Back in the summer, I had a beautiful spa evening but even while I was enjoying it, I was thinking how much more I’d enjoy it in the winter, when it was dark and cold. So I picked an evening when it would be wintery, when it wasn’t half term or Christmas or Valentine’s Day… More A winter spa evening
If you’ve been reading the blog or following me on Instagram, you’ll know that I’ve been trying to get in touch with my inner waterbaby this summer – I’m building up my kayaking skills and confidence, in part through wild swimming, and I swim a mile twice a week in my local outdoor pool. But… More A Twilight Spa at Aqua Sana Longleat Forest
Yes, it’s the first post of December and it’s a Christmas-themed one from the bear who hates Christmas! I did a fused glass workshop! I booked it right at the end of October. It was supposed to be on Friday November 6th – yes, the second day of the UK lockdown. On the Saturday night… More My day at a fused glass Christmas workshop
Two years I went to Longleat’s Sky Safari, a day of hot air balloon delight culminating in a night glow, where pilots fired their burners to illuminate the balloons coordinated to music. Actually, I went to the Sky Safari at the weekend but did the Thursday night passholders-only night glow. And it was so great… More Longleat’s Drive-In Night Glow
It’s Larmer Tree time again! I’m not a big festival-goer but I occasionally make an exception for this one, depending on who’s on the comedy bill. I first went to the Larmer Tree Festival in 2015. It’s pretty local and it had a great comedy lineup so I went over after work just for the… More Getting rained on at the Larmer Tree
Following the Notre Dame fire, my trip to Winchester and to the Sistine Chapel, the next stop on my “before it burns down” tour was Salisbury Cathedral. I mean, if it’s worth coming all the way from Moscow to see, it’s worth coming from Wessex to see. Easily done because my car spent eight hours… More Before It Burns Down: Visiting Salisbury Cathedral
Last month I went to my first ever Longleat exclusive passholders’ event – the Sky Safari launch. I’ve been a passholder for nearly two years and I do like to go to the Halloween fireworks and/or the New Year ones, go to the Festival of Light and go and see it all in summer. But… More A cavalcade of balloons at the Sky Safari
I’ve talked about Longleat and its winter lights before. I’m an annual pass holder so I go regularly but I especially go for the lights. I don’t like Christmas. I find it stressful, I loathe enforced fun, I hate the movies, I don’t like the songs and I hate that it begins so early and… More Longleat’s Festival of Lights 2017
In this latest edition of Wessex Watchtower (and I still hate that name, so if you can think of anything better, please let me know!), I’m off to Longleat. Back when it opened in 1966, it cost £1 per car in order for the Lord Bath of the time to pay some of the costs of… More A day out at Longleat Safari Park
I’ve only just remembered that a month or so ago I went to the Larmer Tree Festival. Now, I’m not a festival fan. I’m still undecided on whether or not I like camping but I’m certain I don’t like camping under festival conditions. It’s noisy and busy and muddy and there are drunk people and… More The Larmer Tree Festival