Mazes & Trails!
This week, with it being the school holidays, I have decided to split the weekly update into two individual posts, to save having one humongous one. We have been busy as ever, especially as Aum's cousin Euan has been visiting from Singapore for the week. Monday however was a lazy one as I started at 11am due to Aum not getting back from New York until early that morning, so we just chilled out in the house.
On Tuesday we had a picnic in Stamford Park as the weather was lovely, followed by a haircut, and then cake at The Cake Gallery (I had my favourite raspberry and oreo flavour). Afterwards I took Aum to Oldham to his grandparents as Euan was due to arrive so they had a sleepover there.
Yesterday I took them both to Crocky Trail near Chester, Aum loved it when we went last year so I promised to take him again. The weather was gorgeous, and they'd done up the site a bit so it was less run down - and had proper food outlets and toilets this time which was better. Today has been a fun day, I picked them up and after a quick trip to the Trafford Centre with Pizza Express for lunch we went to the Maize Maze at Redhouse Farm. This year it is Alice In Wonderland themed, and was a lot harder than previous years! We spent a good two hours collecting all the stamps from around it, before heading home after a much needed drink!
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Schools Out, Shopping & Suede!
This week has been half term, I survived! It has actually been really fun having a week of doing stuff with Aum, and we were really lucky that the weather has been quite pleasant the whole time.
On Monday he was tired after a hectic weekend with family, so we just went to Stamford park for a couple of hours and then met up with Abi and Tasha in Cafe Gourmand for a cake and drink. I had the afternoon tea, which was a finger sandwich with any filling (I chose chicken, avocado and goats cheese) any hot drink (tea, of course) and a cake; I opted for the carrot variety. Annoyingly I got a parking ticket which put a slight dampener on the day, but it was my own fault so mustn't grumble. The pub that I work at is currently closed, so I went to a class at the gym and then chilled out in the evening.
The following day we went to Stockley Farm, which was lovely (see previous post) and when I got back from work Mum and Dad were back from their holiday in Trinidad, so I had a good natter with them and looked at their photos.
On Wednesday Aum had a tennis lesson, so I got to fit a class in which was good. We went for a swim afterwards and then had a late lunch in the restaurant. I went for lime and chilli prawn skewers, but got them with some chunky chips as I fancied being naughty. We didn't do much in the afternoon as we were both pretty shattered, just watched some TV and his mum got home quite early so I got to finish. I was intending doing yoga in the evening, but swerved it as I felt I had reached my exercise quota for the day!
On Thursday I took Aum and his friend Max to Crocky Trail, which was loads of fun (see previous post) and then in the evening Mo (who is now my boyfriend :)) came round for some food and to watch a film. I was so beat after spending the day running around! I got a text that evening inviting Aum to the cinema and for lunch at a friends the next day which was a bonus, so once he had gone at 11am I had the day to myself until half 3, when I picked him up an took him for a haircut. His mum was back once we got home, so I went home and had a nap before dying my hair purple again, and going to the cinema to see Cloud Atlas with Mo (see next weeks post).
Saturday I woke bright and early to go and visit Jas in Leeds with Mum. We went shopping and had a Subway for lunch before coming back in the early evening. I got a couple of nice dresses from Ark that were fairly cheap, shame it was money I shouldn't really have been spending!
That evening I went into Manchester with Tasha, Emily and Smeed. We went to Taps for cocktails and then ended in Suede, which was an experience! It was pretty fun though. I was very lucky as I'd forgotten my ID so we couldn't get into a few places, but managed to sweet talk the bouncer there!
Today was a lazy day, I was supposed to be going for lunch with Luke from skiing, but we got our wires crossed so I slept for another couple of hours and then did some work on my blog. Mum made a really nice Greek style meal for tea with tzatsiki, pitta bread, chicken souvlaki, Greek salad and rosemary potatoes, which was a good end to a fun week!
Crocky Trail, Chester
Yesterday I took Aum and his friend Max to the Crocky Trail adventure park in Chester. We set off at half eleven and it took us about 45 mins to get there. After we had paid we headed over to the main play area, which had 'death slides', a giant see-saw, a centrifuge, a spinning dome that you had to try and get to the top of, a really difficult climbing wall, a massive hamster wheel (which was the most horrible experience ever, I couldn't get out!!), skipping game, wave machine that you had to get from one side of to the other, and a Gladiator game with big pieces of canvas that moved with as motor and tried to knock you off a balance beam.
The pair of them spent ages in that section messing around, but after a while I was getting bored and it was freezing, so I suggested we actually started the main trail. It began with a wooden bridge with a metal balance bar, which got off to a good start as Max refused to cross it as he was scared! Luckily there was a 'pushchair route' so he spent the majority of the trail on that!
It took us about an hour and a half to complete the circular track, and along the way there were various obstacles, more bridges (some a bit too treacherous for us!) tunnels that were very muddy, roundabouts, mazes, a jailhouse with a trick door so that you got locked in, a rope swing across the stream which made me very nervous about Aum falling in, and beams that you had to shuffle across on your bum using your hands!
It was loads of fun, and good exercise too! It's perfect for all ages, as the obstacles are varying in difficulty, and what kids don't love playing in muddy conditions running around and enjoying themselves? Max had a bit of a trip in some brambles, which he insisted on reminding us of at frequent intervals, but apart from that there were no injuries, which I thought was pretty good going!
After we had finished we stopped at the (cheap and cheerful) cafe/ food shack and had a sausage roll, crisps and flapjacks, and I got a hot drink to warm my freezing fingers! All of it came to £5.50, which considering over summer I spent £30 on pizzas at Chester Zoo I thought was an absolute bargain!
Crocky Trail was a really good day out for all the family and I would highly recommend it. It is pretty crude and basic though, so if you're not prepared to rough it and get dirty, then I'd suggest you give this one a miss!
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