December 2020 Archives

I am assuming many of us want this year to disappear, and oh has it been an interesting and terrible challenging year. I think a lot of people had high hopes for 2020, but we are probably all in agreement that this year has been terrible in one way or another, although people have come together for a sake of community, which is one good quality to take from it. There is much uncertainty and a lack of stability around the world at the moment. Some people have gone through much worse this year, so do not take my words the wrong way; I won't reveal it all, but it has not been a very kind year for me/my family. Of course, it could always be worse, but it's been rough and challenging. I'm still alive. I have a job. I am grateful for what I do have but regretful of various things that have been out of my control.

Personally, I entered 2020 on a high; it was going to be "my year" because the past several have not been kind. January marked seven years of freelancing, and despite the first contract (which ended up lasting two years), I have endured a few long-term rolling monthly contracts and full-on 24/7 contracts that contributed to a lack of stability. In that time, I was told to cancel holiday plans, including milestone birthday plans. I was messed about with contract cuts due to outsourcing and budgets. I had to take on more workload because the company required more work and/or did not have others with the required skills. I did spend some of those holidays working too. Being in this lifestyle prompted me to work extra days and avoid any long-term planning. It simply was not possible to make any plans. On the occassion where I did have a longer-term contract, I was messed about with cuts at the last moment and then had a booked holiday that affected being able to start another new project. It was the first holiday I'd booked after two years, and it screwed up my chances of securing a new project. (I could not cancel that holiday as it involved other people from overseas.)

After such a challenging time, my goal was to rectify the past few years where I had been longing for stability and wishing to focus on my well-being. This has been a goal that had been carried over the past few years, and frankly, I failed for a few years in my promises to myself in my 'New Year Resolutions'. Now, part of that was just being unlucky with the contracts secured and poor timing. Sadly, due to the coronavirus pandemic, many of my hopes remain unfulfilled. This year leaves me feeling incomplete....so many words, but 'incomplete' is probably the best to encapsulate all of the feelings.

This wave somehow sums up my feelings of 2020...

This prolonged lack of stability and inability to take time off to travel (something I enjoy immensely) is why I made the decision to accept a permanent job toward the end of last year. I started the new job before the mid-March lockdown. This was the first step in solving my problems. Like everyone else, I had plans. (Obviously, some people went through a lot worse than I have, and I am blessed in a lot of areas so far and despite the before-mentioned challenges, I do not want to jinx anything.) I'm just continuing/trying to be patient and optimistic, but it can be very difficult to do so at times. It has just been a very difficult and disturbing year.

Like many, I have felt largely in limbo, and I've felt so many other feelings. I, like others, have suffered in my lack of enjoyment of life and of not being able to do the little things that I enjoy from life. I think most have felt the same, and yes, it could be worse if measuring it against others who have not been as lucky. Despite all that, it has been challenging personally for me, and I think we should be allowed to admit and say that, despite whether or not we have lost someone and not been there to say 'goodbye' or lost our incomes. This will echo most people's feelings perhaps. We are all traveling our own paths, and it's not possible to measure what others are going through nor fair to compare to what others are going through.

'Social distancing' was a term coined for this pandemic

For me, part of this situation that I find myself in this year largely seems like a continuation of the past few years for me, although only on a personal scale. Like I mentioned earlier, I had to cancel my plans (milestone birthday, birthdays, visits to see family) or postpone them. I expected to "work hard, play hard later". Though, the "play hard" has not yet come, and the last time that I really felt really content was in 2013. When I think about it, I really could not have done anything differently, though. I was messed around, and that had consequences. Then, the right permanent job came along at the right time. Unfortunately, this "right time" was the time when "something" happened in China in 2019 to cause a global-scale pandemic.

We celebrated hope with rainbows...but it also is Pride

In keeping in line with the previous years, I thought that I would take a look back at this year 2020, although writing this has been far less than enjoyable than in previous years. This is certainly one year that I am glad to see the back of, and I just hope that 2021 is a much better year overall, although unfortunately I do not see any positive changes for several months. I am hoping for things to feel a little safer and "better" by the end of summer, 2021. If it happens sooner, then even better. I guess we just have to be patient a little while longer. It's not even the end of 2020 yet, and I am so frustrated about it.

January: The year started with my final month of contracting, which included finishing up and handing over my busy workload. During the cold January, I found myself at South Bank on my final busy day, walking around in the cold and gloomy weather in my least favourite month. I got to explore this area a little more during the past few months, but I was not based at South Bank that often as I was working on site at Sunbury-on-Thames or from home. The first time that I got out this year (in mid-January) was to enjoy afternoon tea with my friends at Rhinefield House in the New Forest, although I had to drive myself and my back was in terrible pain because I slept twisted. It took a couple of days for my back to recover, so I struggled through and left early.

Scones at Rhinefield House

Once again, Canary Wharf's Winter Lights appeared for 2020, filling the gloomy January days with some bright lights. It was bigger and better this year with a lot of larger, interactive artworks. The crowds were also out in full numbers this time, and it gets larger every year. The event has become a popular one now due to the interactive nature of the artworks and social media. There were even more street food options on the route as well. Unfortunately, the one or two-week event will not run in 2021 for the obvious reasons, but there will be artworks on display over a couple of months that will also enable visitors to come and view the objects from a distance and to avoid crowding. It won't be the same, but it is something I am really looking forward to next month.

Canary Wharf Winter Lights 2020

The end of the month brought a wonderful orange sky on my visit to Bournemouth (Lunch at Bournemouth's Urban Garden) to see family. We enjoyed a lovely meal out at Urban Gardens restaurant near the Lower Gardens in the centre of Bournemouth, and the food was amazing. After eating, we had a walk with my two-year-old nephew around the beach, and a beautiful sunset filled the sky.

Bournemouth January sunset

The 31st was a Friday this year; it was my last day contracting, and it was also the day that we found out that Brexit was going ahead and when it would happen. I began mentally planning the places that I was going to visit in Europe before the end of the year and after I passed my new job three-month probation, so I was expecting a holiday in the middle of May, and Berlin was my first choice destination. I couldn't afford to book before-hand because of the costly home renovations. (At the time of publishing this post, the majority of the work has just recently been completed.)

London is Open tube sign

February: The first day of my new job was on the 3rd of the month since the 1st fell on a Saturday. I spent this month settling into my new job. I was enjoying the walking in my morning commute from Holborn through Covent Garden to the Strand. I love this part of London, and I had the chance to explore it a little more and enjoy my lunch walks and trying new places. One of the lunch highlights was the cheesey pizza from Pizza Pilgrim's and The Cheese Bar. I was really looking forward to enjoying this area in the different seasons, especially at Christmas. I have fond memories of my little morning treks to the office.

Pizza Pilgrims and The Cheese Bar extra-cheesey pizza

Near the beginning of the month, I visited my friends at Kingston Lacey for a snowdrops walk. The snowdrops here are beautiful with so many different varieties, and I did not realise there are so many different varieties of snowdrop. We got lucky with the weather as our planned visit coincided with sunny weather. We enjoyed a pub lunch before our snowdrops walk. I had a great time and took so many photographs, and I thought that some of the photographs I took turned out really good. I hope I didn't drive my friends crazy by taking so many photographs.

Snowdrops at Kingston Lacey

Valentine's Day was a low-key event this year. I actually did not see it advertised a lot, and companies seemed to be late to market it for some reason. Anyway, I enjoyed the giant cookie cake from Blondies Kitchen, and you can see more decorations in London here: Valentine's Day 2020 in London.

Blondies cookie cake, based in Selfridges

The end of February brought Pancake Day, and I was happy to find that there are a few pancake lunch options at Covent Garden. Since I was working this year, I did not attend a Pancake Day Race like I have done in previous years, although the best Pancake Race, located off Brick Lane, does not seem to happen anymore. Instead, I got to induldge on pancakes. This time, I opted for Pancs in Covent Garden, and I tried their special Oreo pancake. It was very filling and sweet. I sat outside on the table in the courtyard of the market and listened to the singers and bands that perform daily here. It's always a great atmosphere here. 

Pancake Day at Pancs

My pancake visit was also the first time that the coronavirus was being mentioned a lot in the news, so I remember being extra careful to sanitise my hands and not touch my face. I always carry hand sanitizer with me and use it before I eat if I am unable to wash my hands, but I was extra cautious at around this time. Of course, there were not any restrictions yet, so everyone was just living their lives normally besides the extra caution. I don't think anyone would believe how quickly things would change.

March: March was the month that life completely changed. Before the change, however, I spent the first day of the month at the Desire Jewellery & Silversmithing Fair in Chelsea Hall, and I loved looking at the beautiful creations and colourful gemstones. The coronavirus was still in my mind, and everyone was being careful, but we were not frightened. We just went about our lives.

Desire Silversmithing in Chelsea

One exhibition that I had been wanting to visit for a few months was Troy: Myth and Reality at the British Museum. I enjoy this period of history and the story (although it is fiction, there are some elements of fact to the story as well), but I did not book the exhibit right away. The weekend dates kept selling out almost a month in advance, so visiting on a whim was not an option. As the exhibition was so popular, booking three or four weeks in advance still meant that the weekend dates had sold out, so the only time for me to visit was on its last day. The museum was popular that day, and the exhibiton was over-crowded. Coronavirus was in my mind with the large crowd and people coughing around me. The exhibition was interesting with information about the story and its influences in art and media from the past to the present day.

Frieze of the Trojan horse from the exhibition in the British Museum

In early March, I continued to enjoy my lunches and exploration of Covent Garden and Soho. I was excited to explore more and excited for the spring and summer to arrive when London comes alive. We'd had a particularly wet time throughout February and March, so I was looking forward to better weather. Two of my lunch highlights were Lunch at Curry House CoCo Ichibanya (Leicester Square, London) and Lunch at Shake Shack, Covent Garden. At the end of February, Leicester Square launched a sculpture trail with iconic film characters (Leicester Square's Iconic Film Characters Sculpture Trail: "Scenes in the Square"), so I spent one lunch looking for them in early March.

A delicious Coco Ichibanya chicken katsu

On the 16th of March, everything changed for me. On the end of that day, we were told to work from home due to the coronavirus. This led to the start of my 100-day confinement and the change to the world as we all know it. The official lockdown did not happen for about a week later, but I was already well into lockdown before it was then enforced. All plans for the year were then cancelled (or postponed and cancelled later) from here on out, although at the time, no one really knew how long things would take or that we would be continuing to deal with them today.

A rainbow during lockdown

April: The next three months (spring) really is going to be boring to read. I continued working from home, which was basically a continuation of my life from the past few years. Easter came and went without any interaction nor celebration. April had a pink super moon. People on my street stood outside to clap for the nurses, doctors and other staff that make up the NHS and key workers. Rainbows were used as a symbol for hope and for the NHS with banners and drawings hung in house windows. City centres and roads were empty. Shops, pubs, and restaurants closed. Even McDonalds closed for a few months. The weather was wet for the start of lockdown, but we also had some very nice sunny days. I saw beautiful rainbows. The whole world seemed to look to the skies and also to nature with the lack of pollution and road traffic. There was an anxious and eerie feeling. I continued to work through it. Many could not work and were either furloughed or became unemployed.

April's Pink Moon

We were blessed with some amazing weather, and I had afternoon tea delivered to me on one of these hot spring weekends. The afternoon tea was from a local Ruislip company called Honey Bee Cakes, which delivered through one of the delivery companies. I spent a lot of time in the warm sun in the garden listening to jazz or swing music, sipping drinks, and reading magazines. I spent hours talking to friends and family on the phone. I spent some time trying to get the house and garden in order, although the builders did not finish everything, so it was tricky. I was able to read my backlog of magazines, though.

Afternoon tea in my garden

May: In early May, we had a long Bank Holiday weekend for the 75th anniversary of VE Day, and many events were due to take place. Due to coronavirus, these were all cancelled. Instead, some streets had street parties, including my street. The road that I live on also hosted a party on VE Day seventy-five years ago, and one neighbour printed photographs and made a banner about it. I sat outside in my front garden, listened to the VE Day special, and had afternoon tea. After the tea, I had socially-distanced discussions with neighbours on my street. We had a sense of community. It isn't the weekend any of us had planned, but we still celebrated safely.

VE Day street party, socially-distanced of course

Over the course of the lockdown, I ordered some home-delivery treats to keep me going and to obtain some sanity. I'll note a few of my favourite ones: Popadoodledoo, Dollies Cookies, The Botanical Baker, Me You Meringue, The Cookie Mail, and Jo's Cake Co. Anyone who knows me knows that I have always had a real weakness for cookies, and cookies seems to be a popular lockdown treat.

Popadoodledoo skeep cake pops

In late May, protests also started to happen for Black Lives Matter, and this became a hot topic across the globe, especially for the next few weeks. This led the way to many discussions and changes. 

'Racism is a Virus' mural by Zabou, photographed during the summer after the lockdown

June: June is my birthday month, but we were still in full lockdown then. I had a lockdown birthday and ordered the smallest cake I could order from a local baker. Due to my lockdown birthday, I have postponed birthday plans for a proper celebration once it is safe to do so. I shall be deferring this year's birthday to another day next year (hopefully, although I will probably have to defer next year's too). The queen does it. She has two birthdays a year. I shall be doing the same to make up for birthdays I could not celebrate! It is only fair.

Lockdown birthday cake

In late June, I also celebrated one hundred days of lockdown during which I did not leave the home (or block as I did technically leave once on VE Day for a walk around the block). On the 100th day, the weather was gorgeous, so visited Whipsnade Tree Cathedral, and it felt very strange to see the world outside of my home again. It was also a frightening experience to be outdoors again and to see other people. I am sure that many other people are struggling with coping too. The day after also a lovely day, so I went to Coombe Hill in the Chilterns in Buckinghamshire after work for a walk and some much-needed exercise.

Coombe Hill in Buckinghamshire

Also at the end of the month, Merlin the cat decided to eat part of a dried lily. The lily came in a birthday flower bouquet. Merlin had to stay overnight at the vet's, and he cost me a lot of money. Merlin costs a lot of money by getting into things that my other cat (Lancelot) does not. Merlin needs to be pet-shamed.

July: By the middle of the month of July, some places were gradually reopening across the country. I took the advantage to book a long weekend away in Northumberland in the middle of the month and another long weekend away to Nottinghamshire/Lincolnshire at the end of the month. I also spent a lot of time out on walks, making up for the lost time spent stuck at home and indoors for nearly four months. When I was not working, I spent the month "making up for lost time".

Claremont Landscape Gardens

I am a member of the National Trust, so I started to explore National Trust properties again, such as Claremont Landscape Gardens. I am disappointed that the houses have been shut since the middle of March. A few buildings and houses did partially reopen at the end of summer for a month or two, but none of them were fully open, and most of the National Trust buildings remain closed during the autumn and winter months anyway. The gardens and parks on some of the properties were open so that people could get out. I personally enjoy the houses and buildings more, but I made the most of my membership. One of the highlights for me was my visit to Sheffield Park & Garden. It was one of the first properties that I visited after the lockdown, and it offers beautiful walks around ponds. The ducks enjoyed my company as well, and there were many ducklings and ducks looking to be fed. I ate a scone at one of the benches on the side of a pond, and they came up to me to beg for crumbs.

Sheffield Park Gardens

Another highlight was Nymans Gardens, although I did not stay long because it was an afternoon visit, and it was just a little bit too busy for me to feel comfortable around people. The house was closed, but the gardens and park could explored. The gardens here are beautiful, so I am looking forward to visiting it another year when it is kept up to its best. Many of the gardens were shut down and neglected during the lockdown, so they are not at their best this year. Also, I missed all of the spring colour this year due to the properties being closed all spring.

Nymans Gardens

In the middle of the month, I visited Northumberland for a long weekend. Hadrian's Wall has been on my list of places to visit in England, and I felt that it was a safe visit since the ruins can be enjoyed outdoors. Most museums, historical sites, and castles had not yet re-opened from the lockdown, so this was a tour to see as much of the wall as I could while getting some exercise and trying to increase my fitness levels from the 3.5 months where I did not leave home. It was hard work in places. I did see some amazing and beautiful places and learned a lot about Roman history in Britain. I visited so many great places (read about them here: Hadrian's Wall), and I also walked a couple of small sections of the wall. Milecastle 39 to Sycamore Gap is an amazing walk, and Walltown Crags also offers some expansive views of the wall.

Walltown Crags views of Hadrian's Wall

Another breath-taking place that I visited in Northumberland was National Trust's Wallington Gardens. Like all of the other National Trust properties, the house and buildings were closed, but we could walk around the grounds and walled garden. The walled garden is a must-see, and it's a huge place to explore. Even though the staff were not gardening and maintaining to the full levels over the lockdown, I could see that this is a beautiful garden, and do hope to return some day.

Wallington

At the end of July, I visited the Nottinghamshire/Lincolnshire area. By then, even more attrractions were open. I primarily visited this area because it is an area that is not too touristy and not full of people who may be passing viruses around. I was able to visit a couple of National Trust properties, such as Kedleston Hall and Gunby Estate, to have a walk around the park and gardens. Kedleston Hall has expansive park land with wildflower meadows, and Gunby Estate has beautiful gardens filled with butterflies. I would love to visit the houses in both properties, but I have to wait for that.

Kedleston wildflowers

The weather during this final week in July was hot and sunny, and one highlight for me was a fleeting visit to Skegness to see the beach. I enjoyed an ice-cold slushie on the beach and visited Skegness Model Village. I did not stay for long as there were small groups of people in some areas, and I did not want the risk. I would love to return to this area again once it is safe to do so.

Skegness Model Village

Other highlights on this visit included the ruins of two monastaries: Roche Abbey and Monk Bretton Priory. Roche Abbey was located down a long cobbled road that winded down into a valley, and Monk Bretton was located inside the subburbs of the city of Barnsley. Both set of ruins were interesting to walk around, even in the scorching weather. I had Monk Bretton to myself; it is free to visit but both are maintained by English Heritage.

Monk Bretton Priory

August: After an eventful July, August became just as eventful. For the first time since mid-March, I ventured back into London at the beginning of the month. The streets were quiet, but the nice weather had brought some people out. Going into London the first time on the tube was daunting, and subsequent visits have been equally daunting. My first visit was to Covent Garden, which I felt may be quieter and a good re-introduction to London. I did not have any problems on this visit. Covent Garden had some artwork, including a rainbow and a large-scale print "Love, Hope, Joy" by Anthony Burrill.

Love, Hope & Joy in Covent Garden

I also visited London in the middle of the month to see street art in Camden and then to visit Mercato Mayfair for lunch. Mercato Mayfair was on my list of places that I planned to visit in March, but I did not get to visit due to the lockdown. This beautiful church between Marble Arch and Bond Street contains a variety of street food sellers, and visitors can enjoy their food inside the church or on the rooftop terrace. I was able to enjoy lunch here on a Friday, and I virtually had the place to myself. I will return to try additional street food, but the pizza hit the spot on the day that I visited. (When doesn't pizza hit the spot?!) 

Pizza love at Mercato Mayfair

At the end of the month, re-visited Northumberland, but the purpose of my trip this time was primarily to see the castles and ruins that were not open during my mid-July visit but that had since re-opened. I saw so many amazing castles and ruins, and two of my highlights included the large Warkworth Castle, which has tunnels and a large keep to explore, and the fortified English-Scottish border house of Aydon Castle. Both are very different examples of castle in Northumberland.

Warkworth Castle

On one particularly windy day, I spent part of the morning exploring Tynemouth Castle and Priory. The views were amazing, but it was so windy that the visibility was not great. Not all of the buildings were open, but there is a mixture of an old monastary ruins and a battery from the second World War. Although I did not explore it this time, the village of Tynemouth looks lovely too with a street of independent shops and pubs that lead up to the castle, and I do hope to return once it is safe to do so. Hopefully, the weather will be nicer when I do return. 

Tynemouth Castle & Priory

The highlight of the August Northumberland visit for me was Dunstanburgh Castle. This is an amazing castle, which is really just a long wall with a keep and impressive views. There is a walk to the castle from the nearest village, and the walk is along the coast with views over the sea and of the castle. The weather that day was perfect for it as well; it was not too hot and not too cold, and the sun was bright.

Dunstanburgh Castle

Another English-Scottish border castle visited on this trip was Norham Castle, which is considered to be one of the original Victorian "romantic ruins", which were fashionable ruins to visit in Victorian times. This castle inspired many paintings and poems as a result of its status in those times. The castle did have a fair number of visitors when I visited it toward the end of the afternoon. The weather was perfect during the visit.

Norham Castle

September: September was another busy month of making up for lost time, and the middle of the month was the highlight for me because I had a long weekend in Exmoor. I have never been to Exmoor before, so this was a "taster" trip to explore the area. It is an area that I certainly will be returning to. Although the trip was for a long weekend only, I was able to enjoy an evening wander around Ilfracombe after eating fish and chips. I do wish to return for boat rides and other attractions that are currently shut due to coronavirus.

Ilfracombe harbour

During my visit to the area, I revisited Tintagel Castle for the first time after my very first visit fifteen years ago. The castle is now more accessible with a bridge so that visitors do not have to walk up the steep steps to visit. The views are impressive, and this castle has always been one of the best castles to explore in England. After Tintagel Castle, I visited Boscastle in Cornwall. Many of the attractions were shut here, so I do hope to return to Boscastle. I did climb the hill for amazing views, and I'd love to walk to the waterfall at some point. I had amazing weather for it; it was sunny and not too warm.

Tintagel Castle

One of the highlights for me was a quick walk in the Valley of Rocks in Exmoor. This coastal path has amazing views and a tearoom a short walk away. I plan to return here one day and walk to the village to visit the attractions there. Many attractions continued to be shut during my visit, and I would not have had enough time for them on this visit anyway.

Valley of Rocks in Exmoor

Additionally, Dunster Castle and the iconic and infamous Tarr Steps were also nice places that I visited in Exmoor. Dunster Castle was partially open for visits, and it is a fascinating place that I hope to return to when it is safe to do so; it also has a lovely village and mill. Tarr Steps is an ancient stone bridge that visitors can walk across, and I ended up on a long woodland riverside walk here as there was a one-way system in place due to the pandemic.

Tarr Steps in Exmoor

Another highlight of September was a visit into London to enjoy afternoon tea at Fait Maison. This was my farewell to summer. I love the beautiful decor at Fait Maison, and the bright and sunny day made my visit even more special. I find that September's weather is often nicer than August's, so sitting outside was not a problem.

Fait Maison afternoon tea

I did also enjoy a couple of National Trust properties in September, and Standen House was the most memorable; I visited at the end of September as the leaves were starting to transform for autumn. Standen House was one of the first National Trust buildings to partially-reopen as they started to slowly reopen some from mid-August. The whole house was not open, but visitors could explore a few of the rooms. The Arts & Crafts house is worth a visit in the future, once it is fully open of course. 

Standen House

October: At the beginning of October, I visited Chiltern Valley Winery for a wine, beer, and liquor tasting and tour. I took half the day off work and went to Basildon Park earlier in the day to enjoy a visit to the part of the house that was open and to walk around the grounds. After Basildon Park, I had a meal at Henley-on-Thames before the winery tour. We learned about Chiltern Valley Winery's history before walking into the vineyard where the grapes had been harvested that morning. We saw the bottling process and the beer-making process. It was an enjoyable day out.

Wine tasing and tour at Chiltern Valley Winery

London hosted two sculpture trails in October: Frieze Sculpture in Regent's Park and Mayfair Sculpture Trail. I visited both of them at the beginning of the month. Frieze Sculpture in Regent's Park normally takes place between July and October, but I am happy to announce that they still managed to host it for a couple of weeks in October. I saw a few people visiting the sculptures. The Mayfair Sculpture Trail is new for this year and was hosted with a special gallery weekend as well as a month-long sculpture trail that visitors could navigate. Some of the sculptures were placed for the trail, but others are permanent. The creative fields are suffering at the moment, so I am glad that both events went ahead as we all need the arts.

Frieze Sculpture Trail

For the first time since early February, I caught up with friends for a meal and had a walk around Mottisfont Abbey. This was the first time that I've had any face-to-face human contact with anyone I know outside the house (excluding neighbours). This was my first walk around the estate and grounds at Mottisfont Abbey, and it was a pleasant walk along the water.

Mottisfont Abbey

The autumn colours looked gorgeous this year, and I got to escape the house a couple of times in order to enjoy them. I visited Sheffield Park Garden and Winkworth Arboretum. Unfortunately, the sun did not shine during either of my visits to see autumn colour this year, but I thought that both Sheffield Park Garden and Winkworth Arboretum are great places to visit in the autumn. Maybe I will be luckier next year with the weather. All of the sunny days, and we did have a few, were during the weekdays when I was working.

Sheffield Park in the autumn

At the end of October, I visited east London to see new street art. At the end of my walk, I visited Spitalfields Market and Humble Crumble, which were selling their tasty crumble in a miniature pumpkin/gourd. As well as being delicious, the crumble was also cute and seasonal. I also spent a lot of time throughout the month of October helping organise a community fund-raiser and Halloween trail. Part of this fund-raiser ended up being due to a terrible tragedy involving a little girl that took place in the community toward the end of the month.

Humble Crumble pumpkin crumble

November: On the first day of the month, I met up with the friends that I saw at the end of October for Halloween afternoon tea at Waddesdon Manor. This was the first time that I have been to Waddesdon Manor for afternoon tea. The food was delicious, and the service was also very attentive; I could not fault it at all, and I loved the Halloween-themed desserts.

Waddesdon Halloween afternoon tea

Unfortunately, the country went into a lockdown again on the fifth of November, cancelling my plans for the month, which included Thanksgiving and a light trail at Stourhead. I prefer Thanksgiving to Christmas, so locking down for "people to have a normal Christmas" is controversial because many others do not (or will not, due to the virus) celebrate Christmas. Even if I did have my family near, I do not think it would be a good idea to meet up with them anyway, so locking down in November means others have to suffer at that expense. (I would have preferred that businesses stay open with social distancing and mask-wearing instead of the message to get numbers to fall for some less strict measures at Christmas, which is sure to end badly.)

On the day before this second lockdown, the country had sunny and fairly warm weather, so I took a half day off at short notice to explore Donnington Castle and Ludgershall Castle and just escape the house. I had previously visited Ludgershall Castle in the summer, so I was surprised to see how different it was in the autumn.

Donnington Castle

Bonfire Night (November 5) was the day that the lockdown took effect. Those who wanted to celebrate had to have lockdown bonfire night fireworks. I enjoy a good fireworks display, so I had to settle with a bottle of Prosecco in the loft while looking out the window to watch garden displays. I saw several fireworks from a distance but nothing remarkable. (Of course, Diwali happened a week later, so there were some fireworks for that too.) I love this time of the year with Halloween and fireworks. I know some people do not like it.

Lockdown fireworks for Guy Fawkes and Diwali

On that first weekend of the lockdown, I went to a local park known as Northala Fields. It is located in West London in Northolt, and on a clear day, visitors can see all the way to Canary Wharf. It was still a bit foggy when I visited, but the fog was clearing into a clear day. It's actually a really nice place with four constructed mounds that can be climbed, fishing ponds, a cafe, and a playground.

Northala Fields

Due to the lockdown, I did not get to celebrate Thanksgiving Day and weekend as I had planned, so I had a lockdown Thanksgiving. I had to cancel or reschedule my plans for those few days. I did find a hotel that prepare Thanksgiving Day meals that you could take home to cook from home. Unfortunately, that ended up being an extremely stressful experience and my main oven not working. (It's a long story, but I've been waiting for the electrician to fix my oven since the beginning of the first lockdown.) A few people on the street suggested a socially-distanced chat and drink on the street in front of the houses in honour of the lockdown Thanksgiving, and some mean person reported it as a rave. It was literally about eight of us socially-distanced into two groups in conversation for about an hour until the police came in a large van expecting a rave, but they left again because we were not doing anything wrong.

Lockdown Thanksgiving

December: On the 4th of December, the second lockdown ended. I took a trip into London on the Friday of that week to see the Christmas lights and decorations (Where to see London's Christmas Lights and Decorations in 2020). I enjoy seeing London's decorations every year. It was obviously a low-key affair this year. Some had not decorated at all, and others were late to decorate. In addition to London's decorations, I also spent some time walking around my local area to see the Christmas lights and map out trails. Unfortunately, due to the November lockdown, the first visit to London was particularly busy, which was a result of the November lockdown.

Christmas lights in London

Due to my booking for the Stourhead light trail being cancelled in November, I had to rebook it for the middle of December; I did not have many options of availability for the re-booking. Stourhead's light trail was definitely the highlight of December for me.

Stourhead light trail

Unfortunately, later in the same week that I went to Stourhead, new restrictions were placed on the area that I live in and then tightened a couple of days after that, so all other plans were cancelled. I did not have Christmas plans involving other people, but I did have other plans involving countryside walks and another light trail that were cancelled. The short-notice cancellation and changes for areas meant that those affected were placed in danger with mass exodus and supermarket chaos. If I have gotten the virus, it will be due to that lack of government response. I felt safer on the tube and in restaurants than I have on that visit to the supermarket.

My Christmas was a quiet one. Now, the virus is spreading again, so there are more restrictions. The government has been slow to react and has failed in the timely measures. The vaccines have been approved and started with the elderly and NHS staff, so these are being rolled out. I just hope that the government does not mess them up. After previous issues with the "track and trace", testing, and other communications, I do not have much faith in the government. However, I am trying to remain positive and hope that they do succeed this time.

Regent Street Thanks

I think that most people will be looking forward to this year ending with better hopes for 2021. I do not see changes happening right away, though, and I am thinking that the best case scenario to "normality" being by the end of next summer.

In short conslusion, I had put things in place for 2020 to be an amazing year to finally get the stability and travel and take better care of myself. Unfortunately, none of those could be achieved this year due to the coronavirus pandemic. I've been beating myself up a bit about the past few years, although there is nothing I can do about that now except to try to be patient and wait for the "normality" and threat to go away.

Due to 2020 being an all-around poop year, I will just have to wait for change in 2021. My new goals are to take better care of myself and not work myself to death, plan days to look forward to, and travel (once it is safe to do so). I will probably not travel abroad next year, even if it is safe. I do not have any hopes for immediate change, so I will just have to see what happens. Until then, I have to do what I have done the past few years and live one day at a time. I would love to get to the place again where I could plan things to look forward to, but it's not safe yet until the vaccine programme is rolled out further...and then we still do not know if we will need a vaccine each season (if our body's immunity wears off of the virus changes considerably). Anyway, all I can do is live one day at a time and think about what I want to do when it is safe again. Once these things are in place, I can defer my goals of travel and stability. Happy New Year! Here's to a much better one for us all!

Unique to this year, Silverstone Circuit has launched their Silverstone Lap Land, an immersive Christmas drive around the track at a slow pace so that drivers and their passengers in their cars can see different light displays and decorations. The Christmas-themed drive has a few festive displays and a lot of bright and colourful lights and smoke machines. The event was cancelled for Tier4 for a few days until the restrictions were clarified by the government (visitors stay in their cars and do not have any contact with anyone else anyway). I visited the event earlier today as it was still allowed to go ahead.

Before the drive, visitors were asked to tune their radio to a particular frequency, and this was broadcast with Christmas music and a live commentator. This actually really helped to make the event. The drive consisted of a slow ride following other cars around the track. Unfortunately, a lot of the cars there were just standard family cars, so it's staring at the back of them as you drive around.

There were different light displays and some different racing vehicles located in different places along the track. 

This was not a racing event. The pace on the track is around five to ten miles per hour, and visitors must not change lanes and keep a distance of about five cars' length behind the car in front.

Overall, it was good to get out of the house over the strange days between Christmas and New Year when everything seems to run together (not to mention the lockdown restrictions), and the bright lights along with the music and commentary made this a good event. It did meet my expectations as I was not sure what it would be like, but more festive light displays along the track would be welcome.

Monk Bretton Priory are the remains of a Cluny monastery located in South Yorkshire. It was founded in the mid-1100s by a local landowner who insisted that daily prayers were said for the family as it was thought that that would help them after death. The ruins are in a decent condition with drainage that can be seen on the site as well as walls and standing structures, such as the gatehouse. The priory was dedicated to St. Mary Magdalene.

The gatehouse, below, was the entrance to the site.

The adminstrative buildings held a courthouse for disputes and collection of rent of the tenant farmers covering the area. There was also a long dispute with Pontefract, and the monastery broke from the order and became an independent Benedictine establishment.

Below is the prior's range. The cellar contained store rooms and a well for water, and the rooms above it were for meeting and living. This part of the site was used as a house in the middle ages, after the monastery was dissolved.

The kitchens contained drainage considered to be amongst the best drainage in a monastery in Europe, which took the waste water away from the location. It included a sluice gate that could be used to control the flow of water for deeper cleans. 

The site at Monk Bretton has many ruins to explore in a decent condition. This site is free to visit and maintained by English Heritage.

Kahuna Cookie Company deliver thick, stuffed American-style cookies to the UK and Europe in small batches. I was lucky enough to nab their special Christmas box before they ran out of stock. This is one online cookie shop that tends to sell out pretty quickly. I've had my eyes on getting a box for months, and this was the first time that I was successful. So, what came in the box? Read below to find out.

The Christmas Kahuna Cookie Company box contained six stuffed cookies of different flavours and a selection of minature candy canes and Christmas Hershey's kisses thrown in. The flavours included:

Ginger Butterscotch Pud: This cookie is made of gingerbread dough, crystalised ginger, butterscotch chips and filled with biscoff and topped with a miniature gingerbread man. I loved this flavour, and the crystalised lumps of ginger and butterscotch chips made the texture a lovely one. If you enjoy ginger, you will enjoy this. Ginger is a warming spice that is used in a lot of Christmas recipes, so it is bang on trend. 

Baileys Hot Chocolate: Many peoples' favourite Christmas drink is Baileys - a creamy alcoholic after-diner shot. This cookie is made of chocolate Irish Cream dough, dark chocolate chips, gold chocolate chips, pecans and Baileys salted caramel. It is filled with cheesecake and completed with a Hershey's kiss shaped as a Santa hat.

The Purple One: In the Christmas selection of chocolate from Quality Street, a lot of people enjoy "The Purple One", which is a milk chocolate with a hazelnut in the centre. This cookie mimics that candy. It is made of milk chocolate and hazelnuts and filled with caramel with "The Purple One" candy on top. Chocolate chip cookies with nuts are a firm favourite of mine as it's a traditional.

Oreo Candy Cane: The Oreo-flavoured candy cane must be a new flavour of candy cane that I have not come across before, so the candy cane turns the simple Oreo into a festive treat. The cookie is made with triple chocolate dough with Oreo cookie chunks and white chocolate chips. The cookie is stuffed with Oreo Cookies and Cream filling and topped with the Oreo candy cane. I absolutely loved this cookie; it tasted delicious. 

Red Nose: The festive Malteser reindeer on top of this cookie turns this Malteser-inspired cookie into a festive treat. The cookie is made of malt dough with smashed Maltesers. It has a red velvet centre and is filled with Malteser spread, topped with the festive Malteser reindeer.

Mince Pie: Mince pies are a traditional Christmas treat, but they are one that I dislike. So, this was my least favourite of the cookies personally. The cookie is made of mince pie dough and stollen pieces and filled with sweet mincemeat (basically chopped dried fruit, not actual meat). It is topped with a festive holly berry design.

I have tried a lot of different home-delivered cookie companies, and I will say that Kahuna is one of the tastiest.

Despite the coronavirus pandemic, London has still put on a dispay of Christmas lights and decorations. Due to the lockdown in November, many of the venues were late to put up their decorations this year, so it took a couple of visits to London in order to see them all. Keep reading to see where you can see London's Christmas lights and decorations. If you want to see some of London's Christmas-themed treats, I have created a post here: Where to Buy Christmas-Themed Treats in London (2020)

Oxford Street: The Oxford Street banners have returned with the addition of stars. This year, the messages displayed on the banners are tributes to the heroes in the health service and community during this terrible year of the coronavirus pandemic. Of course, social distancing warnings and signs along and on the pavements highlight to all visitors to the area to keep their distance from everyone else to stop the spread of the virus.

Regent Street: Like the past couple of years, the spirits or angels of Regent Street have returned. These decorations were inspired by the Regent Street Christmas decorations many years ago. They have become a favourite in London. Regent Street's toy store Hamley's decorates for the holidays, but a lot of shops have toned down the displays this year. Off of the top of Regent's Street is Maddox Street, home to Maddox Gallery. The past couple of years, they have added elaborate displays, but they have not done anything this year. 

Oxford Street window displays: The major department stores in London have decorated, but due to the coronavirus pandemic, some of these department stores have gone bust and have not decorated. Overall, it is looking less festive than it normally does on Oxford Street.

St. Christopher's Place: This little 'hidden' alleyway off Oxford Street is always festive, and the decorations are always very similar with festive large orbs. This year, the mannekin is draped with gold, silver, and bright purple tinsel.

Selfridges: The department store near Bond Street on Oxford Street always decorate its windows. This year, the theme is Christmas trees. 

Carnaby Street: Carnaby Street are always a favourite. Their lights this year are inspired by heroes and hope, and you can read more about them here: Carnaby Street Christmas Lights 2020: Choose Love. Off of Carnaby Street is Liberty Department store, and they normally decorate the interior mezzanine with a festive display, but that has not happened this year.

Covent Garden: Covent Garden is always festive at Christmas. The giant Christmas tree and floral displays are in place at the piazza and in the market. This year, Lego have added an exhibition in the piazza, and their interactive exhibition can be booked in advance. There are a couple of Lego characters around the market to locate too. For more photographs, see: Covent Garden Christmas 2020.

Seven Dials: Seven Dials change their display every year. This year, the theme is white branches and garlands with pink, blue, and gold baubles of different sizes.

Seven Dials Market: Inside Seven Dials Market, lights and Christmas trees decorate the seating area.

Fortnum and Mason: The department store Fortnum & Mason have been decorating the front of their shop as an advent calendar for the past couple of years now. It is most attractive when viewed at sunset or dusk.

Burlington Arcade: Burlington Arcade is one of London's famous arcades at the edge of Mayfair. The arcade is decorated with beautiful red baubles and white frosted branches with twinkling warm lights. There are a couple of potted Christmas trees and a swing inside, aimed at people to take selfies.

Cartier: The front of Cartier's shop in Mayfair always decorates well for Christmas. This year, their red ribbon is accompanied by their mascot, a big cat (leopard?). The display has increased in size. It always attracts crowds.

Tiffany: A few doors down from Cartier is Tiffany's, and they have simple neon trees in their company blue colour.

Mayfair: Of course, Mayfair has many shops that decorate, and it's always worth a walk up and down the streets. Stella McCartney's shop, a few doors down from Cartier, is normally decorated fully but only has the ground level decorated this year. The lights for Mayfair have returned again this year, and they are the pecaock feathers and diamonds.

Annabel's: This private members' club has been decorating for the holidays for the past few years. This year, they have gone with a nutcracker theme complete with the facade of the building draped in over-sized curtains.

Hedonism Wines: Located in Mayfair, this wine shop has been decorating for the holidays for the past few years. This time, it's completely outdone itself with the festive flair.

King's Cross St. Pancras tree: Each year, King's Cross St. Pancras have their own Christmas tree. It is always decorated with a particular brand. In the past, Tiffany's and Disney have features. This year, EL&N (Elan cafe) have designed the Christmas tree. They have just opened a branch of their cafe at the station. "Wishing you a season of sweetness" is the tagline on one side of the tree. It uses the company's trademark pink colour, and the tree is a carousel with pink horses, which mimics the interior of its popular cafe.

King's Cross: King's Cross have actually decorated three Christmas trees this year. The first one is located near German Gymnasium, which is a bar, opposite King's Cross entrance. It is a colourful tree with multi-coloured LED branches. Further along at Granary Square is an abstract Christmas tree that people can stand underneath and interact with. The third tree is in its new shopping area, Coal Drops Yard. This tree is made with over 70 succulents in glass baubles. (One of the company's here at Coal Drops Yard offer workshops, and one of their workshops is terranium-making, and I was planning to sign up for one of them this year after having been inspired after my first visit to Coal Drops yard at this time last year.)

King's Road Duke of York Square and Belgravia: Duke of York Square features its own festive Christmas tree, and there are plenty of window displays along King's Road and in Belgravia.

Peggy Porschen: The cafe, Peggy Porchen, has two branches. King's Road in Chelsea and Belgravia's Elizabeth Street. Both cafes have pink and tan gingerbread, peppermint, and star displays.

The Ivy Chelsea Garden: The popular restaurant is located on King's Road and have gone all out on the Christmas decorations for the past three years. This year, they feature several selfie opportunities and a fascade covered in decorations. 

Hays Gallery: Every year, the gallery along the river decorate with a large Christmas tree.

City Hall along the Thames: City Hall, located along the Thames, have gotten into the festive mood this year with a woodland animal theme featuring a deer, robin, and fox. This one has become popular with people to get photographs of. Also, I will state that Borough Market is also looking festive with its large Christmas tree and expanded market with street food.

The Shard: The Shard's light show has returned on the tower. Tower 42 was also projecting Christmas jumpers (for Christmas jumper day), and some of the towers in the City do light up for the season. Visiting London at this time of the year is always magical, but it was very muted this year.

Fait Maison: The restaurant and cafe always decorate for the seasons. This Christmas, they kept the florals pretty neutral but added swans and feathers around the door. It is less than they usually do. Inside the cafe, the swan features in a lot of its pastry designs.

Tate Britain: Tate Britain's winter commission on the facade of the building celebrates Diwali and various stereotypes of colonial rule in India as well as personal stories of the artist, Chila Kumari Singh Burman. "Remembering a brave new world" is the commission to be seen until the end of January.

Trafalgar Square: Visit Trafalgar Square for its giant Christmas tree. The Christmas tree is a gift from Norway, and they have gifted a tree each year since 1947.

Churchill Arms in Kensington: The Churchill Arms is London's best-dressed pub with Christmas trees covering the outside of the pub. It is worth a visit and is a little different each year.

South Bank, Leicester Square, and Winter Wonderland Markets and Attractions: South Bank and Leicester Square are normally festive with a Christmas market, but they have been cancelled this year. Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park, a fun land with a market, amusements, rides and attractions, is also cancelled this year.

Connaught Christmas Tree: Each year for the past few years, The Connaught hotel have commissioned an artist to decorate a Christmas tree. There is a Christmas tree this year with simple white lights in front of the hotel, but there is not a commission this year.

Previous London Christmas lights are below:

• Where to see London Christmas lights and decorations (2019 Edition)
• Christmas in London 2018 - Lights and Displays
• Where to see London's Christmas Lights 2017
• London's Christmas Lights 2016
• Christmas Lights and Windows 2015
• London Christmas Lights 2014
• London's Christmas Lights 2013
• London Christmas Lights and Window Displays 2012

Previous London Window displays are below (I've phased these out as they have not been as interesting the past few years and more interest seems to be on the facade of the building as opposed to displays inside the windows):

• 2017
• 2016
• 2015
• 2014
• 2013
• 2012
• 2011

I hope that all of my readers have a merry Christmas, despite all of the restrictions and anxieties this year. Christmas is tough enough for some people already, only to have the extra issues this year due to the coronavirus pandemic thrown on top. Due to the lack of direction and guidance from the government at not managing expectations, people had had their plans thrown apart at a few days' notice. Even those who did not have any plans with meeting with anyone else over this festive time had had their plans torn apart, and if I did catch this virus, it will be due to those last-minute plan changes and restrictions on my movement. Unfortunately, I have lost faith in the government due to their poor handling. Although Christmas is not my favourite time of the year, this one has been the quietest. No work Christmas parties to go to, festive afternoon tea and cocktails were cancelled, light trails and other events were cancelled, carol singing was cancelled, meals out were cancelled, shopping trips were cancelled... I did manage to get into London to see the lights and decorations, but it was an anxious and muted trip.

Instead of traditional Christmas parties, people had to have calls over video chats on the phone or computers. They had festive quizzes and bingo, escape rooms, cocktail-making, and so on. The above cocktail was made in one of the cocktail-making courses. A box of the ingredients was sent, and we were told how to make cocktails by someone who worked at Absolut Vodka (with Dirty Martini). The Christmas cocktail tasted amazing.

I bought some Christmas flowers to put in front of the fireplace. Just a little bit of beauty helps keep calm and happy in an otherwise depressing and anxious time.

On Christmas Eve, which I do much prefer to Christmas Day, I had some drinks outside with neighbours (all socially-distanced, of course). I enjoyed a hot chocolate with marshmallows in my new mug (I bought myself a Christmas Eve mug). Instead of reading a book, which was my original plan, I ended up watching one of my favourite films, "It's a Wonderful Life". 

Today is just a quiet day with my Maine Coons. There may be more socially-distanced drinks later with neighbours. I will also be cooking a meal and possibly watching more films or reading. Whatever it is that you decide to do, I hope that you have an amazing day and take care of yourself and stay safe.

I have been reading a lot over the past few months, and I have compiled a short-list of some books that you may enjoy during this festive season. For these winter months, there is nothing more enjoyable than sitting in front of the fire with a hot chocolate while enjoying a good book. 

"The Country Village Christmas Show" by Cathy Lake
Bonnier Books, released 29 October, 2020
This book follows the life of divorcee Clare as she moves back in with her recently-widowed mother and large German Shepherd dog in Little Bramble village. The story focuses on Clare and local vet Sam and his sister who has lasting mobility challenges due to an accident. The story of Clare and Sam and a blossoming relationship is the focus of the story with a short back story about a Christmas show to bring community together. The story is cute in places and held a lot of promises, but I felt it dwelled a little too much on the back story of Clare and Sam and their struggles with trust and loss. It's a good read, but it could have been better.
My review: 7/10

"Together by Christmas" by Karen Swan
Pan Macmillan, released 29 October, 2020
Set in Amsterdam, this novel focuses on Lee, who had been a journalist on the front line, and her young son. The novel has a lot of dimension for a Christmas story, and it really helps you to understand the run up to Christmas that is celebrated in the Netherlands. The story starts with a mystery book left in the bicycle basket and then ends up understanding the back story for Lee and her budding relationships with those around her. The book gave me a sense of the celebrations in Amsterdam and made a good read.
My review: 9/10

"The Winter Garden" by Heidi Swain
Simon & Schuster, released 1 December, 2020
Freya's circumstances change before the winter hits, and she leaves as caretaker of an estate to a new estate in Nightingale Square where she quickly makes friends with the others while working on the Winter Garden. However, there is one man that she does not seem to connect with - artist and sculptor Finn. The story focuses on Freya and her blossoming relationship with the people at her new home while they create this winter garden trail for guests. This book is a perfect winter read; it's less about Christmas, but it is a perfect winter romance book.
My review: 9/10

"Christmas at Lock Keeper's Cottage" by Lucy Coleman
Boldwood Books, released 3 September, 2020
Tollie owns the canal boat that attracts guests for festive fun each year, and his grand-daughter Immi arrives on the scene and wants to make it more special this year. However, a blizzard threatens to cancel their festivities, and Immi's boyfriend Gray is out of the area. The community must come together to make the most of it and to stop the blizzard ruining their plans. Overall, I felt that this book was slow-paced and dragged in places. The ending of the book had the festive Christmas mood, but the beginning and middle was a bit of a struggle to keep interest.
My review: 6/10

"Miracle Creek Christmas" by Krista Jensen
Shadow Mountain Publishing, released 8 September, 2020
Riley moves to a small town to start work as n art teacher. Mark is a firefighter who suffered serious burns to his face and body on the job. He soon bonds with Riley over artwork, in particular as his mother was an artist. He convinces her to help finish his mother's artwork for the nativity. Mark suffers chatting to her since the fire has made a lasting impression on him physically and psychologically. This book does not have a strong Christmas mood, but it is a nice romantic story with characters that learn how to accept each other.
My review: 8/10

"Snowball's Christmas" by Kristen McKenagh
Kensington, released 29 September, 2020
Told from the perspective of the white fluffy kitten named Snowball, this story follows Snowball's human family - Mrs. Tilly (owner of the guest house) and Emily (cook of the guest house). When Mrs. Tilly's newphew Lukas arrives, he starts to make repairs and wants his aunt to sell up and retire. Emily wants to own her own bakery. Snowball attempts to get the two together, even though they often argue and do not realise that they need each other. Again, I did not find this one to be too Christmassy, but a cat as the main character is a little unique in the story.
My review: 5/10

The illuminated light trail at Stourhead in Wiltshire was first realised last year. I was not able to go last year, so it was high on my list this year. Despite booking in September for the earliest slot on its opening day, the November lockdown meant that the event was postponed and my original date was cancelled. I had to rebook for a less-than-convenient day. Luckily, I was able to get to go then and did not book it for the end of December because my area on the fringe of London is now under new restrictions with all other plans cancelled at last minute (thanks, Covid 19). This visit to Stourhead took place last Monday. My visit was thankfully dry and not too cold, and I enjoyed getting out. There have been very few times this year that I have actually been able to get out and do things.

Due to coronavirus, the event was scheduled with social-distancing in mind, so the displays did not encourage much lingering nor crowding. However, there were a couple of tight points where other members of the public seemed to forget that there was a pandemic and got very close to crowding. Despite these two instances, most people were being respectful, but there was a mild and muted anxiety in the air.

We were led down a hill to the greenhouse for the first lights. This little area was a bit narrow with two light-covered archways with people crowding around. This was the first problem area. At the end, this led to a small orchard with trees covered in orbs, snowflakes in the walled garden, and the lit-up greenhouse.

Next, we walked through an illuminated walkway and saw views of the facade of Stourhead house, which was illuminated.

The trail then diverted into the courtyard by this house, and Santa was here. He was socially-distanced inside his little fence, but he could get photographs with you and speak to you if you wanted to tell him what you wanted for Christmas. It was all in mind with safety here.

Next up, we came to illuminated rattan-style displays in the first twelve days of Christmas, surrounded by flames.

Futher along the trail, we saw a few Christmas trees made of sleds.

Then, on to the first larger display of illuminated tulips. This was set to a light show, and they changed colour.

At the end of that was a tunnel of light.

Lit-up gifts decorated the trail.

We even saw some lit-up constellations.

And the trees were aglow with different colours...

...with seats...

...and flying sculptures.

A tunnel of love with red glowing sequin hearts was the next part of the trail to walk through.

This led to an illuminated mistletoe.

We are on the top of the hill before the descent, so we could see the beautiful buildings from the top. These were lit up. It gave us a clue of what to expect below.

Down the trail, the forest was carpeted in lights.

Disco balls hung from illuminated blue and red trees...

...with rattan reindeer and foxes aglow...

...and a shiny Rudolph light hanging on the trail above us, his nose lighting the way.

Around the corner were the final "twelve days of Christmas" illuminated.

We kept seeing the glimpses of the buildings through the trees.

With some lights appearing to fall to the ground around us, sparkling silver strands.

The silhouettes of angels were in the windows of a building along the lake.

A little chapel and building were alight along with illuminated water lillies and the illuminated bridge across a lake, the reflectings adding to the beauty. This was set to a light and sound show that changed colour.

Despite the coronavirus pandemic and anxieties caused by it, I enjoyed my visit to Stourhead for its Christmas light display. It has been the highlight of my month.

Lacock is a village with a medieval monastary-turned-country house in Wiltshire. The village is an attractive with many original timber-framed and stone buildings, and it is maintained by National Trust. The village was first mentioned in the Domesday Book and was a popular settlement due to the wool trade. The abbey and estate were the property of Henry Fox Talbot who was instrumental in the photography field. The village and abbey was used in film and television and is most notable for various "Harry Potter" films, "Fantastic Beasts" film, and "Downton Abbey".

This was my first visit to Lacock, and it was just for a quick walk around the abbey grounds and village as the abbey and house itself is currently closed due to the coronavirus pandemic. I do hope to return to tour the buildings and museums, so I hope that museums and arts venues can open next year.

I walked around the abbey grounds and abbey first. Although the abbey is shut, there were a couple of places where you could look into a hallway or cloisters in order to see a few Christmas trees that were decorated by local community organisations. 

Afterwards, I walked to the courtyard where there were more Christmas trees and decorations. There is a brewery here, and you could look inside it to see a couple of Christmas trees.

I enjoyed the doorways and decorations that I saw around Lacock and the abbey.

The village does have a few shops, cafes, and restaurants. Some of these remain closed, but I did visit the chocolate shop and a few craft shops.

One of the buildings was selling various jars of jam and meringues outside on the wall.

Unfortunately, the bakery was shut.

It is such an attractive town, and I hope to visit it again as soon as things are opened. Hopefully, I will not have to wait too long.

Each festive season, London's cafes, restaurants, bakeries, and shops offer a selection of festive treats. I love when London's cafes, hotels, and restaurants offer themed seasonal treats. I've tracked a few places down for you this year to help get you in the festive mood and to support our local businesses. I wrote the majority of this article before the new lockdown restrictions broke, so please try to support these businesses (and additional ones) by using takeaway or delivery services. Keep reading and scrolling to see where you can get Christmas-themed and festive treats in London.

First up is Bill's restaurant, which has several branches throughout London. I visited the branch close to Seven Dials. The restaurant are serving up a special festive menu, and one of their desserts is the mousse shaped like a Christmas tree in a flower pot. The flower pot is made out of white chocolate, and the tree is made of a mousse-marshmallow with berry coulis. It sits on top of cookie crumb soil with pumpkin seeds and blueberries dusted with edible metallic paint. Definitely visit on a hungry stomach because the treat is very filling; it's best to share with a friend.

One of my favourite cafes to visit for themed treats in London is Yolkin. I visited them last year, and they had the same treats on offer, minus the macarons. The giant ice cream macarons come in four flavours, which are the same as last year: candy cane snowflake, salted caramel reindeer, Christmas pudding, and Santa belly milk and cookies. I had the salted caramel reindeer this year, but my favourite is the candy cane snowflake. You can see more photographs from last year here: Yolkin Ice Cream Macaron Sandwiches - Christmas.

Fait Maison on Gloucester Road (the one closest to the station) has been offering festive treats for the past couple of years, and I visited last year (Fait Maison Brunch and Holiday Cupcakes) where the selection was different. This year, the cafe has gone with a swan theme, so you will find cupcakes and biscuits with the white swan design. The swan also features on the floral display on their shop front. Other cute treats include gingerbread cake pops, snowflake mousse, and snowflake triple-tiered macarons. There is also a messy hot chocolate, which is served with a festive twist and gingerbread man.

Next up is the Milk Train festive potted Christmas tree ice cream. This is similar to some of their other themed seasonal treats. There are a couple of festive flavours of ice cream to try with it - eggnog or chocolate orange. Not being a fan of either of those flavours, I had chocolate. Green cotton candy (candy floss) is used to create the pine tree with a chocolate stick for the trunk. A sugary snowman sits at the base, and a star is plucked on top. It is very festive indeed.

EL&N (also known as Elan) have also created various festive treats from eclairs printed with Christmas icons and other pastries created in the shape of pink baubles, snowmen, pine cone trees, Santa hats, and pink Christmas trees. EL&N are noted for their wonderful displays that feature a lot of pink, and they recently opened up a new branch at King's Cross St. Pancras station. They have placed the King's Cross Christmas tree in the station this year.

Humble Crumble is a new pop-up that started in London at the beginning of the year. I first visited them in January when they had a pop-up kiosk at an event, and later in the year, they opened up a permanent kiosk at Spitalfields market. They have sense expanded into Borough Market, following one of the surprising successes of 2020. Their crumble really is delicious, and they have been creating seasonal themes, such as this crumble with Christmas trees made from marshmallow. Visitors can customise their crumble with custard or cream and the type of crumble, and so on. Be warned that it can get very messy. They do serve in three sizes, and the one below is a medium.

Peggy Porschen bakery have two cafes - their original on Elizabeth Street and their King's Road cafe. They always offer seasonal treats, and this year is no exception. This year, they are offering a gingerbread cupcake topped with a sugar snowman. Last year, they offered a peppermint cupcake with polar bears of penguins, which you can see here: Peggy Porschen Winter 2019. I was not as keen on the gingerbread one, but it does look very festive, and their shop front always changes with the season. This year, it features gingerbread.

The Treats Club are located at Seven Dials Market, and they sell coffee and doughnuts on the ground floor. For the festive season, they have created nutella-filled doughnuts with salted caramel icing in the shape of Christmas trees. They also have other themed doughnuts.

Doughnut Time, which has several branches in London (the one I walk by most often is the one on Drury Lane), has seasonal doughnuts. The gingerbread one is vegan and is a biscoff biscuit. 

Bubblewrap, one of Chinatown's sought-after bakeries (the ice cream and bubble waffle blended treats), also have their own Christmas treat. This is a bubble waffle wrapped with chocolate ice cream in the shape of a popular red-nosed reindeer. 

Of course, there are more places to get seasonal treats in London. Whipped, known for its cheese cakes, have opened a new cafe on Endell Street and are serving cheesecake slices with shortbread antlers. Soft Serve, located in BoxPark in Shoreditch, are serving ice cream with snowman marshmallows on top. 

Basildon House, located near Reading in Berkshire, sits in 400 acres of pasture and woodland. It is a popular National Trust property to visit in the winter months. My first ever visit to the house was this autumn. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the house is not fully open, but you can read about my visit and see photographs here: Visiting Basildon Park (National Trust, Berkshire): Lockdown Edition. I recently visited Basildon House again in order to see the Christmas displays. Normally, National Trust properties open up with festive flair during December, but it is muted this year. Many properties are simply not open. Other properties have done a little bit of decoration for the holidays, and Basildon Park is one of those. 

The house at Basildon dates from the 18th century from fortunes made in East India. The house passed through several owners in a short space of time, but the house was luckily saved for today's generation by a family who sought to fix it up during a time when such houses were being demolished. The house has been in the care of National Trust since 1978. It has been used as a filming location for the 2005 "Pride and Prejudice", "Dorian Gray" and "Downton Abbey".

The walk up from the stables, which today is the location for the shop and tearoom, is through a little bit of forest up the hill. It was covered with strings of white lights.

The last time I visited Basildon Park was sunny too. It is an attractive-looking property, and I do hope to visit it again when it is fully open.

I had some time before the house opened to look around, and I mainly went to the garden of the house, which I find peaceful and with nice views.

Christmas is always a nice time to visit National Trust properties as they do decorate. This year, however, it was a muted event. But an effort was made, and I enjoyed seeing the house decorated. The entrace room contained a large tree with pink, white, and silver decorations that match the flowers in the room and the wall.

The library off this room was shut up, so the next room to visit was the landing. This area was decorated with red and gold decorations. The stairs were blocked off as only a few rooms could be visited on the ground floor.

The dining room did not have a Christmas tree, but it was lit with moody purple and white lighting with the table laid for a feast.

The octagon room is one of the most unique rooms in the house, and this was the most beautiful room for Christmas with a large tree covered in white lights. It did not have any decorations, though.

The small living room off of the octagon room also did not contain a Christmas tree, but some ornaments were made to look festive with some decorations or lights added to them. A group of stuffed toy bears on the floor appeared to be having drinks with one of them appearing to have had a little too much.

This leads through to the kitchen, which was also decorated.

The final room contained some decorations lit up in the fireplace and also a "tree of books" for this little office room, located off of the main entrance hallway.

I would love to visit Basildon Park again next year and to see it at Christmas. I hope that we are able to do so and hope that the whole house is open.

Tintagel Castle is a dramatic castle dating from the early 1200s and is located on the coast of Cornwall with impressive views. I visited the castle in 2005 for the first time, and at that time, the hill with the castle had to be accessed via a winding set of steps up a steep hill and through the old gateway. Part of the castle is actually on the main land, and a new bridge was opened last year across to the island where the remainder of the castle is. This makes access a lot easier, and those who were unable to visit the castle in the past can now do so. Unfortunately, I don't have those photographs from 2005 with me anymore.  

The castle dates from medieval times, but the land here was a high status one and traded with the Mediterranian in the late Roman times. The castle is rumoured to be the birthplace of King Arthur in the legends, and it does have a mythical air about it. The legend made visits to the castle popular from Victorian times.

The castle is managed by English Heritage and probably one of their most popular attractions. The new bridge, pictured below, makes access much easier! The bridge was completed in 2019.

The name of the village next to Tintagel was called Trevena, which means hillside crop land. 

I visited the part of the castle on the mainland first. Part of this had fallen down the cliff. This part of the castle used to be connected to the part that is an island (with the bridge across it), but it had collapsed at some point.

Once on the side of the island, I explored the ruins and admired the views.

The sculpture pictured below is also new. It was created by Rubin Eynon and placed in 2016. I had mixed feelings about this artwork being displayed in the historical site. I think it is a nice sculpture, though. There is additional artwork around one of the old buildings on the hillside as well, and it features quotes from the story of "Tristan and Isolde".

With its dramatic views, it is no wonder that Tintagel has inspired a legend, poetry, writers, and artists.

After visiting, I walked down the old steps (which also used to double as the steps to the castle).

"Merlin's Cave" is a seacave at the bottom of the cliff here, but the tide was coming in this time, so I was unable to visit it. I will leave that until next time.

Today's post features Christmas at Standen House. Standen House is a National Trust property that I visited in the early autumn for the first time this year (A Morning at National Trust's Standen House and Garden (West Sussex): Lockdown Edition). Last June was the first year that I took out annual National Trust membership, and I went to a couple properties that were decorated for Christmas; I really enjoyed these visits and made plans to see even more of them this year. Unfortunately, that did not pan out at all, but I was happy to see that Standen House had part of the house open with a few rooms decorated for Christmas. It was not the usual festive mood, but it was something to help celebrate the season.

Visitors to Standen may not get to enter the house depending on the number of people waiting. Strict rules on social distancing must be obeyed, so the numbers in the house have to be cut, so bear this in mind if planning to visit. 

At the entrance to Standen House are decorative trees made out of yarn with various sewn and knitted ornaments. These decorations and trees were created by people during the lockdown, and the idea is that these trees celebrate the Arts & Crafts movement that Standen House is known for. Some of the stories are told by those who used their creativity during the lockdown.

The trees made a nice centrepiece in the courtyard to look at while waiting to be let into the house.

The trees were decorated in Standen House, and one of the volunteers mentioned that each room in the house usually features a Christmas tree from each decade. This year, the trees in the rooms each had their own different theme. The entrance hall included a video of a party behind the piano, detailing the Christmas parties held at the house, and the tree in this room featured musical instruments.

In the billiard room, the tree seemed to be focused on games. The room includes the billiard table and rocking horse.

Off to the side in the hallway was a room to peer into - a simple cloakroom where the owners of the house would prepare for a winter walk or sled-riding.

The main living room appeared to be decorated for Christmas day with unwrapped piles of gifts and a life-sized Santa. The tree in this room was decorated with lanterns, possibly inspired by Japan as the owners visited the country and eventually moved there.

The below photograph is a closer-up view of the musical Christmas tree.

The stairs in the house were decorsated with lights and pine gardlands, which also created another tree. The upstairs is still closed, as it was earlier in the autumn on my first visit.

The dining room was set for Christmas dinner with the dinner having been finished, signalling a good time to be had judging by the messes on the table. The Christmas tree in this room is decorated with cutlery.

The library room was closed on my first visit due to the inability to keep distance from others. However, it was open on this visit, and we all kept our distance while we looked around the room. The room was decorated with gifts being wrapped, and the Christmas tree was filled with multi-coloured lights.

The next room was the office room at Standen House, and the tree in this room was decorated with cow ornaments. The room was also decorated with wooden cows up near the ceiling, and each of these and the oranments contains a name. All of the cows at Standen House were named, and all of the names were retained in the paperwork. 

I'm not sure I could name a cow "Carol", but they did...!

The next area of the house was for the servants, and this tree and table setting was decorated fror them for Christmas day.

Through this room was the kitchen, which I don't think was open when I last visited, but I could not remember. This room was set up as if a variety of holiday treats, such as cookies, were being made and cooked. 

One of the cottages outside the house had a pretty festive wreath.

I am hoping that things are more "normal" by next Christmas and that I can enjoy some of these houses decorated for Christmas again.

This year, the Tate Britain have commissioned light-up artwork on their building along the Thames. This is the fourth year in a row that they have provided a winter commission, but this is only the first one that I have been to visit. Last year's featured illuminated slugs, but I never found time to see it before it was removed. The artwork, "remembering a brave new world" is by Chila Kumari Singh Burman, and it combines Hundu mythology, Bollywood imagery, history, Blackpool illuminations, and personal memories. For example, the ice cream van is the artist's family. The figure of Britannia at the top of the building is transformed into Kali, a Hindu goddess. 

Burman uses feminism and her heritage (Punjabi and Liverpudlian) to address stereotypes and help to create new identities. This commission opened to coincide with Diwali, the Festival of Light, which is a time to celebrate new beginnings and light over darkness. 

The wording on the commission highlights the struggles of the past and hopes for a better and brighter future.

The commission lights up the façade of Tate Britain until the end of January 2021.

One of my favourite places to visit in London during the festive season is Covent Garden, and I always visit it during the daylight since it's not all about the lights here. Although there are lights and a giant Christmas tree, there is much more to the Covent Garden Christmas experience. Despite the pandemic that we have all had to live through this past year, Covent Garden did not disappoint. Of course, it was not the same atmosphere as in previous years, and everyone was keeping cautious and careful, but the venue was decorated for the occassion.

The large silver reindeer did not make it back to the Covent Garden square this year due to an exhibition taking the space that it normally occupies, but the Christmas tree display was back. This trend started last year with each tree bearing the name and decorations relating to the various businesses in Covent Garden. It is a nice touch. 

The centrepiece was a Christmas tree made from Lego bricks. For several years in a row, until the giant Lego store around the corner in Leicester Square, Covent Garden always hosted a festive Lego creation - advent calendars, trains, Santa's sleigh with reindeer, etc. This year, Lego have returned to Covent Garden.

"A Really Cool World" is the name of the immersive creative experience that Lego have brought to Covent Garden this year. It is a free admission to be booked in advance, and it features several small stations with Lego creations that are brought to life. The creations are inspired by children and include a dinosaur, a sausage Christmas tree, dragons, a dance floor, and much more. Visitors to Covent Garden can see the displays and pass through the archway. 

I discovered three additional Lego sculptures in Covent Garden. One was the Christmas tree grouped with the other Christmas trees.

The other two were located in the floral display inside the covered market. This floral display is always updated for the season, and the mixture of pines, reds, deep pinks, and whites creates a magical wintery display. Inside the display are two Lego sculptures, and their facial expressions change. One is Mario from the Super Mario Brothers games, and the other is Santa.

The mistletoe light decorations with the giant silver orbs continue to decorate the market.

The giant Christmas tree also returns this year. New to this year is a snow machine that sprays snow into the air every so often so that it gives the appearance of winter and snow. It is quite a nice touch.

Ivy Market Grill in Covent Garden also always decorate for the seasons, and their display this year has been toned down to the entrance only. The entrance is flanked with silver branches and baubles.

For previous Christmas decorations at Covent Garden, see the following:

• Covent Garden Christmas 2019
• Christmas in London 2018 - Lights and Displays
• Where to See London's Christmas Lights 2017
• Lego "Let's Build Xmas" in Covent Garden
• London's Christmas Lights 2016: A Trail
• Where to See Christmas Lights in London
• Christmas Mistletoe in Covent Garden
• Lego Santa Express in Covent Garden
• London's Christmas Lights 2014
• Covent Garden's New Shiny Reindeer
• Santa and Reindeer Lego for Christmas in Covent GardenCovent Garden's Christmas Lego Snow Globe
• Lego Advent Calendar in Covent Garden
• London Christmas Lights 2012 and Window Displays

For general London Christmas posts on this blog, see:

• Where to see London Christmas lights and decorations (2019 Edition)
• Christmas in London 2018 - Lights and Displays
• Where to See London's Christmas Lights 2017
• London's Christmas Lights 2016
• Christmas Lights and Windows 2015
• London Christmas Lights 2014
• London's Christmas Lights 2013
• London Christmas Lights and Window Displays 2012

In September, I visited Boscastle. Boscastle is a small fishing village along the coast in northern Cornwall between Tintagel Castle and Bude. The town is a popular tourist spot with walks and beautiful views over the Atlantic and the harbour. I visited the town on a warm day in the middle of September and had a quick walk around the harbour and then walked up the coastal cliff for some of the most amazing views that I have seen in awhile.

The trail up the cliffs above the harbour is a pretty steep one, and it is narrow as well. There are beautiful views over the harbour on the climb up. Here are a few of my photographs of Boscastle. The village has some nice shops and museums (which were currently closed) and pubs. I could have spent more time here.

There is a walk to a waterfall from Boscastle, but I did not walk that far. I hope to return in order to walk to it next time.

Dunster Castle, located in Somerset, is a motte and bailey castle, and a castle has stood on the grounds from the 1000s, but the castle in place today largely dates from the late 1600s and beyond. It is a country house that has been altered over the years and partially destroyed in the Civil War. The castle itself today is mainly a Victorian creation or style. The castle was eventually sold in 1944 because the family could no longer afford it. It became property of the National Trust in the 1970s. In addition to the castle, visitors can explore the grounds and Dunster Mill, which is close by. I visited the castle during the coronavirus pandemic, so there were many restrictions on my visit. Most of the year, the castle has been closed, but some of the rooms were open to view in mid-September, which is when I made my visit.

There is a one-way system in place and other measures for protection against coronavirus. The one way system led up the hillside to the castle, which has amazing views.

Upon entering the castle, we arrive in the Inner Hall, accessed to the left of the smaller entrance hall. This would have been the Great Hall of the 17th century building. The original spider web ceiling remains, but the fireplace dates from the 1870s and contains an entry from the Domesday Book in reference to Dunster.

The staircase to the right of the inner hall goes upstairs to the Dining Room, which has a beautiful view over the coast. There is a railway along the coast, and lucky visitors may spot a train if they look out of the window. The dining room dates from the 1680s, though it has been renovated over the years.

The staircase dates from the 1680s and is carved beautifully. It was probably carved by one of the best carvers of the time. The staircase has been carved with single pieces of oak.

Up the stairs is the Morning Room, which was created in the late 1600s but used as bedrooms until it was transformed into a morning or breakfast room. During the Civil War, it was a dormitory. The money had run out, so it was not completed. The room was later used as a private sitting room and music room in 1910, and the wallpaper is reproduced from the existing wallpaper on the walls.

The Wisteria Room is one of the guest bedrooms of the Victorian castle, and it is named from the wisteria that climbs on the walls outside. The room was created by making the Morning Room smaller. The modern facilities were installed in the 1800s.

There is another bedroom on this floor, but I don't remember much about it or reading any information boards about it.

The banqueting room was the next room to view, and it contained the Leather Gallery. Leather was used for the wall coverings due to their inability to retain smells. The series of leather artwork shows Cleopatra and Anthony, and they were first recorded as being in the castle in 1741.

The King Charles Bedroom leads off from the Leather Gallery. Dunster Castle was Royalist during the Civil War. This was one of the main bedrooms of the castle. The room is named for the future king, Charles II, who stayed in the castle to generate Royalist support. The castle is meant to be one of the most haunted rooms in the castle. There are a set of hidden stairs to a hidden passageway in the room, and it is thought the stairs go to a hidden passage to the stables.

Back down the stairs, a narrow corridor leads past a couple of the castle service rooms, including the muniment room, which held all of the paperwork for the running of the castle. 

The Justice Room is also located here, and this served as an office.

The Library was the next room to view on the visit, and it was not the original library. It was created out of three different rooms in the 19th century.

Off of the library is a garden room.

The Drawing Room was created from the original chapel in the 19th century. The family had afternoon tea in this room originally, but it was rarely used in the later years.

The Outer Hall was next to visit, and this was created in the 1800s when the castle was in need of more rooms. Some of the larger rooms were broken up into smaller ones. This was the last room to visit (and the first as it was the entrance hall) before exiting. There was a one-way system in place to ensure that visitors could keep distance, but some of the rooms, such as the kitchens, were closed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

After the tour of Dunster Castle, we enjoyed a late breakfast at the castle grounds. The cafe was set up outside due to restrictions with the pandemic. Visitors could grab some light bites to eat on the picnic benches in front of the castle. 

Through the courtyard of the castle, there are beautiful gardens and views.

After visiting the castle, visitors complete a one-way walk along the grounds of Dunster Castle, which descends down the hill and through some woods with a stream running through it. This is known as the Riverside Walk. The Dunster Mill is here, but this was currently closed. 

One of the bridges over the stream is a stone bridge and has a "Lover's Seat" on it. 

The Dunster Mill at the bottom of the castle's hill, is currently closed during the coronavirus pandemic. The Domesday Book mentions Dunster Castle as standing where the mill is today.

The last visit was a visit to the shop, which is at the bottom of the castle gates. The shop has been converted from the old stables at Dunster Castle.

I hope to return to Dunster Castle in order to complete my visit, which was restricted during the coronavirus pandemic, and to visit Dunster Mill.

Each year, Carnaby Street light up a new set of Christmas lights for the season. This year, their lights are a collaboration with charity Choose Love, who raise funding for refugees by allowing visitors to buy blankets, mobile phone credit or shoes that are then donated. With the year that 2020 has turned out to be, the new lights offer hope, love, and kindness. 

Look up and you will see various gifts that describe how community have come together: gift, hope, together, brave, hero, thank you, kind, and happy are some of the words above the "Choose Love in Carnaby" banners. The design is a lot more subtle than in previous years where Carnaby Street pull out all the stops. This year's display features purple banners with simple words.

The side streets and the row of bulbs on Grafton Street are decorated with pink bulbs in keeping in the purple and pink theme this year.

 Due to the pandemic, the switch-on event at Carnaby Street (and all of the other streets) was cancelled, but the lights themselves are not cancelled.

To see previous Carnaby Street Christmas lights in my blog, see the below posts:

• Carnaby Street Christmas "One Ocean One Planet"
• Carnaby Street Christmas Lights Celebrate Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody"
• Carnaby Christmas Carnival
• Carnaby Christmas Revolution
• Carnaby Christmas Party
• Robins
• Santa
• Rolling Stones (rock and roll)

Norham Castle was built from the 12th-16th centuries by bishops of Durham to control the English-Scottish border. In 1513, King James IV of Scotland did damage to the castle, but it was repaired. The castle is situated along the River Tweed and was a spot where attacks would happen suddenly, and the castle was damaged a few times. Queen Elizabeth I refused to pay for the upkeep of the castle, so it was left to decay in the early 1600s. The castle has often featured in poems (Sir Walter Scott) and paintings (J.M.W. Turner). This is certainly a picturesque castle.

The gatehouse was the entrance to the castle, and a moat before it adds extra protection, and there would have been a drawbridge where there is now a wooden bridge for visitors to walk across. 

The main ruin on the site of Norham Castle is the tower. It was changed over time to serve purposes of defense and a residency.

Norham Castle is maintained by English Heritage and is free to visit. There is a large spot for parking at the top of the hill, although this is a little overgrown. 

Tarr Steps had been on my list of places in England to visit for nearly twenty years now, since I first learned that it existed, and this past September saw that ticked off the list when I visited Exmoor. Tarr Steps is a footbridge across River Barle in Exmoor. It is a "clapper" bridge, an ancient type of bridge, and is created out of large stone slabs that rest on other stone slabs. There are a few bridges like this around the country, and Postbridge in Dartmoor is another example. This particular bridge is thought to have originated from the Bronze Age.

It is thought that these 'clapper bridges' are from prehistoric times, although many of them were either built (or perhaps re-built) in later times. Floods have swept away these bridges in time, so it's possibly that they have been rebuilt many times. Tarr Steps has been swept away by flooding even in recent times, and each stone is now numbered so they can rebuild it.

The bridge was damaged in 2012 and in 2016. A barrier to halt the flooding and debris is located up the river, but the flooding was so bad in 2012 that trees swept this away, so the bridge did not stand a chance. Branches and debris is cleared from the river to prevent damage to the bridge.

At Tarr Steps, the stones weight up to two tonnes each. The bridge is 55 meters (180 feet) long, and it is a listed monument. The monument and the land around it is owned by Exmoor National Park and is a significant place naturally with different types of plants and mammals that thrive here in the cool woodland. 

Due to social distancing, visitors to Tarr Steps had to walk across the bridge one way and then walk the circular 2.6  kilometre (1.3 kilometre each side way) route back along the river. Although others were not observing this rule and there were quite a few people visiting the bridge making social distancing awkward, I did observe the rule. 

A little further down the river from Tarr Steps is a structure that I thought to be a type of obstacle bridge that visitors can climb on. It's actually not a bridge it all but the structure with steel cables that has been designed to collect any debris before it crashes into Tarr Steps.

The walk itself along the river was peaceful, but there were many people around, so seeing any wildlife was not going to happen. 

There was one area where many groups of people were hanging out in a clearing and swimming in the river.

This stone bridge helps to cross a part of the river where a stream diverts into it, and not far from here was the bridge to cross to the other side to start our walk back.

I snapped the photograph below on the bridge.

Here, the stones have been laid out in a walkway. There were a lot of people walking around here...

...as you can see in the pictures above and below. The clearing had a lot of people around it, and it is where I saw the groups of people having picnics and swimming from the other side.

This side of the river is visited more as the rock pathways show. While I was walking here, a lady on top of a large horse walked past in the opposite direction. (The path was meant to be one-way only, but no one was observing the rule, though I think it's probably not that bad since it is outdoors and there's not thousands of people in one area.) The horse was totally unexpected on the narrow paths, and it made me laugh.

Finally, we returned to Tarr Steps! The journey itself was actually a pretty long one. We were thinking it would only be like fifteen minutes, but it took us around an hour. It's a shame we did not get to see any wildlife, but the day was warm and sunny, so a lot of people were bound to be out, and I really wanted to visit Tarr Steps before we headed away from the area. Seeing attractions is always more enjoyable in nice weather.

The walk back up the hill from Tarr Steps is a daunting one. The hill is very steep. There was a kiosk selling items to eat (ice cream, sausage, etc), and there is a little lodge/hotel not far from Tarr Steps that serves food and drink too. 

Since the end of June until the beginning of December, I have managed to use up several beauty and skin-care products despite being in lockdown and not leaving the house most of the time. I thought that I would post these products to help me remember which products I would purchase again, and it may help others too. So, let's begin from left to right.

Superdrug 'the little red tin': This strawberry-flavoured lip balm comes in an attractive red tin that can fit in your handbag. It is a generous amount of lip balm, but I found it to be too sticky and sat on my lips instead of being absorbed into them. Would I buy it again? No, I found the product was not absorbed into my lips and was sticky. The tin lid also fit too snugly, and I struggled to remove it.

Bath & Body Works hand sanitizer in 'vampire blood': This is a Halloween hand sanitizer in 'vampire blood', which was an orange and fruity scent. The product comes in a small size to fit into handbags. Would I buy it again? Yes, I like the brand, and the product is cute and fits nicely into my handbag.

Lumene Nordic-C Valo glow reveal peeling mask: This peeling mask has an orange scent and can be left on the skin to give a radiant glow and renew skin. It is left on the skin and then wiped off in ten minutes, and it is absorbed into the skin and feels luxurious. Would I buy it again? Yes, but I need to use up the products that I have.

Marks & Spencer lip gloss in 'lush watermelon': This is a shimmery pink lip gloss with a watermelon flavour/scent. It leaves lips with a glossy shine and is an after-work or summery lip gloss. Would I buy it again? No, I found the product to be too sticky, and the wind would blow my hair into it and get stuck. It also felt too heavy on my skin.

OLEHenriksen cleansing cloths: These handy wipes can be used to cleanse make-up from skin when you're out or have a short overnight stay or travel. They can be carried in your handbag for easy reach. Would I buy it again? Unlikely. I think it's probably not a bad product, but I only managed to use one or two and the rest went dry. I simply did not go out anywhere (music festival, travel, overnight stay, work-to-party, etc) to have a need to use these.

Bath & Body Works bubble bath in 'Japanese cherry blossom': This bubble bath is in the brand's cherry blossom scent, and it is one of their more expensive ranges. The product has a floral cherry scent, which is very spring-like. Would I buy it again? I like the brand, but I would probably try a different scent next time. It was a decent scent, but it is probably a bit too seasonal.

Bath House lip balm in 'pink champagne': This lip balm from Bath House comes in a cute tin and has a fruity champagne scent. The product helps moisturise lips, but I found it to be a little too greasy/thick on my skin, though it is better than some lip balms. Would I buy it again? No.

Bird & Blend tea (various flavours - rhubarb and custard): I received three different flavours of this brand of tea to try in different sachets. The teas had unique flavours and were all very delicious. Would I buy it again? Yes, if I am looking for tea, I would try again.

Jeanne Arthes perfume spray in 'You're One a Melon': This spritz has a watermelon and fruity scent perfect for 'on the go' and small enough to be a perfect travel size. I really enjoyed the fruity scent. Would I buy it again? Probably not because I have enough perfume and opt for perfumes that have more staying power instead of quick spritz sprays that do not last that long, but it did smell good. It just doesn't suit my lifestyle.

Bath & Body Works hand soap in 'fresh picked strawberries': This hand soap from Bath & Body Works has a scent of fresh strawberries and is perfect for the early summer. Would I buy it again? I like the brand, so I would buy it again to use in early summer. 

Rimmel Sheer Temptation lipstick in 'kick start': This is a vintage lipstick that I have had for awhile but only just used up. The colour is a dark pink, and it has a subtle fruity flavour when applies and absorbs nicely into the lips and does help keep lips moisturised while wearing. It does lay on a little thick. Would I buy it again? The product was okay, but I was not wowed with it. It is probably discontinued too.

Trifle Cosmetics Lip & Cheek Jam: Cruely-free and vegan brand Trifle have creatd this lip and cheek product that comes in a cute little bottle. It is bright red in colour, and it can be used to stain the lips and cheeks. Would I buy it again? No, I don't really find great results from using lip and cheek stains. 

Berrisom Animal Mask in 'Vitamin C + Arbutin': This animal mask product is a product from Korea, and it is a cute animal cloth mask that temporarily transforms you while you wait for the mask to be absorbed into skin. I received the sheep mask in 'vitamin c + arbutin', which contains skin-whitening, a product that I do not benefit from because my skin is very pale. Would I buy it again? No.

Sisley masque eclat express 'radiant glow express mask': This is a red clay mask product that helps to remove dead skin cells and dirt and give skin a radiant glow. Would I buy it again? Yes, I enjoyed the product, but I have to use up other masks first.

BK7 Cake Hand Cream in 'Pink Berry': This is a Korean beauty product that smells like fruity strawberry cake. The product is absorbed into the skin and comes in a small size that is perfect to carry around. This product is especially helpful at the moment with helping cure dry hands from frequent washing. Would I buy it again? No. I enjoyed the product, but there are similar cheaper products out there, especially without needing to import this.

JINsoon nail polish in 'coquette': This brand of nail polish is well-renowned for its environmentally-friendly formulas that promise intense colours without impact the health of the wearer. The colour was a vibrant red, and it was an intense colour with shine. The product came with a good application brush that was fit to size the nails. Would I buy it again? I would consider buying from this brand again, but I would not buy bright red. I would also need to use up other nail polish first.

Sisley anti-age eye and lip contour cream: This anti-aging product can be used on wrinkles and dark circles and promises to aid skin elasticity and hydration if used morning and evening in the eye and lip area. Would I buy it again? I could feel the product working on my skin, but I don't have any noticable wrinkles or dark circles yet, so I am not convinced to purchase it. 

Boots bath milk in 'fresh berry': This product came in a gift set, and this scent was a fruity mixed berry scent that was added to the bath to make it creamy to help moisturise skin and add a scent to the water. Would I buy it again? No, I will stick to other brands for bath products. 

Holika Holika Watermelon Mask Sheet: This facial mask contains 90% watermelon extract to help cool and moisturise skin. It is a sheet mask and promises to help prevent dry skin, irritation, and can be used on different skin types. The product comes in a cute watermelon package. Would I buy it again? Yes, I would use this for an intensive skin moisturising session.

Healgel Intensive 'Soothe Repair Protect': Healgel 'Soothe Repair Protect' is a formula that provides intensive relief and healing of damaged skin. I used this on my heels when they became rubbed raw, and I managed to use up the sample size that I had this summer due to my feet not being used to walking for extended periods of time. Would I buy it again? Yes, and I bought the full-sized product as soon as the sample ran out. 

Per Una mousse blusher in 'cinnamon blush': This is a product that I have owned for many years but never manage to fully use up until recently. The blusher is a dark red, and it blends into skin effortlessly as a cream instead of a powder, which I liked. Would I buy it again? Yes, but I am sure it is discontinued.

Rimmel 60 seconds super shine nail polish in 'rapid ruby': This nail polish is a fast-drying formula, and it is perfect for a quick application. The product is a very red and intense colour. Would I buy it again? I liked the fact that it dried quickly, but I would purchase a different colour. 

Marks & Spencer Butterfly eau de toilette: This perfume came in a round green bottle with pink butterfly-shaped topper. The perfume has a fruity and floral scent. Would I buy it again? No, the product is now discontinued. Even if it was still available to buy, I was not sold on the product because the perfume did not have longevity.

Yankee candle 'Honeyglow': The 'honeyglow' scent of Yankee candles is a late summery or warm autumn scent that reminded me of sunsets and beaches. Would I buy it again? Yes, it was a strong scent and had longevity.

Yankee candle 'olive and thyme': The 'olive and thyme' scent was a perfect scent for the height of summer or early autumn. Would I buy it again? Yes, I found it to be one of the better scents from Yankee.

Yankee candle 'cassis': The 'cassis' scent from Yankee candles is a grown-up berry scent. Would I buy it again? No, I was not keen on the scent.

Kiehls skin-strengthening super serum: This night cream or skin-strengthening cream absorbed into the skin and helped add the needed moisture for the summer months. Would I buy it again? Yes, I liked that it was absorbed into the skin and seemed to provide the moisture.

Armani Diamonds Perfume: This sample-sized perfume came in a cute bottle. It is a fragrant adult floral scent with raspberry, rose, lychee, lily of the valley, vanilla, and cedar. Would I buy it again? No, although I liked the perfume, there are other scents that I prefer.

Zelens Transformer Instant renewal Mask: This mask nourishes and revitalises skin with intense hydration and improvement in radiance. The product is absorbed into skin and promises immediate results. (I was not sure about the immediate results claim.) Would I buy it again? Yes, I would try it again as a day cream.

Fresh vitamin nectar vibrancy-boosting face mask: This citrus-scented product contains crushed oranges and lemons. The product encourages results of skin softening and clarity. The formula of the vitamins in the mask help to create a youthful complexion and renew skin. The only downside was the mask felt a bit lumpy.  Would I buy it again? I am not completely sold on it, but I would try it again; the sample size was too small.

Mien nail polish in 'lilac': I believe that I purchased this nail polish in Marks and Spencer, and I don't think the product exists anymore. The polish provided a thin coat of colour, and this was a subtle light blue colour. I would not have called this shade 'lilac' as it was blue. Would I buy it again? No, I did not like the product as it applied too thinly and needed several coats. It also took too long to dry.

7th Heaven 'charcoal and black sugar peel-off' mask: This charcoal mask is perfect for deep-cleaning the skin to protect from break-outs. Would I buy it again? Yes.

7th Heaven 'red hot earth' sauna mask: This is a self-heating mask when rubbed into the skin, and it helps firm skin as well as to provide cleansing and hydration. Would I buy it again? Yes.

I wanted to purchase The White Company's advent calendar last year, but the release date for it was a day that I had non-stop meetings, and by the time I was meeting-free, the advent calendar had sold out. This year, I was lucky enough to purchase the advent calendar, and I am glad that I did not miss out. The White Company's advent calendar is always a sell-out and one of the most sought-after advent calendars. This year, it has a range of candles, bath, and body products in a range of different fragrances.

The advent calendar comes in a sturdy box with its simple "less is more" design featuring white and silver boxes. To see what I received, keep reading below. 

Midnight Votive Candle 65g: The 'Midnight' fragrant range is inspired by Venice and midnight fireworks. It is a warming scent with cardamon, nutmeg, and ginger. It's perfect for the longer winter days.

Spa Restore Bath Oil Shot 30ml: Bring the luxury spa to your bathroom with the essential bath oils to help rebalance and unwind your mood and nourish skin. The bath oil can be put into the bath, and there is enough to treat yourself to four relaxing baths.

Spa Restore Shampoo 75ml: The luxury spa scent is cool and rejuvenating and helps to mimic a spa day. The shampoo contains this scent to help you unwind while you nourish and clean your hair.

Spa Restore Conditioner 75ml: Bringing a luxurious spa into your shower helps to rebalance the mind while using the hair conditioner with the 'spa' fragrance. The product helps keep hair moisturised and nourished while giving the shower a luxurious overhaul.

Fir Tree Signature Votive Candle 75: The votive candle in the scent 'Fir Tree' evokes memories of pine forests covered with snow. The fragrance includes pine, eucalyptus, cedar and moss. It is an earthy scent.

Seychelles Body Wash 50ml: Bergamot, orange, coconut, vanilla, and jasmine are some of the fragrances that make up the 'Seychelles' scent., which reminds me of luxurious sunny days. The fragrance is used for the body wash to help transport you away while using it.

Seychelles Body Lotion 50ml: The 'Seychelles' scent evokes sunny luxurious days, and it is one of The White Company's popular fragrances. It comes as a body lotion.

Seychelles Lip Balm 15ml: This lip balm helps to add moisture to lips, which is useful in the dry winter weather. Making the lip balm using the sunny 'Seychelles' fragrance will transport the wearer to sunny memories to help get through the long wintery days.

Calm Bath Soak Shot 30ml: The 'Calm' scent contains calming juniper berry, geranium leaf, ylang ylang, tonka bean, and sandalwood to create a relaxing scent that evokes a sense of 'calm'. The fragrance is used in this bath soaking oil to help aid relaxation while winding down. 

Calm Pulse Point 10ml: The fragrance 'Calm' evokes a sense of calm using a variety of calming ingredients to aid in relaxation. Adding the fragrance to pulse points allows the user to wear the product as a perfume.

Fireside Signature Votive Candle 7: This candle uses the frafrance 'Fireside', which brings back memories of relaxing by the fireside. The fragrance has notes of smokes wood, fresh birch, amber, and vanilla. It is a warming scent and perfect for winter evenings.

Blanc Body Wash 50ml: The scent 'Blanc' is a crisp and floral scent with geranium and juniper berry. The user can enjoy a body wash in the shower with this strong, floral fragrance.

Blanc Shimmer 50ml: 'Blanc' is a crisp and floral fragrance with geranium and juniper berry notes. The fragrance is a strong but beautiful one. It comes in a body shimmer.

Spa Restore Body Scrub 75ml: The luxury spa can be brought into your skincare routine with the body scrub, which contains the 'Spa' fragrance to help rebalance and unwind and aid in removing dirt and dead skin as a scrub.

Spa Restore Intense Body Cream 75ml: When finished using the body scrub, the 'Spa' fragrance also has body cream in the fragrane range. It will help you feel relaxed while providing your skin with the moisturiser. It is perfect for the dry winter weather, which is less than kind to skin.

Pomegranate Signature Votive Candle 75g: The fragrance 'Pomegranate' is named after the fruit and is a sweet and fruity fragrance with an uplifting mood. The fragrance comes in a candle.

Pomegranate Handbag Cream 30ml: Additionally, handbag cream is provided in the fruity and uplifting 'Pomegranate' fragrance. This handbag cream is perfect for on-the-go when you need to give a bit of moisture and nourishment of hands and skin.

Noir Hand Wash 50ml: This scent 'Noir' evokes sophisticated evening events. Amber, mandarin, and sandalwood help to create this elegant grown-up fragrance. The fragrance comes in a hand wash.

Noir Hand Lotion 50ml: To pair with the 'Noir' hand wash is this hand lotion. This scent is a grown-up and sophisticated one.

Highland Escape Votive Candle 65g: A strong scent, the 'Highland Escape' is a wintery fragrance and is made with a blend of bergamot, saffron, and cognac. It is a woody and warm scent and can help transport you to a warm castle in the Scottish highlands.

Lime & Bay Handbag Hand Cream 30ml: The 'Lime and Bay' fragrance is a tropical garden scent that has been created with a blend of mandarin, grapefruit, orange, lemon, lime, jasmine, and bay leaves. It is a warming and uplifting scent. It has been created for this handbag hand cream, perfect for carrying around during the dry winter months.

Winter Signature Votive Candle 75g: The 'Winter' fragrance is a popular one that sums up the mood of the Christmas season. The fragrance includes cinnamon, clove, and orange. It is perfect in candle form.

Sleep Pulse Point Oil 10ml: The 'Sleep' fragrance helps to aid in sleep. It contains lavender, chamomile, and sage. The pulse point perfume can be used on the pulse points to help aid in relaxation for sleep.

Sleep Bath Soak Shot 30ml: The 'Sleep' fragrance helps to aid the wearer in relaxation and sleep with its blend of lavender, chamomile, and sage. This fragrance is used for a bath soak and promises to get body and mind into a relaxing state before going to bed. 

Rose Quartz Gua Sha: This carved rose quartz stone comes in a fabric pouch. It helps to tone, firm, and stimulate skin. It is a tool that can be used as a facial massager, which will aid in complexion. Before use, the wearer should use serum, moisturiser, or night oil to skin to keep hydrated. Then, gently glide the stone across the face from collarbone to underneath the ear to encourage lymph drainage. Then, massage from the centre of the face by the nose outward toward cheeks, then down the chin and outwards to the ear and then up to forhead. 

Have you ever received the White Company advent calendar? What do you think of it?