Holiday Summary: Beyond The Shire & Back Again

1) Old Woman in the Shoe 2) Old Man in the Crooked House 3) me with the Shropshire Giant 4) Off with your head Glenn 5) Alice in Wonderlands Caterpillar 6) WW2 Memorial 7) Royal Liver Building 8) Welcome to Cheshire Oaks 9) Big smiles with the Birthday boy 10) Birthday lunch 11) Birthday ice cream 12) Got me fascinator on 13) pick n mix in the Lindt shop 14) Attena at the top of the Wrekin 15) Reached the top of the Wrekin 16) the compass at the top of the Wrekin 17) Oreo & Vanilla Milkshakes and a Tequila Sunrise

So this is going to do exactly what it says on the tin and summarise mine & Glenn's holiday.

Me and my boyfriend went up to Telford to visit my family and friends as I haven't seen them since Christmas so it was really nice getting to see everyone again. I also took Glenn to a few places in Telford that me & my family loved going when I was younger, it was really nice to show him all these places and wander down memory lane. I particularly loved taking him to Wonderland and seeing all the fairy tales we all know and love (though we both think it could do with a lick of paint now) it was really nice (though it would probably have been better if we'd had a child with us as two adults going in without one did look a bit silly but what ever we enjoyed). But I have to say going to Liverpool and Cheshire Oaks were probably the best parts as I did a lot of shopping (there was Lindt pick & mix YUM!), see my Liverpool post here.

Saturday the 8th June was Glenn's birthday and we were having dinner at my Moms house and my Nan even baked him a chocolate cake (which was delicious). On Sunday we went for a walk up the Wrekin with my mom which was great - until I threw up at the halfway house - I was fine after so we carried on right to the top where we were greeted by beautiful 360 degree views of Shropshire so it was worth throwing up for. Then Sunday evening we went to the cinema with my little sister to watch The Hangover 3 but before that we went to this American style diner called Oscars for something to eat.

It was a great holiday I got to see my friends (some who have tiny babies now - broody doesn't quite cover it) and some who I haven't seen for a few years. It was great to catch up with everyone though I'm gutted there were some that I didn't get a chance to see. Hopefully next time I'll get to catch up with them though.

Have you been on any nice holidays recently?

Paige x

My First Trip To Liverpool

1) Albert Dock, 2) Lambananas, 3) Strawberry & Lime Kopperberg at MATOU, 4) Royal Liver Building from MATOU, 5) Lambretta in shop window, 6-8) Furniture shopping in John Lewis, 9) Gorgeous food mixer from Lakeland, 10) Lego VW Campervan, 11-12) beautiful architecture, 13) view of sunset from living room window, 14) Cumfy Bus

So my boyfriend Glenn and I were on holiday last week in my hometown of Telford and we travelled  up to Liverpool for a couple of days on Thursday to visit my sister and her boyfriend (Coral & Kev). Firstly I have to say I've never really been a fan of Liverpool (because of the scouse accent) and it's never really been on my list of places I want to visit but I have to say I'd assumed I wouldn't really enjoy it but I couldn't have been more WRONG.

Liverpool is actually a really beautiful city full of amazing architecture, history and Lambananas (don't worry I'm as confused as you are). Luckily while we were there the weather was beautiful so we were able to wander around the Albert Dock and get a nice tan at the same time. My sister decided to take us to the Tate Modern and we spent the whole time trying to figure out how any of it could be considered art (we are not fans of modern art if you hadn't guessed) then we strolled into the city centre which is essentially across the road from the docks and looked in a couple of shops before heading back to the flat for some dinner and a chill out evening.

The next day we spent the morning at Cheshire Oaks shopping before coming back to Liverpool in the afternoon. We went to MATOU which is a chinese restaurant and cocktail bar where we sat on the terrace with a drink and had a chat and I took some pictures of the Liver Building among others. Then we wandered into the centre and went to this amazing American/Canadian restaurant for some waffles and pancakes YUM. After the waffles Glenn & I wandered into the shopping centre to continue shopping and exploring, while my sister and her boyfriend went back to the flat for a nap.

While we were wandering around the city centre we came across Harvey Nichols which we went into and I have to say on entering I was surprised to find the staff still had thick scouse accents (posh shops need  posh accents lol) John Lewis so I demanded we go and have a look at the furniture and test all the chairs and sofas out, then we went to Lakeland where I bought some cute tea cup cake cases (I can't wait to use them) After leaving Lakeland we went into the Lego store and I have to say I've never wanted an entire stores worth of things before. I especially loved the Lego Campervan (pictured).

After spending a couple of hours in the centre we wandered back to the flat - and didn't get lost which was great - Once we got back to the flat we all chilled out for a bit before have dinner and relaxing with a glass of wine and The Voice.

So Saturday was Glenn's birthday and the day we were leaving the Pool so we had a nice breakfast with Coral and Kev before taking a picture of a cumfybus (I was determined to get one) then packing up the car and heading back to Cheshire Oaks to do some more shopping then heading back to Telford - my hometown - for the last couple of days of our holiday.

I wish we'd had more time in Liverpool because we really wanted to visit the Cathedral and museums but there's always next time.

Have you been to Liverpool? What did you think?

Paige x

Top 5 - Historic Destinations

I've always had a huge love of ancient history and I've always wanted to travel to all the places I'd read about and explore them, here are my top 5 historic destinations I can't wait to see.

Egypt 

Italy

Greece

Turkey 

Peru 

What are your favourite historic destinations?

Paige x

Shropshire's Best Bits

I'm a native of Telford in Shropshire or 'The Shire' which in my opinion is probably the most beautiful county in the UK (though I am very biased) and I wanted to write a post about my favourite places in Shropshire. I think there are so many wonderful places but these are my absolute favourites that I think everyone should see.

Ironbridge 

A world heritage site right on my doorstep when I was growing up, it's wonderful and everyone's favourite destination on sunny summer days (where else would you be but at the bridge with a drink) there are a few great pubs to choose from when you get there so finding a place to chill with a nice cold glass of something with your friends is not a problem.

Much Wenlock

The birthplace of the modern Olympics Much Wenlock is a quaint little town nestled off the beaten track in Shropshire but it really is worth the visit. It feels more like a village than a town if I'm honest but it's lovely to potter round, then there's Wenlock Priory which was an Anglo-Saxon monastary and I think it's so nice to walk round and just soak up the history.

Ludlow & it's Castle

Ludow castle is in my opinion one of the best medieval castles in the UK. It was originally built to hold back the unconquered Welsh. Ludlow town itself is beautiful and they have some really nice shops and a cool market as well as  beautiful church but I really love the castle ruins, this is really for anyone who likes history, I recommend it for a visit.

Wrekin

The wrekin is in Telford and it's just a really nice place if you want to go for a walk. There's a halfway house - half way up as you might expect - which sells refreshments, and when you reach the top there are amazingly beautiful views of Telford & Shropshire, a must on a sunny day.

Blists Hill Victorian Town

Possibly the greatest museum ever as it's real.. And by that I mean everyone wears the appropriate clothing, they're always in character and it's like you've gone back in time to the Victorian age. I absolutely love it, there is so much to see and do, you can even exchange your money in the bank for Victorian money to spend in the shops. It's a brilliant day out especially for families.

Shrewsbury

Shrewsbury is a beautiful town (and the birthplace of Charles Darwin) with a great shopping centre and some brilliant attractions like Shrewsbury Abbey, Shrewsbury Castle, the quarry, St Mary's Church. If I'm honest there is too much in Shrewsbury that people should go and see for me to put in to a little paragraph so you're all just going to have to take my word for it and visit this brilliant little town yourself. 

Bridgenorth

Bridgenorth is a beautiful town which is kind of split in to two towns (the high town and the low town). The low town was a thriving port along the river Severn and the high town had the castle and churches. It's great for shopping and nights out on the town there are really nice pubs and bars for those of you who like a couple of drinks. You can also head over the bridge to the Severn Valley Railway and take a ride on the Severn Valley steam train.

Wroxeter Roman City

 This is an English Heritage site where there are some remains of a roman city, this is more for those of us that love a bit of history, it's not huge but it's amazing for history buffs and they now have a Roman Villa which was built on the Channel 4 program Rome Wasn't Built In A Day which is now open to the public and it's really fascinating.


Have you ever been to Shropshire? Where are your favourite places?

Paige x

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Top Picks - Day Trips in South Devon

I love going on day trips and living in Plymouth I'm really close to some great day trip destinations. In this post I've decided to concentrate on places I've been in South Devon.

1. Bigbury-On-Sea

So the first stop in my top picks for day trips is Bigbury-on-Sea. It has a lovely beach which is perfect for families and the more adventurous with it's wide variety of water sports like bodyboarding, surfing, windsurfing and kite-surfing, (hire facilities located on the beach).

Burgh Island.

Bigbury's most famous landmark is Burgh Island, which overlooks the beach itself. The island is accessible at low tide, when the waters reveal a causeway that links it to the beach, the island is open to wander around and is wonderful on a nice sunny day. Burgh Island boast's an award-winning hotel which was in an episode of TV's 'Hercule Poirot' so it's brilliant for fans of Poirot like me.

A little bit pleased to see the sea tractor.

However, when the tide is in you can still reach the island by catching a ride on the popular 'sea tractor'. It's pretty impressive.

Food at Bigbury.

The burger hut at Bigbury sells an amazing BBQ burger and it comes in this sweet little lunch box.

2. Torquay

So the next day trip on my list is Torquay. It's a really nice little coastal town and was the home of  TV's  'Faulty Towers'. It has a really nice shopping centre with an amazing retro sweet shop called 'Fizzy Lips' which sells amazing goodies like Lucky Charms & Strawberry Fanta (my favourite flavour). 

It has a really nice shopping centre with an amazing retro sweet shop called 'Fizzy Lips' which sells amazing goodies like Lucky Charms & Strawberry Fanta (my favourite flavour). 

 Home to an amazing marina, and the Living Coasts coastal zoo.

 Torquay was one of the stops for the Olympic Torch relay. It was really amazing being there to watch it.

3. Paignton Zoo

Okay, day trip number three goes to Paignton Zoo. It is a great day out for families and friends.

 Cute little train which that you can hop on and go round the zoo

4. Wembury Beach

Wembury beach is really close to Plymouth so it's extremely easy to get to for an afternoon of sunbathing, rock-pooling (which I really enjoy) or having a BBQ with a group of friends. It's a really nice day out, and is part of the south west coastal walk so it's perfect for the those of you who love a good walk.

I love rock pooling, You're always guaranteed to find some cool creatures.

5. Exeter

And finally my last top pick is Exeter (technically not in South Devon but never mind). It's a beautiful city and has great shopping, cafes/restaurants and wonderful architecture. It really makes a great day out and I recommend that anyone who hasn't been before go as soon as you can. 

Boston Tea Party 

My favourite cafe in Exeter is Boston Tea Party, the last time I was in Exeter with friends we went there for a drink and it was so lovely I will definitely be going again.

Exeter Cathederal

The cathederal is a great example of the beautiful architecture in Exeter. 

If you've had great day trips anywhere else I'd love to know where and what you thought about them.

Paige