Warwick Castle Light Trail Review (Christmas at the Castle)

Warwick Castle Light Trail Review (Christmas at the Castle)

This Christmas, my family and I took a visit to Warwick Castle to make the most of their Christmas celebrations and had a wonderful time. As the Christmas light trail at Warwick Castle is something that is likely to return year after year, I thought I’d share my (unsponsored) review for those who are considering going either this year (The Warwick Castle Light Trail is open until the 7th January 2024 and is likely to return in late November 2024)

What is the Warwick Castle Christmas Light Trail?

The Warwick Castle Christmas Light Trail is an after dark at experience at Warwick Castle. It can be purchased as a stand alone experience, or alongside a day trip to Warwick Castle, with the latter working out the best value for money when you consider the wealth of other entertainment and history to experience at the castle itself. We have been to Warwick Castle many times over the last year, so we opted just to do the Warwick Castle Light Trail and outdoor ice skating experiences, but if you haven’t been recently, attractions such as the Zog’s Playground, Horrible Histories Maze, Trebuchet, Falconer’s Quest birds of pray show and other seasonal acts make it certainly worth a visit. You can see our full Warwick Castle review here.

The light trail involves walking through a illuminated experience around the Castle’s iconic grounds and gardens, with a combination of music and light displays, projections, light tunnels and light shows, as well as plenty of photo opportunities to capture some memories with your family.

Warwick Castle Light Trail Christmas at the Castle

When does the Warwick Castle Light Trail run?

In 2023, the Warwick Castle Christmas Light Trail ran from the 27th November 2023 until 7th January 2024, and I will update this post when the dates for 2024 are revealed. Sessions need to be booked online in advance, or can (subject to availability) be added onto your day ticket on the day at the ticket booths.

How much does it cost?

The Warwick Castle light trail prices start at £16.50 each, and this is a fixed price for children over 3 years. I would have liked to have seen a reduced price for children as it makes it a pretty hefty price tag for a family of four just for a short experience, however if you are combining it with a visit to the castle. a castle and light trail experience combination has prices starting at £27.50 which offers much better value for money.

Warwick Castle Light Trail Christmas at the Castle

How long does the experience last?

The Light trail lasts around 45 minutes depending on how fast you walk through the trail. There is however the oportunity to stop halfway through for a drink / sit down and warm up by the heaters. It’s also worth mentioning that in theory you can walk around the trail as many times as you like, although I think it unlikely you’d want to do it more than once, especially if you have young children who may tire easily. We popped back through the beginning once more as it was a little quieter in the light tunnel as we were leaving, and I couldn’t resist a second shot at some photographs! (No change there from me!)

What photo opportunities are there?

If you like having your camera with you, the light trail is a photographer’s dream (although it can be very difficult to capture the lights properly on a camera – as you can see from my fairly ameteur shots!). There are three or four photo ‘frames’ dotted around the trail, allowing you to take photos of your family with the lights in the background, and they even have selfie posts, so you can prop your camera on a timer and snap a pic with you all in – helpful if you’re visiting as a solo adult with kids or even on your own.

My other favourite photo opportunities were – peeking around the star on the hill, the light tunnel at the beginning, crossing the bridge over to the trebuchet, in front of the giant Christmas Tree on the main castle square.

Warwick Castle Light Trail Christmas at the Castle

Warwick Castle Light Trail Christmas at the Castle

Are there toilets?

We saw two lots of toilets during the trail – one at the very beginning by the ice rink and another around halfway through the trail. They are what I would describe as ‘posh’ portacabin toilets, and although they were a bit muddy on the floor on the night we visited, they were generally good and accessible.

Are there any places to eat?

If you arrive a little bit early for your light trail, there are some fun market stalls selling food which are a fun way to add to the festive experience. We bought a stick of three giant marshmallows (I think they were £5 each) and a tray of fries for £3.50 (which were delicious). There were also stands selling mulled wine, alcohol and hot chocolate which would be lovely if you fancied making more of an evening of it with friends. The girls loved toasting their marshmallows over the fire, despite the weather not being particularly generous to us on our visit!

Warwick Castle Light Trail Christmas at the Castle

Overall thoughts on Warwick Castle Light Trail

We really enjoyed the trail. I particularly liked the combination of lights and music, with some really festive and classical songs where the lights triggered in time with the music, making it quite an impressive display. There were also lots of projections up the trees, and lighting up the night sky, as well as an entire section dedicated to the 12 days of Christmas. The paths were a little muddy in parts, but overall the light trail is very accessible including those in wheelchairs or with pushchairs for younger children. You may want to wear wellies if visiting after heavy rain, although they had placed matting to try and prevent any really muddy or slippy sections from occurring.

We took around 40 minutes to walk through the trail but didn’t stop at the midway point. By the end Neve (7) was fairly tired so we felt that this was just the right length if visiting with kids in tow.

It doesn’t come cheap, so if were to visit again I would definitely combine with a full day at the castle to get the most out of the experience.

Warwick Castle Light Trail Christmas at the Castle

Pros of the Warwick Castle Light Trail

  • A fun new way to explore the castle grounds and see them like you never have before
  • Plenty of festive photo opportunities including ‘frames’
  • Fun music to enhance the expeirnce
  • Sensory friendly dates available for those who may find loud music or flashing lights over stimulating
  • 45 minute experience with the option to go around again should you wish
  • Didn’t feel too busy or overcrowded
  • Food and drink options which we felt were fairly good value for money compared to some ‘festival’ prices and good sized portions.

Cons of the Warwick Castle Light Trail

  • Parking is chargeable (although reduced to £3 for evening parking) so you need to factor this into the price
  • Car park is a relatively long walk away from the Castle which can be tiring for younger children
  • Expensive for a family if visiting light trail alone.

Hints and tips for the Warwick Castle Light Trail

Here are some hints and tips to make the most of your experience:

  • Wrap up warm, if its a cold and icy night it can feel quite exposed when walking around the trail
  • The track is pushchair friendly but if its been particularly muddy, you may prefer to use a baby carrier if visiting with very young guests.
  • Combine with a day ticket to get the best value for money
  • Encourage younger children to go for a wee before you start the trail – as the loos aren’t till around half way through
  • Although its nice to have a marshmallow stick each – you probably only need one as there are 3 on each stick
  • Don’t rush – being at the back means you often get the best pictures without lots of other people in the background

You can learn more about the Warwick Castle Light trail (when its running) here – Warwick Castle Light Trail

Graco Eversure High Back Booster Car Seat REVIEW

Graco Eversure High Back Booster Car Seat REVIEW

Graco Eversure High Back Booster Car Seat gifted for review

A safe and comfortable, i-Size ADAC approved high-backed booster that grows with your child from 5-12 years. Here’s everything you need to know about the Graco Eversure i-Size High Back Booster seat.


What are the UK laws regarding car seats?

In the UK, legislation states that children under the age of 12 (1.35m tall) need to be in an age-appropriate car seat. If you are still using a stage 0/1 carseat when your child approaches 3.5 years (15-18kg), you will need to look for a safe and comfortable Stage 2 carseat as an alternative, ideally that your child can use until their old enough to travel with a seatbelt alone.

There are two different types of stage 2 car seats – a booster cushion and a high-back booster seat, the latter of which generally offers more enhanced safety features.

What is a high backed booster seat?

This won’t come as a surprise (the clues in the title) but a high-back booster seat has a high back. Unlike a booster seat, a high backed booster seat offers significant support and protection for your child’s head and neck in the event of an accident.

What are is the Graco Eversure High Back Booster seat suitable for?

The Graco Eversure High Back Booster seat is suitable for children aged 4-12 years, making the ideal transition from your child’s Stage 1 car seat or travel system-compatible car seat.

Graco Eversure Specifications

  • Recommended age: From approx. 3.5 to 12 years (Height 100-150 cm)
  • Dimensions: L 40 x W 48 x H 63 cm
  • Weight: 5.1 kg

What’s in the box?

The Graco Eversure i-Size High Back Booster Car Seat comes inside a large box and requires some (very) basic assembly before use.

Inside the box you will find:

  • Seat base
  • Seat back
  • Seat headrest
  • Side impact panels x 2
  • Instruction booklet

Does the Graco Eversure High Back Booster seat require assembly?

The Graco Eversure High Back Booster Seat does require some initial assembly, but don’t let this put you off. The assembly is very quick and simple, with only several components, all of which click into place. The process is very intuitive and the side impact cushions click onto the sides once the seat is fully constructed.

Graco Eversure High Back Booster Car Seat assembly

First impressions of the Graco Eversure

Our first impressions of the Graco Eversure were very positive. The seat is nicely padded with cushioned armrests and a patterned back. It features the reassuring i-Size tag (to confirm its i-Size safety rating and has a good sized headrest which looks to offer substantial support. We all loved the inclusion of two retractable cup holders – which were sure to be a hit with our daughter too.

How easy is the Graco Eversure Highback Booster seat to install?

`The Graco Eversure Hightback Booster car seat can be installed with seatbelts alone, but comes with Isofix points for additional stability and peace of mind. Unlike some Isofix seats which slot into the Isofix posts in your car, this seat uses Isocatch clips which hook onto the Isofix attachments in your car to stop the seat from moving around.

We found the installation of the Graco Eversure Highback Booster very quick and simple and reassuringly, is quick enough that we felt comfortable moving between vehicles if required.

To install the seat, you simply place it onto the seat of your vehicle (forward facing). Clip the Isofix latches in place, before pushing the back of the booster seat firmly against the back of your vehicle seat.

The seat belt guides should be level with or just above your child’s shoulders. When you pull across the seat belt, you should slot through the shoulder belt guide before clipping into place. When your child is in the seat, you can tighten the belt and ensure it’s not twisted, with the belt securely fastened across your child’s lap.

You can see a video example of installation on the Graco website.

Graco Eversure High Back Booster Car Seat installation

What safety features does the Graco Eversure High Back Booster seat have?

The Graco Eversure High Back Booster Seat is an Isofix / R129 safety approved car seat, which has passed advanced testing including side impact testing using Q-Dummies. The seat includes two TrueShield Safety Surround Side Impact protection cushions to ensure your child remains safe in the event of a head on, rear end or side-impact collision.

This carseat has also been rigorously tested by ADAC – a German automobile organisation that tests car seats more rigorously than the European safety laws.  The Graco Eversure High Back Booster received a Good (2.1/4 star rating) – and is particularly safe in a side impact collision.

How do you adjust the Graco Eversure?

The Graco Eversure High Back Booster Seat is very easy to adjust as your child grows and can even be adjusted one handed. Simply squeeze the height support adjust button on the back of the head rest and pull up or push down until your child’s head is positioned between the two sides of the head support, There are 10 different height settings.

Graco Eversure High Back Booster Car Seat

How comfortable is the Graco Eversure Highback Booster seat?

My daughter looks very comfortable in this car seat. The seat is well padded with cushioned armrests and memory foam in the seat and headrest. My daughter likes putting her head back against the headrest as we travel, and whilst she is passed the age of falling asleep in the car, I don’t believe her head would tip forward if she did, instead resting against the head support.

Graco Eversure High Back Booster Car Seat

What are our favourite features of the Graco Eversure?

We love the lightweight nature of this car seat, making it easy to move and install between two vehicles if required. It’s very easy to adjust as your child grows (even one handed) and the retractable cup holders are a big plus feature, convenient for longer journeys with your child.

Graco Eversure High Back Booster Car Seat

How heavy is the Graco Eversure?

The Graco Eversure is really lightweight (weighing around 5kg), meaning its very easy to pick up and carry around as required.

What would we change about the Graco Eversure High Back Booster seat?

Overall we’ve been really happy with the Graco Eversure, so there are very few things we would change. If I had to be super critical, it would be great if the Side Impact Protection was already installed. The seat also sits quite wide with the side panels on, meaning that we are unable to lower the centre drop down arm rest in the middle of the back seats whilst the seat is installed. At first this really bothered my daughter (as it’s where she normally puts her water bottle), but once she got used to the pull out cup holders, this wasn’t as issue for long.

Is it worth the money?

Retailing at £100 – I think this car seat is excellent value for money, especially when you consider the longevity of the seat. Unlike some stage 2 carseats, the seat is quite ‘grown up’ in appearance, making it far more likely to be used long into my child’s tween years.

Where can I buy the Graco Eversure Highback Booster Car seat?

The Graco Eversure High Back Booster seat is available to buy at Amazon with a RRP of £100.

Overall verdict

Comfort

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Ease of installation

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Value for money

Rating: 4 out of 5.
Warwick Castle Knight’s Village REVIEW

Warwick Castle Knight’s Village REVIEW

#Ad – This Warwick Castle Knight’s Village Review is based on a complimentary stay in 2019 and a self funded stay at Warwick Castle Glamping in 2022. This post contains affiliate links.

Confession time – up until 2019, I had never visited Warwick Castle. Not once – despite living right on it’s doorstep, within just a few miles of Warwick itself.

It’s something that in hindsight I now know was incredibly silly of me, as I have missed out on a whole host of days out and memories! We were recently invited for a family overnight break at Warwick Castle’s Knight’s Village and after seeing pictures of the Warwick castle accommodation and learning about the range of experiences on offer, I was almost as excited as the girls to visit!

We headed down to the Warwick Castle Knight’s Village on a late September weekend, and despite it being late in the season, we couldn’t have been more lucky with the weather! Read on to learn more about our experience, or if you prefer, you can see our video diary here:

About Warwick Castle Knight’s Village – The History

Warwick Castle has a great reputation for fun filled and action packed family days out in Warwickshire and for years has been offering the opportunity for guests young and old to discover over 1100 years of history, myths and magic; exploring the castle grounds, shows and activities.

When the Warwick Castle Knight’s Village opened in 2016, it for the first time gave visitors the chance to sleep over at the Castle itself, providing 3 different kinds of accommodation – Knight’s Village Lodges, Knight’s Village Glamping or Caesar’s Tower Suites. all nestled on the Castle grounds behind beautiful views of the river Avon.

Whether you’re sleeping in a large Knight’s village glamping tent or a themed Knight’s Village woodland lodge, The family friendly Knight’s Village provides the ideal medieval base for families wishing to extend the memories made during their break at Warwick Castle.

When staying in the Knight’s Village, guests can benefit from two days Warwick Castle entry, priority entry, free reserved parking, exclusive evening entertainment and a complimentary cooked or continental breakfast in the Banquet Hall. I literally couldn’t wait.

Does Warwick Castle have a hotel?

Warwick Castle doesn’t have a hotel itself. but has a range of Warwick Castle accomodation to choose from in the Knight’s Village, all of which are ideal for having a short break at Warwick Castle and making the most of your stay. If you’re looking to stay overnight at Warwick Castle (or benefit from an extra day to explore the grounds), you can choose from a range of Warwick Castle accomodation including Warwick Castle Glamping, Warwick Castle Lodges or even a stay in the luxurious Ceasar’s Tower Suites. We have stayed in both the Knight’s Village Glamping Tents and the lodges.

Our Experience of the Warwick Castle Knight’s Village

What time can you check in at The Knight’s Village?

When staying at the Knight’s Village the official check-in time is 3pm, however you can arrive early to make the use of the two days castle entry included with your stay.

We arrived at Warwick Castle at about 11am on the Saturday morning of our stay, and had been advised to head straight to the car parking spaces that were reserved for Knight’s Village guests. There is a large sign in the carpark which then directs you straight to the Knight’s Village entry, from which you have priority access into the castle grounds.

Despite the Knight’s Village sign being very VERY clear, we completely missed it (story of my life!) and ended up walking the long path down to the main castle entry, only to be told that we were in the wrong place and having to walk all the way back! I don’t recommend that you do this unless you are desperate to increase your step count for the day, but the one thing it did allow me to appreciate is just how much queuing time you save when you have Knight’s Village priority access! The main entry was busy, with lots of families queuing up to purchase tickets or enter the castle gates but we were able to go straight in.

Warwick Castle Knight’s Village Check-in

After our slight detour (purely for review purposes of course), we headed straight to reception where we were given our lodge number and key card and advised that the card would automatically open our Knight’s Village lodge at 3pm. We were asked at this point if we wanted to book times for our evening meal and breakfast.

For this reason I would recommend getting to the Knight’s Village as early as possible, as I am not sure how much choice of time slots there would be left during peak season if you arrived quite late in the day.

We were given a resort map and a map of the Warwick Castle Knight’s Village accommodation, clearly showing where we could find our Woodland Lodge, as well as clearly highlighting the entertainment field where we would be heading for our evening’s activities.

We were then able to get straight into the castle grounds using our key card – with a gate leading you straight into the rear of the grounds behind the Peacock Gardens and Conservatory, allowing us to head straight to the main castle square without needing to queue.

Staying at the Warwick Castle Knights Village Woodland Lodges

Accommodation in the Warwick Castle Knight’s Village is a choice of lodges or medieval glamping tents, the latter of which have a separate toilet and shower block within the grounds. We stayed in a Knight’s Village Woodland Lodge which sleeps up to 5 people and has space for a travel cot. After walking out the other side of reception, we walked through the Knight’s Village Glamping Tent block to the rear of the village to find our accommodation, where our Woodland Lodge was nestled in a little woodland area overlooking the river Avon.

The lodges are semi detached, but each one has its own outside decking area with dividing wall, allowing it to remain relatively private. There was a small bench just outside the bedroom window, meaning that in high season this would be a great place to sit out with a nice glass of wine once the children were in bed.

What’s inside the Warwick Castle Knight’s Village Woodland Lodges?

Step inside the Knight’s Village Woodland Lodge itself and it was like being transformed into ancient times, with the interior being styled perfectly to reflect a magical medieval theme. The girls both let out a little gasp of delight, before immediately running to check out the bedroom where they would be sleeping for the night.

The main bedroom featured a large double bed with wooden bed frame and head board with a large coat of arms and swords on the wall behind and draped curtains, creating quite the feature!

Warwick Castle Knights Village

The girls bedroom was really lovely, with wooden bunk beds and a third bed which could be pulled out from underneath if required. There were plenty of sockets for chargers and nightlights, as well as individual lights on each bunk of the bed, offering some flexibility if you have siblings of different ages, allowing one child to read whilst the other went to sleep. The main bedroom wall featured a large medieval style cartoon tapestry print representing Warwick Castle’s history. It was a great talking point and Erin enjoyed talking through with me what was happening in the scenes, but I have to admit that in parts it  a little scary for a children’s bedroom! .

Warwick Castle Knights Village

Does the Knight’s Village have WiFI?

The Knight’s Village lodges come with free Wifi and we had a very strong connection – which is always a positive if the girls want some tablet time before bed or a bit of downtime before dinner. There was also cable TV available in the main bedroom, although which such amazing weather late into the evening, we didn’t need to use this.

The bathroom was relatively small but had everything we needed, including a wet room style shower, toilet and sink, all with lovely high ceilings and wooden beams above our heads.

The room comes with tea and coffee making facilities but no fridge. I felt this would have been nice a nice addition in order to keep some beer or soft drinks cold for in the evenings, however that said, you could buy drinks from the bar and bring back to your accommodation in the evening if you wished.

Warwick Castle woodland lodges

What were the surroundings like at the Knight’s Village?

The setting of the woodland lodges in the Warwick Castle Knight’s Village is really beautiful, lit up at night time with hanging chains of lights and although other lodges are relatively close to each other, you dont feel overlooked or have a lack of privacy.

The Knight’s Village Woodland Lodges are joined in twos, but I didn’t hear any noise from our neighbours at all.

The one thing to be aware of is that because of the wooden paths that lead to the lodges, you may hear some of the guests (particularly the kids) coming back to their lodges at night – we heard some noises up until about 9 pm but after that, it was very quiet and tranquil.

This didn’t bother us in the slightest; we were on holiday after all but if your children go to bed very early you may hear a few bangs and bumps until everyone gets back to their accomodoation.

Warwick Castle Knights Village

What time do you check out?

Waking up in the morning to the sounds of all the birds chirping away outside was really lovely and check-out time was not until 11am, meaning there is plenty of time to head for your breakfast before returning to collect your belongings.

Warwick Castle Knight’s Village Glamping Tents

As we revisited Warwick Castle in 2022 and stayed in the Knight’s Village Glamping Tents, I thought it would be helpful to add in my experience of the glamping options too. The Knight’s Village Glamping Tents come with a choice of Warwick Tents (with a double bed, two single beds and storage) or the King’s tents, which are more spacious and include a four poster bed, two single beds and a larger decking with two throne seats outside.

As it was my daughter’s birthday, we opted for the King’s tent. It’s worth noting however that the standard Knight’s Village Warwick tents have recently been updated and are a bit more ‘modern’ in appearance (with either red or blue netting inside). We did love having the larger-sized decking area for the present unwrapping in the morning, however!

Warwick Castle knights village glamping
Knights village warwick castle glamping

The Warwick Castle Glamping Tents were surprisingly comfortable. We visited in June, and the tent was cosy and comfortable – with the beds on a hard wooden floor so you didn’t need to worry about flys and bugs. The Glamping tent zipped up and came with a padlock for security. We all slept surpisingly well and we weren’t disturbed by other guests at all.

There are obviously no toilets or washing facilities in the glamping tents, but the toilet and shower block was just a short walk away and was clean and tidy. I was really plesantly surprised, as I was concerned that after staying in the lodges we wouldn’t enjoy this as much. In fact, it was quite the opposite, with pleasant weather, the girls loved the magical experience of staying in a tent under the stars.

Which is better Knight’s Village Glamping or Knight’s Village Lodges?

If I had to choose again, I’d probably pay the extra for a lodge, purely from a privacy point of view (and the TV for when the kids had gone to sleep!), but the kids LOVED the experience of sleeping under the stars.

Staying at the Knight’s Village Glamping Tents is also quite significantly cheaper than the Lodges. If you have younger children, the lodges may be preferable too.

Evening Entertainment at Warwick Castle Knight’s Village

By far our favourite part of the stay at Warwick Castle’s Knights Village was the evening entertainment which included free of charge as part of your stay. After our dinner we headed straight over to the entertainment field, where the knights and princesses were already there. The Knight’s Village evening entertainment is between 5.30pm and 7pm, and there was a number of different activities for us all to get involved with. As it was a gloriously sunny evening we really were very lucky as it was a lovely end to a fun filled day. The activities that are on offer vary depending on whether you stay in peak season. It’s worth noting that when we visited in June, archery wasn’t included in the stay, but during the summer holidays and peak season this is more likely to be the case.

Warwick Castle Knights Village

What activities were on offer at Knight’s Village?

The first activity was “Have a go archery” lead by two really friendly archers who showed us what to do, helped us improve and gave us four shots each at the target – I missed the first two and then managed to get a bullseye on my forth attempt. Even Neve had a go, despite being almost the same size as the bow itself. The archers were so great with the girls, bending down to their height and helping them pull the bow back when they struggled a little at first.

Next up was princess circus skills with the friendly princess helping the children learn a whole host of skills, from stilt walking to plate spinning and even how to master Diabolo throwing!

Knights Village sword skills

Erin was a little bit scared to do the Sword Techniques lesson, which was a bit unexpected, especially as her younger sister literally couldn’t wait to get involved (despite the fact that again the wooden swords were almost as big as her!!) She learned how to on guard and make some gruesome battle noises as they beat their pretend opponents, before being knighted by Sir Kristoff and Sir Samuel at the end of the session.

Finally as the sun was starting to set, we watched Samuel and Kristoff battle for victory, in a show filled with lots of audience participation, laughs and some quite brutal duelling. Again the commitment these guys have to their parts is really admirable. Fair play to them all!

We headed back to our lodge about 7.30pm, by which points the Knight’s Village Glamping Tends were all lit up and it looked really pretty at night. After working off lots of pent-up energy, we all ended up having a relatively early night and with comfy beds and cosy sheets – we all slept well (in Neve’s case far better than normal!)

Warwick Castle Knights village

Exploring Warwick Castle

Falcon’s Quest at Warwick Castle

An iconic show at Warwick Castle (check if its on at the time of your visit) is called the Falcon’s Quest – which is a close up and personal bird-of-prey show. We arrived at the area just as the show was starting, and as it was an absolutely gorgeous day, we opted to sit at the top of the hill on the grass. If you arrive earlier, there are about 5 rows of wooden benches right at the base of the hill by the lake, and these would be the best seats if you want to get up really close and personal with the birds. They soared literally RIGHT over people’s heads. If you have very young children, or those that prefer to watch from a bit further away, sitting where we were was ideal.

The Falcon’s Quest show was amazing, each bird being introduced in turn before a grand finale where they all flew together above our heads. With the medieval music playing creating quite an electric atompshere, I said to Mike that I found it all actually quite emotional (to which he laughed and asked if I was pregnant again!). The birds really are magnificent, and it was just something special about them all flying around together that really touched me. Definitely worth a watch.

Warwick Castle Princess Tower

The Warwick Castle Princess Tower is a 15-minute interactive storytelling session with a real princess, and children are taken up in small groups. Slots are timetabled, so you collect a ticket and return at your given time, reducing the requirement to queue which is ideal when excited (and somewhat impatient) younger children are involved! 🙂

When it’s your turn,  you are taken upstairs to a little room before being taken into the princesses tower itself. The princess tells the story of a prince who has been frozen into a picture frame just before his wedding where he has since been trapped for almost 100 years. I wont ruin the ending of the story, but children are asked to help the princess solve the riddles in order to rescue the prince. The girls absolutely loved it, really getting involved and speaking out. The princess who lead our session was fantastic, very well spoken and responded so well to the children’s questions and reactions. She would’ve made a great TV presenter! You can’t film or take photos in the tower to protect the surprises for guests, but they very kindly let me snap a shot with the princesses that wouldn’t give too much away!

Views from the Top of Warwick Castle 

Climbing to the top of Warwick Castle’s towers is not for the feint hearted (literally) and involved a lot of steps and a whole lot more narrow clastraphobia inducing spiral staircases. At the point of writing this post, my legs are still recovering!

That said, the views from the top are pretty amazing, and the girls really enjoyed looking down at the rest of the castle below. You can see for absolutely miles across Warwick’s beautiful countryside and there was something strangely satisfying about looking down the gratings to see all the tiny people below!

The Horrible Histories Maze

The girls really enjoyed this educational yet lots of fun Warwick Castle Horrible Histories hedge row maze, however, at the time of our first this was probably the one part of the Castle which we felt could do with a bit of love.

At the entrance you pick up a little map and the idea is to stamp each zone when you reach it, with a large press stamp that leaves an imprint on the map. Unfortunately 2 of the stamps were either completely missing or broken during our visit, and one didn’t work, with the others leaving a very feint mark on the paper. Despite this, the girls enjoyed visiting each zone and having their photo taken in the stocks in particular.

This has recently been updated in 2022, and when we had a more recent visit, everything was working as expected! 🙂

Warwick Castle Peacock Gardens

The Peacock Garden are a really beautiful place to visit at Warwick Castle, especially when the sun is shining. It was so lovely to watch these magnificent birds wander round the beautifully landscaped gardens. We had a chat to the resident gardener who was able to tell us that there were around 15 peacocks at the castle at the moment, and just one female! They lose their big feathers in the summer once mating season is over, but were still so timid and friendly!

Medieval Banquet Hall at the Warwick Castle Knight’s Village

The medieval banquet at Warwick Castle was something I was really looking forward to during our stay – the chance to eat in medieval surroundings whilst getting guests from some of the amazing knights and princesses.

During our stay at the Warwick Castle Knight’s Village we booked in for our evening meal in the Medieval Banquet Hall which is an optional extra during the stay and costs £18.95 per adult, and £9.95 per child. (please check with Warwick Castle for latest prices).

The Warwick Castle Banquet Hall itself is set up to look like a grand medieval hall, with wooden tables and chairs and large flags hanging from the high ceilings and really did feel like quite the experience. It is however quite dark inside and after an unexpectedly warm late summer afternoon, we did find it was rather on the warm side. The tables are also quite close together, which means at times it can feel a bit squashed up.

Warwick Castle Medieval Banquest Menu - Knights Village
Warwick Castle Knights Village

The dinner is a self-service hot buffet, and there was a range of food options including a roast dinner, lasagne and sausage and mash as well as the usual chicken nuggets, beans, fish fingers and chips for the girls. Hot drinks and soft drinks were refillable and included in the price, but alcohol could be purchased at the bar. There was also a range of dessert options including jelly, chocolate brownie and jam roly poly. Although we don’t personally have any specific dietary requirements, I did notice they had some gluten-free and vegan options available and therefore seemed able to easily cater for guests’ specific dietary needs.

I have to be honest that the food itself was nothing special, and we felt that you are definitely paying more for the medieval experience than the food itself. That said, we both enjoyed our meals and the girls did too.

Warwick Castle Knights Village

The Knight’s Village Knight’s

The best part of dinner experience for us was when the Knights and Princesses came to visit, walking around the tables and chatting to all the children as we ate. I have to say I cannot fault the staff who play these roles, as they didn’t slip out of character once (despite my partners banter). The girls loved chatting to the knights about their sword fights and Erin even went to show the princess her colouring in after dinner (she was quite taken with her!)

This part of the evening in the Knight’s Village medieval banquet hall was really spell binding for the girls, creating an authentic and magical atmosphere that made the evening experience completely worth the additional cost.

In the morning we woke around 8am (quite the lie in!) and I stepped outside the lodge to hear beautiful bird song, with lots of birds nesting in all the trees around the lodge. Despite the weather not being as good the second day, having the chance to enter the park without queuing was great and gave us chance to return and visit the parts we hadn’t had time to on the first. There is so much to see and do at Warwick Castle that having two days really allows you to relax and enjoy it rather than rushing around and attempting to cram it all in – definitely a real plus of staying over.

Warwick Castle Knights Buffet

Warwick Castle Knight’s Village Breakfast

Before setting off to the priority entrance, we headed for our Knight’s Village breakfast in the Medieval Banquet Hall. There was a great range of items available from your traditional sausage, bacon, beans, scrambled eggs and hashbrown bites (which were amazing by the way) to your cereals, fruit and croissants. Again however we did find that the room was incredibly hot, and because of this, we didn’t stay as long as we otherwise might have.

Is the Warwick Castle Knight’s Village worth it?

Overall, we had an absolutely magical experience at the Warwick Castle Knight’s Village and for the children in particular, staying over really did help bring the full medieval experience to life. I would return to Warwick Castle Knight’s Village in a heartbeat, and with themed events for Halloween and Christmas with additional extras to enjoy, I have a feeling we will be returning in the not too distant future. It may have taken me 36 years to visit for the first time, but it certainly didn’t take me long to go back!

Pros of the Knight’s Village:

  • Excellent themed accomodation which was clean, comfortable and well equipped. The woodland location and the styling inside really made us feel like we had been whisked away on a mini adventure.
  • Parking close to the knights village and the priority access into the castle grounds.
  • The staff across the whole site were fantastic, in particular the gardener who was really lovely and took so much time out his day to chat with us about the Castle’s history,the Knights and Princesses, who made my daughter’s weekend so special.
  • The evening entertainment which turned the visit to a castle into a proper medieval experience. We all got to try something new and it really felt like a holiday.
  • The Falcon’s Quest show for me personally was a real highlight, and something I will remember for a long time. Gave me goosebumps and very up lifting.
  • Value for money, given the normal entry fee and the evening entertainment included, very good value for money.

Cons of the Knight’s Village:

  •  Overall the Knights Village itself was fantastic, the accommodation of a high quality and I would definitely stay again. If i could critique the woodland lodge at all I would say that a small fridge would have been nice (just to keep some drinks cool), and the artwork on the wall in the children’s bedroom could be a little bit scary for some younger children. Erin actually said to me “why would they put such a scary painting in a children’s room?” as she was settling down to sleep, and it was a fair point – some of the scenes were a little on the nightmare inducing side!
  •  The food was good but not great – so I think you need to go with an open mind and not expect Michelin quality cuisine, that said, the experience of the guests during dinner definitely made the evening meal special.

Click here to learn more about the Warwick Castle Knight’s Village, and various Warwick Castle accommodation options.

How much is it to stay at the Knight’s Village?

Prices vary depending on the time of year, and you can also look out for special Knight’s village deals and promotions. As a general rule however, staying at the Knight’s Village lodges starts at £65 per person where as glamping starts at around £50 per person.

What time of year can I do Knight’s Village Glamping?

The Knight’s Village glamping tents aren’t open all year round to ensure guests get the best experience. If you want to sleep under the stars, the Knight’s Village Glamping tents are available to book between May and September.

*Disclosure – We were invited to stay at Warwick Castle Knight’s Village including an evening meal in exchange for our honest review. All additional expenses were paid for myself. All thoughts and opinions are my own* 

Making the Most of Eat Out to Help Out in Solihull & Shirley

Making the Most of Eat Out to Help Out in Solihull & Shirley

If you are finally feeling ready to venture out of your four walls post lockdown and looking for some local places to eat out in Solihull & Shirley that have signed up to the Eat Out to Help Out scheme, here’s our list of the best options to check out. Please note, this is not an exhaustive list – but a round up of some of our favourites – if you would like to check the full list of options in your postcode you can do so on the Government’s Eat Out to Help Out page here.

What is Eat Out to Help Out?

The Eat Out to Help Out is a government initiative to increase footfall to restaurants and businesses during August. At eligible Eat Out to Help Out bars, restaurants, cafes and pubs, you will receive 50% discount off food or non alcoholic drinks up to a maximum of £10 per diner). The scheme runs every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday until the 31st August 2020. There are literally hundreds of Eat Out to Help Out Restaurants in Solihull and Shirley, so you will be fairly spoiled for choice!

You do not need a voucher and there is no minimum spend, however in some cases you will need to pre book – please approach the restaurant directly to check their specific requirements. Please also be aware any other voucher codes, deals or discounts usually wont apply.

Afternoon Tea

If you fancy treating yourself to a traditional afternoon tea with scones and jam, there are some great local afternoon tea options in Solihull signed up to the Eat Out to Help Out scheme. We are huge fans of

  • Hogarths Hotel, Four Ashes Road Solihull (with some beautiful gardens to walk around after you eat). They’ve also just launched an afternoon tea in the woods for private gatherings / weddings which looks absolutely amazing!

We can also recommend

Other strong choices include

  • Laura Ashley Tea Room, Statford Road, Solihull
  • Esabellas, Warwick Road, Solihull

Evening Meal / Family Dining

There are lots of great places to eat out with the kids in tow and these are some of our favourites.

  • Akamba, Tythe Barn Lane, Shirley has some great outdoor elements to explore including giant giraffes and animal statues – the girls love it here!
  • Desco Lounge Solihull – It’s no secret that I have a bit of a crush on this place – great food, dog friendly and really relaxed vibe. The nterior is fascinating! (Image from Loungers). The Solihull Paramo Lounge from the same chain is also open on Solihull High Street.

Desco Lounge

We can also recommend:

  • The Farm, Farmhouse Way, Solihull
  • The Forest Hotel Dorridge
  • Boston Tea Party Group Solihull
  • Mortons Bar & Grill, Dickens Heath
  • The Punchbowl, Lapworth
  • The Malt Shovel, Barston Lane, Solihull

Date Night

If you are lucky enough to have a baby sitter or the freedom to go out without the children:

  • Oktogan Knowle
  • The Beach House, Solihull

Sunday Roast

Eating out on a Sunday is far nicer than grafting in the kitchen for hours and being left with a huge pile of washing up!

  • The Rose and Crown, Alcester Road –  does an absolutely MEAN Roast Dinner, with HUGE yorkshire puddings and has a play area outside for the kids (please check this is open before you visit as we haven’t been during lockdown). Worth it for the yorkies alone.

Other fab options include:

  • Hogarths Hotel, Four Ashes Road Solihull
  • Bulls Head, Earlswood
  • Nuthurst Grange Country House Hotel, Hockley Heath

Italian / Turkish / French / Mexcian

  • Turkish Restaurant Shirley Ltd, Stratford Road Shirley
  • Fiesta del Asada Solihull, Stratford Road, Mexican
  • Ask Italian, Touchwood, Solihull

Indian

We are pretty well spoiled for Indian Restaurants in Solihull, Shirley and Knowle and these are some of our faves taking part in the Solihull Eat Out to Help Out scheme.

  • Knowle Indian Brasserie, High Street Knowle
  • Jamaya, Touchwood Shopping Centre
  • Panchuli Indian Restaurant, High Street Solihull
  • Tap & Tandor, Warwick Road, Solihull
  • The Delhi, Warwick Road, Solihull
  • Spice Club, Warwick Road, Solihull
  • Janaki Indian Cuisine, Dickens Heath
  • Darjeeling Indian Cuisine, Stratford Road, Shirley
  • Ruchie, Stratford Road Shirley
  • Divine Restaurant, Haslucks Green Road Shirley
  • Rajasthan Restaurant, Warwick Road (Olton)

Chinese

  • Jade Wok, Station Road, Solihull
  • Fortune Inn Restaurant, Stratford Road Shirley

Fast Food

Whilst it is dangerous for me to remind you of this fact (particularly when we are all supposed to be losing weight too!) these may prove handy for the odd happy meal or treat!

  • McDonalds
  • Costa Coffee
  • KFC
  • Five Guys
  • Subway

Lunch Time

  • The Finest Catch, Stratford Road Shirley
  • Cafe Shirley

Breakfasts

You can’t beat a freshly cooked brekkie, and it’s always better when you haven’t had to cook it yourself.

  • Beckett’s Farm is a firm favourite in this house, and you can even visit their stunning NHS Sunflower Field to work off your eggs and bacon!
  • The Two Mugs, Haslucks Green Road, Solihull is a really popular choice if you live in Shirley and its clear to see why. Fab family friendly vibe and great food.
  • Notcutt’s Garden Centre Stratford Road
  • No.1 Dovehouse Parade, Warwick Road Solihull

Chains

There are absolutely loads of chains and franchises taking part in the Eat Out to Help Out scheme, so if your local pub or restaurant is part of the Mitchells & Butlers group for example, chances are they will be taking part. Please do check with your local before travelling.

  • Beefeater
  • Brewers Fayre
  • EAT
  • Ember Inns
  • TGI Fridays
  • Harvester
  • Krispy Kreme Donuts (eek!)
  • Miller & Carter
  • Marstons
  • Nandos
  • Toby Carvery
  • Village Inns

Whereever you choose to dine out this August, the Eat Out to Help Out scheme ends on the 31st August. If you are a local business and would like to be added to this round up, send us a message!

Lucy x

Meeting 44 Cats at Gullivers Kingdom

Meeting 44 Cats at Gullivers Kingdom

This post is in collaboration with 44Cats

44 Cats have arrived at Gulliver’s Kingdom in Warrington and here’s what you need to know!

Ever since the girls first came across the new TV Series 44 Cats, they have been pretty obsessed with The Buffycats – the adorable four some of furry feline friends consisting of Lampo, Milady, Pilou and Meatball, and with 44 Cats’ catchy theme music and adventure filled plots, we have gone on to watch more than our fair share of episodes in this house!

44 Cats is a fun and lively show with lots of singing and dancing, and comes with underlying messages of friendship, diversity and helping others.

It is shown daily on POP (Sky 616, Virgin 736 or Freeview 206) each morning, as well as on digital Nick Jr and has been a huge hit with children since launching in the UK last year. It’s easy to see why 44 Cats is now the 6th most watched preschool show in the UK!

This Summer, Gulliver’s have welcomed Lampo and Milady from 44 Cats to make special guest appearances throughout the day, something that many children, aged preschool and beyond, will be very excited to hear!

 

Meeting 44 Cats at Gulliver’s Kingdom

This Summer, Lampo and Milady from 44 Cats are making special appearances throughout the day at Gulliver’s Kingdom with set meet and greet times displayed on notice boards within the park. Exact times of the apperances may vary, so look out for the latest info on the boards by the main stage.

Whilst high fives and bear hugs (or should I say cat hugs) may be out of the question at the moment, there are still opportunities to snap some social distanced photographs on the main stage area, and after many weeks at home within the four walls of your home, seeing your children’s reactions when they get (relatively) up close to their favourite TV characters is a lovely sight to see.

 

There is a hula hoop placed on the floor in front of where Lampo and Milady stand so that children maintain social distancing and whilst it may go against their instinct not to go for a cuddle, this simple but clever trick keeps both our children and the characters completely safe.

The costumes are fab, and they look just like the real characters from the 44 Cats TV show, although I have to admit I did feel for the actors who must have been sweltering in all that fur in this recent heat! They proper get into character, showing off the 44 Cats true personalities with their rhythmic movements and mannerisms.

What COVID precautions are in place at Gulliver’s Kingdom?

Quite importantly, Gulliver’s Kingdom have put lots of COVID precautions in place to ensure guests safety when they visit and meet the 44 Cats on site.

Face coverings are mandatory on all rides and play attractions (with the exception of children under the age of 3). This is different to some places which say children under 11 don’t need to wear one, so remember to pack some in your bag if you have children over the age of 3.

Tickets must also be pre booked in advance. Gulliver’s Kingdom have a reduced daily capacity and staggered entry times to support social distancing, as well as lots of increased hygiene controls including contactless entry and payments, non contact temperature checks on arrival, regular sanitising stations, hygiene screens and staff wearing protective face coverings. The rides also all close at various points during the day for an enhanced deep cleaning regime, but this is staggered so the rides don’t all close at the same time.

There are plenty of rides to choose from at Gulliver’s but some if the girls’ favourites include Apache Falls, the Veteran Cars, Antelopes Wooden Coaster and Billy Bobs Bi Planes.

Overall the addition of the socially distanced meet and greet with Lampo and Milady from 44 Cats makes a visit to Gulliver’s at the moment a pretty magical day out!

You can learn more about 44 Cats on their social channels below:

Facebook – 44 Cats Official

Website – 44 Cats TV

Instagram – @44CatsOfficial

 

 

Our Sunday walk at Beckett’s Farm Sunflower Field

Our Sunday walk at Beckett’s Farm Sunflower Field

Did you know that Beckett’s Farm have a huge sunflower field for 2020?

It’s no secret that ever since I was a little girl I have absolutely LOVED sunflowers. There is something about their large, round, happy faces and bright coloured petals that almost instantly make me smile, and no matter what kind of day I have had, seeing towering stems of sunflowers rocking around in the summer breeze, attracting bees and beautiful coloured butterflies is an almost immediate mood enhancer!

During lockdown we attempted to grow our own from seed, and I was so excited when they reached almost 2 metres in height and started to bud. Unfortunately, the squirrels got to them before we got to see their faces and I’m not embarrassed to say I shed a little tear. The sunflowers felt like a symbol of the girl’s journey through lockdown, and I was devastated that the girls wouldn’t get to fully experience the end result of all their love, nurturing and patience!

I recently headed to the Real Flower Confetti Co in Pershore, somewhere we visit on an annual basis with the girls to capture some shots of them walking amongst the florals, and I was chuffed to learn they had added sunflowers to their usual arrangement of delphiniums, wildflowers and cornflowers. Just the sight of them lined up in rows took my breath away.

sunflowers at real flower confetti company pershore

After getting an initial sunflower fix I then discovered that Beckett’s Farm, which is almost on my doorstep have their own sunflower field this year, and couldn’t wait to go and check them out!

beckett's farm sunflower field

Beckett’s Farm Sunflower Field

This Sunday we headed to the Beckett’s Farm Sunflower Field and spent a morning walking amongst the sunflowers with the girls. The sight is simply spectacular, with hundreds and thousands of sunflowers all beaming back at you, towering up above us with little paths so you could walk amongst them. When you drive into Beckett’s Farm carpark, you head to the back by the golf centre, and you will see the field in front of your very eyes (trust me when I say you can not miss it – its such a bold and bright view beyond the hedges!)

beckett's farm sunflower field

You can walk straight into the field and walk all around the perimeter. There are various points along the Beckett’s Farm Sunflower field where little pathways are crafted out amongst the flowers, allowing you to walk right amongst them just like inside a maze or hedgerow. This makes for some stunning photographs, and it was lovely to see a pregnant lady having some bump shots amongst the flowers too.

Beckett's farm sunflower field

The fields were understandably relatively busy, especially being free of charge to visit, but with so much space it was very easy to maintain social distancing and at no point did I feel like anyone was getting too close. I am absolutely in AWE of how beautiful the location is, and whilst I have no idea how they keep them watered (literally not a clue) I am so grateful to Beckett’s for allowing the public to experience these for free.

Beckett's Farm sunflower field

Obviously a visit to Beckett’s Farm wouldn’t be complete without some lemon drizzle cake or fresh bread from their bakery, so take your mask and pop in to treat yourself on the way out – it would be rude not to! 🙂

Here are some more images from our visit.

sunflowers at beckett's farm

sunset sunflowers

You can learn more about Beckett’s Farm and the other elements you can incorporate into your visit to the Beckett’s Farm sunflower field here.