Tag: Lifestyle

JANUARY & FEBRUARY READS

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I thought it’d be nice to recap my reads so far. It’s been a good start to the year for me, in terms of ticking books off on my to read list. I’ve been thoroughly enjoying quiet evenings snuggled up on the sofa with cups of tea and a book or getting stuck into my crochet projects whilst listening to an audiobook.

Here’s what I’ve read so far and what I thought:

  1. Iron Flame (The Empyrean, #2) – by Rebecca Yarros (book)

4.5 STARS: I couldn’t wait to dig my claws into this much anticipated sequel and it didn’t disappoint. However, whereas Fourth Wing got a 5 Star rating from me, I did knock this one down 1 star because, in comparison, it just didn’t grip me in quite the same way. Perhaps it’s because in book one, the initial relationship building between characters held a lot more sexual tension and was new and enthralling, whereas in book two I felt it flatlined a little. If I’m being harsh in my comparison, I also wasn’t quite as captivated by the storyline in book two. Although I know a lot technically happens I suppose, on reflection, it just has more middle book filler vibes, if that makes sense. Anyway, not sure why I’m only pointing out the negatives here cause all in all I still totally rate this book, it gets a 4 star and I am eagerly awaiting for Onyx Storm to be released in paperback so I can finally continue with this story.

  1. Verity – by Colleen Hoover (book)

4.5 STARS: After being stuck on a train of romantasy novels for what feels like a very long time, it was nice to finally pick up something different. I hadn’t read any Colleen Hoover books yet but had seen multiple book covers cross my screen over the past year, and so was eager to jump on the bandwagon and see what all the fuss was about. It did not disappoint – I wolfed Verity down in 2 days I think. Great tension building throughout and I love that it’s all kind of ambiguous and you’re left in the dark suspecting but never truly knowing what’s true or not, right until, and even past, the very end! 

  1. Shatter Me (Shatter Me, #1) – by Tahereh Mafi (book)

3 STARS: I didn’t know what to expect from this series, but it definitely wasn’t this. The dystopian / post-apocalyptic kinda vibe totally took me by surprise. I don’t know why, but I’d envisioned more of a fantasy world from the blurb, thus it took a while to settle into the story. But it was nice to read something a bit different. It’s a relatively short book, but a fair amount happens and the story progresses quickly. As a reader you’re also very much in line with the protagonist’s point of view and knowledge base. Because she’s been locked away and thus shielded from learning what has transpired in the outside world, you’re on a journey of discovery alongside her. I did enjoy it, (and am currently on book two) just not as much as other books I’ve read and thus it’s only getting a 3 stars from me.

  1. Sunburn – by Chloe Michelle Howarth (audiobook)

4 STARS: Poignant and heartfelt. A slow burn that beautifully portrays the turbulence, intensity and tragedy of first love and finding and accepting one’s true self within a very conservative community. Can only recommend. 

  1. Playing With Fire – by L.J. Shen (audiobook)

3.5 STARS: Playing with Fire was an interesting story. It has a predictable hate to love narrative, but adds a bit of thrill and mystery through the backstory of the two emotionally scarred protagonists. This deeper element of the narrative explores trauma, and the journey to recovery and self growth. 

  1. Nocticadia – by Keri Lake (audiobook)

4.5 STARS: An unexpected favourite. My initial thoughts were what on earth have I got myself into as I’m not really used to gothic narratives and it took me a while to settle into the vibe of this dark academia world. However, great storytelling with plenty of mystery, intrigue and a chemistry between protagonists that got to me, ooft – I was soon engrossed in this novel which had me hooked until the end. Keri Lake was a new author to me and I now need to check out some more of her books.

Have you read any of these? If so, what were your thoughts – I’d love to know. Also, if you want to stay up to date with my current reads why not give me a follow on Goodreads – I love seeing what everyone else is reading too!

VALENTINES WEEKEND AWAY

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Last weekend Luis and I packed up the car and headed up to Cresswell for a long weekend at our favourite caravan. We first came across this holiday let on Airbnb last year and enjoyed our time there so much that we keep returning. I think this was our fourth visit. The caravan is situated in the Cresswell Towers Holiday Park and is only about a 5-10 minute walk away from the beach. It’s really reasonably priced, always clean and well kept, and offers a quiet and relaxing spot for a seaside holiday. Note, we’ve only ever gone off season, so can’t speak for what it’s like during peak times.

Cresswell is about an hours drive for us so a good distance for a long weekend away. With my travel anxiety I don’t like being in the car too long, especially if we’re only going away for a couple of nights, so this is an easy enough drive for me to do. The first 30 mins are just up the A1 and then we tend to turn off at the Seaton Burn services, which although kinda dirty, rough and run down, are in a good location as a half way stop to settle my anxiety before we continue on through Cramlington, past Blyth and up to Cresswell.

We both still had to get some work done on Friday, but managed to finish a bit earlier and ended up leaving the house at about 4pm. Once we arrived we unpacked and before wrapping up warm and heading out for a short walk to the beach.

For Valentines dinner I made a vegan spaghetti bolognese which turned out yummy even though I forgot the herbs and spices at home. After dinner we cosied up and unpacked Patchwork, a new game we’d got for Christmas from our friends. I didn’t know what to expect but it turned out to be an easy to understand and really enjoyable 2 player game.

On Saturday we headed out to Amble for a mooch around the Marina. It was icy cold and rather miserable, but it was good to get out. We stopped off at the supermarket on our way back and got some pastries to enjoy with a coffee for once we got back to the caravan and settled down to another game of Patchwork.

On Sunday it rained on and off for most of the day and we enjoyed a cosy day inside. I read my book, Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi, spent a lot of the day crocheting, trying to finish my granny square cardigan and got stuck into trying to solve some Murdle logic puzzles with Luis which was good fun. It was a lovely relaxed day.

Check out was at 10am on Monday and so we got up early to start our day by heading out to watch the sunrise before having to pack up. It’s something we’ve been doing since our first visit. Although I always find the 10am checkouts somewhat stressful, starting the day by watching the sunrise is always so worth it. We really should make the effort more often to get up early to watch the sunrise – it’s always so beautiful – such a magical time.

Frozen after our early morning beach walk we headed back to the caravan to have breakfast and then pack up the car. It’s always sad having to leave the caravan – we’ll have to stay longer than a weekend one day, but it was another lush weekend away for Valentines. I hope you all had a wonderful weekend too.

MY 2025 READING GOALS

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I have always considered myself a bit of a bookworm; admittedly, however, the reading bug has ebbed and flowed a bit more as an adult. It was reading ACOTAR last year, that sparked my excitement to get lost in new stories again and re-kindled my love for reading. I’ve ended up buying so many new books last year, on top of already having a huge ‘To Read’ list in the first place, and even splurged on a new Kindle. I’m well and truly set up for choice with this years reading challenge and have given myself the goal of reading 35 Books. I only managed to read 17 books last year, but I’ve got so many on my bookshelf I can’t wait to dip my toes into, that I think I’ll achieve my goal for 2025. I’ve also signed up to Audible again as my new favourite hobby is crocheting, and I’d like to start listening to some audiobooks instead of watching tv, as I work away on my projects.

In no particular order, I wanted to share which books I’ve chosen so far for my ‘To Read’ list this year. If you count along, you’ll realise there are more that 35 books mentioned, but there were just too many to choose from. I’ve been drawn to all these books for different reasons and as the year goes on I’ll be interested to see which ones I gravitate to first. I’d love to hear if you’ve read any and what you thought (no spoilers though please) or what books might be on your ‘To Read’ lists. If you’re on Goodreads – let’s connect!

Standalone Books:

Babel – by R.F. Kuang
Cleopatra and Frankenstein – by Coco Mellors
My Dark Romeo – by Parker S. Huntington
The Elephant Girl – by Henriette Gyland
Becoming Molly-Mae – by Molly Hague
The Foundling – by Stacey Halls
Ugly Love – by Colleen Hoover
Verity – by Colleen Hoover

Poetry:

May I Come Home – by Christopher Tapp
Home Body – by Rupi Kaur

Series:

Iron Flame (The Empyrean, #3) – by Rebecca Yarros
Onyx Storm (The Empyrean, #3) – by Rebecca Yarros

Throne of Glass (Throne of Glass, #1) – by Sarah J. Maas
Crown of Midnight (Throne of Glass, #1) – by Sarah J. Maas
Heir of Fire (Throne of Glass, #1) – by Sarah J. Maas
Queen of Shadows (Throne of Glass, #1) – by Sarah J. Maas
Empire of Storms (Throne of Glass, #1) – by Sarah J. Maas
Tower of Dawn (Throne of Glass, #1) – by Sarah J. Maas
Kingdom of Ash (Throne of Glass, #1) – by Sarah J. Maas

Shatter Me (Shatter Me, #1) – by Tahereh Mafi
Unravel Me (Shatter Me, #2) – by Tahereh Mafi
Ignite Me (Shatter Me, #3) – by Tahereh Mafi
Restore Me (Shatter Me, #4) – by Tahereh Mafi
Defy Me (Shatter Me, #5) – by Tahereh Mafi

Sword Catcher (The Chronicles of Castellane, #1) – by Cassandra Clare

The Serpent and the Wings of Night (Crowns of Nyaxia, #1) – by Carrisa Broadbent
The Ashes & The Star Cursed King (Crowns of Nyaxia, #2) – by Carrisa Broadbent

King of Scars (King of Scars, #1) – by Leigh Bardugo
Rule or Wolves (King of Scars, #2) – by Leigh Bardugo

Audio Books:

Sunburn – by Chloe Michelle Howarth
The Outrun – by Amy Liptrot
Playing With Fire – by L.J. Shen
A Touch of Darkness – by Scarlett St. Clair
The Virgin Suicides – by Jeffrey Eugenides
He’s Gone – by Rebecca Collomosse

Books I still want to purchase:

Milk Teeth – by Jessica Andrews
Butter – by Asako Yuzuki
Kalo – by Colin Walsh
Want – by Gillian Anderson
Goddess With A Thousand Daces – by Jasmine Elmer
Think Again – by Jaqueline Wilson
By Any Other Name – Jodi Picoult
Frida – by Hayden Herrera

LATE TO THE PARTY: MY 2025 BUCKETLIST

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Happy (Belated) New Year, everyone! I hope you had a wonderful Christmas and New Year’s. We enjoyed a lovely, quiet Christmas followed by a wonderful week with Luis’s parents. While it was fantastic to have them visit, it left me little time for reflection and planning ahead for 2025. The lack of daylight and continued freezing temperatures at the roastery haven’t exactly boosted my motivation either since starting back at work!

Despite feeling a bit lost and longing for spring, I am feeling pretty excited about the possibilities this year holds. To combat the winter blues and stay inspired, I’m continuing my annual tradition of creating a Bucket List for the new year. This isn’t about setting unattainable goals, but rather a gentle nudge towards a more fulfilling life – exploring more, embracing creativity, prioritizing my well-being and being more present in the day to day.

Looking back at my 2024 list, I’m proud of what I accomplished, even though plenty of items remain unchecked. It’s about enjoying the journey and not just ticking off goals for the sake of it. (You can find my 2024 reflections in my previous blog post here.)

As I’ve been pondering my 2025 goals, I realise many are similar to last year’s. Some are repeats as they are likely to become yearly wishes, while others are carry-overs from 2024 that I’ve yet to achieve. I’ll probably also continue to add to this list as new ideas emerge. Here’s what I have so far…

  1. Finish My Patchwork Blanket: I’m slowly but surely knitting my way through a patchwork blanket. It’s my first big knit project but much less daunting than tackling something like a sweater as it’s just square by square.
  2. Conquer a Patterned Hat: I want to develop my pattern-reading skills and have started with a supposedly easy enough hat project.
  3. Knit a Sweater (the ultimate challenge): I want to step outside my comfort zone and eventually take on the challenge of knitting a sweater, although this will probably be done later on in the year once I’ve built up some confidence and practiced pattern reading some more.
  4. Crochet A Blanket:I have just finished my first granny square blanket, and I’m so in love with it, I am eager to make more. I think I might like to make a few for Christmas Present this year.
  5. Granny Square Cardigan: I keep coming across these beautiful granny square cardigan patterns and I can’t wait to give one a try.
  6. Derwent Reservoir: Luis has wanted to take me for a walk there for ages. It’s only about a 35 minute drive, but I’ve always let my anxiety get the better of me as I know there’s no proper facilities there. However, it was his birthday the other week and I finally pushed myself to go.
  7. High Force Waterfall Family Trip: Although I’ve been before, it was quite a while ago and we’ve not yet been as a family, so that’s one for this year.
  8. Camping Getaways: We went camping near Holy Island last year and I loved it so much I’d like to make this another yearly tradition, starting with at least one family camping adventure.
  9. Grow The Orchid Creative: I would like to be more organised this year, develop mu creative skills further and increase my Etsy offerings and sales.
  10. Tattoo Time: I’ve been itching for some new ink for ages and would like to add some new finger tattoos to my collection this year.
  11. Start A YouTube Channel: This has been something I’ve wanted to do for a very long time, but have always felt too overwhelmed to do. However, I want to let go of the nerves, finally learn some new creative skills, and just enjoy the process of video editing and documenting for fun.
  12. A Holiday Abroad: I’d like to  push myself again this year and overcome my travel anxiety to enjoy an overseas adventure.
  13. Coastal Caravan Retreats: We’ve had a few lovely relaxing long weekends in a caravan in Cresswell up the Northumberland coast over the past year or so and love it so much that we want to make this another yearly goal. 
  14. Reading Goals: Although I only managed 17 books last year, I’m setting myself the same goal of 24 books this year.
  15. Cultural Experiences: Attending at least 3 concerts, shows, or theatre performances.
  16. Dance Lessons with Luis: This one’s been on my list for ages. I think learning to dance together will be a good laugh and a fun way to exercise together.
  17. Learning Portuguese: I finally want to start learning Portuguese properly so that I can communicate better with Luis’s family.
  18. A Holiday with my Bestie: Another yearly tradition and one I treasure – having a small getaway and some 1on1 time with my best friend!
  19. National Trust Explorations: We’ve got our membership till May and I’d like to make the most of it. We’ve already visited Gibside and Crook Hall multiple times, but I’d still like to visit the places in the North East which we haven’t seen yet, namely: Cragside, Seaton Delaval, Washington Old Hall and Wallington.
4. Crochet a Blanket
5. Visit Derwent Reservoir
19. Visit Gibside

Have you also set yourself some goals for this year? What are your top 3 Bucketlist items? Do let me know in the comments down below – I’d love to know!

I’ll keep coming back to this post throughout the year ticking off what I’ve achieved, so if you see something stroked through , it’s been completed.

A FAMILY DAY IN ALNMOUTH & ALNWICK

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A couple of weeks ago my sister was visiting from Canada and the weekend weather forecast was promising, so we decided to spend the day in Northumberland. We packed the cars and drove up to Alnmouth for a walk and lunch at the beach followed by a mooch around Alnwick in the afternoon.

If you’ve never visited Alnmouth and Alnwick before I highly recommend. It’s about 1h and 15minuts by car from Durham (traffic along the A1 depending) and perfect for a fun filled day out with beach walks, book shops and perhaps even lunch in a tree house.

We left late enough on the Saturday and made our way up the coast to Alnmouth Beach. It can get pretty busy and you’re not likely to find free street parking on a weekend, but there is usually enough spaces right down by the beach – although take note that it costs about £3.50 for parking with zero amenities and only a handful of picnic benches.

We arrived about 30 minutes after my parents as we had to stop for a toilet break on the way up and not being sure of services post the metro center had decided to briefly stop at Ikea which ended up being a bit of a detour and confusing google maps something awful!

Anyway, we eventually made it and were lucky with the weather. It was surprisingly sunny and warm at the beach and not the 8 degree we’d been expecting. So we set off on a dander along the beach with Maya bounding along in happiness and stopping to dig in the sand every few minutes.

It was such a peaceful walk in the sand. The beach oozed a soothing presence with the gentle lapping of waves, warm glow of the sun and fresh sea air dancing around.

When in Alnmouth we always make a stop at Scott’s of Alnmouth – a lush artisan coffee stop and deli. A lot of the foods they stock are admittedly rather pricey, but we see it as a treat and choose something for a date night at home. This time was a wild garlic pasta, truffle pesto and a Portuguese wine.

After our mooch in the village we made our way back to the beach and the cars for lunch and were lucky enough to nab an empty picnic table. I honestly hadn’t thought we’d be having a picnic outdoors at this stage in the year – but the weather held up and it was fab.

After lunch I was almost ready to head home as a wave of tiredness hit me, but we packed up and made our way to Alnwick. Mum wanted a walk to the tree house at Alnwick Gardens but we were rather surprised and annoyed (on my part) to discover that dogs were not allowed anywhere on the grounds at all. So my parents had to stay behind as my sister and I took our partners to the tree house as they’d never seen it before. It’s a cool sight to see and has a wonderful restaurant inside if you want to go for a special lunch or dinner. However, it really wasn’t our day as even the tree house was fully shut for a private function and we couldn’t take a closer look. Thus we headed back to the car and shuttled off to Barter Books which, especially if you’re a book lover like me, is always a must visit.

If you haven’t been or heard of it before, Barter Books is a second hand bookstore located in an old railway station. It’s one of those wonderfully quaint and quirky places that ooze cosiness and charm. They have a huge variety of books from lifestyle, cook books and art to fiction and even some foreign language books. It’s just lovely to have a mooch around and or grab a drink from their cafe and sit in one of their cosy nooks to get stuck into a book. Barter Books also offer a scheme where you can hand in old books in exchange for credit. I’d been meaning to set up an account for ages and finally did so, trading in some books I wasn’t going to read again. I decided not to pick up any new books on that trip yet as I already have such a ‘To Read’ pile at home.

After a nice browse we called it a day and headed back home for dinner and a game.

I’d love to know if you’ve been to Barter Books before and what your favourite spots in Alnwick and Alnmouth are – do let me know in the comments.

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