Last week Belle and I had a valuable lesson in ‘the importance of trying new things’, or, more specifically, the art of axe and knife throwing.

You may remember how I teased you a couple of weeks ago with a post about taking on a challenge with the National Trust, where I asked you to vote for what you’d like me to do. Axe throwing won the vote and I was secretly very pleased as it’s something I’ve never done before, and hopefully, unless I find myself alone in the woods with just an axe and a ferocious bear, not something I will ever do again.

axe throwing south west outdoor festival national trust channel adventure

We were taught the art of axe throwing by a company called Channel Adventure, who are based not far from us, on the edge of Exmoor National Park. They run all sorts of adventurous looking courses and activities, and are heavily involved in the National Trust’s new festival, the South West Outdoor Festival. Channel Adventure are going to be offering various activities over the festival weekend, including rock climbing, rafting, kayaking and, you guessed it, axe throwing. If our little adventure tickles your fancy, do have a look at the South West Outdoor Festival, and you could have a go for yourself.

We rocked up at the venue at 10am on a Friday morning. Belle had made cupcakes, which immediately went down well with the two woman who were our teachers for the morning. (Didn’t I bring her up nice?) We were joined a few minutes later by a group of three teenage boys who looked like they were too cool to be anywhere other than Snapchat, and who kept their hoods up permanently to make the point. Apparently they were from Birmingham, staying with the aunt of one of them for a couple of weeks.

“They don’t want to be here,” said the aunt as she dropped them off, “but I’ve booked them in and they’re doing it.” View Post

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As a blogger, I get to do lots of interesting things, but I can’t say I ever expected anyone to ask me if I wanted to learn how to throw an axe. To be honest, I’m not even sure why you throw an axe, unless you’re a Viking or something. I imagine them chucking axes about and roaring ferociously.

I have been challenged by the National Trust though, to do something outdoorsy – something that I might not normally think to do, and you get to choose what that is.

NT SWOF Jo Middleton Adventures 1

It’s to celebrate the South West Outdoor Festival, a totally new kind of festival, being held in Devon from September 23 – 25. It’s being hosted by The National Trust, together with Cotswold Outdoor, Panasonic, Exmoor National Park and lots of local outdoor experts. It’s a festival for people who prefer rafting to raving, and who’d rather been foraging for wild food than queuing for a burger. View Post

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Did you read my alternative fashion shoot post a little while ago? It was the one where Bee was my photographer and director, and got me to do things like stand next to a wheelie bin, and pretend that I was a contestant on Countdown. It was very funny, so you should definitely read it. And so fun, that we had to do something similar when we holidayed at the National Trust’s Vineyard Farm Cottage in Dorset.

In fact, it proved so popular that I thought to myself, ‘What better way to showcase the National Trust Vineyard Farm Cottage than to have Belle and I pose in and around it in interesting ways?’ I can see you’re already excited about where this is going.

We went off for the weekend to stay in Vineyard Farm Cottage, a National Trust cottage that you can rent out for holidays, and that sits at the foot of Corfe Castle in Dorset. It has everything you would expect from a holiday cottage, including two spacious bedrooms, a wood-burning stove, well-equipped kitchen, great bathroom, National Trust cookies on arrival – the works.

National Trust Vineyard Farm Cottage Corfe Castle review

National Trust Vineyard Farm Cottage Corfe Castle review

National Trust Vineyard Farm Cottage Corfe Castle review View Post

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A post from my fiancé.

Two things of note have happened lately.

1.  We finished watching Downton Abbey.

2.  Our National Trust membership for 2016 has already paid for itself.

Two random facts you might think, but they do link back to each other.

I introduced Downton to Belle and Jo last year.  We powered through the first few series, and then when we were all fed up with the bad luck thrown on Anna and Bates we took a break. We picked up again in December and watching the final episodes at the end of January.  I know the girls were getting fed up with me commenting on Lady Mary’s wonderful dresses and exclaiming “She’s so like me” every time Dame Maggie Smith made a waspish comment, but the whole experience did prove to be food for thought.

Julian Fellows must be applauded for the way he portrayed the social changes in country houses and English society after the First World War.  Changes in social conditions and the lack of young men meant country houses started to shut at an alarming rate as the aristocracy lost the ability to run large estates.  Over 600 houses were destroyed around the time of the Second World War as our nation’s great houses became derelict.  From a historical point of view it’s a staggering statistic to think what historical gems we lost.  View Post

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Recently I wrote a post for The National Trust about this year’s Christmas wrapping theme. The idea behind it was to show that with minimal cost and effort, you can produce something handmade that looks pretty cool and makes people think you’re generally very thoughtful and kind.

Christmas wrapping themes

If you fancy turning your hand to something homemade this Christmas, why not enter the National Trust’s handmade Christmas competition and snaffle yourself a prize in the process?

How to enter the National Trust handmade Christmas competition

There are a total of 11 prizes up for grabs – first prize is a bundle of craft and foodie treats, worth £50, and there are 10 runners up prizes of dark chocolate and ginger truffles. (Yum.) View Post

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I had a bit of an early start to Christmas this year. On November 22nd I went to see a live performance of The Snowman at my local theatre, performed by its resident orchestra, Southern Sinfonia.

As a child, The Snowman was a Christmas Eve staple, although looking back, I think it was probably more just a way to kill time until going to bed and waking up again on Christmas Day. This performance was something extra special though – the film was projected in silence onto a screen, while the orchestra played along live with the action. It was absolutely beautiful. Being able to see the instruments playing in time to the film, to see how each sound was created, brought a whole new kind of magic to proceedings. I felt like I was seeing it for the first time.

I’m sure a lot of families would consider The Snowman to be a part of their Christmas traditions, but it’s always interesting to take a peek into other people’s lives at this time of the year because everyone does things so differently. Apart from The Snowman then, what rituals make Christmas for me?

Here are four I wouldn’t do without: View Post

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A couple of weekends ago we spent the weekend at Trelawne Manor Holiday Park in Cornwall – read about our holiday there here. While we were there, we did as we always do, and checked the local area for National Trust places to visit. We stumbled upon the Cotehele Estate having a ‘behind the scenes’ day, and it sparked some musings about the National Trust from my fiancé. Please make him welcome, and share your own National Trust experiences.

National Trust cotehele estate

If ever there was an organisation that deserves a jolly good pat on the back at the moment, it’s The National Trust.  They’re just so life-affirmingly interesting and wonderful, and so far from what they were 30 years ago.

When I was a child, we’d go to National Trust properties on days out or when rain was ruining our holidays, which was rather a lot.  Back then, the most children had to look forward to was an adventure playground, and even then the word ‘adventure’ was used in its loosest possible definition – most probably your only adventure was avoiding a puddle of muddy water at the bottom of a disappointingly short slide.   View Post

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I wonder if there is anything I could add to that as a title that could make me sound any more irritatingly middle class? I suppose if I was wearing a Joules gilet while I typed, that might do it. I don’t have one though, not yet anyway.

*cue Joules getting in touch to offer me a gilet to review*

I’m not going to make any excuses though. Sometimes, (by which I mean all of the time), being a blogger means that you get to enjoy some really special days out. Today was one of those days, when you get to just do nice things.

We were invited down to spend the day in the Yeo Valley gardens in Blagdon. Yeo Valley had teamed up with the National Trust to offer some blogging families the chance to roam around their grounds and tick of some things on the National Trust’s ’50 things to do before you’re 11 3/4′ list. We’ve been members of the National Trust for several years and Belle has completed 47 of the 50 so far – about time too as she only has a few months left before she is 11 3/4. (If you have an apple tree in your garden that Belle could come round and eat an apple from then please let me know.) View Post

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Given the success of Belle’s video tour of our hotel room last week, I thought I would share with you a little video she made about her top three favourite flowers.

She made this on a visit to Tyntesfield – a National Trust property near us. It was a lovely day and I was encouraging her to amuse herself in a nearby flowerbed while I had a little lie down in the sun. Independent play and all that. Very important you know.

She is pretty adorable.

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If someone had said to you over Easter ‘how about a spot of camping?’ you may well have used an expletive. If someone had said to you ‘how about a spot of camping with a double bed, wood burning stove and flushing toilet in your tent?’ you might have felt a little more inclined to brave the cold.

We fell into the latter category.

We did meet with a few raised eyebrows when we told people we were off on a family camping trip for a few days during a week when the temperature at night was dropping below freezing, but it’s amazing how much warmer you feel when you sleep in a fur hat. Besides, what is living in the UK about if it’s not ridiculously cold camping holidays? View Post

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I am middle aged.

It’s official.

This week I stuck my new National Trust members badge inside my car windscreen, and on Sunday I actively chose to watch Antiques Roadshow. And enjoyed it.

“And my periods are getting closer together!” I moaned to my friend Lucy.

“Well that’s it then,” she said, “early menopause. It’s downhill all the way now.”

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