On Saturday we visited one of our favourite places to be, Leeds Castle.

It is less than 5 miles from our house.

It is our safe place to be.

One of the first places we ever took Esther and William.

One of the first places we ever took Matilda Mae.

It is a place to go with people we know.

It is a place to go and be.

It has everything we need

Including, of course, a train!

Because we visit so often

We notice all the changes

New additions to the site

But also the adaptations of the seasons

Walking through the gardens

Brings peace

Even with two toddlers on their ‘wobbly’ bikes

Even on the busiest of days

There is always a quiet spot to be found

At Leeds Castle

On Saturday we were chasing leaves

Bathing in sunlight

And playing with our shadows.

It was a wonderful way to waste some time.

To take some time out from the hustle and bustle of the world.

To be together

To remember

We miss you Matilda Mae x

The paths at Leeds Castle are perfect for bikes and scooters. There are lots of special spots to explore.

Esther and William love feeding the birds and trip trapping over bridges.

They also like to try out all the benches around the gardens and give their verdict, rather like Goldilocks.

There is also a willow tunnel that we call a cave.

Esther and William love Leeds Castle

There is so much for them to see and do

Last time we were there collecting conkers and leaves

This time we were chasing leaves and spotting different colours

We searched on the trees and on the ground

And got very excited when swirls of leaves danced around

It was a lovely fresh late autumn day

The sun was shining brightly

Dappling damp leaves

Causing clear reflections on bodies of water

And helping us chase and play with our shadows

Esther and William adore their shadows

We had great fun making our legs longer and shorted

Creating different shapes with our hands

And, obviously, stomping on one another’s heads!

Shadow play is great fun at this time of year

Esther and William talk to their shadows

It was an added element of fun for our day

As we walked through the grounds

The light and shade of the parkland was stunning

The majestic trees

The graceful grasses

The babbling brooks

And gentle streams

It reminded me how beautiful nature can be

Alongside so often being so cruel

We went through the gardens, past the castle, the moat and the lake

And on to the swings and slide

Daddy and William climbed and swung

Esther and I drank hot chocolate and stuck stickers

Then we went back past the castle gates

Past the hedges

Over the bridges

To find our Elsie (LC), the train!

We ride on Elsie every time we go to the castle

She is the resident land train

With a bell and a funnel

She is always the highlight of our day

And the reward for good walking, biking and scooting along the way

Elsie is the castle train

She is a really useful engine!

And she takes us back to the entrance to find our car.

Where with rosy cheeks and sparkling eyes

We smile for the 5 mile drive home

Thinking of our castle adventure

And remembering

Our baby in the sky