AD - Press Trip | I had such a great weekend at @p AD - Press Trip | I had such a great weekend at @pottersresortsfivelakes with @slwilson84. It was an action packed three nights with a full activity and entertainment programme, great food, lovely drinks and beautiful surroundings. 

The staff go above and beyond to make everyone feel at home and they ensure that everyone has the best time possible. I don’t think I stopped smiling all weekend.

The best thing about Potters holidays is that everything is included in the price you pay. Four meals a day, all your drinks - including wine, Prosecco, most spirits and soft drinks - great accommodation and so many activities. 

I’ll write a full review soon but for now here’s a little Reel of our weekend
I always have a lot of questions about accommodati I always have a lot of questions about accommodation when we stay anywhere as a family so I thought I’d share this little tour of our room at @windjammerlanding which was a pretty perfect place to stay.

It’s the ‘Ocean View Two Bedroom’ which was like a little house, with an upstairs and downstairs, built into the hillside. Both rooms had outdoor space and their own shower rooms. Such a great option for a family.
A little photo dump from our holiday in St Lucia. A little photo dump from our holiday in St Lucia. We’ve been back a few days now but still miss the heat, the food, the pool, the constant sounds of wildlife and the lovely people. It was such a great holiday and I’m sure we’ll be back one day.
And just like that, Athena is 12! What a joy it is And just like that, Athena is 12! What a joy it is watching her grow and what a wonderful young woman she is becoming. We could not be more proud. Love you Pickle, have a great birthday.
We’ve just got back from two glorious weeks in S We’ve just got back from two glorious weeks in St Lucia staying at @windjammerlanding and it was just the holiday we needed. Two weeks of sunshine and relaxation in what must be one of the most beautiful islands in the world. 

We can’t wait to go back again in the future. Here’s just a little snippet of our trip.
AD - Press Tickets | We had such a nice day at @na AD - Press Tickets | We had such a nice day at @national_motor_museum despite the rain! The children loved the Little Beaulieu play area and we loved exploring the National Motor Museum and Top Gear exhibit before having a ride on the monorail! We went on an old open topped bus, explored the Beaulieu Manor House and loved the gardens. 
Beaulieu is always a great day out - whatever the weather. This summer they have a whole ‘Summer of Fun’ planned, with activities most days - parades, bird shows and hundreds of sculptures within the grounds too. If you’re looking for a day out this summer definitely think about heading to Beaulieu.
AD - Press Tickets | Tonight we took the kids to t AD - Press Tickets | Tonight we took the kids to their first concert - but it was so much more than just a concert! @abbavoyage is incredible. With CGI ABBA and a live band, it’s like being at an ABBA concert 40 years ago but with modern lighting, effects and sound. ABBA look and sound real, it’s a mind blowing experience.
The set includes all the songs you know and love as well as a few less familiar ones.
You can’t take photos during the show which actually made a refreshing change. A whole arena focused purely on the show and soaking up the moment. It’s definitely something the four of us will always remember.
Now, I’m off to sing Dancing Queen all the way home.
AD - Press Trip | We had such a great day at @phdo AD - Press Trip | We had such a great day at @phdockyard today. They have a fantastic Ultimate Explorer ticket that lets you visit all the attractions as many times as you like for 12 months - and after a day at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard we can see that you need more than one day to really do everything!

We explored HMS Warrior, HMS Victory and the Mary Rose Exhibition - which is incredible! We also saw where ships are built and restored and spent time in Action Stations where the kids climbed and did an assault course.

Portsmouth Historic Dockyard is such a fun, educational day out with something for all ages - we can’t wait to go on their harbour tours next time we visit!
AD | WIN!! Would you love to win a holiday? To cel AD | WIN!! Would you love to win a holiday? To celebrate #100YearOfARoads National Highways have launched their #ARoadsToSummer competition! It's all about celebrating summer holiday moments, time together, fun in the sun, days out and more.

So why not be in it to win it? To enter, all you have to do is send @nationalhways a DM on here with a photo or video of your favourite holiday moments. You can also comment on their Facebook or Twitter #ARoadsToSummer posts with your holiday photos. I've shared a few of our favourite photos to give you some inspiration.

The best six entries will each win a £500 @nationaltrust holidays voucher! SO what are you waiting for? Dig out your favourite holiday photos or take some new ones to share!

The #ARoadsToSummer competition runs from 24 July to 10 September 2023. Winners will be announced in September 2023.

Good luck!
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Days Out, Days Out and Attractions/Events, Reviews · December 16, 2021

The Queen’s House and Ice Rink Greenwich Review

When we visited Greenwich as part of Dave’s 40th Birthday celebrations, we made use of our newly acquired membership of the Royal Museums Greenwich and booked slots to visit the Cutty Sark, the National Maritime Museum and the Royal Observatory, places we had visited in years gone by. One place we hadn’t been to though, is The Queen’s House.

The Queen's House Greenwich and Ice Rink

As the name suggests, The Queen’s House is a former Royal residence, steeped in royal history. It was built between 1616 and 1635 for King James I’s wife, Queen Anne of Denmark. Queen’s House is the first building in the country to have been built in the classical style, designed by architect Inigo Jones, and it is on the same site as the Old Royal Naval College, just a stone’s throw from the National Maritime Museum and collectively a UNESCO World Heritage Site. No longer a royal residence, it is now home to an internationally renowned art collection.

The Queen's House Greenwich and Ice Rink

Entry is free, but we needed to pre-booked our time slot, so we decided to coincide it with a trip to the Christmas Ice Skating rink that sat directly in front of Queen’s House, leaving us about an hour and a half to walk around at our own pace which was plenty of time.

The Queen's House Greenwich and Ice Rink

When we arrived we were checked in by staff who gave us the opportunity to download an audio guide to our phones, but we decided to meander around and concentrate on the areas that most piqued our interest. We followed arrows around the building that lead us to each gallery. This one way system made sure it didn’t get too busy at any point.

The Queen's House Greenwich and Ice Rink

We came to the Great Hall on the ground floor and were in awe of it’s perfect cube interior and the restored ceiling by Turner prize winning artist Richard Wright and his team in 2016. The black and white marble floor is original to the 1630s and is still beautiful to this day. The ground floor also hosts temporary exhibits and had Modern British Art when we were there.

The Queen's House Greenwich and Ice Rink
The Queen's House Greenwich and Ice Rink
The Queen's House Greenwich and Ice Rink

Amongst the collections inside Queen’s House, we got to see all three of the surviving versions of the Armada Portrait of Elizabeth Ist side-by-side for the first time. The differences are notable in the colours used, the more lifelike visage of the Queen and the backgrounds depicted.

The Queen's House Greenwich and Ice Rink

We were also treated to artworks from the private Woburn Collection, currently on loan to Queen’s House which includes works by Rembrandt, Canaletto and Gainsborough. Exhibitions include ‘Faces of the Navy’, ‘The Loggia’ and the ‘Queen’s Presence Chamber’ with it’s magnificently painted ceiling depicting the story of Aurora dispersing the shades of night, replacing an earlier image of Daedalus and Icarus. No-one knows who painted it but we do know that it was installed sometime in the 1640s.

The Queen's House Greenwich and Ice Rink

Inside Queen’s House, we also found the beautiful Tulip Stairs, the first geometric self-supporting spiral stair in Britain, integral to the design of the building. They go from the very top of the house and down to the Undercroft which is where we found the shop and exit.

The Queen's House Greenwich and Ice Rink

Ice Skating at The Queen’s House

We finished our trip with ice skating at Queen’s House. The outdoor ice rink was well managed and a format that will be familiar if you’ve ever been to temporary ice rinks. We had a time slot booked and when we arrived we swapped our shoes for ice skates and waited for the rink to be cleared and our session to start.

The Queen's House Greenwich and Ice Rink

We made our way onto the ice and followed the direction indicated. Everyone skated in the same direction and there were penguin skate aids available for young children to hire at an extra charge to give them more confidence on the ice.

The Queen's House Greenwich and Ice Rink

The ice skating session was just the right length of time, and we ended up leaving slightly ahead of time as they children were really tired. The ice did get quite busy at times so it’s good to know that numbers are limited. There were staff on hand if we needed anything and keeping an eye on the skating, helping people up if they fell and dealing with any minor injuries.

The Queen's House Greenwich and Ice Rink

The Queen’s House and ice skating rink were great additions to our weekend in Greenwich we’ll definitely go back again in the future. The Queen’s House ice rink is open until Sunday 9 January 2022. You can find out more and book tickets to the house and ice rink over on the Queen’s House website.

The Queen's House Greenwich and Ice Rink
The Queen's House and Ice Rink Greenwich

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Hi everyone! I'm Donna. Mummy. Blogger. Social Media Manager. Traveller. Lover of stars, rainbows and gin. Firm believer that tea and cake can fix most things.

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