of wasps.
Croome Park, Worcestershire
Sneaky Coffee-ers: Anna, Ethan, Naomi, Edward, Susie, Sarah, Chris, Elliot, Maddie, Esther
Bought: I bought a cream tea (scone for Ethan and Naomi to share, tea for me) three cartons of drink, one can of drink and a large hunk of shortbread for Edward and Susie to share.
Cost: £9.60 (eye watering I know, I know I previously suggested that Heaven would contain a National Trust tea room but since have decided this will only be so if it is free - and as many people have pointed out it WOULD be free because Jesus has already paid the price!!!)
And: The cafe here is in an old RAF base which makes it spacious and suitable for a cafe if a little featureless otherwise. In fact the main feature was copious amounts of wasps.
8th August 2010
I should point out that the date here is a SUNDAY! Sunday sneaky coffee is extremely rare for two main reasons. Firstly church - which takes up the first half of the day. And secondly church - which leaves me too exhausted to go out again.... only kidding! The second reason is that Simon is at home at weekends and Sunday is designated as a family day and he doesn't seem to get the glory of the sneaky coffee!
Kinver Rock Tea Room, Kinver Edge
Sneaky Coffee-ers: Anna, Simon, Ethan, Naomi, Edward and Susie
Bought: A cup of Earl Grey tea, three cans of fizzy stuff and two fruit shoots
Cost: £5.05
Cafe: Built into the cliff which is sandstone. However, it also has a garden which we sat in. Very peaceful little garden with a lawn and old fashioned cottage-y flower beds.
And: The kids don't quite get the restorative point of sneaky coffee so it was fortunate that the 'upper terrace' of the Kinver Rock Houses (to all intents a purposes a series of room sized caves connected by tunnels) were just the other side of the gate. They went off and played, the grown ups enjoyed the garden and the drink.
Kinver Rock Tea Room, Kinver Edge
Sneaky Coffee-ers: Anna, Simon, Ethan, Naomi, Edward and Susie
Bought: A cup of Earl Grey tea, three cans of fizzy stuff and two fruit shoots
Cost: £5.05
Cafe: Built into the cliff which is sandstone. However, it also has a garden which we sat in. Very peaceful little garden with a lawn and old fashioned cottage-y flower beds.
And: The kids don't quite get the restorative point of sneaky coffee so it was fortunate that the 'upper terrace' of the Kinver Rock Houses (to all intents a purposes a series of room sized caves connected by tunnels) were just the other side of the gate. They went off and played, the grown ups enjoyed the garden and the drink.
Tuesday, 27 July 2010
26th July 2010
My wonderful parents have taken my adorable children away for the first week of the holidays. They have only gone as far as Stafford and they are camping... but it's at a Bible Week which the kids really get a lot out of as well as having a lot of fun. I nurtured the idea of romantic interludes with Simon but various work and church commitments have got in the way. So I have decorated Susie's bedroom! It looks so good and, amazingly, can be done very quickly when there are no interruptions! Anyway - on the Monday of the Bible Week there is no daytime meetings so I went up and joined them for a day. We ventured out to Sudbury Hall, a National Trust property which has the National Museum of Childhood on site, and (crucially!) a National Trust tea room! (I suspect Heaven will feature National Trust tea rooms!)
Sudbury Hall
Sneaky Coffee-ers: Anna, Ethan, Naomi, Edward, Susie, Mum and Dad
Bought: Three coffees, four ice creams, three variations of cake (fruit for me, millionaires shortbread for Mum, a tea cake for Dad), then later on three mugs of coffee
Cost: Not cheap! The first round was £15.?? and the second was nearly £6.
Cafe: Typical of the genre, a converted stable block (or similar!) with light pine tables and chairs, canteen style service with unutterably tempting cakes on display!
Position: But we sat on the picnic tables outside!
And: Nice coffee BUT the cheapest option (still £1.60) was a CUP, a small cup! You can pay more for a mug or even more for a large mug but I think the cup is too small.
However - the rest of the museum and the play area are excellent and very well worth a re-visit.
Sudbury Hall
Sneaky Coffee-ers: Anna, Ethan, Naomi, Edward, Susie, Mum and Dad
Bought: Three coffees, four ice creams, three variations of cake (fruit for me, millionaires shortbread for Mum, a tea cake for Dad), then later on three mugs of coffee
Cost: Not cheap! The first round was £15.?? and the second was nearly £6.
Cafe: Typical of the genre, a converted stable block (or similar!) with light pine tables and chairs, canteen style service with unutterably tempting cakes on display!
Position: But we sat on the picnic tables outside!
And: Nice coffee BUT the cheapest option (still £1.60) was a CUP, a small cup! You can pay more for a mug or even more for a large mug but I think the cup is too small.
However - the rest of the museum and the play area are excellent and very well worth a re-visit.
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