Days Out · Family

Five Tips for Days Out with the Whole Family

Five Tips for Days Out with the Whole Family

Photo by Mary Blackwey on Unsplash

One of the things that we’re looking forward to now that things are opening up fully is going back to taking more days out as a family. Both of our Mums also love to spend time with the kids and come along on days out as much as they can, work permitting. Something that I’ve been thinking about lately is taking my elderly Nan with us as well. She’s 86 and struggles with mobility, but she’s lucky enough to have my sister caring for her, despite the fact that she’s also disabled herself. 

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Moving House

Five Places in the UK to “Emigrate” To

Now that the Uk is no longer a part of the EU, moving abroad to a european country has become a lot trickier for UK citizens. It’s a terrible shame because we’re so restricted, but at the same time, it’s given us a lot more impetus to look at some of the more beautiful places right here in the UK, as an alternative to emigrating to Europe. With this in mind, we thought we’d take a fun look at some of the most beautiful places in the UK as Europe-alternatative “emigrating” spots!

Bishop Aukland, County Durham

Places in the UK: Bishop Aukland

Bishop Aukland is a market town in County Durham which is steeped in history and has some beautiful churches and buildings, dating back for hundreds of years. It’s located 12 miles  northwest of Darlington and 12 miles southwest of Durham, so it’s ideally placed to give you a slice of village life, while putting you in a good position to commute if you need to. If you need a removals company in Darlington, there are plenty to choose from!

Stackpole, Pembrokeshire

Places in the UK: Barafundle Bay

The pretty little village of Stackpole is a few miles south of Pembroke, in between Freshwater East and Bosherston. The village has some pretty cottages and an Inn (The Stackpole Inn) but is better known for the Stackpole Estate, Stackpole Quay and Barafundle Beach nearby. Barafundle Bay is nestled between cliffs and is reminiscent of a secluded bay on a Greek island.

Lavenham, Suffolk

Places in the UK: Lavenham, Suffolk

Lavenham, located in the heart of the stunning Suffolk countryside, is considered to be Britain’s best preserved medieval village and one of Suffolk’s most important wool towns.  Medieval charm can be found at every turn with timber framed buildings lining the narrow streets and lanes leading up to the impressive market place. These days, Lavenham is a thriving village with a strong community spirit and boasts a wealth of independent boutique shops, galleries  and fantastic restaurants.

Port Sunlight, Merseyside

Port Sunlight

Port Sunlight is a bit of a socialists dream, with the village originally being built in the late 1800’s by the Lever Brothers to accomodate worked in their soap-making business. Its Arts and Crafts cottages are surrounded by paths winding through fields and woodland. Port Sunlight Museum details the village’s history, and the neoclassical Lady Lever Art Gallery showcases 19th-century decorative arts. The whole place is a stunning little slice of history and it’s somewhere I’d love to live myself.

Kingsbarns, St. Andrews

Kingsbarns Beach

One of my friends, Katy, went to St. Andrews University, and during her second year she shared a cottage with her friend Michelle in a tiny village called Kingsbarns, just outside of St. Andrews. The village itself is absolutely tiny, but it’s right on the coast and boasts some of the most stunning natural scenery I’ve ever seen. The beaches have that natural, windswept feeling of a beach which isn’t overrun by people all year round and I’d happily live there.

Weddings

5 Things to Consider When Getting Married Abroad

5 things to consider when getting married abroad
Photo by Focus Photography Mauritius on Unsplash

If you’re engaged and planning your wedding, you might be seriously considering getting married abroad, somewhere other than the UK. There are lots of different, very good reasons for getting married abroad but there are also some things that you may need to consider depending on the destination of your wedding. Today we are looking at some of the things that you need to remember when planning your wedding in a foreign country.

Local Laws

Depending on where you go to get married you may need to apply for an official UK wedding license before you go. However in some places you will also need to apply for a local wedding license so that your ceremony is legally binding. Speaking to somebody at the local administration offices should allow you to find out any legal steps you need to take before having a wedding in their country.

Visas

If your spouse comes from the country in which you plan to get married you may be surprised to learn that your marriage doesn’t automatically guarantee that they will have residency in the UK. There is such a thing as a UK fiance visa, and this is something that you may need to secure if you’re planning to have them live with you in the UK in the period leading up to the wedding.

Language Differences

You may find that some weddings will be performed in the local language, regardless of whether you speak it or not. When Husband and I got married in the Maldives, our ceremony was conducted in Dhivehi, which is the local Maldivian language, so we were unable to understand what was being said! We were given a translation afterwards so that we knew what we were agreeing to in our wedding ceremony.

Cost

Most of the time, the reason people choose to get married abroad is because the cost of the wedding ceremony and honeymoon all come in at a much lower cost than what you’d pay to get married in the UK. However if you’re planning to take your guests with you, you’re going to need to factor in whether it’s affordable for them if you really want them to be there. Unless you’re planning to pay for the whole bridal party to accompany you, you may need to run the cost of the whole shebang past your nearest and dearest before you start making any bookings.

Wedding Planner

The best and easiest way to arrange a wedding in a foreign country is to hire a wedding planner. You can hire a planner here in the UK who specialise in foreign weddings or if you have good enough language skills for the destination of your wedding you could hire a planner who lives near your venue which means that you will benefit from their Knowledge and expertise of their home country and getting everything sorted that is required for your wedding.

Family · Holidays

Rule Britannia: 4 Reasons A Staycation Beats Holidaying Abroad

Rule Britannia: 4 Reasons A Staycation Beats Holidaying AbroadPixabay – CC0 Licence

Are you annoyed because you can’t go abroad this year? Do you wish for things to return to normal so that you can get on with your life? The COVID-19 pandemic has been pretty brutal, and it’s hard to adapt to the “new normal” that people keep on harping on about.

However, as with every storm, there is a silver lining. You may not want to take the risk and book an international holiday, yet you can still experience a Great British breakaway. Before you reflexively answer, you should take a look below.

These are the reasons a staycation beats a holiday abroad.

The UK Is Varied

If you think you know the United Kingdom inside and out, you’re mistaken! Sure, there are some things that you don’t like, and some places you’re not keen on visiting because they don’t sound pleasant. On the flip side, many destinations will make you feel as if you’re vacationing in the Mediterranean or French Riviera. From Devon and Cornwall in the Southeast to the Lake District and Chesire in the Northwest, you shouldn’t be hard-pressed to find an affordable beauty spot that you have never experienced before. Just open your mind as well as a map of Britain!

You’re Helping Local Economies

The economic effect of your holiday isn’t an element that you focus on too hard. Sure, you realise that you spend more cash on a break than usual, but that’s about it. Of course, as the Coronavirus crisis has highlighted, the travel and tourism industries are vital to economies around the world. During a pandemic where thousands of small businesses are struggling to stay open, it’s nice to know that your money is giving them an opportunity to avoid filing for bankruptcy.

It’s Less Hassle

A staycation isn’t stress-free by any stretch of the imagination. However, it isn’t as hasslesome as packing for a two-week trip and heading to the airport at 3 am! For one thing, there’s no reason to fret about the beauty products and medicines in your suitcase. Premium CBD oil for every day wellness is 100% legal in the UK, as are your paracetamol and Ibuprofen tablets. Then, there’s the fact that you can move on if you’re unhappy. A foreign holiday is rigid – once you arrive, you have to stay until your return flight date. At home, you can get back in the car and head home. It’s that simple!

A Staycation Is All You Have

Yes, you may prefer the idea of an exotic holiday in a luxurious destination, yet it isn’t feasible. Currently, the best option is to stay at home where you know you can get home without dealing with an insurance provider and forking out a fortune on flights and accommodation. It’s not as if your hometown will end up on an international watchlist while you’re away! Remember that you need a break, especially when times are tough, so a staycation is an ideal way to unwind.

Where do you stand on the staycation debate?

Days Out · Family

Best Family Days Out in Cambridgeshire

Best family days out in CambridgeshireEveryone loves a family day out, and it’s a great chance to bond and explore the world together. Cambridgeshire has a lot to offer in that regard, pleasing clans the world over decade after decade. There’re great transport links here too, so you can quickly get the train from Huntingdon to Peterborough, with very little fuss – you’re never cut off in Cambridgeshire.

However, if you need further inspiration as to what you can get up to here, here’re 3 good ideas for family days out in Cambridgeshire.

Punting in Cambridge

Punting is iconic of Cambridge, and Cambridge is iconic of Cambridgeshire. Even young kids can get involved if they’re positioned toward the middle of their parents’ flat-bottomed boat. You can explore all the small rivers of Cambridge this way, and ease into a serene and relaxing day spent drifting along the water with your loved ones.

Don’t want to do any of the legwork yourself? That’s okay! In Cambridge, you can take guided tours while punting, the same way you can clamber aboard an open top bus in most of the major tourist cities and have a guide inform you on your surroundings. It’s certainly a tranquil way to pass the time with your folks, so give it a go!

The Riverside Park

The Riverside Park can be found in Huntingdon, and here your family can enjoy a lot of different activities. These include walks along the river, hay meadows, canoeing, river cruising and there’s even an enclosed children’s play area for the day’s activities. The park has a nice and quiet atmosphere, so if you’re looking for somewhere to lay low and unwind, The Riverside Park is that perfect place you crave.

In the summer, you can also expect to find concerts and local bands showcasing their talents too. Therefore, there’s a nice laid-back vibe here that feels more like a gathering of village locals than a big bustling city park that’s teeming with strangers. In the end, you wouldn’t be the first person to swap a city for some country living, so pay a visit if it sounds like you’d all love it there.

Nene Park

Located in the heart of Peterborough, Nene Park is full of things to do for the whole family. It plays host to Ferry Meadows, which is one of the largest country parks in Cambridgeshire. Train rides, open water swimming, sailing, climbing and of course long walks, it’s all available here. There’s a lovely cafe to be found here too, so if you or your kids need a little rest at any point, you’re covered!

You can also tailor your day even further to your needs by utilising the Ferry Meadows events programme if you have a particularly big family on an ambitious adventure. Pick out what you want to do and get to it! In any event, there’s seemingly endless woodland, meadows and water to play in here, providing everything you need for a great family day out.