Butterfly World

A Day Among the Butterflies

We visited Butterfly World at Preston Park, and there were butterflies everywhere as soon as we walked inside.

The Blue Morphos were the first to catch my attention. Their bright blue wings stood out as they darted around the enclosure, making them quite difficult to photograph. Although you're not allowed to touch the butterflies, if you stand very still, they sometimes land on you. There were plenty of other butterflies to spot too, with so many different colours and patterns.

I also loved watching the meerkats, while the ants were busy going about their work.

Oxford

A Day Exploring Oxford

Oxford had been on my list of places to visit for a while, so I was excited to finally spend a day exploring the city.

We arrived early and headed into the centre while the sun was shining. Even though it was still quite early, there were already lots of people around, particularly around the Bridge of Sighs, also known as Hertford Bridge. I managed to find a spot underneath it to take a photograph before we carried on through the city.

The Radcliffe Camera was one of the places I was most looking forward to seeing, with its blue dome. We also stopped to look inside St Mary's Church, which sits opposite, and visited the Bodleian Library too.

We spent some time exploring a few of the 39 university colleges, including Christ Church, Pembroke, and Magdalen. Later in the day, we wandered through Christ Church Meadow, where we spotted a couple of deer. It was a lovely contrast to the busy streets in the centre.

The Botanic Garden was another highlight, with plenty of flowers to photograph. (There are over 5000 different plant species.) After spending most of the day surrounded by buildings and people, it was nice to have somewhere quieter to wander around.

And, of course, I couldn't leave Oxford without going punting on the River Cherwell.

Waddesdon Manor | Buckinghamshire

Waddesdon Manor

We visited Waddesdon Manor, a country house in Buckinghamshire, and, as it was one of the hottest days of the year, we took the shuttle bus up to the house, giving us a chance to enjoy the views as we arrived.

The grounds were lovely to explore. I particularly liked the fountain and the architecture of the manor itself. We also came across the cast-iron aviary, which houses endangered species of birds.

A Walk up Roseberry

Roseberry Topping

We headed up to the summit of Roseberry Topping on a clear day, and the views across the surrounding Cleveland landscape stretched for miles, with the patchwork of fields and countryside below.

Rydal Water | Lake District

A Stop at Rydal Water

Rydal Water wasn't somewhere I'd visited before. We came across it while travelling towards Grasmere. After stopping for a look, we crossed the bridge and were greeted by beautiful views across the lake. We decided to follow the path alongside the water, which eventually took us to Rydal Cave.

The scenery was lovely, with the hills and trees around the lake and reflections across the water.

Hill Top | Lake District

A Visit to Hill Top

During our trip to the Lake District, we visited Hill Top, the former home of Beatrix Potter.

The house is surrounded by beautiful countryside and gardens, and it was easy to see how the setting could have inspired some of her stories. Inside the house, many of Beatrix Potter's belongings remain. I also spotted copies of some of her original illustrations.

Bluebell Wood

Bluebell Season

Spring is one of my favourite times of year, and I love walking through woods when the bluebells are in bloom.

The woodland floor becomes covered in a sea of purple, with the flowers stretching between the trees. I took these photographs during visits to woodland in North Yorkshire. Bluebells are easily damaged, and I'd much rather enjoy them without contributing to the footfall by sharing the exact location.