Exploring Ironbridge with the YHA

This post is part of a campaign with YHA As you may already know I am passionate about sharing all the hidden gems and beautiful places the UK has on offer with my boys and we love a good weekend break to somewhere new that we have yet to explore. The thing is, like most families, we have a small budget so getting a good location with a family room and decent facilities that don't cost an arm and a leg can be hard. Saying that the YHA has a fantastic network right across the UK, including some really good glamping pods and bell tents for an extra special stay. As a family we have used YHA before, in fact I wrote about our night at  St Briavels Castle  last year (which cost us a total of £50 for the night!) and before having kids I spent time travelling across Europe working in Youth Hostels, a time filled with happy and positive travel experiences. The YHA is the perfect option for families who want good facilities and great locations but at a budget-friendly price, mak......

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A taste of Cuba at Gabeto, Camden with Red Letter Days

This post is part of an unpaid review with Red Letter Days One of my favourite places in London is Camden and even though I don't spend as much time there as I did in my youth when the opportunity arises I take it as it's always a nice jaunt walking around the canals, searching for some vintage clothing pieces, taking in some music and eating good food. The one great thing about living in Cardiff is London is only a short 2hr train ride away, making day trips doable and I recently headed to the Capital for a few child-free hours and had the chance to try out one of the many foodie experiences Red Letter Days offer. Red Letter Days have a huge array of options from upmarket restaurants, champagne experiences to beer tastings and trying out new local delights but when I came across Gabeto in Camden with it's Cuban inspired menu and daily salsa dancing, I knew that was the place I wanted to spend an hour or two savouring the atmosphere over a cocktail or two. ......

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Tips on getting the best winter holiday deal now

I know we are in the height of summer but if your hoping to hit up the slopes this coming winter season now is the time to start thinking ahead and looking at what deals are about now because before you know it things will start to book up and prices will be on the increase. Planning in advance can have some serious positives when it comes to getting a good deal as we all know how expensive an alpine adventure can be and for many it's a once in a lifetime kind of trip. Whether you are planning to snowboard or ski on a solo adventure, as a couple or as a family now is the time to start looking as travel companies are already starting to advertise deals with many offering great deals such as free lift passes, discounts and low deposits. I've been lucky to go on a ski holiday with my parents when I was younger to Austria and then again on a snowboarding trip during my University days to Tignes in France and it's something I would love to share with my kids but it's ......

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A beach clean up with Tootsa & Surfers Against Sewage

We love spending as much time at the beach as possible, having grown up surfing in South Africa the beach and ocean hold's a really special place to me and somewhere I love to share with my kids. My children are very aware of how important is it to keep the ocean clean and free from plastic so every time we head to the beach we take a rubbish bag with us and do a mini beach clean which is a surprisingly fun activity with young children. Although if your kids are anything like mine they might get a little competitive about who picks up the most rubbish and litter. One of our favourite charities and one I became really aware of during my student days in Falmouth, Cornwall is Surfers against Sewage , a marine conservation charity which is helping to tackle plastic pollution and protecting the UK's coastlines for all to enjoy have just paired up with one of my favourite clothing companies that is Tootsa which focuses on unisex sustainable clothes for children and adults. T......

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5 Family Friendly events in Cardiff this summer

There are plenty of fantastic things going on in the Welsh Capital city this summer, almost to the point that one could easily get overwhelmed with the choice of what to do but I thought I would share 5 events that are particularly great for families and offer something for both children and their parents. So if you're looking for something a bit special that provides an action-packed day out do check out these great events. 1. Pride Cymru's Big Weekend    August 23-25th I'm listing this first because I think is so important to teach children about equality and diversity from a young age and first hand and there is nothing more positive than Pride which takes places over an August bank holiday and promises to be 3 days of fun, love and plenty to keep all ages entertain. This year there are going to be 4 stages, street food, community market, funfair rides and a dedicated family area which will include things like face painting and making flags and many more ......

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5 ways to declutter & refresh your kitchen

If you keep up with current trends you may have already heard about the fantastic positive effects of minimalising our clutter and getting rid of anything we don't need or use while at the same time creating more space and a calmer living environment, I've written a post about how it can improve your life. The kitchen is a room that all of the family use and because of this can attract a lot of clutter and mess which adds to the chaos, especially at meals times. I am still in process of getting my kitchen to exactly how I want it but it's not far off and I thought I would a few tips on keeping your kitchen feel more spacious, organised and a place to enjoy good food or have a quiet moment rather than chaos.  1. Firstly reduce what you have It's so easy to hold onto things we don't use or accumulate gadgets that never see the light of day, so it's worth having a really good sort out as that alone could free up a lot of storage and surface space. You......

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A visit to Caldicot Castle

Living in Wales has a lot of positives, one being that there are 600 castles to explore and one we have been meaning to visit for years is Caldicot Castle, a medieval castle in Monmouthshire, which is set in a beautiful country park. The fantastic thing about Caldicot is that it's free and you can spend a good half a day exploring the castle grounds and country park, although it's not open all year round so you do need to check the website before setting off. There is also plenty of free parking on site and lots of picnic beaches so this is perfect for a fun-filled frugal family day out and one to keep in mind over the summer. As you walk through the castle gates you come into a beautiful courtyard with plenty of space for kids to run around overlooked by crumbling ivy-covered towers and an outdoor chess set and stocks which are popular with kids. Not all of the ruins are open all the time but you can go inside the gatehouse, one of the tower platforms and i......

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