Adventures on Brownsea Island

Easter holidays have kicked off and I’ve taken the time off to be at home with Fred and the girls and to go on lots of lovely day trips. It’s not quite the weather I was hoping for but it’s enough sunshine to get out and about. Having said that, as I write this I am looking out at the rain! Oh well, you win some you lose some.

So, our first springtime adventure this year was getting over to Brownsea Island. It has only just re-opened for the year and we got over there the moment we could. Brownsea Island is a National Trust property and it’s quite magical. Baden Powell formed the Boy Scouts here and it’s also one of the few places in the UK that you can find the red squirrel. It’s an incredible nature reserve and has a number of different birds, like Avocets, Kingfishers and Godwits and it’s busting with wildlife.

You can follow adventure trails which is brilliant for the kids to keep them going on the walks. Tilda and Ivy’s favourite thing to see is the peacocks that roam around freely and are very curious of all the visitors.

They really are beautiful, we weren’t lucky enough this time to see one of the boys show its full tail display but we did see one come running down the hill with its tail flowing behind him like he was in a ball gown! We tried our best to spot a red squirrel too but we didn’t see any this time, we have seen them before though so we know they are there!

It’s really worth adding to your list of places to visit if you are ever down in Dorset. You get the boat from Poole Quay which takes about 20 minutes. There used to be a boat from Sandbanks which was quicker but the jetty needs repairs, so it’s closed for this year. Once you are there you can join one of the talks or you can just roam freely and choose your own routes, which is what we do. You can get down onto the beaches too which are wild and unspoilt.

There are spots for refreshments around the Island but plenty of space to have picnics. You can get afternoon tea and pasties in the cafe if you don’t want to have to bring things over with you as it’s a lot of walking so you may not want to carry things. It’s one of our favourite places to go and a great way for us to make use of our National Trust membership. We also have Corfe Castle and Kingston Lacy nearby so it’s worth the membership for us.

I’ve done a video over on my Instagram if you would like to see more of the Island.

What I’ve been wearing

Springtime dressing in the UK is a nightmare isn’t it? One minute you’re ready to pack away all the winter jumpers and get the Ultrasun out and the next you’re digging them all out again because it’s started to snow?! So, a good spring coat that works across this awkward time is, for me, a really good trench coat. They can be worn just over a t-shirt or a jumper or both and you don’t end up being too hot or two cold.

I ordered this one from Badgley Mischka and I just love it. It’s a slightly different cut to some of the more traditional ones and has some tweaks that make it a little more unusual. The traditional shoulder straps on this one go lower down over the top of the arm and, along with the belt and neckline, are also trimmed with a faux leather. It’s a detail that I think updates the look of the trench and makes it feel more modern. A trench is a classic though so I know that this will be used year after year.

Today’s Special Value – Thompson & Morgan

I’ve been back in the garden again! I am spending so much time out there and it always feels like time well spent. I’ve had more things to pot, including my Richard Jackson lilies which recently arrived. I also go to pot up the Clematis Taiga from Thompson & Morgan ahead of the Today’s Special Value.

It includes two 7cm Clematis plants and a tower pot that it can grow up. The only thing you don’t get is the compost so I made sure to get a delivery of Richard Jackson Peat Free Compost too. This will be wonderful to watch grow as it fills the tower and gradually becomes a beautiful full climber with flowers. I’m not sure how quickly this will fill out so I will be eager to hear more during the live shows. It launches 9pm on the 15th and will be on all day 16th April, while stocks last.

That’s it from me for a few weeks while I get stuck into Easter fun and all the birthdays coming up. Ivy and Fred both have birthdays a few days apart so lots to organise.

I hope you have a lovely, lovely Easter.

Lots of Love Katy xx