New Year's Day!

Today we went to the Midland Railway Centre at Butterley for a New Year's Day Steam Train Ride

We took the 12.30




It was so so cold out so the steam looked fantastic, curling around the old train




We left Butterley Station on our round trip




E made a train-and-carriage of her own with the tickets




The inside of the train was wonderful






So was the view outside





Everything was so frosty and silvery, it looked magical mingling with the steam from the train





We stopped at Swanwick Junction, where they have a museum and other things to do


including Brittain Pit Farm:

(a farm built on the site of an old pit)


where they have rabbits, ducks, geese, and a goat in a coat


Then it was time to go back up the line to Butterley













Hope you had a wonderful first day of the year!

Corrie

Seals resting on the rocks. How do they get up there?

and this guy practicising his yoga positions


Corrie harbour

More photos in my Flickr set here

On Brodick Beach

As is often the case when you've been working very hard and then you stop, a couple of members of the household came down with something icky this morning, so much of the day was spent in pyjamas.But we needed to get out before dark because the dog wanted a run. Which he got. Can you spot him in this next picture?

Once that burst of greyhound energy is spent, there's time for a sniff...

And there's lots for the toddler to see too, when equipped with these winter-time beach necessities..



I think if you dropped me blindfolded on to Arran, I'd know where I was the instant I took that first lungful of air


Good to be back
When we got in from our walk, we sat on the sofa for a cuppa. E fell asleep in six seconds. Not kidding.

Which gave her a renewed energy for decorating some Christmas biscuits.

Winter at Rufford and a Lantern Walk at Sherwood Forest

We headed back to the woods on Sunday for another festive day out. This time we reversed our destinations and went to Rufford in the daylight.

E got quickly into the swing of things by testing out the muddy puddles with her boots....



and hands when she thought I wasn't watching.

The woods were pretty...

The ducks were out enjoying the day

Then it was time to go! We had a lantern walk through Sherwood Forest at 4.30...

People had brought torches, and fairy lights of different colours.

The trees looked dramatic in full torch glare against the dark woods

And it really was pitch black in Sherwood Forest, away from roads and street lights and houses

Then to the restaurant to get warm again with a mince pie and a hot chocolate with loads of cream