My plan for the Christmas holidays was to take things slowly, not to rush around the country like a loony (my normal holiday style) and to just have a quiet break with Monkey. We always find the first term back at school challenging, throw in his birthday and all that goes with that, 2 weeks before Christmas, and by the time school closes we are both done in. So we spent a lot of time at home this time, Monkey loved playing with all of his toys and we just chilled. But we did feel the need for fresh air from time to time. I suggested we went out for an hour or two one day between Christmas and New Year. Mummy, can we go to Stowe Landscape Gardens please? This is Monkey’s happy place.
Stowe Landscape Gardens is somewhere we visit a lot, a place we always take friends. A place to wonder, explore and just sit and enjoy. I love that Monkey loves it there so much. He is instantly at ease, off in search of a stick and roaring like a lion (as you do when you are 6), it’s truly his happy place, a home from home.
Every visit brings a new adventure, but stick collection is always a must. Monkey picks his preferred route for the trip and off we go.
Apparently we would be hunting lions and bears, risking a walk through the rapids (AKA waterfall), wrestling crocodiles and taking a well deserved break every so often to admire the view and assess our hunting success.
The beauty of Stowe Landscape Gardens never ceases to amaze us. Whatever the weather of season, the scenery is just wonderful.
Of course there were puddles to be splashed through along the way.
Before a twist in the tale – Mummy! I’m the Highway Monkey and you must give me all of your treasure before I’ll let you pass!
Uum, I think you’ve been reading Highway Rat too often young man!
We’d wiped away the cobwebs, been on a few adventures and Monkey had a ball in his happy place. I can’t imagine it will be long before we’re back again.
Do your children have a happy place too? I’d love to hear about them.
What gorgeous photos. We have a special place too – Osterley Park in Surrey. Its amazing the diff a bit of fresh air makes!
Thank you, I’ve always fancied going there too – plan for this year I think.
Stowe looks fabulous – I can see why it’s a perfect backdrop for Monkey’s imagination and outdoors fun. We have the woods around our house but my two love going regularly to Wakehurst Place which is close to us.
I’ll certainly never regret out NT membership when it inspires such adventures.
It’s lovely that he has a happy place – you can see from the photos just how much he enjoys it! You can also see why he enjoys it too, it looks lovely!
I don’t think my kids do have a happy place – maybe Snowdon for my eldest, probably a football pitch for my younger son and it looks like the stage for my daughter!
The football pitch would probably be my nephews too. Can’t see it ever being Monkey’s though!
What a beautiful spot – I love the waterfalls. Our favourite spot is the lakes in the Cotswold Water Park, it’s where we go to run around (kids) and think (me)!
Now that’s somewhere I’ve been meaning to visit.
Whenever you post about Stow Landscape Gardens Monkeys face is so lit up you can definitely see that it’s his happy place. It’s great that he enjoys going and exploring all the different parts, it must be tiring trying to keep up at times! I love his imagination at the highway monkey part, definitely something my lot would’ve done. Thanks for linking up with me on Country Kids.
I just love the effect the place has on him – any worries he has just evaporate when we pull into the car park.
Your photos are gorgeous, and I love the winter Pansies (I think that’s what they’re called?!) so pretty
Monkey looks so happy and chilled, it is great to find a happy place you all like visiting. For us it’s Wendover Woods
#countrykids
Oh yes, we love Wendover Woods too, haven’t been for a while.
Oh Wow!! This looks like such a beautiful place. It’s good to be able to have a more chilled out Christmas and properly enjoy the holidays. Happy 2016!
#countrykids
It never ceases to inspire us
Stowe always looks so beautiful whenever I see photos of it – I can imagine why it’s his happy place! Perfect for some fresh air and letting the imagination run wild too. #countrykids
It is rather wonderful
Such a beautiful place, I can see why Monkey loves it so much. I’m not sure that we have one favourite place, but we have a few spots that we really love and go to regularly 🙂
Yes, we are so lucky
What a beautiful place to visit – I’m not surprised it’s Monkey’s happy places – there just looks like there is so much to explore. Love how happy he looks in the photos 🙂
We are so lucky to have it on our doorstep
I love Stowe and it’s just round the corner from where we live so I can’t believe we haven’t taken the little one around it. Now that you’ve inspired me it’ll be a new years resolution 🙂 #countrykids
It’s so perfect for kids to just b kids, can’t recommend it enough.
I can understand why it’s his happy place, it looks absolutely beautiful.
I love how days like this let their imagination run wild.
Mine love an area near us called Box Hill and one of mine always insisted we go ‘shark fishing’ whilst we are there! #CountryKids
Love the idea of shark fishing!
Gorgeous photos! I love Stowe too, I really must get back there soon. At the moment our happy place is our local park, but I’m sure as soon as Finn can run about, our horizons will be a little broader! #countrykids
Thank you – it’s wonderful there isn’t it.