Having a fantastical time at Rowtor Rocks in Derbyshire!

Rowtor RocksI’m lucky enough to live in a county that can boast some spectacular scenery, but it’s rare I actually find somewhere new that I haven’t visited before. Last weekend was one of those scarce occasions, I took a trip with my Father and son to Rowtor Rocks in Derbyshire (also called Druids caves).

Rowtor RocksLocated in the village of Birchover it’s a fantastic location unspoilt by health and safety!! That means no barriers or fencing, no warnings, this place is wild and you have to watch your step lest you fall down a hole or roll off a cliff! The advantage of course if that you can view the area without restrictions and appreciate the untouched beauty of this amazing location. I can’t emphasize enough though the need to watch your step and keep a tight hold of any children.

Rowtor RocksWalking up a small path reveals a collection of apparently man made caves carved from the Derbyshire rocks, you can walk through these and if you’re small enough (like my son) even climb through a few. A torch may be required but none of the caves are too deep, however lighting reveals cutting marks and even a giant spider or two!

Rowtor RocksWalking above the caves you can find an amazing network of carved stairs and seats, make sure you pose for a photo or three! I must admit there was something quite Lord of the Rings about it all, I just need some pointy ears and I would have felt very at home 🙂

Rowtor RocksThis rock hangs over a steep drop and we thought it resembled a lions head, although my husband saw an old man.

Rowtor RocksFor fans of the classic movie ‘The Princess Bride’ you’ll be pleased to hear that Birchover was used as one of the filming locations along with other sites in Derbyshire.

Rowtor RocksRowtor rocks also provides a great background for a silly photo! Definitely worth a visit if you are in the area.

 

 

Lego Castle Launches At Warwick Castle

Lego Castle

Through the mists of time and the world of legend springs forth the brand new Lego Castle range! Whether you have knightly aspirations or long to be rescued from a dragon’s keep, this is sure to be the Lego set for you. It certainly appealed to my family as we traversed the ancient grounds of Warwick Castle to see its launch this weekend past.

Lego Warwick Castle

We began our journey with a treasure trail about the grounds, hunting high and low for dragon eggs. The clues led us around and about until finally we reached the fabled Lego flag and claimed our prize: chocolate coins! Lego Warwick Castle

Next we rode invisible horses to the Lego tent situated just outside the magnificent Warwick Castle gatehouse. Here we built castles, stables and buildings inspired by our surroundings.Lego Building

We met the beautiful Lego Princess who came to thank us for joining her quest.

The event is not just intended for us writerly types though. If you would like to join in, Lego Castle is hosting two weeks of castle-building capers from 12 to 26 August including costumed characters, build a castle play area and a treasure trail. Plus you have the bonus of being able to explore historic Warwick Castle and pretend you are a character from the current TV program The White Queen. Or is that just me?

Warwick Castle

At the launch we were lucky enough to be able to view and play with all the new playsets. We instantly fell in love with the bright red dragon from the Dragon Mountain set (70403, RRP: £34.99) and I have already been told about 100 times how my kids ‘need’ (not want need) the huge new King’s Castle (70404, RRP: £79.99).

King's Castle

As a family we are self confessed Lego nuts, my kids have Lego shoes, Lego clothes, Lego clocks, Lego watches and a copious amount of the bricky stuff itself. I suppose this could be due to my husband and me being a bit overly Lego mad from childhood. It’s wonderful to see the kids share our passion. We are also quite keen on history and mythological tales, so it’s easy to see how Lego Castle might appeal to us.King's Castle

We were fortunate to be given a few boxes of the smallest playset ‘Forest Ambush’ (70400, RRP: £7.99) to take home and try out. In comparison to the licensed ranges of Lego, the Castle range seems far better value (a small box of LOTR Lego will normally set you back £12-£13 as a comparison). The set contains two good knights, two bad, a dog, a cart with treasure chest and disguised forest ambush. The kids (and adults) had a lot of fun playing with these sets, but I think you really need more to fully appreciate the range.

Lego Castle

We were so taken with the characters that we hurried out to buy the Dragon playset the very next day 🙂 and our lounge has become chivalric beyond belief!

I took plenty of photos of the play in action but in the end I thought a video might better illustrate the fun we had, so without further ado I give you a little family animation we call….

The Princess’s Rescue!

The Princess has been kidnapped by the Dark Wizard, can the Knight save her and defeat the dragon?

Lego At Warwick Castle Details

Lego Castle are hosting the activities above between 12 to 26 August 2013.

Book online in advance for the best value entrance fees: adults from £17.10 and children from £11.70. Check www.warwick-castle.com for prices and latest attraction schedule.

Lego Castle Details

LEGO Castle is suitable for children aged 5+ and is available in toy shops nationwide from August 2013.

For further information log on to LEGO.com/CASTLE

Kids Summer Fashion for a Day Trip!

When it comes to childrens fashion there is always an element of practicality to consider, after all kids can be notoriously rough on their clothes. So how do you dress fashion conscious children for a long tiring day trip? I found the answer at Westfield Derby in one of this season’s top trends…..neon! I took my three to London to test their neon clothes in action.

Neon isn’t always in favour but it can’t be denied that it is bright and noticeable. This in itself makes it the perfect colour to dress your kids in, simply put they are easier to spot which is a distinct advantage if you are visiting a busy area. It also means they are easier to describe should you lose sight of them temporarily.

However unless you want to make your kids look like 80’s rejects you have to play the neon card carefully. I found a wonderful variety of clothes in my local shopping centre (Westfield Derby), where a few designs were on offer in store.

For my eldest son I went for this gorgeous layered top from Zara, it’s quite oversized in design and is available in a range of colours, it’s bright but it wont damage your retina and I can spot him at a distance. I paired this with a more understated pair of navy shorts from H&M, these have a slightly tailored cut which means they can be dressed up or down. He also had a bright neon blue belt, also from H&M although admittedly his t-shirt covered this.

For my youngest son I went for these gorgeous denim shorts from Zara, they are bright, incredibly comfortable and my son loves them. Zara also do similar trousers in bright designs, although I found their legs were slimmer which made them less practical for a very little person.

I paired them with this fabulous Darth Vader t-shirt from H&M. The t-shirt has the added advantage of being glow in the dark, I know he went under a table to show me!

For my daughter I toned done the neon just slightly with this pink skirt from H&M with neon heart accents. This was paired with an incredibly funky animal print t-shirt (also from H&M) and bright wrist cuff.

I think they all looked fabulous, but how did the clothing fair on our trip? From beginning to end it was an insanely long hot day (the hottest day of the year in the South East) but while I wilted in the background all the kids were comfortable, fashionable and practically dressed.

Details

All the clothes were bought from Westfield Derby

Orange Layered Top £3.99 from Zara (this was reduced from £6.99)

Navy Shorts £7 from H&M (these were on special offer in store)

Blue Belt £2.50 from H&M

Orange Shorts £9.99 from Zara (these were reduced from £14.99)

Darth Vader T-shirt £5.99 from H&M

Pink heart skirt £5.99 from H&M

Animal Print T-shirt £2.99 from H&M

Wrist Cuff £1.99 from H&M