Women's outdoor clothing guide

As the Scandinavians say "there's no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothes", okay I think we can all agree at times there is very bad weather and we would rather stay at home but a bit of cold and rain shouldn't stop you from getting outside and the same can be said on very hot and sunny days, what is key though is being prepared so you can get the most out of your time outdoors. If you read my blog you will know we love getting out come rain or shine, as a family and on my own and over the years I have invested in a few key pieces that have lasted me a really long time. So I thought I would put together a mini outdoor clothing guide, all about the basics one should have when going on a hike, to the coast or exploring somewhere new. The layering system As a rule of thumb, it's a good idea to use the layering system especially when your planning a longer walk, hike or spending time in nature with kids, this way you can remove items when your wa......

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Exploring Chesters Roman Ruins

Since both of my boys have sparked an interest in Roman history we have made a few different trips to various parts of the UK to explore the remains of the Roman Empire in the UK, from the Roman Baths in Bath, the impressive Amphitheatre in Caerleon, Wales and the Wroxeter Roman City with the largest piece of free-standing Roman wall in the country, so it made sense to plan a mini-break to Chester which is rich in Roman history as well as many other medieval buildings. So we packed a small overnight bag and headed from Cardiff on a more scenic route up through Mid and  North Wales to Chester. Just over the halfway point of our road trip, we decided to stop and explore Montgomery Castle , this beautiful cliffside castle ruin is located in the quaint village of Montgomery and is well worth a visit if you're in the area, plus it's completely free to explore. After an hour or so rambling around the castle ruins we headed back on the road up to Chester and arrived i......

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Trying exotic fruit from around the world

*This post contains affiliate links The world is brimming with tasty fruits and I don't know about you but I love trying new things and whether you're on your travels and get the chance to taste a dish completely new or you come across a seasonal delight at your local market, why not give it a go. There are tasty plants and fruits that are totally unfamiliar to many individuals as each culture has its own local delicacies. If you're keen on delectable plants and fruits of all kinds, then you may want to put time into learning about amazing lychee, agave, pineberry, and dragonfruit options. These yummy fruits can be used in a variety of ways and ff you want to take your culinary concepts up a notch or two, then you should find out all that you can about these incredible things. It can help to zero in on all the different benefits of each fruit such as looking into the irresistible recipes that involve timeless pineberry syrup . The perfect summer drink - Pineber......

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Getting back to nature - Family fun during the school holidays

*This post contains affiliate links  As we move through winter and edge towards the warmer months, the little ones and I are already thinking about half term and the Easter holidays which will no doubt be upon us in the blink of an eye. What I love most about half terms are all the possibilities for the kids to really reconnect with nature as part of a family; while they get plenty of outdoor time at school and on weekends - it's not quite the same. For this reason, I try to plan as many fun and exciting things to do that are budget-friendly and gets everyone outside enjoying the fresh air. Here is my mini school-break activity list. 1. Go Geocaching One of our new favourite pastimes is Geocaching; it's perfect for all ages from toddlers to grandparents and best of all, this global treasure hunt app is free to download. For those who don't know what Geocaching is, it's a real-world outdoor treasure hunting game in which you find containers or "caches......

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How to Bring more Hygge into your life

*This post contains affiliate links  Most people by now have heard of the Danish word Hygge which is used to describe the Danish way to living well-valuing cosiness and togetherness. It touches on the ideas of slowing down, simplifying life and taking pleasure from the presence of soothing things. With the Danish being one of the happiest countries in the world it's a good time to take a leaf out of their book and bring a little bit more Hygge into your life. No matter where you live there are small ways we can embrace the Danish way of life, which is said to improve your general wellbeing, self-esteem, sense of belonging and that can only be a good thing right? So here are a few tips to embrace Hygge 1. Candles Is there anything more cosy and relaxing than listening to music or sitting down with a hot drink and having so lovely candles burning in the background? When the Danes were asked what they associated most with Hygge, 85% mentioned candles and you can see why......

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5 Ska Bands to Listen to in 2020

Ska music originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s, with combined elements of jazz, rhythm and blues, Caribbean mento, and calypso. It's gone in and out of popularity, revived in the UK in the late '70s becoming ska-punk by adding a punk edge and then again, in the late '80s and '90s with ska bands birthed across the globe. Ranker.com lists The Specials, a revival band that recently celebrated the 40-year anniversary of their debut album as No. 1 on its list of "Greatest Ska Bands of All Time." But who are the top bands to listen to today? The Slackers Formed in New York City in 1991, The Slackers are often named among the very best ska bands around today, with a prolific career highlighted by their second album that was released in 1997, "Redlight," which ranked No. 7 on the Billboard's "The Year in Music" list that year. The current band members, Vic Ruggiero, Ara Babajian, Marcus Geard, Dave Hillyard, Jay Nugent, and Gl......

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Sugar Loaf Mountain Wales - Family Friendly Hikes

The Brecon Beacon National Park is well known as an adventure destination in the UK, with an array of hikes, waterfalls, rivers to canoe and mountain summits to tick off, you can easily see why. I feel incredibly grateful to live less than an hour away and it's a place we spend many weekends exploring. As my kids start to get older we are embarking on slightly more demanding adventures and as always love to share and encourage others to get outdoors and embrace all that the UK has to offer. If you're looking to take on a few mountains this year, with your kids in tow, The Sugar Loaf in Abergavenny is a great place to start. The Sugar Loaf is one of the highest peaks in the Black Mountains, standing at 596m (1955ft) but it's also very family-friendly and you often see very young children walking up with their parents. My eldest who is 9 wanted to have a bit of one to one time with me so despite it being a pretty chilly day we headed to The Sugar Loaf as despite the......

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