The year 2020 has been a funny one. Some claim the summer months have been a 'total write off' since we spent a lot of it in quarantine. For me, as soon as we were allowed to travel a bit more with our household, the summer began. Over the months, despite having restrictions here and there, I have had some pretty awesome times. From small moments, planned days out, and a little bit of sunshine, all in all, the summer has served me well and I definitely wouldn't write it off. As September comes to an end and we officially enter Autumn, it's time to look back and reflect on summer...
Here are my top 5 moments of summer 2020!
5. Early Mornings
I've always been an early bird but this summer we took it to a new extreme. Waking up at 6am and getting out to enjoy the first glimpses of the summer sun. Whether that was a simple walk down to the Newcastle Quayside via Ousebourne, or further afield to shoot some Golden Hour shots. These moments made it to me top 5 because of how magical that time of morning is - so peaceful and a great opportunity to experience your local area from a different perspective. A good handful of my summer Instagram content was shot at morning golden hour in different locations across the North East. Below is just a handful of examples:
One week, after discussing the limited amount of summer left, we decided it was time to up sticks and FINALLY go camping. We'd been wanting to go for a while and it was something we'd never done together (in fact, something I'd never done at all). So, with a little bit of spontaneity, we booked the campsite and collected multiple camping tools from different family members. One week later, we embarked on our little holiday...
We were destined to have thundery showers having naively booked without checking the weather. We did, however, know that British weather is never more unpredictable than it is in the summer, so we decided to brave it. On our first day, we travelled down in very wet conditions and ended up erecting the tent in the pouring rain (we had to sit in the car halfway through just to take a breather). We past some beautiful waterfalls as a result of the weather and took extra precautions on the already rickety roads.
We cooked dinner in the tent that night and enjoyed the sound of the rain
while we cosied up with Horlicks. The next day, we woke up to beautiful
sunshine and finally had the chance to embrace the area we were in...
The Camping...
We stayed at an adults-only, quiet campsite on the very edge of a small village called Kettlewell. This village is in the dale of Wharfedale, located between Skipton and Aysgarth. The Camp, called Wharfe Camp, consisted of 5 extra-large pitches and 2 glamping pods. There were 2 communal drinking water taps outside, as well as a lovely, clean facility for toilets and showers, and outdoor pot-washing sinks. Each pitch had optional electric hook-up at £5 per night (at the time of our stay) but we decided it wasn't necessary for us.
The host of the campsite was Lucy, a lovely lady who always greeted us good morning and seemed generally interested in our experience. The pitches overlooked the rolling hills which warmed beautifully in the evening sun and the east view was of the hosts' land, complete with sheep, chickens and a wonderful looking veg patch.
Lucy and her partner kept the campsite in great condition and any COVID related changes were stated and reasonable. This included leaving the door open at the facilities to allow for airflow as well as the regular daily cleaning between check-in/out times. The shower was 20p for 2 minutes - something we struggled to gauge from online reviews and therefore feel eager to share to advise others.
The village was a short walk away from the campsite, let's say 5 to 10 minutes. We walked back after a late dinner on one of the nights and NEEDED our torches on - without them we were in complete darkness. The walk is a lovely way along the River Wharfe and a great opportunity to spot some wildlife. The village itself is also a dream - with little nooks to explore, like a bridge over the river between two houses, sheep grazing in the centre, an adorable village shop, and a perfect little ice cream shop. It has everything you could dream of from a quintessential Yorkshire village.
With the glorious weather, lovely neighbours, beautiful views, spot-on facilities AND a wonderful host - I truly believe that this was always the ideal recipe for our perfect little holiday. We would definitely stay at this campsite again in the future!
The Adventure...
We obviously couldn't go to the Yorkshire Dales without doing a big walk. On our full day, we travelled across to a village called Malham, a 45-minute drive on equally winding roads, to take a look at the world-famous spectacle: Malham Cove (pictured above). The Cove is a Limestone cliff, as high as 260 feet, with spectacular views from both the top and the bottom.
We decided to do a circular walk from Malham village, through Malham Cove, Gordale Scar and Janet's Foss, ending back in Malham. In hindsight, we should have done the walk the opposite way since the walk to the top of Malham Cove was a KILLER! By the top, my asthma symptoms were flaring and I began to shake for a while - nevertheless, I took time to recover and persevered.
We were rewarded by that perseverance. When we reached Gordale Scar we were pleasantly surprised, actually more blown-away. The pictures just don't do it justice of how spectacular and enchanting this waterfall is (see the first, feature image above). I've seen some unbelievable waterfalls in the short time I've been around, but this actually stands as one of my favourites.
From there, we took the short walk along to Janet's Foss (another, smaller waterfall feeding into a plunge-pool amongst woodland) which was, unfortunately, a little bit too crowded to truly enjoy. I would love to be there super early on a morning and get a chance to spot some of the local Dippers.
Finally, with our feet growing tired, we landed back into Malham village and stopped off at the Old Barn Tea Room for cream-tea. At the time of our visit, it was the Eat Out to Help Out Scheme, so 2 cream-teas came to £4.50! With a hefty mug of tea, a delicious scone and proper clotted cream, we were ready to head back to camp and get ready for our evening meal.
To set ourselves up for the day, we started both days with a Full English Breakfast - a calorific start, I know, but imperative when you have busy days ahead. We actually forgot to pack one of our pans so ended up having to cook everything in one pan. It took a lot of strategic planning but ended up working pretty well and left us well equipped for our days.
Other than that, more lovely food included the cream tea mentioned above (another long walk necessity) and the meal we decided to treat ourselves to...
We opted to visit The Kings Head pub/restaurant in the centre of Kettlewell. They weren't participating in the Eat Out to Help Out Scheme which was a little irritating as the dishes where twice the price as the neighbouring pub but, with the other pubs quickly filling up, we settled for a treat. Nonetheless, the food was definitely worth the extra price tag. I opted for Wensleydale Chicken, wrapped in pancetta with white wine and mushroom sauce, while Jamie went for the beautifully tender Beef Cheek. If you'd like to see my more in-depth review of the restaurant, you can do so here!
Looking back, I can't think of a moment that I didn't enjoy during this little holiday. We were so lucky with the weather, it was the cherry on top. But all in all, it was the beautiful locations, the company and the memories that formed a wonderful trip that I'll look back at fondly, forever.
Where in the UK would you like to travel to?
After living in Newcastle for over 2 years, I'm ashamed to confess that I haven't really explored much of Nortumberland. I've been to Bamburgh once or twice, but the bucket list of famous places such as Kielder, Alnwick, Alnmouth, and more, awoke this summer. At the start of this month, we finally packed our bags and headed North up to Kielder.
Initially, the plan was to stay in Kielder all day, but you'll find out a bit further down the post why this changed.
Kielder Forest Drive
Rather than going straight to the water's edge, we decided to head further up towards the Scottish border and approached Kielder via the 'Forest Drive'. This 12 mile stretch of road aids the transportation of Forestry England Vehicles but pairs up as a super scenic public toll road leading to Kielder Castle.
The website does advise this road is taken by 4x4 vehicles but we managed to do it in our compact Fiat Punto and found that, with a bit of care, the rubble roads are fine enough. The only time I would issue caution would be in harsher weather conditions; on a sunny morning this road is a breeze and the views are just breathtaking.
One of the points of interest along the way is Blakehope Nick - this is one of England's highest roads at 1500 feet and has a wonderful viewing platform which you can see on my IGTV below!
Kielder Lakeside Way Walk
Starting at Hawkhope Car park on the North East side of the water, we set off westward along the Lakeside Way route. This Lakeside walkway stretches the entirety of the water but we only managed a small chunk of it because of the warm weather and subsequent amount of mosquitos and black flies.
My word of warning: don't visit on a hot summer's day without a bottle of Deet or insect repellent.
Not only did we leave with 10-20 bites each (with only our arms exposed) but, since the walkway follows close to the water, there were few seating areas in which we could escape the insects to eat our picnic. Despite this, we saw some wonderful things along the way. From a little family of tiny field mice, a huge gold-ringed dragonfly, and a bunch of magical mushrooms peppered on the ground.
Since our sore, bitten arms sent us heading back early, we only ended up being out for around 2 hours. As we returned to the car at 1pm, we didn't want the day to be over just yet. Under the lovely blue skies and through beautiful country roads, we decided to head for Bellingham, since it had always been a place on our walking bucket list.
Hareshaw Linn
Arriving in the very busy and compact village of Bellingham, we realised it was the starting place for a walk we'd been eying up beforehand. Smack-bang in the middle of the village is the Hareshaw Burn with a busy but free car park. We set off on the walk after seeing a sign saying 'Hareshaw Linn - 1 mile' and boy OH BOY that was the longest mile of my life.
While the walk is beautiful and 100% worth it, I just simply don't believe the cartographer who erected that sign. Anyhow, as I mentioned, the walk is lovely. Feeling very immersed in the woodland around and tightly following the Burn the entire way, we reached the waterfall by surprise, turning the corner to see 30 foot of water cascade before us. On a warm day, the spray from the water is so refreshing and I could've sat watching and listening to the sounds all day.
The strength of the walk isn't too hard but, if like me you find inclines a little difficult, you'll want to keep yourself prepared with plenty of water, an inhaler, and a good pair of walking boots. The trail itself isn't particularly paths, maybe some parts of solid ground, but definitely, areas of mud will be found along the way.
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All in all, we left Bellingham feeling triumphant. Despite our dream of a long walk through Kielder being shaken up, we preserved and ultimately ended up on one of my favourite walks I've ever done. I would 100% recommend Hareshaw Linn the most, it's so natural and wholesome and a little less commercialised than Kielder.
Don't forget to check out my IGTV video to see some clips from across the day!
This post is an advertisement feature with Boots UK but all thoughts are my own.
It’s easy to fall into a bit of a slump when we’re spending a lot of time at home and this can have an effect on our confidence. Lately, I’ve been working hard to not let my confidence slip. This, however, doesn’t always require anything over the top; for me, it has simply relied on some little moments of self-care (and self-love) which have allowed me to feel a greater sense of achievement and self-confidence.
If you’re still working from home or just looking for a little confidence boost on a weekend, come and join me in using these 3 confidence-boosting hacks.
P A M P E R I N G
Whether I’m taking 10 extra minutes in the bath or applying my new favourite Fake Tan, there’s always room for a bit of self-care in my routine. Allowing myself these added moments to look after my appearance has been allowing me to feel good during these uncertain times since it allows me to nurture my mental and physical health. Even if I have nowhere to go, I can still confidently glow in my favourite pair of PJs.
If I’m choosing Fake Tan for Face or a Speedy Shower Shave, Boots has always got me covered. Even the little things like adding some bubbles to the bath, choosing a new shower gel, spritzing a new body spray, or giving exfoliating a go can all add to this ‘feel good’ sensation. Once I begin to look after my self, from the inside out, I definitely begin to notice more confidence.
Lately, I’ve been trying to look after my skin and my hair, specifically. Since lockdown left us all needing sheering like sheep, I decided to make the most of my long hair by styling it every day. I find that making that little extra effort to use the straighteners or the curling wand is my favourite way to stay motivated. Similarly, I’ve been setting aside some time every week to treat my skin to a bit of self tan. I feel there is no better feeling than waking up on a morning, peering down at my arms and legs, and noticing how well my tan has developed overnight.
Having a regular pamper has definitely allowed me to maintain confidence lately; from prancing around the flat in my short-shorts to show off my tanned legs, and filling up my photo album with selfies - the pampering is 100% boosting my confidence.
C O O K I N G
Just looking through the ‘Cooking’ Instagram highlight on my page gives a tiny glimpse at what I get up to in the kitchen. I love cooking! To me, it is a fantastic source of achievement (if it goes right, that is).
Since I’ve been cooking complex dishes more regularly for the past few years, I’m also starting to learn the general tricks-of-the-trade in the kitchen - things like secret ingredients and flavour pairings. I’m at the point now where friends are asking me for recipes - from my perfect pancakes to warming soups, the recipes that I create off the top of my head are now being passed on, like my own little legacy.
Having this sense of achievement and the freedom to work on a project in the kitchen is a fantastic way for boosting confidence. And, of course, practice makes perfect.
D R E S S I N G U P
At the start of lockdown, I was well and truly a pyjama hogger. Since my days were spent sitting at a desk, there was no real reason to change out of my loungewear joggers and it was a miracle if I brushed my hair. As the novelty of ‘staying in’ wore away, I began to crave that feeling of normality and have found that missing piece is easily filled with a little dressing up.
Okay, so I’m still wearing my trusty, comfy culottes most days, but at least they provide my look with a bit more of a put-together feel and give me some chic vibes. Put it this way, I wouldn’t be embarrassed to leave the house in this look. I usually pair them with a simple black t-shirt and sometimes, if I’m feeling completely wild, I’ll even do my makeup.
As Lana Del Rey once sang: ‘You get ready, you get all dressed up, To go nowhere in particular’ little did she know this would become my lockdown slogan. No matter what you’re doing, maybe pottering around the garden or taking a conference call, throwing on that new blouse or some swishy trousers can improve your mood and boost confidence for the rest of the day - it has definitely been doing the trick with me!
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By looking after yourself from the inside out, perhaps through delicious food, therapeutic baking, strategic fashion styling, or pampering with your favourite Fake Tan, you are achieving the best achievement of all: self-care. A little self-care goes a long way and always contributes a boost in confidence.
How are you boosting your confidence lately?
Sustainable Gift Guide for Everyone - Under £10
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Don't forget to wrap your gifts in a sustainable way too.Check out my blog post for sustainable gift wrapping ideas.
Did somebody order another 3 months of Newcastle food adventures? Get ready for a tour of the tables I was gobbling at throughout January, February and March.
*This blog post is in collaboration with Oasis Fashion and contains gifted items.
We all know that I've dismissed many forms of self-help in my anxious life. From the unnecessary visits to CBT and breathing exercises that seem impossible in a moment of panic, I am still impartial when it comes to self-help reading. Admittedly, on many occasions I've thrown them out of sight, underestimating their power in my time of need; afterall, what use are a few forgotten words going to be in the middle of a crowd? That is why I've decided to choose more 'attitude-changing' books.
The books in my TBR pile at the moment are a mixture of fiction and non-ficition, with self-help ones dotted in between. The mental health ones, though, are all based on how to change your lifestyle, outlook, and perspective. Making more engrained and memorable attitudes stick with you, rather than just being a bunch of meaningless demands.
Might I add - these books are on my To Be Read pile, but in no way does that mean I'll be reading them tomorrow. Hell to it - I might not even read them this year! What matters, is that I have a desire to read these books and will not drop even an ounce of pressure on my self for when they need to be completed and, what the hell, even if I start reading them and don't finish them, that's fine. I've always noticed a great deal of anxiety inducing idealism when it comes to reading, but I'm here to say that reading just one book in your life is a brilliant achievement and if you don't finish it, respect yourself for forming a critical opinion on it.
1. Reasons to Stay Alive by Matt Haig
"A moving, funny and joyous exploration of how to live better, love better and feel more alive, Reasons to Stay Alive is more than a memoir. It is a book about making the most of your time on earth."
I've always heard brilliant things about this book and it's a lovely little pocket-sized item that I feel will sit pretty on my bedside table. I do worry that this might be a little bit triggering since it covers some sensitive and tragic moments in Matt's life, but the reviews do suggest that this book provides a useful and realistic perspective, taking a step back from the depressive mind and helping understand why there is hope at the end of the tunnel.
"This interactive mindfulness journal will engage all your sense and focus your mind on the present, drawing together the fundamental principles of mindfulness and ecotherapy in one fun, interactive journal."This interactive self-help book is teaching me different ways to embrace nature when I'm out there. It includes all sorts, such as cloud identification and noting down feelings as I pay attention to how leaves crunch beneath my feet. Simple little acts of mindfulness are helping me to identify the power of nature and bring a different, more grounded approach to my outside adventures.
Whether I decide to pop this in my backpack on my next walk or take a few moments on a Sunday morning to step into the garden and record some sounds (maybe by trying to write them or drawing 'sound lines'), I see this book as an excellent way of encouraging the beautiful concoction of mindfulness and fresh air.
3. The Little Book of Hygge by Meik Wiking
Of course, we all want to live the best, most stress-free life we possibly can and I guess unlocking that door and changing my lifestyle could end up impacting my perspective. The thing that excites me most about this book is learning how to make my possesions and responsibilities work for me, rather than me working for them. The idea of Hygge is contentment from the little things in life and I am definitely open to embracing that."Hooga? Hhyooguh? Heurgh? It is not really important how you choose to pronounce or even spell 'hygge'. What is important is that you feel it. Whether you're cuddled up on a sofa with a loved one, or sharing comfort food with your closest friends, hygge is about creating an atmosphere where we can let your guard down."
I could've written this post about one week into January because, as the clock struck 12, the anxiousness and nervous anticipation had already set in. The previous decade was left behind; one of repeating education, growing up, learning about the world. A new decade was swept before us; looming with expectations, reality and HUGE life choices.
At least for me, turning 21 in 2020 means that, the next time we'll turn a decade, I'll be heading into my 30s. So, do I only have one decade to set myself up and get myself on the right track?
Of course, many would argue that life can be taken at whatever pace it needs to go and I need to be living in the present, not in the future. It is reasonable to think that way and, truth be told, I think my anxious little mind is yearning for me to think like that. But, it's easier said than done. AND, when was fighting your fear ever so bad for you after all?
Welcoming 2020 with an awkward handshake and a sheepish smile, I've managed (just about) to get to the end of January without going insane (maybe just one existential crisis later). There's nothing more empowering than that; looking back at how I felt at the start of January, I was terrified - now, though, I'm slowly but surely coming to grips with what the new decade is going to throw at me and learning that I am capable and excited to handle whatever it may be. Here's how:
G E T M O T I V A T E D
If like me, you're entering what could be some of the biggest, most impactful years of your life, this will include securing that dream career. Admittedly, that doesn't need to be done in your twenties, or in any particular decade, in fact. However, I know that I'd love to be on my career path as I leave Uni, after hearing so many horror stories about Post-Grad life; but that isn't going to find it's own way. I'm going to have to kick myself up the butt and put these actions in place. Whether that is finding out what I want to do, working hard at Uni, or experimenting across different jobs to find what I enjoy - I'm really beginning to learn that being motivated to get moving is the only way I'm going to achieve exactly what I want for my future self.
A C C E P T C H A N G E
It's hard to see years passing by you and, in some cases, it's one of the biggest causes of anxiety for some people. I know I certainly struggle with change, and I always have. I'd like to move out of the flat I live in right now; try out a more modern place in a different location so that I can dip my toe into a different pool of water, but I equally don't want to abandon the memories I've made here, nor the special little pleasure that I'd hate to part with. But, eventually, it's going to happen. Realistically, I can't stay in this flat forever. Just like how I can't study my undergraduate degree forever, nevermind relying on the student loan. It's going to change, and accepting that is going to be the biggest most admirable achievement that I can do. As we grow up and welcome new homes, new jobs, new pathways, it is most important that we aren't scared of it. If we work hard to control our lives, we can be completely in charge of what changes take place and ensure that it's the best it can be.
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