It's half term and the Jubilee (Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee) so we head down to the Forest of Dean to stay at the Camping In The Forest site at Christchurch.
The first night we arrived (and most of the rest of the week) was a little rainy. Whilst I put up the tent Vanessa and the children went exploring around the campsite. They didn't get far though as the children discovered a muddy hill near our pitch that had become a very entertaining mud slide in the rain. This resulted in some very wet and muddy children but lots of fun.
The next day we headed out to see some of the local attractions and ended up at the Puzzle wood. We'd arrive at lunchtime to big queues and steep prices so we headed back to Maisie; a quick rummage in the cupboards soon produced a delicious car park picnic.
As it was the Jubilee every where we went had royal themed kids event and the puzzle wood was no exception Toby had a great time running around the woods spotting the crowns and Millie Joined in nearly as enthusiastically even if she didn't really understand what it was all about.
Michael and Alison (in laws) join us that evening at the camp site and we have a decent enough gap in the weather (actually a bit if sun) to break out the Barbeque. As our pitch is next to the playground the children are having a great time running back and forth. Toby even finds some girls face painting and arrives with a union flag on his cheek. This becomes a source of much distress when he discovers that he must wash in the evening.
Fortunately they are there again in the morning so Toby ends up with a full face flag for our trip out to Clearwell caves. More crown hunting, this time underground and a compulsory trip to the teashop and then it is time for Michael and Alison to head home. We also head back towards the camp site but the children fall asleep on the way so we stop off at Symonds Yat car park and spend a delightful hir reading the paper / napping while the children sleep.
Once everyone is awake again we head up the path to see the view and a quick photo opportunity. The children are deeply unimpressed so put on their miserable faces.
We head back and stop off on the way at a restaurant / takeaway where we have an enjoyable time playing travel ludo and snakes and ladders whilst we wait for our meal.
We head home again in the morning in yet more rain. Even though we got very wet we had a great time.
