One of the things I miss most about summer is those beautiful warm afternoons. Afternoons when the sky was so wonderfully blue. When it seemed as if there was all the time in the world to go and explore. Watching my girls running off in front of me, hand in hand with each other, dressed in their sunhats and summer dresses. Afternoons when we were just lost in our own little bubble. Discovering new places and making the most of the time we had together.
Baddesley Clinton was a new discovery for us. We were heading to Birmingham for the weekend to meet up with hubby who was busy working on an event. As it was the bank holiday weekend, I wanted to leave early to avoid getting stuck in traffic. It seemed a good idea to find a National Trust place near where we were staying to explore before meeting up in the evening.
This was definitely a good choice. A beautiful manor house surrounded by a moat and grounds. Just the right size to explore in an afternoon without feeling like we needed to rush around. I would have liked to have been able to explore inside the house too but we didn’t have quite enough time to explore both the house and grounds.
The girls spent a while standing on the bridge looking over the moat and watching the ducks before we headed into the inner courtyard. They loved the door with a “tiger head” knocker on it. It was a very pretty spot to take some siblings shots too!
Out on the front lawn, there were some outdoor games and a tent with wooden blocks inside. The girls made a beeline for these. Jessica enjoyed building a house with the blocks and Sophie decided to make a “xylophone” from them.
Once the girls had finished playing with the blocks, we headed for a walk around the lake. The “wobbly bridges” that we had to cross were a lot of fun from the girls perspective. They also provided a few opportunities to try and play pooh sticks. The streams were a little too dry for it to work well though!
We also explored the walled garden which was full of colourful pretty flowers before finding ourselves back at the front of the house again.
The grounds were beautiful, and it was such a glorious afternoon to go out and explore. For me though, the best thing was that feeling of just being able to stop and let the world go by. To be able to watch my girls having fun exploring and not think about anything else for a while. An afternoon where exploring and enjoying the sunshine was the most important thing in the world and nothing else mattered.
It looks so beautiful there and what a gorgeous day. A wise choice to set of early and enjoy your time here rather than stuck in traffic. I have to say the photos are stunning, Baddesley Clinton certainly makes a perfect backdrop for the girls, the ones hand in hand are so sweet. You make me long for little ones again, I wonder if I could swap a couple of stroppy 12 year olds for a week?
Thank you for sharing a lovely day on #CountryKids
Thanks Fiona – I love the age the girls are currently at and how sweet they are together. I think I’ll pass on the swap! 🙂
What a beautiful place to explore. The manor makes a wonderful backdrop. I dream of having a walled garden and those dahlias look wonderful. A fabulous place to just spend time. I’m glad you all enjoyed your day. #CountryKids
Thank you Cheryl – it was such a lovely place to spend an afternoon 🙂
Oh this looks lovely and I don’t think it’s far from us. We might use our national trust membership and explore it too.
Nat.x
It was a lovely place to explore – I wish we lived nearer as I’d love to go back 🙂
It’s such a pretty place there isn’t it. I love all the windows in the house itself. A great choice for a visit. If you’re ever in that area again Packeood is fab and just up the road #Countrykids
Thanks Mary – it was a toss-up between Baddesley Clinton and Packwood House – so that one is definitely on the list for next time!
This place looks amazing and your girls could not be any cutter in their sun outfits. I’m so glad you were able to get out and enjoy some of the sunshine before the fall rain and gloom sets in. What a lovely adventure. #CountryKids
Thank you Elizabeth, it certainly was a lovely adventure 🙂
I love Baddesley Clinton – it was actually our first ever NT property visited. It’s local to us so we’ve been a few times and I never tire of it. Looks like you had a wonderful time there, beautiful photos x
Thanks Jocelyn – how lovely to live close enough to visit regularly. It was such a beautiful place, I wish I lived nearer 🙂
What a beautiful place to visit. It looks like my kind of day out! If we’re ever that way we’ll have to go there. Your photos are gorgeous-I love the one of the girls standing in front of the door.
#countrykids
Thank you Heidi – I love that photo too 🙂
Beautiful photos. I love how your girls are holding hands in the photos, they must have a lovely relationship. Badesley Clinton looks like a delightful place to visit. My.boys love playing poo sticks too 🙂
Thank you Angela – they do have a lovely bond. Pooh sticks is such a fun game, glad your boys enjoy it too 🙂
That last photo is so adorable and what a beautiful place to visit!
Thank you Sarah – it was such a lovely place to spend an afternoon 🙂
Such a lovely place to visit! Like a setting of a fairy tale movie! #countrykids
Yes, it did make me think of fairy tales too! 🙂
Oh it looks lovely at this time of year. When we went it was a February, so all frosty and cold.
I can imagine it must be quite different in the winter.
I have to say all through reading the post and looking at the pictures it was the feeling of warmth and love between the siblings that really shone through – I am glad they had such a lovely day together. #countrykids
Thank you – it was the little moments between the girls that really made it a magical day out – the beautiful setting just added to that though! 🙂
What a beautiful place. It’s great just having time to explore without the pressures of time isn’t it? The grounds look really lovely and having a real moat is quite cool, normally they’re all dried up. You’ll have to go back another time to explore inside! #countrykids
It was lovely to have that time to explore. I’d love to go back and see inside the house next time 🙂
I love reading about the adventures you get up to with your girls. It makes me want to visit these places with mine.#CountryKids
Thank you – give it a couple of years and you’ll be having similar adventures with yours, I’m sure! 🙂
What a lovely place. You all look like you had a good time. I love wobbly bridges and pooh sticks…perfect childhood fun. #CountryKids
Thank you Karen, we had a wonderful time 🙂
We’ve been making the use of our National Trust membership during the summer too.They are perfect places for the whole family, even my older kids look forward to day trips now.Your two girls look so sweet holding hands, something my 3 kids never ever did together.
Thanks Aly – National Trust membership is fab, so glad that I got it. Love that your older kids still enjoy days out too 🙂