YSP: Yorkshire Sculpture Park

Yorkshire Sculpture Park is a place that I've been meaning to visit for some time now, and today I finally ticked it off the list.

It took just over an hour to get there (driving from Manchester) and the weather was great. With our picnic packed away and Dora safely on her lead we set off around the park with a map in hand. (Available free from the car park!)

The grounds are largely used for sheep grazing so dogs must be kept on their leads at all times, there are also some parts where dogs cannot go at all so we did have to miss a bit of the experience, mainly where the cattle graze. Nontheless there was plenty for us to see, and if you feel like you want to add some culture into your walk this is the place to be!

Each artist is introduced with signs around the park and their individual sculptures are clearly labelled and explained to provide a full education of the work. Some are striking, others quite bizzare, but interesting all the same.

There are several different pathways to follow and so you can pick your own route around the park, and with a chapel and a couple of different galleries open to the public there is plenty of variety too. Some of the walkways take you through beautifully well kept gardens - an ideal place for your picnic, but if you didn't pack your lunch don't worry, there are 2 cafés to chose from too with a selection of gorgeous looking cakes and other snacks.

I won't share too many photos as I don't want to spoil your experience but here is a sneak peek of what's on offer:

Think you've seen it all before? Probably not.. YSP commission different artists throughout the year so some of the work available to see here changed quite often. You can check out their website for information on what's on throughout the year.

The car park is huge and is controlled by ANPR cameras (automatic number plate recognition) which is pretty impressive, it's zaps you on your way in and all you need to do is visit one of the pay machines at any point during your visit and tap in your registration number. The machine wil calculate your parking cost..which is a maximum of £8 for the full day. It's much easier than having to go back to the car to 'pay & display'.

We really enjoyed our visit to YSP and we will definitely return later in the year to see how it changes, especially if this lovely weather decides to stick around!

Cheshire County Show

I woke up this morning and realised I had nothing planned at all, part of me considered laying in and just taking it easy for a day but then I looked outside and saw the sunshine and before I knew it I was up, showered and in the car, on my way to Cheshire County Show in Knutsford.

The traffic management on the roads around the show ground was great. The ground was really well signposted and they have a dedicated lane for show traffic on the main road to avoid congestion to other road users. The parking is also really well organised with several huge fields full of volunteers assisting the organisation of a LOT of vehicles! Oh and parking is FREE!

The tickets are prices at £17 for an adult, £8 for a child between 5-15, £14 for students & Oaps, or £35 for a family ticket which allows entrance for 2 adults and 2 children. Kids under 5 go FREE, as do Dogs!

I initially thought that £17 was a little on the pricey side, but once I got into the show ground and realised how big the show actually is, £17 was really money well spent, and after all I'd already got free parking and free dog entry for Dora! I arrived at 12:30pm and left at 4:30pm & although I saw a bit of everything I could have easily stayed for longer! Note to self for next year: get there earlier.

I didn't bother with a programme as I knew I wouldn't really have that much time and if I'd have seen the full list of events I'd have been gutted that I couldn't do the full 2 days! I did however how a sneak peak at the one being read by the lady sat next to me at the main ring, and they were very comprehensive with a full show ground map inside too. The programmes were being sold for £3.50.

Here is a photo of one of the many map stands dotted around the ground so you don't get lost!

The list of exhibitors is exhaustive but there truley is something for everyone. From the most recent fast car, to a range of a tractors, fairground rides for young and old, food vans a plenty (and that includes a champagne & pimms van!), home DIY stands, Stabling & garden equipment, everything equestrian related you could dream of and plenty for dogs too!

Are you feeling tired by all of that?? I hope not.. Because there is so much more to mention. There are shows to watch for dogs, pigs, goats, cattle, poultry and even EGGS! Yes, eggs. 

Not to mention the thousands of horses that enter various shows at Cheshire Show each year. We watched side saddle, heavy horses, young stock, pony club games and show jumping - and that only covers a few of the classes available to see!

There were so many other things to see at Cheshire Show, we saw a rather educational ferret display, an impressive Police dog sisplay and an awe inspiring motorcross stunt show!

There are wooden benches around all of the arenas and some under cover tiered seating at the main arena all of which have a great view. There is also plenty of space for you to sit with a picnic blanket like I did whilst I ate my strawberries & hot Belgium chocolate!

Dora & I had a great day out today and would recommend Cheshire County Show to anyone! It's on tomorrow (18th June) too, so what are you waiting for? Get Out And See Stuff! 

Wooooooahhh we're half way there....

Just in case I've not mentioned it enough... I'm running 250 miles for charity as part of the PC Hughes Run To Remember and today is exactly the half way point!

At this point in the challenge we should be up to 126 miles on our count as it is day 63 out of 125! There are however, some people who have already completed all 250 miles (wowsers) and there also some who are a few miles behind.  I (unfortunately) am one of the latter.

I've suffered with my shins since the beginning of the challenge and

100 Happy Days

There are days when you wake up and before you've even left the house, you've burnt the toast, lost your keys and tripped over the dog. That's when you know it's going to be 'one of those days' and so you carry on your day with a certain grumpiness about you. You get splashed by a bus going through a huge puddle on the way to the station, only to miss your train and then get to work late. So that's it, this is officially a rubbish day - roll on tomorrow!

We're all guilty of writing off a day so early into it just because of how it's started, so when I saw the 100 Happy Days challenge on twitter, I wondered if I could actually go a whole 100 days finding something happy about each and every single one of them, without complaint. What's more, if you sign up on their website here you can get a book at the end as a reminder of what makes you happy on a daily basis, no matter how big or small that might be!

I'm currently on day 23 - pop over to twitter @HayleyGradwell to check out my process or search using #100happydays

Want a sneak preview? Here's today's photo..a visit to Bedford to see the in-laws.

Why don't you join in and see if you can stay happy for 100 days? It's so important to take a positive from everyday to keep your spirits high, and if the day starts badly 100 Happy Days will MAKE you turn it around!! 

Stay happy guys x

What's great where you live?

I'm always up for trying new things and sometimes there are things to do, see & visit that I would have never known about if it hadn't have been for recommendations.

So this little post is an invitation for you to tell me what's great about where you live. 

For example, I live in Prestwich, and there are many great things about this little village, so if you came to visit I would say you have to go for a walk through Prestwich clough, it runs between Bury New Road at St Mary's Flower Park all the way through to drinkwater park and is a lovely circular walk which is child & dog friendly!

Then I would say pop to Cuckoo, a little bar a very short walk from the clough to have some lovely food and drinks.

So if I came to visit your home town, what you recommend i do? Or where do you think I should eat/drink? Is there a MUST see attraction?

Please comment with your local recommendations and let's share the love for our home towns!

A Day Out: Bury Agricultural Show 2013

After a busy weekend out in Manchester with friends I managed to escape a hangover on Sunday so i decided to take full advantage and head over to Bury Agricultural Show.

Bury show is held at Burrs Country Park just out of the town centre and always attracts a good crowd, whatever the weather. Luckily today the weather was fine.

I didn't arrive until after lunch but the place was still busy with the show in full swing. There was quite a queue to get into the car parks but it was free all day which was an added bonus.

With so much to see here it is a great day out for all the family, and being an animal lover I thoroughly enjoyed seeing all the different animals that were on show here. From sheep, to horses, birds and even llamas. There were donkey rides for children, falconry displays and even novelty dog shows such as 'Waggiest Tail'. After watching these canine delights I am now considering entering Dora next year? I wonder if there is a class for 'The Dog That Sleeps The Longest'? I'm sure she would win that paws down.

Other than dogs my passion for horses dates back many years, having previously owned & showed myself I love watching the horse classes here. Unless you've done it yourself, I don't think many will quite grasp the amount of hard work that goes into preparing for a horse show. I think everyone deserves a rosette just for turning up! There is a class for every type of horse and every age & ability of rider/handler, so what better way to spend your Sunday than showing off your Equine friend?

Aside from the animals who came to show off there were military vehicles, model aircraft and classic cars. Many of which were really quite impressive when you took the time to hear their history.

There were trade stands selling pet supplies, garden objects, cupcakes and even beauty products. Along with exhibitors promoting local services, charities and information. As for children, there were loads of options, fairground rides, bouncy castles & soft play areas... In my opinion everyone's a winner!

It was £6 for adults to enter and £4 for children which was reasonable for what Bury Show had to offer! I will certainly be going back next year, will you??

Please note this is not a paid review, just my opinion!

Does your dog deserve a treat?

Dora is our Miniature Schnauzer who is now 2 years old,and she is by far the best purchase we have ever made! 

Wherever we go, she goes too and because of that she is very well socialised, and of course, very loved by all. Dora has the most ‘human Aunties & Uncles’ that any dog has ever had – I’m sure of it!

It’s no surprise that as our only ‘child’ Dora is very spoilt. She’s well behaved though, not a ‘brat’ and she’slearned many tricks which she will happily show you should you be holding a tasty treat!

                    Here she is!!

So when I was contacted by PetShopBowl.co.uk to review their goody box, I knew that Dora would be a perfect candidate. She is very food orientated but slightly snobbish for a dog and won’t eat ‘just anything’so trying new stuff would be a great challenge.....There was one time we tried to change her daily food and because she wasn’t happy Dora just decided to stop eating until we changed it back again!! With that in mind, only the really tasty food would pass the Dora Test...

After the order was placed online I received a confirmation email and then the next day a further email with an estimated delivery date. I was really impressed by this service because as I work shifts I tend to miss parcel deliveries all the time, so having a guide of when to expect the parcel was really helpful... That said, you can imagine my delight when I received further emails telling me the exact date with a 1 hour timeframe in which my parcel was to be delivered! Unfortunately the delivery did clash with my working hours (typical!) and I wasn’t home.. but not worry.. PetShopBowl.co.uk emailed me again to tell me the name as well as the address of the neighbour who had taken the parcel in for me! Excellent communication!!

When I collected it, I noticed the parcel was in fact addressed to Dora which I thought was a real personal touch, and with a little help from me, Dora found the following inside:

2kg Bag Canagan Dog Food:

http://www.petshopbowl.co.uk/dog/dry-dog-food/shop-by-brand/canagan/canagan-small-breed-free-run-chicken-dry-dog-food-2kg/

We usually have fed Dora the same food since she was a puppy due to its’ nutritional value so I was a bit dubious about changing her food, but we’d signed up for the review so we gave it a whirl... and it was defiantly a hit! The biscuits are free of grain meaning each mouthful is more nutritious for your dog so the quantity compared to her previous food could be slightly reduced (following the packet guidelines). The individual biscuits were lighter, and smaller so Dora could chomp her way through easily (she only has a very small mouth!) Without a second thought, the bowl was empty, and this continued the whole time Dora was being fed Canagan! The packaging gave all the information you needed, and was finished with a luxurious look.. We would certainly consider changing to this food for the long term!

Pack of Dentastix:

http://www.petshopbowl.co.uk/dog/dog-treats-chews/treats/shop-by-brand/pedigree/pedigree-dentastix-medium-dog-chews-7-sticks/

I’m sure every dog out there has tried Dentastix, and Dora is no exception so to receive a treat she was already familiar with was a ‘paws up’ from her! I put them in the freezer before she has one so they last that little bit longer!

Kong treat toy:

http://www.petshopbowl.co.uk/dog/dog-toys/rubber-toys/kong-classic-dog-red-med/

The Kong that Dora received was the right size for her, and was a welcome replacement to her old chewed up one! We popped out to buy some more of the biscuits that go inside them and Dora was a happy girl when she was left to her own devices for a couple of hours! Thekong is indestructible and with a treat inside keeps her occupied and free from boredom when left alone.

Burns Kelties Dog Treats:

http://www.petshopbowl.co.uk/products/Burns-Kelties-%252d-325G%252d-Dog-Natural-Chews.html

Lastly the Kelties Dog treats... where to start? I’d never even heard of these before and they are quite a largetreat for a small dog, but Dora LOVES them! The treats come in a compact packet which is re-sealable to keep them fresh and crunchy. They are a great reward for Dora after she’s had a bath and she takes them off to her bed and gives them a good crunch before licking up the crumb afterwards.. I must admit, I’ve been tempted to try them myself..

Overall Dora & I REALLY enjoyed all of the contents of our goody box and after browsing through the easy to use PetShopBowl.co.uk website; we will definitely recommend this site!

We were provided with these items for the purposes of this review, and these thoughts are my own (and Dora’s)

MSM Charcoal Challenge: Let's have a barbie....

The challenge: Sponsored by Money Supermarket the charcoal challenge was to stretch £50 as much as you could to enjoy the best BBQ!

Being a shift worker I checked my diary to see when I had a free weekend before August to start planning my charcoal challenge! Oh no - there are none.. Well apart from 1 where I am only off on the Saturday, that will do!

Trying to decide what to spend the £50 on was the hardest bit. Would it be a 'finest' BBQ for a couple of people or a 'value' BBQ for many more..?

It turned out to be somewhere between the 2 but of course, with a twist.

The Shopping list: 

Beef burgers with jalapeño - £3

Pork sausages - £3

Salad stuff (inc coleslaw / potato salad) - £5

Petrol - £20

Pitch - £10

Beer - £9

Total: £50.

If you haven't already guessed we went camping! The weather was too nice to waste and I like to make the most of my time off work so why not?

Now then, Naomi is not a camper. she doesnt do cold, or discomfort, or faff. And for that reason we dont own a single camping-related item.

Thankfully our good friends do, and so we set off at around lunchtime via their house and collected everything we might need!

We arrived a little over an hour later in Grange-over-sands & pitched the tent, set the dog up in the shade and got a beer!

    Here we are with our happy camper

    friends!

It was all going so smoothly until it came to blowing up the air bed....

Mum: I think that should be done now.

Naomi: I like it firm though, lets just put a but more in..

"BANG"

Mum: Oh no... It's popped!!!

What could we do? Nothing. Better get another beer!

    Here we are looking like camping pro's

Our charcoal challenge was brilliant! Never underestimate what you can do with £50!! Great food, great weather, great company & a great view...

    Dora & I with the wonderful sea view

    Me & Chef Cath - BBQ Queen

    Naomi showing off her expressive dance moves with a roll of doggy poo bags... After a few more beers!!

Overall our camping experience wasn't too bad, but surely after Naomi having to sleep on the floor, she won't be up for it again?? Watch this space....

GLAMPING! in Blackpool

So last weekend we camping.. This weekend we went GLAMping. The difference? The GLAM obvs.

We upgraded from a borrowed 2 man tent with a popped air bed to a spacious camping pod with actual beds! 

Oh em gee. It was amazing. 

Friday afternoon came and after a busy week of nights I thought 'sod it' lets go away for the night. So after a bit of online searching we found a great site in Weeton, just 15 mins east of Blackpool, which meant only a 45 minute drive from home.

Good job Naomi was working from home because as soon as laptop lid was closed she was whisked into a whirlpool of camping chairs, pillows and ice packs and we were en route. 

The site was fab, it had everything you need and with no 'tent faff' involved we had a nice cold beer open in no time.

    Here is Naomi showing you how it's             done!

Dora was most welcome too, and luckily she found some canine pals to play with before a chilled sunset walk around the fishing lake on site.

                My buddy & I :o)

The next morning we stumbled across a car boot sale.. Love it! Not been to a proper car boot in ages. Full of nostalgic tat and the odd bargain - we had a cracking time and even picked up a new antique wall mirror for 8 quid! BOOM.

From there we went straight to the beach at Lytham St Anne's for Dora's first proper swimming lesson...in the sea. (Talk about throwing her in at the deep end eh?) well you'll be pleased know we didn't actually chuck her in, but after a bit of confidence boosting she was paddling away and even had a waggy tail!!

          Proud parent moment!!

The weather was amazing all weekend, and the company..well, she was pretty awesome too.

 he more spontaneous our time off gets the more fun we seem to have!! Where will we end up next...

Race For Life - Heaton Park 2013

When a couple of my friends told me they were taking part in the Race For Life to raise money for Cancer Research UK it hit a nerve of my own.

There are so many people who are affected by cancer and unfortunately some of those have been people that I love. Some have fought it, some sadly did not & some are still battling it out.

These people are an inspiration to me. They teach you that life is what you make it and with that inspiration I signed up to run the 5k race and raised over £150 for the cause.

The day was on the hottest weekend of the year so far and it was challenging to keep hydrated. But I was determined to run this race, and I wanted to do it in under 45 minutes. 

Here I am at just under 4k, where Naomi & our friend Emma had stood to cheer me along! It was just what I needed, a buzz to spur me on as the last kilometre was the hardest as it was mainly uphill!

A couple of months ago I could barely run 200 metres without being out of breath with legs full of lactic acid. Today I finished 5000 in 36 minutes. 

No matter what the goal, you CAN do it. 

Me, my medal, my little pal Dora & my message to cancer.

What have you done today to make you feel proud?