Tag: County Durham

A MINI GETAWAY IN NORTHUMBERLAND

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The other week, my best friend Emily and I finally had our annual holiday together. We’ve been friends for over 20 years now, but as we sadly don’t live in the same city anymore, we don’t see each other as much as we’d like to. We try and make time for a little getaway together once a year. Our annual trips are a cherished break from our busy lives, allowing us to catch up on a deeper level and make lasting memories together.

Whilst planning this trip, my travel anxiety annoyingly acted up however, and so I didn’t feel up to going very far. With only two nights away planned though, it also made sense to opt for somewhere a little more local and not waste time traveling. And so, after browsing Airbnb, we came across a caravan listing in Northumberland. It looked like the perfect peaceful getaway for a couple of nights, just under an hour’s drive from Durham and nestled in a picturesque woodland spot.

We set off on a gloomy Sunday afternoon, the rain a steady backdrop to our journey. Hidden amidst fog-shrouded trees, we found our caravan and hastily unloaded the car. The heat was immediately put on, as well as the kettle of course, and we enjoyed the comforting warmth of a cup of tea as we unpacked and settled into our wee space for the next couple of days.

The rain eventually subsided, and we bundled up for a stroll and explore of the small caravan park we were staying at. We spotted lots of wild rabbits hopping about the grounds and allowed Emily’s daughter to burn off some energy in the small playground, before heading back to warm up again with some more tea.

After dinner we got Emily’s daughter ready for bed and then settled down to play a game together. We both love a good game and I was excited to introduce Emily to Fungi – one of my new favourite two person games. Unfortunately my relaxing evening was interrupted when sometime that evening I stood up from the couch and something in my back just went, giving way to extreme pain.

Although I managed to get to some sleep, I could still barely move on Monday morning and had to rely on a heavy dose of painkillers to cope. Not wanting to just sit around all day though, and hoping gentle movement would be beneficial, we ventured into the nearby woodland for a small walk before lunch. The misty, autumnal atmosphere was both kind of haunting and beautiful.

After lunch and a game of Qwirkle while Emily’s daughter napped, we decided to brave the rain for a little mooch around Hexham. We were fortunate to find a convenient parking spot and made our way to Hexham Abbey. The abbey was a beautiful place to visit; filled with intricate stonework and stained glass windows, it had a welcoming and peaceful atmosphere. There was also an interactive museum wing, which offered a glimpse into the abbey’s history and allowed us all to have some fun dressing up.

Having spent over an hour at the Abbey we sadly didn’t have much time left to explore more of Hexham that day, but as Hexham also wasn’t new to either of us, it didn’t really matter too much. If you haven’t been to Hexham before though and are ever in the area, it really is a delightful place to spend an afternoon and well worth a visit.

On our final evening, we enjoyed a simple oven pizza and played another round of Fungi after Emily’s daughter went to bed. We also decided to get crafting later that evening and while Emily worked on her current knitting project, a miniature pumpkin, I finally started a little embroidery experiment for a potential Christmas gift idea. If it turns out well, I will hopefully be able to share the project with you in a future blog post.

Checkout on Tuesday morning was at 11am – which was a huge relief. I love a later checkout when I’m on holiday as it allows me to relax and avoid a stressful morning rush. With plenty of time to spare once we’d packed up, we could also still enjoy a final stroll through the woodland to take some photos of Emily’s latest knitwear project (the sage green t-shirt she is modelling below). I’m always admiring her knitting skills – I simply don’t have the patience! Emily creates the most gorgeous pieces, and has started documenting her craft online. If you’re interested in knitting be sure to follow her on Instagram here and YouTube here.

After departing at 11am, we decided to still make a stop off on our way home and went for a mooch and a coffee at my local Farmshop, Broomhouse Farm. A browse of the shop’s selection of fresh produce, homeware and artisan goods and quick hello to the animals before sitting down and sharing a scone, was the perfect way to conclude our short getaway.

It is always a shame when holidays and getaways are over so quickly; but then I suppose there is always next year to look forward to!

A TRIP TO BEAMISH MUSEUM

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Last week my partner’s parents flew over from Portugal to visit us and although neither of us could sadly take much time off work, Luis did manage some half day trips out with them and I got to take the August Bank Holiday Monday off so we could all have a daytrip together. Having taken Luis’ brother to Beamish Museum earlier in the year when he visited, we thought his parents would also enjoy a day out exploring Beamish and so we set off late Monday morning.

If you’ve not heard of Beamish Museum before or had the chance to visit, I would highly recommend. Beamish is a world famous open air museum in County Durham, which brings the history of North East England to life at its 1820s Pockerley, 1900s Town, 1900s Pit Village, 1940s Farm, 1950s Town and 1950s Spain’s Field Farm exhibit areas. It is such a fun day out for the whole family and I would advise you plan for a whole day there, as there is so much to explore.

It was a bit of a grey morning when we set off and we made the mistake of not really considering how busy it might get being a bank holiday as well as school holidays. We arrived to a traffic jam of cars waiting to get in and then also had queue for a good half an hour to buy tickets for Luis’ parents. We were probably one of the last few lucky ones to get in as the overflow car park we were directed to was almost full when we parked and by lunchtime they had a post on socials saying they were at full capacity.

Tip: especially if you’re going on what is likely to be a busy day, leave early and book ahead online for quicker access once you arrive.

Once through, we made our way to the 1900’s Pit Village, an area with a lot to explore from going underground in the drift mine (although I’ve not done this myself as I suffer from agoraphobia) to seeing how miners used to live in the replica terraced houses and visiting the school house where you try your hand at popular yard games played by children at break time.

Having spent quite some time in the pit village, we walked on to the Farm and, amongst other animals such as turkeys and pigs, came across these cute little chickens running around trying to avoid being chased by little kids. If anyone knows what breed these chickens are, please do let me know in the comments as we’d love to have chickens one day and I fell in love with these fluffy little gals.

Continuing along the road we headed towards the 1900’s town passing Rowley station and a summer fair ground along the way. The fair was bustling with kids enjoying the rides so we didn’t stop there long, but the small fair ground a nice addition to Beamish in warmer summer months.

Arriving in the 1900’s town we were greeted with live music from a brass band playing in the band stand. The sun was shining at this point and it had turned into a beautiful warm afternoon with people milling around the Edwardian high street, enjoying a pint from the Sun Inn or lounging on the grass by the band stand listening to the music, and soaking up the atmosphere.

Once again there is a lot to explore in the 1900’s town. From visiting the bank and chemists to hearing gruesome stories from dentist practices back in the day. You can fill your pockets with yummy freshly baked goods from the bakery or pick from the vast array old school treats in the sweet shop, where if you’re lucky you might also catch a live sweet making demonstration. The 1900’s town really is quite spectacular.

Tip: wear comfortable shoes; there is a lot of ground and various terrain to cover. As you can see in the photos, Beamish does operate trams and old double decker buses throughout the museum, however, although they are admittedly fun to experience and ride, on busy days the queues for transport around the museum are usually very long, so if you don’t want to waste time waiting around, I would come prepared to walk.

Just on from the Edwardian town you entre the 1950’s town, Beamish Museum’s newest exhibit area. Before visiting with Luis’ brother earlier int he year, I hadn’t been to Beamish in years and was thus excited to finally be able to see the new addition of the 1950’s town. When we were there in May there were still some parts in development however and so this time round, there was even more to see including the addition of the cinema, record store and toy store etc…

You’ll find a fish and chip shop in the 1950’s village and I would recommend stopping for some. We did so on both our visits and thoroughly enjoyed!

Tip: although dogs on leads are very welcome in the museum they can’t actually entre any of the indoor exhibits or the main canteen/cafe in the 1900’s town; so I recommend coming prepared with a picnic if it’s a nice day (the huge lawn by the fair ground is a great place to enjoy a picnic to do so with toilets close by) or grab some some yummy fish and chips and find a bench.

Once we’d enjoyed our very late lunch, it was past 4pm already at this point, we sadly didn’t really have much time left to explore the rest and so after a quick whizz round the rest of the 1950’s town we slowly made our way back to the entrance and had to leave out the rest. Here’s still a few photos from our visit in May where we did still managed to squeeze in a stop at the old Pockerley Hall.

It surprises me every time just how quickly time does fly at Beamish and how much there is to see, which is why, especially if you’re local, and can make a few trips a year, I think the tickets are well worth the money as there really is so much to get out of this wonderful living museum here in the North East of England.

If you’ve visited Beamish Museum before I’d love to hear what your favourite exhibit is!

USEFUL INFORMATION:

Opening Times:
20th March 2024 – 25th October 2024: Open daily, 10am-5pm
26th October 2024 – 3rd November 2024: Open daily, 10am-4pm

Tickets:
Tickets are admittedly quite expensive, however I do think you get a lot for it and they are valid for one year, so especially if you’re localish and can get a few visits in, they’re definitely worth it in my opinion. (*prices shown for September 2024)

Adult: £27.95
Senior (60+): £21.25
Student: £21.25
Child (5-16 years): £17.25
Family (2 adults + 2 children): £71.00

Accessibility:
Beamish is a large open air museum with many historic buildings, some of which are not always completely accessible to all visitors. To create an authentic feel, there are a variety of ground surfaces, some of which are uneven by nature. There are also steep slopes in places, and some buildings and exhibits have stepped access. Beamish does operate a Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle however which is available on-call every day that the museum is open, although limited to its seated capacity.

*Disclaimer: please note that pictures featured are from both our August Bank Holiday trip as well as our visit in May earlier this year.

A SUNNY STROLL AT CROOK HALL

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Although it’s just down the road, we don’t often head into Durham City Centre, but with the weather being so nice that weekend we fancied a little outing and decided to head into Durham for some breakfast and a stroll around Crook Hall. We renewed our National Trust memberships again this year and wanted to make the most of our local sites with the closest being Crook Hall. These beautiful gardens set against the backdrop of a medieval hall are only 12mins in the car from us and thus perfect for a mini outing.

We opted for the Riverview Kitchen as it’s dog friendly and we hadn’t actually been before, so it was somewhere new to try. I chose the avocado on sourdough with bacon and eggs and Luis opted for the full English. Prices were expensive enough, but what you’d expect in the city center. Saying that portion sizes where generous and I struggled to finish. We enjoyed the food and the coffee was decent too, so we would definitely return. However I would say the atmosphere is not the cosiest as the tables are all very close together. I understand they want to maximize on space, but it does make it feel very cramped, and not very suitable if you have a dog. We were lucky and managed to snag a table in the corner with a bit more space which was great as we had Maya with us, but if we’d had any other table, I’m not sure it’d have been as enjoyable a experience, as we’d have to be continually watching Maya wasn’t in the way of anyone and she wouldn’t have settled.

Once we finished our breakfast we walked over to Crook Hall. We love having Crook Hall on our doorstep as it’s perfect for a gentle afternoon stroll enjoying some fresh air amongst the wonderful flowers and plant. It’s not admittedly very big, but filled with lots of little nooks to sit in and enjoy the gardens, it’s also the perfect place to spend an afternoon with a book on sunny day.

What I love most is being able to come back throughout the year and watch the garden transform. From the crocuses and snowdrops in spring to vibrant and lush scented roses in Summer, It’s beautiful to see.
If you have a National rust membership and love a good garden mooch – I would highly recommend, however at £3.30 parking and £8.50 per adult it it perhaps a bit pricey an entrance fee if you do not have a membership.

Have you been to Crook Hall before and do you have a favourite time of year to go?

2024 BUCKETLIST

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We’re half way through the year already and so I thought it would be a good time to reflect on the goals I set myself for 2024. At the beginning of the year I wrote a list of things I would like to accomplish this year, no stress. I wanted my goals to feel attainable, to encourage myself to get out more, to be more creative and work on my physical and mental health without getting too overwhelmed.

Having bought our first doer-upper house last year, I also have a long list of house goals, but that is a post in its own right, so for now here’s my personal 2024 Bucketlist and what I’ve accomplished so far: 

  • Go camping with Luis and Maya
  • Get The Orchid Creative (my creative side hustle) more established and ready to sell things for Christmas.
  • Get a new Tattoo
  • Have a holiday in the Peak District
  • A coastal mini-getaway
  • Read at least 30 books (managed 17 books + one almost finished audiobook)
  • Go to at least 4 concerts/shows  (Saw Half A Penny and A Sixpence)
  • Start dance classes with Luis
  • Start therapy 
  • Start an exercise class
  • Begin learning Portuguese
  • Make the most of our Joint National Trust membership – aim for 10 trips together (managed about 7 which I’m happy enough with):    1. Fountains Abbey   2. Wentworth Chapel Gardens   3. Crook Hall    4. Crook Hall   5. Gibside   6. Gibside   7.   8.   9.   10. 
Cresswell Beach
Fountains Abbey
Stanage Edge, Peak District
Wentworth Castle
Camping near Lindisfarne
Crook Hall

If you had to pick only one item on your bucket list to complete this year – which would it be? Do let me know in the comments down below; I’d love to know!

I’M BACK

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Well it really has been a while since I last took to WordPress and my blog. I’ve missed it and I’ve finally taken the plunge to get it up and running again. I’ve updated my site and plan to ease my way back in slowly. I’m hoping that starting my hobby again will encourage me to get out more, explore, make memories and give me a way to let my creative juices flow.

So brew yourself a coffee and let’s catch up!

A lot has happened since I first began this blog in 2017; here’s a whistle-stop tour. At the time I was crashing at a friends and working part time in a cafe in Durham as well as part time for my dad’s coffee house. I then moved into a house share round the corner and was lucky enough to find a great friend in Jess, the other girl who moved in.

After a couple of years I was able to join my dad full time at his cafe and we also began planning a new business venture together – roasting our very own coffee. Time ticked on, and as much as I loved Jess, I started feeling like I was ready for my own place and thus, after some searching, moved to a wonderful townhouse on the other side of Durham. The move also meant I was closer to work and my parents as although I had finally started driving lessons, I still hadn’t got my license yet and was relaying on dad to scoop me up to and from work.

Not long after I moved however, and just as dad and I were ready to launch our new coffee roasting venture, the dreaded C word took over the world. I went through a somewhat tumultuous time. In some ways I had a great furlough time setting into my new house and enjoying many a sunny afternoon in my lush big new garden, but at the same time I also fell into some extremely unhealthy habits and routines being suddenly all alone. It was a yo-yo of emotions of highs and lows.

Eventually though, things slowly began to open up again and the road to normality seemed unveiled. We opened the cafe on weekends for take-out coffees and cakes, whilst running our coffee roasting business Durham Coffee during the week, primarily launching as an online platform. As things continued to return to normal, we soon realised however that it was going to be too much to run the cafe and roastery at the same time and we came to the decision to sell the cafe and concentrate on roasting.

During this time I had also put myself back out there hoping to make new connections. And one day, when restaurants were open again and meeting up was allowed again a Hinge date with a wonderful guy named Luis forked a new path in my journey. What was supposed to just be lunch ran into a lovely evening out and was soon followed by date no.2 in my garden drinking wine, playing Banagrams and cooking dinner together. Although in many ways we were very different, we also just worked. He made me feel at ease, loved and accepted and was especially patient and understanding with my anxiety; it was no surprise that a few dates led to us already moving in together about nine months into our relationship.

Not long after our first anniversary we got the cutest addition to our wee family, a gorgeous little show cocker spaniel pup who we named Maya (you can check our her adventures on Instagram at @mayatheshowcocker). A year later we also unexpectedly (as it hadn’t been in our immediate plans) ended up buying our first house together which we are now in the process of slowly renovating as it was/is stuck in the 70’s.

And there you have it; a whistle-stop tour of my main life events between 2017 and 2024. Coming back to blogging now I don’t want to tie myself into a specific blogging category, but rather narrate, as my name Simply Carina xo aims to suggest, the simple everyday of my life. From renovation blogs to favourite recipes and travels with my family. Thank you for reading, it’s nice to have you along for the ride!

Carina xo

HAPPY EARTH DAY!

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Good evening beautiful souls,

“The ultimate test of man’s conscience may be his willingness to sacrifice something today for future generations whose words of thanks will not be heard.” ― Gaylord Nelson

As it’s Earth Day today I wanted to draw your attention to the unsustainable lives we are living. Through our modern lifestyles we are destroying & hurting our earth, all it’s earthlings and our ecosystem – something needs to change!!!

I would love you all to take a moment and reflect on the lifestyle choices you make and how you might be able to adjust things to live greener more environmentally friendly lives. I urge you all to take part and make a conscious effort to make some little changes so that we may create a happier, healthier planet for ourselves and generations to come!

No change is to small – every little helps and it’s important we all play our part and look after the earth!!!

Here are just few ideas to get you started:

  • Recycle!!! Everything that can be recycled please don’t just dump it into general waste!
  • Invest in some stainless steel straws for home use. Refuse straws when out and about or get into the habit of bringing your own straw with you (yes I am one of those people who carries a stainless steel straw in her backpack)
  • Start buying loose fruit and vegetables and bring your own mesh bags to put them in.
  • Or why not invest in a local organic veg bag subscription!
  • Bring your own bag to the supermarket instead of buying plastic ones!
  • If you are a tea drinker buy loose leaf teas and use a tea strainer (most tea bags are still made with plastic)
  • Use roll on deodorants instead of aerosols
  • Try and avoid aerosol products in general. You can swap most things eg. use good old fashioned talcum powder instead of dry shampoo, buy reed diffusers instead of air fresheners…
  • Invest in a reusable takeaway coffee/tea mug
  • Buy biodegradable bamboo toothbrushes, plastic ones fill our landfills and take over 400 years to decompose!!!
  • Ladies – buy yourself a menstrual cup – not only are you saving yourself money but your helping the environment and your body as they are far less dangerous!
  • Have a go at going vegan (or at least making some swaps and cutting down your animal product consumption) – don’t diss veganism straight away beautiful souls – animal agriculture is responsible for more greenhouse gas emissions than the entire transportation system combined!
  • Use reusable cleansing pads instead of throwaway cleansing wipes (reusable bamboo breast pads area great option)
  • Use natural shampoo & soap bars instead of going through bottles of shampoo and conditioner (lush gave some really nice ones)
  • Invest in an electric razor/shaver rather than using one use plastic razors.
  • Install the Ecosia web browser which plants trees as you do your online browsing – I mean what’s not to like – this is such an easy change to make!!

The list is endless, I could go on forever. Please have a look into making some changes ❤ This really isn’t an issue we can ignore!!!

I’ll leave you with another quote:

“It’s going to take all of us, gathering our voices and acting together. Saying, “Not on our watch” to create a future for humans, animals and the environment.” ― Eileen Anglin

P.s. If you already are making some changes I’d love to know what you are doing!

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