Live life 🙌🏼
Happy Thursday everyone and welcome to another week of wonderful doors. This week I am showcasing more doors that I have left over from our trip to Perth. As always, please do let me know if you have a favourite this week.
I’m really torn between doors 2, 4 and 5 but I think I will pick 4 as my favourite simply because of how inviting it looks and I love the curtain on the inside of the door, it feels very Italian 🇮🇹.
What have you been working on?
For me, the answer is simple – my blog. I’ve been showing up every day, writing, reflecting, and sharing and today marks my 105th day in a row. I wanted to challenge myself to see if I could show up every day here and I’ve done it! It has honestly not been that difficult and actually very enjoyable. It’s hard to believe how quickly the days have added up, but it’s become part of my daily rhythm now.
What started as a small creative habit has turned into something bigger, a space to think, grow, and connect.
Why do you blog?
Happy Sunday everyone! Let’s play a game. I have given 10 reasons why I blog but are they all true? From following my blog, would you know which points are true or false?
1 – Self-expression – My blog provides a space to share my thoughts and opinions.
2 – Building a personal brand – It helps me to establish my voice and identity online, whether professional or personal.
3 – Sharing knowledge – I blog to teach others, provide advice, or explain things I have learned.
4 – Documenting life – I use my blog as a digital diary to capture memories, milestones, and reflections.
5 – Community connection – I love how my blog can attract like-minded readers, fostering discussion and friendships.
6 – Improving writing skills – Regular posting helps me to refine my style, clarity, and communication.
7 – Career opportunities – My blog showcases expertise, attracts many job offers, collaborations, and freelance work.
8 – Inspiration and motivation – It gives me a sense of purpose and a creative outlet to explore new ideas.
9 – Earning income – I am fortunate to make a lot money on my blog through ads, sponsorships, and affiliate marketing.
10 – Leaving a legacy – My blog can become a lasting collection of my thoughts, stories, and contributions for others to discover. It will be read for generations to come.
Today I hit a HUGE milestone (for me) with achieving one thousand subscribers.
That’s a thousand humans (and possibly a few bots) who clicked follow, subscribe or ‘I’m kind of curious with what Wayne is rambling about today’.
From Wayne’s Word to tray bakes, travel highlights to colourful doors, you have stuck around and I am incredibly grateful for that. Whether you have read, may it be one post or a hundred, I want to say, THANK YOU!
Here is to the next thousand followers, the next word, travel adventure or whatever wonders lie in between.
It’s a little nod to Wayne’s World, but instead of ‘party time, excellent’ (if you are aware of the cult nineties classic) I will be diving into one WORD each day. It could be something I learned, something bizarre that happened, a favourite word that I have rediscovered or just a thought that won’t leave me alone.
If you’re joining in on today’s word, feel free to use this tag to connect your post to the series: #WaynesWord
Today’s word is MILESTONE.
This can described as a significant stage or event in your life, a journey, or a story worth remembering.
Milestones are not always the big flashy things. Sometimes they are the small wins, for example, getting through a tough year, starting something new, or still showing up after all this time. That’s me today as I celebrate 8 years with WordPress on my blogging journey. I cannot believe it’s been that long since I started my blog and although it’s not life changing, I am proud to still be here and contributing in even a small way. Thank you all for making it such an enjoyable experience 🙂.
It’s a little nod to Wayne’s World, but instead of ‘party time, excellent’ (if you are aware of the cult nineties classic) I will be diving into one WORD each day. It could be something I learned, something bizarre that happened, a favourite word that I have rediscovered or just a thought that won’t leave me alone.
If you’re joining in on today’s word, feel free to use this tag to connect your post to the series: #WaynesWord
Today’s word is KNACKERED.
Do you ever get home, flop on the sofa and think, “I am absolutely knackered”? If so, you are in good company. In Northern Ireland, knackered is the go-to word when you are completely exhausted, physically, mentally or even both. It is one of those brilliant words that sounds exactly like what it means. For me, it can be shorthand for needing a sit down and a cup of tea. This is how I feel after competing in Hyrox on Friday. I felt fine yesterday and even worked a full shift but today my legs are tired and I am mentally drained.
However, it was a beautiful winter’s day here in the Shire and we wanted to make the most of it. We took the ferry to a favourite place of ours near the National Park, known as Bundeena. I have a previous post on this place here but it was just lovely to visit for a few hours this time. After walking from the ferry terminal, around the village, checking out the local markets, I am definitely ready now to sit down with a cup of tea. I hope you all have a lovely Sunday too. I can hear the thunder roaring here and a big storm is on its way so I won’t be leaving the house for the rest of the evening.
Happy Thursday everyone and welcome to another week of doors. I am still on my holiday in the Philippines, currently in Manila with one more day to go. I thought I would have found an array of doors but sadly I have found only one!!! In saying that, I could still find more later today.
This door was found in D’Mall in Boracay, one of the many Filipino islands. D’Mall, Boracay is the vibrant heart of Station 2 on White Beach, an open-air “mall” blending shops, dining, entertainment, and services all within easy walking distance. Don’t be fooled like us by thinking we were going to a well air conditioned mall haha. We were in for a shock but this was ten times better. So much character and soul here with a fantastic door just waiting to be photographed. I think it leads to a store room but to me it looked like it could well lead to Aladdin’s cave, a cave full of treasures.
It’s a little nod to Wayne’s World, but instead of ‘party time, excellent’ (if you are aware of the cult nineties classic) I will be diving into one WORD each day. It could be something I learned, something bizarre that happened, a favourite word that I have rediscovered or just a thought that won’t leave me alone.
If you’re joining in on today’s word, feel free to use this tag to connect your post to the series: #WaynesWord
Today’s word is MADNESS
Today’s word is a term that flips between chaos and charm. It can mean mental unrest, wild excitement, or pure and plain fun. For anyone raised on ska-pop and famous British anthems, “Madness” is more than a feeling—it’s a band.
Madness, the iconic British group that brought ska to the forefront in the late ’70s and early ’80s. Their 1980 hit “Baggy Trousers” is a perfect snapshot of schoolboy rebellion, laced with nostalgia and mischief. It’s a musical love letter to youthful chaos and a celebration of the kind of madness that makes life worth living.
Tonight we are being entertained by a Madness tribute band known as Baggy Trousers. Has anyone here heard of Madness or know any of their songs?
It’s a little nod to Wayne’s World, but instead of ‘party time, excellent’ (if you are aware of the cult nineties classic) I will be diving into one WORD each day. It could be something I learned, something bizarre that happened, a favourite word that I have rediscovered or just a thought that won’t leave me alone.
If you’re joining in on today’s word, feel free to use this tag to connect your post to the series: #WaynesWord
Today’s word is AGAINST
This is a great inspirational quote, reminding us that life rarely moves in a straight line. Progress is often made, not by going with the flow but by moving against it.
“When everything seems to be going against you, remember that the airplane takes off against the wind, not with it.” – Henry Ford
The moments of greatest resistance are often the moments right before we lift off into something greater.
Today, I’m reminded that being against the wind isn’t a setback — it’s part of the journey upward.
It’s a little nod to Wayne’s World, but instead of ‘party time, excellent’ (if you are aware of the cult nineties classic) I will be diving into one WORD each day. It could be something I learned, something bizarre that happened, a favourite word that I have rediscovered or just a thought that won’t leave me alone.
If you’re joining in on today’s word, feel free to use this tag to connect your post to the series: #WaynesWord
Today’s word is HOPE.
I’ve been thinking of Good Friday a lot today, more so because I was working and talking to my patients about their plans for the day. One of the many things I love about Sydney is that it is so multicultural and I really enjoy learning about different religions and traditions, with today being a very important day for many.
I heard the word ‘Hope’ on TV when I returned home from work and it got me thinking about the connection to Good Friday. I feel that hope and Good Friday are deeply connected—not because the day is happy, but because it dares us to believe that something better is just ahead, even when we can’t see it yet and I believe that to be the case with this special day.
I hope you all have a lovely Good Friday, if you celebrate observe it.
Wayne
It’s a little nod to Wayne’s World, but instead of ‘party time, excellent’ (if you are aware of the cult nineties classic) I will be diving into one WORD each day. It could be something I learned, something bizarre that happened, a favourite word that I have rediscovered or just a thought that won’t leave me alone.
If you’re joining in on today’s word, feel free to use this tag to connect your post to the series: #WaynesWord
Today’s word is CRAIC.
I thought it might be fun to introduce you to a very common Irish word today, which you might have already heard before. Craic is basically a word for fun / good times, not to be confused with crack (as in the drug), although it sounds the same as crack but can only be spelled as craic. I hope that makes sense. Here are a couple of ways we can use this fantastic word :
“Having the craic” basically means having fun, enjoying good conversation or being in good company. It can involve laughter, music, storytelling, maybe a pint or two—just generally having good vibes.
“What’s the craic?” is like asking, “What’s going on?” or “What’s the news?” It’s a casual greeting, sort of like saying “What’s up?” or “How are things?”
Here are a couple of examples:
“We were out at the pub last night, great craic altogether!” or “it was great craic”.
“What’s the craic, Wayne? Haven’t seen you in ages!”
It’s a key part of Irish culture, mixing humor, storytelling, and a laid-back spirit. Please do not say “Having a craic” which I have heard some Aussies say haha.
Let me know if you have heard this word being used. I love to hear it being used and it always reminds me of home.
Wayne
Hey there! It’s Sunday night here in Sydney and I’m trying not to think about work tomorrow haha. I received a notification this week to say I had posted 500 times on my blog, quite the milestone, for me at least.
I just want to say a big THANK YOU for all your support and quietly encouraging me to keep blogging. Admittedly, I am not the best blogger in the world and I have many time constraints but I do love blogging when I can and absolutely love engaging with the blogging community. I hope I am able to make a small impact and even make you smile while reading one of my posts.
Riding on the high of my 500 posts, I thought this would be a good time to announce my new blogging series entitled “Wayne’s Word”. I have been thinking about this for a while now and feel that this is the perfect time to start my own blogging series.
Wayne’s Word
It’s a little nod to Wayne’s World, but instead of ‘party time, excellent’ (if you are aware of the cult nineties classic) I will be diving into one WORD each day. It could be something I learned, something bizarre that happened, a favourite word that I have rediscovered or just a thought that won’t leave me alone.
I’ll do my best to share a word each day—but life has its own rhythm, and some days might be quieter than others. This isn’t about perfection. It’s about presence. And whenever the words come, I will be here to share them.
If you’re joining in on today’s word, feel free to use this tag to connect your post to the series: #WaynesWord
I also have my own logo that you are welcome to add to your post but no pressure 😝
Stay tuned for my first word coming tomorrow and again, many, many thanks!
Wayne 💬
Happy Thursday everyone and welcome to another week of doors. This week I am digging deep into the vault and showing some of my favourite blue doors, in honour of summer resuming in Sydney after lots of rain last week. As always, please let me know if you have a favourite.
I think for the first week ever, I cannot choose an obvious favourite. I love all of them for different reasons. I think if I was able to buy one of these doors for my house, I would pick number 3 from Kells but number 5 looks so regal (definitely wouldn’t be my house door). What do you think??
Happy Thursday everyone and welcome to another magnificent week of doors. Today is my 100th edition of doors of WordPress and I wanted to create something a little different to mark the milestone.
I couldn’t think of how to choose my most favourite doors and it was very hard to narrow down my collection, so I thought a video might be a quick way to show some of my favourites. I managed to narrow it down to my top 250 doors!!!
I am so grateful that I have found a community that love doors as much as I do and a big thank you to Dan for creating this great space on our blogging platform. I have met lots of blogging friends through the Thursday Doors club and I love how we support each other by checking in and interacting through our appreciation for a good door.
I created a video to a song that I love by the Cranberries and shared to my Instagram account. It’s called Dreams and I’m sure many of you will know it. Sadly I cannot download my video with the song, I’m guessing due to copyright reasons so I have posted the video below mine in case you want to listen to it.
Thank you all for your interest and continued support of my doors and everyone else’s too. Long may the love of doors continue.
All the best,
Wayne
Happy Thursday everyone and welcome to another week of doors. I have returned after a two week hiatus and feeling good for the break. I have been exceptionally busy with work but also I have found a new obsession, commencing my family tree on ancestry.com. I will have to write a blog post about that but for now I will showcase some doors from my trip to England last month.
We visited an amazing place called Wimpole Estate in Cambridgeshire and not for the first time. We had previously visited in late 2023 when we took my niece and nephew to a light installation show. However, this time we visited to appreciate the grounds and scenery during the day and with some lovely warm weather.
Managed by the National Trust, Wimpole Estate includes a grand mansion, extensive gardens, a working farm and parkland. The estate dates back many centuries, with its development influenced by various owners who made significant changes to both the house and the landscape.
It’s a very popular destination for tourists, nature lovers, and history enthusiasts, offering walks, seasonal events, and educational activities. It is also used for filming and cultural events due to its scenic beauty and historical significance. However, for me, I just couldn’t help but appreciate the venue for all the fantastic doors it had to showcase. As always, let me know if you have a favourite one this week.
I absolutely love the door on the church from picture number 9 but I really love the simplicity of door number 1. Those doors that are split in two halves are really cool and always remind me of old country and western movies. I think the tractor also adds to the shot.
Thank you all for having a look and I hope you’re all having a great September thus far.
Wayne
Thank you for the reminder WordPress that I have been blogging for the past seven years. I actually always remember this myself anyway, as I started this blog when I emigrated to Australia seven years ago.
I find it insane that I have actually lasted this long as I never imagined it to be a long term project. My aim was to show case places that I was visiting in Australia and maybe inspire others to visit them. This has continued but I would say that my journey has changed throughout the past few years, meandering my way throughout the blogging world, always on the hunt for tips and advice, learning new things and meeting new people along the way. It’s a journey that I thoroughly enjoy, however, my only wish would be to have more time to invest in blogging. Also more time to travel would be lovely but alas, one still has to work and bills to pay 😜.
When Covid hit, I thought I had nothing left to blog about as we could no longer travel. However, I soon learned that you don’t have to stick to what you normally blog about. The blogging community taught me that it’s my blog and I can write about whatever suits ME and whenever suits me. I participated in many writing challenges throughout the covid lockdowns and beyond, with some of them now firmly in my psyche, for example, being a member of the Thursday Doors club hosted by the amazing Dan!
I have found the blogging community to be strong, supportive and for the most part, inclusive. Thank you all for having me in your blogging space and I really hope to still be around for the next seven years. I will continue my doors posts and hopefully share some new travel experiences now that I have moved back to Australia. Next week I am heading home to Northern Ireland to visit my family which I am extremely excited for. It’s only been seven months since I have last seen them but I really do miss my family, especially as I have a new niece to meet!! I will keep you all posted on what we get up to.
Many, many thanks,
Wayne
I am very fortunate to know someone who owns their own boat or barge, as they call it and they are happy to take passengers on a river cruise along the Port Hacking river, located here in the Sutherland Shire. My friends have been inviting colleagues from our place of work to experience the river cruise, with different passengers taken on board each time. I think my partner and I are considered the resident guests, meaning we are able to attend every time, wow! I feel so lucky that we have been able to attend on the two occasions that have happened so far.
We meet at a nearby carpark at 7am, it’s nice and early and a great way to start the day. We hop on board and sail towards the Audley Dance Hall Cafe for breakfast, about 20 minutes from when we set sail. The river is so quiet and serene at this time and we have been lucky enough to spot some spectacular wildlife, including a sea eagle and a kingfisher.
The breakfast at Audley is tasty and it’s a great way to catch up with friends and share great conversation. After some time and having checked out the Audley gift shop, we head back to the barge and set sail back the same way we came. Instead of docking again, my friends take us on a little journey along the river to more open waters and we sail around the different suburbs of the Shire, taking in the beauty of the water, the tree filled shore lines, the impressive boats / yachts and the stunning homes built along the water’s edge. You can tell people have a lot of money if they live here.
All in all, the river cruise is extremely relaxing and enjoyable and I can’t believe we are able to attend for free AND it’s on our doorstep. Simply amazing. I hope my photos can show case the beauty of the river cruise experience.
Wayne
Happy Thursday everyone! The day is almost over here in Sydney and I will be heading to bed very soon but I wanted to share my one door with you this week.
My one and only door but it’s a good one (in my humble opinion). Sadly, there aren’t too many great doors around me so I will have to travel further afield when I have some time off.
I did manage to spot this door in Cronulla this week, a nearby coastal suburb that is great to visit for beach walks and a swim. We have been here twice this week already for walks after I have finished work.
It’s a really beautiful area and only a 9 minute drive from our place. I love the blue door seen in the right hand side and the curtains on the left are cool that they make the window look like a door.
I look forward to seeing all your amazing doors also for those participating. Enjoy the rest of your week everyone.
Wayne
Happy Thursday everyone and welcome to another week of wonderful doors. Here in Northern Ireland it is absolutely lashing with rain as we experience the wrath of storm Babet. It is dark, wet and gloomy here, therefore, I am showing you some of my remaining doors from Dijon, France so I can look back fondly to warmer times. As always, please do let me know if you have a favourite.
Number five is my favourite this week due to its unique colour and I absolutely love the grills where the windows once were. I’m not sure why I even like them so much and I don’t know why they are there, I suppose maybe for security or ventilation. It also looks extremely rustic and quaint, my favourite qualities of a door!
Enjoy the rest of your week everyone,
Wayne ✌🏽
Wayne 🦆
Happy Thursday everyone and welcome to another week of wonderful doors. I have only three doors to show case today but I feel they are very much worth showing. These colourful doors were spotted in Glenarm, a little coastal village on the Causeway Coastal route that takes you from Belfast to the North of the country.
As always, please let me know if you have a favourite this week.
My favourite this week is number 3 and that’s simply because I love the colour of the door against the grey backdrop. I can’t decide if the colour of the door reminds me of red wine or a beetroot! What do you think?
Wayne ✌🏽
Wayne 💪🏼
Happy Thursday everyone and welcome to another wonderful week of doors. This week in Northern Ireland the sun is out in full force. We are having the long overdue heatwave, promised to us a couple of months ago. As usual, it has happened just as the kids have returned to school (sad for them). However, never fear, our heatwaves only last for a few days before the cold and wet weather makes a return. As the weather has been lifting everyone’s spirits here, I felt compelled to show some colourful doors this week to fit in with the Irish weather. As always, please let me know, if you have a favourite this week.
My absolute favourite has to be number 4. I really loved this door from Dijon and was probably my favourite door from my whole trip there. I don’t think I have ever seen a door this colour before and it looks very rustic and quaint to me. I also love the design of where the window used to be, very chic. What do you think?
Thanks for reading everyone,
Wayne ✌🏽
When we travelled to Dijon for my birthday, we had it on our itinerary to check out the nearby town of Beaune, specifically for its vineyards and wine culture. We wanted to carry out a couple of wine tastings there so we took the train from Dijon that took about 1.5 hours and was pretty easy to navigate.
Although Dijon is the capital of Burgundy, Beaune is the wine capital. It’s famous for its chardonnay and pinot noir, both of which I really enjoy (depending on where they are grown). Beaune is also notorious for its architecture and art, whilst also being an historical town with its famous hospital, Hospices de Beaune founded in 1443.
I would like to show you the two wine tastings that we experienced and a little about the famous hospital. I also really loved the buildings and doors found in Beaune, the latter of which you can see in my Doors of WordPress posts.
The first wine tasting on our list took place at Joseph Drouhin and booked this directly with their office in Beaune. Luckily for me, my partner knows a lot about wines and picked this one for its central location in Beaune and the fact that it is one of the oldest and respected wine producers (not growers) in Burgundy. I loved how this company still belongs to the Drouhin family, with the great-grandchildren owning and operating the company today. It was fascinating to learn how the wines were made in the past and how these traditional methods are still used today, especially to mark special events or anniversaries. Seeing the cellars where the kegs and bottles are stored was fascinating, it felt like we were in an episode of Game of Thrones, meandering through the dark caves (oldest caves in Beaune) with bottles of wine literally found at every nook and cranny. I really enjoyed learning about cru (a term in France that distinguishes a high quality vineyard) and tasting the difference between the regional wines, village wines, premier cru and grand cru (the highest quality). It was only with the wine tastings that I could really learn and appreciate the differences between these wines. The regional wines were delicious but when you taste the premier and grand cru, my goodness, they are absolutely stunning! Nevertheless, they will be forever out of my price range. We thoroughly enjoyed our time here for our tasting and the staff were fantastic, very welcoming, friendly and knowledgeable, without making you feel silly if you don’t know much about the wines.
Our second wine tasting was with a smaller company, therefore offering a more intimate experience. This offered an experience to travel out and see the vineyards and villages of Burgundy, with a highlight being Meursault. The tour was called Cote de Beaune, lasted approximately two hours and offered one family-run winery with one wine tasting (around six wines). Our tour guide was fantastic, extremely passionate for the region, its culture and wine history. He provided information on the famous villages such as Pommard, Volnay, Puligny-Montrachet and provided the opportunity to stop at Mersault to take some photos of this historic town. Mersault is absolutely beautiful and you can tell it is extremely wealthy, however, I could not see myself living here as it is so quiet with not much to do. It’s waaaaay out of my price range so I need not worry!
Our tour guide took us to the family run vineyard of Maison Charles Pere and Fille, Grands vins de Bourgogne in Nantoux, basically in the cellar of the family home. In the garden was a plum tree with plums all over the ground. Our guide recommended these to eat as they are delicious and you would pay big money for these in the supermarkets. He advised to wipe any debris off, break the plum into halves and check for any worms! Once clear you could go ahead and eat. Unreal. We must have had a good few…and for free.
Once in the home we were given an introduction to the family and the history of how the estate has been passed down to Francois’s son and granddaughter. There were only three of us on the tour so it was really lovely to ask questions and learn in a relaxed environment. Our guide provided us with some fine wines, both white and red from villages to premier cru and explained what we were looking for with regards to aromas. I liked how he said there is no wrong way to taste wines and that everyone’s pallet will be different. It can be a little overwhelming with all the wine lingo but he made us feel very at ease and I definitely walked away with a little more knowledge than when I had arrived. We booked this tour through Safari Tours and I would highly recommend, whether you are new to wines, middle of the road (like me!) or a connoisseur.
I wholeheartedly loved both of these tours and was very happy that I was able to try some of the famous Burgundy wines. I also love how you can meet new people and learn from their experiences too. We had a couple of Americans on the first tour and it was fascinating to hear how some Burgundy grapes are now being grown in Oregon, USA.
Hospices de Beaune
I wanted to check out this hospital as I had heard it is a ‘must see’ when in Beaune, plus being a nurse, I was intrigued to see how this operated as a hospital in the 15th century. The building was initially opened as a hospital for the poor by the chancellor of Burgundy, Nicolas Rolin. The architecture here is exquisite and inside the building is equally impressive as you can see where the patients were treated, how their beds appeared and the utensils that would have been used. You can’t help but be moved when thinking how people were cared for here or even passed away. This hospital was in use until the 1970s, when a more modern hospital was erected and this building was transformed into a museum. For twelve euros you can carry out your own self guided audio tour, perfect for seeing the museum at your own pace and you can choose to spend longer or less time at each point. This was very interesting and a great way to learn more about Beaune’s history.
To conclude, Beaune is a fantastic town filled with history, culture and wine! We were only here for two days and mainly for the wine tasting but I would highly recommend checking this place out if and when in Burgundy.
Thank you all for reading.
Wayne
Wayne ✌🏽
Strangford is a small village in Northern Ireland just at the mouth of Strangford Lough. We managed to take a day trip here a few weeks ago on a rare sunny day and I really wanted to show you some photos to help show case this amazing place.
On the outskirts are some fantastic places of interest such as Scrabo Tower (that I have highlighted before) and Castle Ward (home of Winterfell, Game of Thrones), however, today I simply want to show you the village itself.
I have been here before on a normal cloudy day but I had never visited when the weather was actually good. Being in Strangford when the sun is beaming is just magical and you no longer feel that you are in Northern Ireland but transported to somewhere in the Mediterranean. As it’s a seaside town, you really do have those holiday feelings of pure joy and excitement. There is beautiful architecture, mixed with some old stone buildings, showing you how historical this village is, dating back to the 15th century. The area is also known for its conservation work and environmental significance, being the home to numerous bird and fish species, as well as seals and dolphins.
Across the Lough is another pretty village called Portaferry and you can take a boat across from Strangford for a small fee. The journey is short taking about fifteen to twenty minutes and you can even take your car on board. Many locals use this service to get to and from work. In our case, we headed over to have an ice cream by the harbour and were lucky to spot a couple of the local dolphins swimming past.
We finished our day trip with a stop at the Portaferry Windmill, built in 1771. I love old historical buildings and it fascinates me that they are still standing after all this time. If only we could see them in their heyday.
Thanks for checking out Strangford and our trip over to Portaferry. It really is a beautiful place to visit and I cannot wait to return one day. It would be lovely to spend a weekend here and see what else there is to see and do. I believe Strangford is a great place to wine and dine as the seafood is famous here for being outstandingly delicious.
Wayne ✌🏽
This week I celebrated SIX YEARS of blogging with WordPress, hard to believe it has been that long. I thought this would be a good time to reflect on the highs and lows of blogging, specifically with using WordPress as my blogging platform. Please feel free to let me know if you can relate to any of my points.
My Highs :
– sharing my world, in particular, my travel experiences with my readers.
– connecting with other bloggers.
– blogging is a great tool for self expression.
– it can be exciting when you find a new topic to blog about and you can’t wait to put ‘pen to paper’ so to speak.
– reading other people’s work and learning about different cultures / experiences / destinations from all over the globe.
– learning from other bloggers about the tools available here on WordPress.
– being inspired by other bloggers and sharing ideas about blogging topics.
My Lows :
– I personally find WordPress quite pricey as I have to pay for my domain registration and my personal subscription annually. I guess over a year it’s maybe not too much money but the years come around quickly.
– Pressure on myself to continue to blog often. Now this is something that I know is not important and shouldn’t be pressure but it’s funny how your brain just niggles at you to blog if you haven’t created a post for some time. More so, if I have just travelled and feel I should be blogging as it’s fresh in my mind. I believe I have to blog about it instantly and almost feel guilty if I don’t. I know this is silly but it’s difficult to shake off sometimes.
– I know the basics of WordPress but I am not tech savvy at all and find it difficult to understand all the features available on WordPress, especially the themes.
That’s it for me. As you can see, my highs massively outweigh my lows and even my lows are not too bad in all seriousness. I REALLY enjoy blogging and just have to remind myself not to stress too much about how often to blog etc. It’s your blog and you can blog about whatever you want, whenever you want. HAPPY BLOGGING EVERYONE 😊
Wayne ✌🏽
Two weeks ago we had the best weekend in Edinburgh, Scotland and I thought I would show you all a special place that we managed to visit. I have been to Edinburgh a couple of times before but never with the amazing weather that we have just had. I have to say, I have always loved Edinburgh but like anywhere else in the world I’m sure, with good weather, it really just POPPED with the glorious sunshine. The atmosphere was electric with a real buzz in the city and the architecture was out of this world.
Calton Hill is close to all the tourist attractions and is very easy to find from Princes Street in the city centre. You have to climb some steep steps to reach the top but it is totally worth it for the views all over Edinburgh. I was expecting the great view from the top but had no idea there would be so many amazing historical monuments situated here.
That’s it for now. Thanks for taking a look around Calton Hill with me and please let me know if you have ever visited here yourself. I have never seen so many impressive monuments all in one small location!
I hope you have all had a lovely weekend and not developing the Sunday night fear that I am currently pushing to the back of my mind 😅.
Wayne ✌🏽
The Balmoral Show is a four day extravaganza that happens every year in Northern Ireland (with a break during covid times). It is the official agricultural event in the country and also the oldest, with the first show having been held in 1872. It offers the chance for people all over the country to come together and be involved in farming exhibitions, competitions, championships , sample local cuisine and check out the farming fashion.
As a child and teenager, I had been to this show many times. As part of the school curriculum, our classes of pupils were taken here yearly for a day out. We all loved it, the chance to roam free (from teachers) through all the stalls on offer, see the variety of animals on show, marvel at the sheer amount of tractors, see what it is like to a part of the farming world, try the different food stalls and collect as many freebies as we could, mostly pens!! (we would see who could obtain the most).
I had always wanted to return as an adult and see if the magic was still alive and to my delight, it really was! The event was previously held in the King’s Hall but is now held outside Lisburn at the Eikon Exhibition Centre at Balmoral Park. Luckily for us we could walk to the venue and I was super grateful as the traffic was pretty busy and you had to pay for parking (crazy considering the ticket prices were £25 each). On display were numerous stalls with local food, gifts, clothing etc. We were able to watch some sheep competitions, dressage, horse jumping and quad bike jumping. There was so much more on offer and with your map (given on entry), you can plan your day with what you want to see and do.
Have a look at my highlights below from spending the day at the Balmoral Show and please let me know if you have anything like this where you are from or would something like this be of interest to you. I would love to know!
Thank you all for taking the time to read my post, I was delighted to be able to attend the show this year and thrilled to share a little of my day with you all. Have a great week everyone.
Wayne ✌🏽
Happy Thursday everyone and welcome to another week of wonderful doors. I recently shared a blog post of Athlone, Ireland and if you happened to check it out, you would have seen what a quirky and quaint little town it was. This week I want to show you a few of my favourite doors spotted in this amazing town. Please let me know if you have a favourite.
This week I’m torn between two doors. I love numbers 3 and 5 but I will go with number 3 as I really admire a corner door and the little hood over the frame is really quirky and reminds me of somewhere in Italy or France? Does anyone else agree or is it just me??
Wayne ✌🏽
This park was a real gem of a find. I had never been to Rostrevor but I knew it was on the coast of Carlingford Lough, near Newry, Co. Down and thought it might be worth a visit as it is close by. We followed google maps to Rostrevor, parked the car beside the park and wandered in for a look around. Just to the left of the park is Fairy Glen, where it is believed that fairies have or had once lived, according to Irish folklore.
It is well known here that the famous writer C.S. Lewis from Northern Ireland, spent a lot of his time in the Mourne area and in particular, Carlingford and Rostrevor. He was inspired here and once said that Rostrevor was his inspiration for Narnia. In this park there is a dedicated family trail to C.S. Lewis where you can see memorabilia from The Lion, the witch and the wardrobe stories. There is also a play area for the kids and an outdoor gym.
You can walk through the woodland areas, as well as around the park area (where you will also find a cafe) and along the river. It’s a truly magical place that leads back to the small, yet enchanting village. Entering and leaving the park you will see the most beautiful and quaint houses with some impressive murals on the walls leading through the village.
I cannot recommend this place highly enough and I look forward to returning here soon in the not so distant future. If you’re ever in Northern Ireland, be sure to check out this park and village.
Wayne ✌🏽
Happy Thursday everyone and welcome to another week of doors from around Northern Ireland. I am sticking with my north coast theme this week and showing you some doors from the Causeway Coastal Route that I posted about yesterday. Please let me know if you have a favourite this week.
I think my favourite has to be number three, even if it is a black door. I think it has an elegant appearance, with its transom window and archway. I also really admire the stone work of the building. This was once a school house dating back to the 1850s and is now a very popular cafe for tourists. It’s very quaint inside however it can be pretty pricey. We paid £7.50 for two teas!
Thanks for taking a look and enjoy the rest of your week.
Wayne ✌🏽
Happy Thursday everyone and welcome to my FORTIETH edition of Doors of WordPress. I thought with tomorrow being St Patrick’s Day in Ireland, I would showcase some of my favourite green doors that I have seen recently in Northern Ireland.
Sadly I will be working tomorrow and not seeing much of the Patrick’s Day celebrations. It used to be one of my most favourite holidays to celebrate, wearing something green, having a big fry for breakfast and then heading out with friends for some Guinness and Irish music. Even when I was in Australia it was always fun to celebrate the occasion, I guess as there are so many Irish people living in Sydney. I suppose there are so many Irish people everywhere as you will see huge celebrations all over the world, especially in America where many Irish people once emigrated to, just like Australia.
Will you be celebrating St Patrick’s Day this year or have you celebrated in the past? Also please do let me know if you have a favourite green door this week. I love to hear your thoughts.
For me, the favourite of the week has to be number 7 from Rostrevor. I think the door and whole building is absolutely fantastic, the windows, the greenery and that homely, country feel. Outstanding.
Have a great day everyone and I hope you all have a lovely St Patrick’s Day tomorrow ☘️☘️.
Wayne ✌🏽
Hi everyone! I hope you’re all enjoying your weekend. Today I want to share with you an amazing landmark in Northern Ireland that is very well known here and is quite the spectacle. We took a drive here yesterday for a walk and some fresh air.
It is known as Scrabo Tower and was built in 1857. Situated on Scrabo Hill, Newtownards (just outside Belfast) you can see the most amazing views of Strangford Lough and across the whole of Co. Down, as far as the Mourne Mountains. I simply put the landmark in to Google maps to find this spot, very simple to do thankfully.
I had always wanted to visit here as I had seen some spectacular photos from other Northern Ireland fanatics and I also love buildings like this one, towers and lighthouses are my absolute favourites. I love the tower’s design and how it is made from stone found at Scrabo Hill, including sandstone. Researching about this tower, I was surprised to read that a family actually grew up in this tower for many years and they even ran a successful tea room, specialising in Irish country teas. You can read more information here if you are interested.
My photos do not even do the view any justice, you really need to see with your own eyes to truly appreciate the beauty all around the tower. If you want some information on the history of the tower and how to get there, you can click the link here. My advice would be to wrap up warm as this site, being so high from sea level, will be very cold and extremely windy. We nearly had our heads blown off! Also try visiting on a clear day to ensure you have the best views possible.
At the bottom of Scrabo Tower, just beside the car park, you can find Scrabo Country Park. This is a beautiful woodland park where the paths meander, taking you up and down and round and around. We actually got a little lost here believe it or not but it was worth it for the views at the top of the park that we happened to stumble across. We stopped here for some sandwiches and a cup of tea. This was a real highlight and I was just so grateful that the tea had managed to stay hot in my flask, very welcoming when it’s so cold. The view from our pit stop was out of this world and just encapsulated Northern Ireland for me. You could see hills, green pastures, Strangford Lough, the Mourne Mountains and even Harland & Wolff, the two most famous cranes from Belfast’s ship yards. Thankfully, there were also bathrooms at the end of the walk 😅.
This is a great park to walk in if you’re looking for somewhere different to try and you have the added benefit of having Scrabo Tower just beside you. I can’t wait to return, maybe in the summer and maybe even take a walk inside Scrabo Tower (only open in summer).
Thanks for reading and enjoy your Sunday.
Wayne ✌🏽
Tell us about your favorite pair of shoes, and where they’ve taken you.
So I have just transitioned to the Jetpack app (I wonder will I miss seeing the WordPress app on my phone?!) and now I appear to have prompts for writing. That’s pretty cool, especially on days that you’re maybe struggling to think of material. I maybe won’t always respond to these but this prompt I found interesting.
My favourite pair of shoes were a pair of Vans that my cousin recommended. They were black with brown laces and I found them to be stylish, yet extremely comfortable. I love a shoe that you can wear with chinos or jeans and appear smart but also look casual with a pair of shorts. The downside was that they didn’t last too long but I guess I wore them to death! They took me all over Sydney on many, many walks and also around Northern Ireland when I wore them home in 2019 when touring the north coast.
Wayne ✌🏽
Hi everyone! I keep seeing this notification on my WordPress blog and wondering has anyone else made the switch. Do you know what it’s about and if it’s any good?
It does state that this will be removed next month but I’m not sure if it’s worth checking out. Any knowledge on this would be great thanks 😊.
Wayne 👌🏼
Happy Thursday everyone and welcome to another week of doors. This week I am showcasing a few more of my doors from my recent trip to Carlingford as they are too good not to share, in my humble opinion.
Please let me know if you have a favourite this week.
As much as I love them all, mostly for their quaintness and colour, I really love the last door. To me it looks very regal and sophisticated. The red colour really pops and I love the pillars/archway and transom window.
Thanks for taking a look and enjoy the rest of your week everyone.
Wayne ✌🏽
Hi everyone! I recently took a trip to this amazing town in Ireland called Carlingford and I just really want to share this place with you. I had been here before for a day trip but had always wanted to return for a longer duration in order to really get a feel of this place. Carlingford is well known to us in Northern Ireland for being a fun place for hen and stag parties or nights out but I wanted to return to explore what else was on offer.
Carlingford has an abundance of things to offer the locals and tourists alike. It is a coastal town in Co. Louth, about halfway between Belfast and Dublin, making it easily accessible to either sides of the Irish border. It’s actually only 40 minutes from where I live by car and 11 km south of the border but you instantly feel like you are a million miles away when you stay here. It’s a coastal town, nestled between Carlingford Lough and Slieve Foy mountain, therefore, you have the opportunity to view beautiful scenery, taking lovely photographs, enjoy the walking trails, view the local attractions, have picnics and even partake in outdoor activities such as horse riding or surfing.
We stayed at Wildwood Lodge, a beautiful hotel style room overlooking the Lough and just a 5 to 10 minute walk into the town. I loved it here for the tranquility and the views were absolutely stunning, especially as you can see the sun rise every morning. I will highlight a few of the attractions/landmarks that we were able to witness on our three day break and to be honest, we could have stayed here longer as there is so much to do. I would love to have taken a few of the walks/hikes but that will have to be for another time, simply meaning I will have to come back 🙌🏼.
I have highlighted my favourite tourist attractions below in the order that I seen them and hopefully they will inspire you to maybe visit the wonderful Carlingford one day.
1 – The Doors (and quaint/colourful buildings). I am an absolute door lover so I was in my element to see so many amazing doors, as you may have already seen and I will be posting more over the next couple of weeks. You can see my doors from last weeks blog post here.
2 – Thosel Street. I am obsessed with quaint and historic places so this street was right up my street, so to speak. It just oozes charm and character with its old stone buildings and historic architecture.
3 – Ruby Ellen’s Tea Rooms. We loved this place, so much in fact, that we returned the next day again for breakfast. Quirky and chic with delicious food and the friendliest staff.
4 – The Giant’s Chair. I love anything gimmicky like this for a fun photo but this was even better as it was located in the Leprechaun and Fairy Cavern. This was magical and although the tours are only on weekends, we were happy to take a walk around ourselves and marvel at the Irish folklore.
5 – Carlingford Heritage Centre & Carlingford Tourist Office. This was great for a history lesson of the town and for £3 you can have a talk from a local historian. The church building is exquisite and you can take a walk around and appreciate the old graveyard. The tourist office was fantastic for finding all the spots you want to see and the tourist officer was extremely friendly and helpful.
6 – Carlingford Marina & Anchor. This can be found just off the Lough front, a one minute walk from the town. You pass here to find the Leprechaun and Fairy Cavern.
7 – The pubs. These are fantastic for some great Irish beers, food and live traditional music. We had the best Guinness in Carlingford!
8 – Carlingford Abbey. This monastery dates back to 1305 and still looks impressive even to this day. I love these type of historic, stone buildings so I couldn’t wait to see this. Situated about a five minute walk from town, you can easily find this on google maps.
9 – King John’s Castle. Initially built around 1190 to defend the sea lough, this castle rests on a cliff overlooking Carlingford and its Lough. Although closed off to the public for repair, you can still walk around the outside and see some spectacular views. This was close to our accommodation so we would walk past this at night to return to our room and it was pretty special, albeit a little spooky.
10 – The Marina. I only stopped here to take a picture as it was beautiful to look at but there is a restaurant here too if you’re looking for somewhere different to eat. I believe the Greenway walk begins here also which I hope to do when I return.
11 – Flagstaff Viewpoint. This is actually outside of Carlingford, near to Newry. I had to add the location to google maps on my phone to find this spot but it’s well worth the short drive to see a stunning 360 degree view and Carlingford from a great height (without having to walk up). Sadly it was quite overcast for us but I’m sure this would be out of this word on a clear sunny day.
That’s my lot for Carlingford. I hope you enjoyed seeing this amazing town just over the border from Northern Ireland. I absolutely loved it and cannot wait to return to carry out some of the walks and view more of the outstanding scenery. Many thanks for having a read.
Wayne ✌🏽
Happy Thursday everyone and welcome to another week of doors. Over the next two to three weeks I will be showcasing some of my doors from our recent trip to Carlingford, Ireland. I will create a blog post for this town also as it’s too amazing not to share with you all. Let me know if you have a favourite door this week.
I love the colours of these doors, bright and fun. They really give you a sense of what Carlingford is all about. I love door number five, especially with the wreath, however, the two houses in image six are my favourites this week, just beautiful and the doors blend in perfectly.
Stay tuned for more doors from Carlingford next week and enjoy your day everyone.
Wayne ✌🏽
This beautiful sunrise was taken a few days ago when we took a trip to Carlingford, Ireland. I can’t wait to show this place off in a blog post coming soon. I hope you have all had a lovely Sunday. I’m just back from visiting family in the south of England and now counting down until work tomorrow. However, not before a Chinese meal and some Star Wars! See you all next week.
Wayne ✌🏽
Bloganuary day 29
I have learned over the past few months that life cannot be taken for granted. We need to appreciate every day that we have and appreciate our nearest and dearest.
Life is short and you just don’t know what life will throw at you. I feel that being a nurse, I have somehow always known this but I think my life over the last few months has just reinforced this and I am more grateful than ever for the little things in life.
Take each day as it comes and have a little patience with what the word has in store for you.
Wayne ✌🏽
Bloganuary day 28
I do love a good birthday cake. For me it can be a traditional vanilla sponge cake with buttercream in the the middle (and sometimes jam) and a good thick layer of icing at the top.
I really am a sucker for icing. So when the whole cake is covered, I love to eat a corner slice, with icing down the side also. This is my absolute favourite and only ever eaten on birthdays.
To be honest, I very rarely have a birthday cake, however, I do enjoy eating birthday cake when celebrating other people’s birthdays.
Wayne ✌🏽
Bloganuary day 27
What a very appropriate question. I love to procrastinate but I also hate it. It’s very 50/50 concept for me.
Pros
It helps you destress by taking your mind off the subject at hand. I used to play online games as a way of distraction but I believe it actually is good for you to clear your head and reset.
You end up achieving so many minor wins, for example, cleaning the bathroom when you should be studying. I end up doing lots of chores instead of doing what I should be doing.
You feel clever for fooling others that you’re being extremely busy and productive, when you’re secretly watching episodes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
Cons
The thing you should be doing gets placed on the back burner and your work maybe doesn’t reach its full potential. You could have finished an amazing project but yet you failed to stay focused and ended up completing other unnecessary tasks at that point of time.
It can make you more stressed as you freak out from “wasting time”.
You’re really only fooling yourself with pretending to be productive. You should just get back to what you’re supposed to be doing.
To conclude, I really sit on the fence with procrastination. I think it’s a good and bad thing. To be honest I have procrastinated a lot in the past, however, I do always manage to complete the work that I was doing. Therefore, it can be a necessary thing to procrastinate to keep you mentally sane but as long as you can stay focused. Some people work better under pressure. This isn’t really me but I do think a little nudge to do more work is something I subconsciously benefit from. Once I have procrastinated enough, my mind then kicks me into work mode and I become productive again.
How about you? What are your thoughts on procrastination?
Wayne ✌🏽
Happy Thursday everyone and welcome to another glorious week of doors. I have been thinking of Sydney, Australia a lot this week, therefore, I think it would be good to show some more of my Sydney doors, even if it’s just for me to be able to reminisce. Please let me know if you have a favourite this week.
My personal favourite is the first one. It’s the colour for me, so bright and full of life. The panelling and transom window are great features and I also love the greenery and picket fence in the frame.
Thanks for taking a look and have a lovely end to your week.
Wayne ✌🏽
Bloganuary day 25
Better by Tom Baxter. This was one of our wedding songs and really just sums up our relationship.
“Our love has changed
It’s not the same
And the only way to say it
Is say it, it’s better
I can’t conceal
This way I feel
For all the times we spend together
Forever just gets better
Seem what I’m try to say is
You make things better
And no matter what the day is
With you here it’s better
I stand by you
If you stand by me
I think it’s time that I reveal it
Cause I believe it
It’s better
Seem what I’m try to say is
You make things better
And no matter what the day is
If you’re here it’s better
Ooh the more I write song to you
I’m fall in love with everything you do
Seem what I’m try to say is
You make things better
And no matter what the day is
With you here it’s better
Our love has changed
It’s not the same
And the only way to say it
Is say it, it’s better”
Thank you Mr Baxter 🙏🏼
Wayne ✌🏽
Bloganuary day 18
Funny enough, we just made this dinner last night. It’s our favourite meal at the moment, salmon, rice and pepper/capsicum (depending what side of the word you live). Our favourite meals to cook do vary over from time to time but this has been a favourite for some time now. It’s quick, easy and nutritious.
Wayne ✌🏽
Bloganuary day 17
This is another tough cookie. I have had so many amazing days that I have lived throughout my life thus far. From my wedding, to receiving my permanent residency in Australia, to becoming a nurse, to passing my driving licence etc etc. However, the one day that sticks out in my mind, where I was so happy all day long and bursting with joy, was way back in 2017. I had just returned from an around the world trip in six days!!!
I had planned a world trip that would last for a year. I was going backpacking with my good friend and three months prior to departing, I had just fallen in love with my partner, my first real relationship.
My friend decided against travelling and I thought ‘I can do this on my own’. Off I headed after a very emotional goodbye with my partner and many epic leaving parties from my friends, family and my two jobs.
I traveled to New York for a couple of days and stayed with my friend there, before heading to my next stop in Boston. I was so sad every day being away from my partner. I was calling him every day and wishing we could be together. After six days I called my parents for advice and they advised to come home immediately. That was all I needed to hear. I stormed straight to the airport to book the next flight home. I was on standby and luckily for me there was one flight left and it was in business class but they would just charge me economy! I was over the moon!
Eight hours later I arrived back home to Ireland. My partner collected me and it was the BEST feeling ever, walking towards each other in the airport arrivals, smiling from ear to ear, a very ‘Love Actually’ moment, if you have ever seen the movie! This was definitely one of my best and most memorable days 😊.
Wayne ✌🏽
Bloganuary day 16
Hmmmm interesting question. I have a few smells that I love and always bring back memories. The main one would be freshly baked bread rolls from Lidl or Aldi. The smell of the German rolls reminds me of mornings spent with my family in Germany. We would always have freshly baked rolls from the bakery, absolutely delicious and crunchy. I have many fond memories of these breakfasts with my cousins, enjoying the continental food, different meats, cheeses, salamis and jams. One whiff of the bakery and it takes me back to those childhood times.
Wayne ✌🏽
Wayne ✌🏽
Happy Friday everyone and welcome to the weekend. This little gem was spotted on our trip to Hillsborough Gardens last weekend. Thankfully it wasn’t covered in snow and we were able to spot this. It’s bright colour certainly does catch your eye.
Have a great day everyone,
Wayne ✌🏽
Happy Thursday everyone and welcome to another week of doors, the last one before Christmas. This week’s Thursday Doors challenge is to show your favourite doors of the year, thanks for that Dan, not an easy thing to do! I have chosen my top 8 doors of 2022, from Australia and NZ, all the way to here in Northern Ireland. I have ranked them in my order of preference, some have been shown already and some are newly featured. Please take a look and enjoy these magnificent doors and hats off to their owners for doing such a fantastic job.
Wayne ✌🏽
1 – People in Northern Ireland are EXTREMELY friendly.
2 – The cost of EVERYTHING has increased drastically since I lived here five years ago, from food, to rent, to energy bills (this one is worldwide at the moment). Everything has increased, except for wages, shocking really.
3 – It is BALTIC here in the winter. I had forgotten how cold it can be here. It is minus five degrees this morning!
4 – The pubs and restaurants here are very cosy and quaint. I have missed this. Pints of Guinness by a warm fire.
5 – Everything is so festive here at Christmas. I know it’s what you’re used to but I have really missed the cold, dark evenings, the smell of warm spices, mulled wine, hearing Christmas songs etc etc. For me it was never the same wearing shorts and T-shirts.
6 – The importance of family.
7 – The quality of television shows is pretty high here and I love the Christmas shows/movies that are available in the lead up to Christmas.
8 – We walk a lot less here. I miss doing my 15,000 steps a day in Sydney. My step count has dropped significantly since being home and that’s sad. I guess it’s the cold weather and lack of somewhere good to walk nearby.
9 – It’s dark for most of the day. I love the dark evenings but I forgot how much daylight you miss. You travel to work in the dark and drive home from work in the dark. That can be hard and we have this for the next few months.
10 – People in Northern Ireland say ‘Wee’ ALL THE TIME! Everything can be described as ‘wee’. A ‘wee’ cup of tea, put your ‘wee’ card in the ‘wee’ machine, would you like a ‘wee’ bag? I had totally forgotten how often we use that word and it’s not simply used for small items! It’s actually insane how much we use that word but lovely at the same time. You instantly know you’re home when your hear ‘wee’ being used.
Many of you here will have heard of Hillsborough from my doors posts, as there are many fantastic doors found in this quaint little village.
Hillsborough is well renowned for its character and charm but more so for its historic castle and gardens. This is the place of residence for when members of the Royal family come to stay in Northern Ireland and only very recently has Hillsborough been renamed Royal Hillsborough for that reason.
This was the first time I had visited the gardens and I was extremely excited as I had always heard how amazing they are and I have always wanted to visit here. We didn’t visit the castle today but that will be for another time. We just wanted to have a good stroll today and get some fresh air. It was made even more special as there was snow on the ground and gave the gardens a really festive and Christmassy feel.
The admission fee is £11 which is expensive enough (in my opinion) to go for a walk, however, the gardens are absolutely stunning and the castle is a true spectacle. There is also a light show featuring in the gardens at present that can be seen at night time, running until the beginning of January. It’s pretty pricey at £22 a visit so we’ll have to wait and see if we decide to return for that or not. From what I witnessed during the day today, it would be quite the display.
If you would like to read more about this wonderful place, you can take a look at the official website here. Thanks for taking a look and I hope you are all enjoying your Sunday.
Wayne ✌🏽
WrookieSchU 