Scottish Outlander

24 November, 2019

4 Things I’m Doing Now to Set Myself Up for a Successful 2020 and Beyond

24 November, 2019

Why wait for the New Year, next month or even Monday? If I’ve decided I’m going to do something surely the best time to start is now? So, that’s what I’ve been doing and I thought maybe if I shared the changes I’ve been making and the things I’m determined not to give up on despite the time of year it might inspire someone, somewhere to start something now too.

I started investing

I recently discovered the FIRE movement – Financial Independence Retire Early. It’s a big thing in the US and it’s slowly been making its way over to the UK. The principle is that you increase your savings rate and invest enough so that, over time, the returns are sufficient to live off enabling you to retire before the official retirement age. Although I’m not looking to retire early I really like the flexibility this approach gives. Having another stream of income in 10 or 20 years’ time could allow us to reduce our working hours and spend more time with family or take a pay cut to work a job for love rather than money. The most accessible way of doing this is through investing so I’ve chosen to invest in low cost index funds and open a stocks and shares ISA. At the moment our monthly contributions are relatively low as we’re saving for a new car but in time I hope we’ll be able to increase this and set ourselves up for a more adaptable future.

I stopped drinking

Alcohol is a drug and drugs don’t lend themselves well to productivity. Although I was only (usually) drinking on Friday and Saturday nights the effects were much more far reaching. My Saturday morning workout sessions were less effective and the days after big events were often a write off. I’ve been toying with sobriety throughout 2019 and completed 40 days without alcohol at the start of the year then 66 days from the end of the summer. They say it takes 66 days to break a habit and you know what? I think “they” might be right. After those 66 days I had a blow out for my husband’s birthday which left me feeling hung-over for two days and I began drinking my regular couple of bottles of wine per week again, slipping right back into old habits. This time though I decided enough was enough and it just wasn’t worth it. I’d seen the benefits and I knew they weren’t outweighed by the “positives” of lowered inhibitions and a fuzzy feeling inside. So here I am at 6.30am on a Sunday morning feeling fresh as a daisy and finally finding the time I’ve been looking for to do something for myself and revive my blog.

I’m losing weight

I don’t want to wait till January when I’ve piled on the pounds and feel utterly miserable to focus on weight loss. I’ve dropped over a stone so far but a recent care free holiday means I need to get back on track. I don’t want to be derailed by the festive season so I think it’s more important than ever to get back to the key principles that have helped me get this far. Quitting alcohol should help me stay on track as my alcohol free alternatives contain a fraction of the calories and I won’t be as tempted to reach for salty snacks. I’m a member of Team RH (you might have seen Richie’s sweary, no-bullshit videos on Facebook) who have taught me so much about nutrition and why it’s important to try to hit my protein and fibre goals so I’ll be renewing my membership when it comes to an end. The Team RH app links to MyFitnessPal where I track my calories and provides me with calorie, protein, fibre, water, step and exercise goals which are completely achievable unlike those MyFitnessPal will set if you let it. If you’re interested in joining let me know and I’ll send you a discount code.

I’m minimising my media consumption

I was subscribed to so many email newsletters, podcasts, YouTube and social channels that it was overwhelming. I lived in fear of missing out on that key snippet of information that would make all the difference to my life and career but I was consuming so much information that it was hard to find the time to take action on any of it. The solution to this problem may seem pretty obvious but in practice it hasn’t been as easy as you might think. FOMO is real and whittling down to a few choice experts per channel has taken a lot of time but I think I’m nearly there. For once my inbox reads 0 unread emails and, on Instagram, I’ve actually seen the words “You’re all caught up.”

27 December, 2016

Rules, the Oldest Restaurant in London

27 December, 2016

When one of my best friends and her Mum visited the UK recently, I travelled down to the capital to spend a few days with them. While I was there they treated me to lunch at one of London’s Oldest Restaurants, Rules.

Established in 1798, Rules serves classic British food in traditional Edwardian surroundings.

You might recognise the interior from appearances in Downton Abbey and the James Bond film Spectre.

The walls play host to hundreds of drawings, paintings and cartoons which provide an insight into the history of the restaurant and those who have dined there. Over the centuries Rules has been frequented by some of the biggest names in literature and the arts from Charles Dickens to Laurence Olivier.

Upstairs is the cocktail bar with dark wood walls and plush red seating. Known in certain circles as one of London’s best kept secrets it’s a beautiful place to escape the hustle and bustle of the city with a world class cocktail.

Rules is famed for its game but since I’m a big fan of seafood I decided to start with Uig Lodge Smoked Salmon with Scrambled Eggs. The smoked salmon was delicious and the eggs were light and fluffy, cooked to perfection.

For my main course I opted for the Cod, Mussel & Prawn Curry with cauliflower, coriander & pilau rice. Visually stunning this curry was full of flavour and tasted as good as it looked.

To finish we shared the Plum, Blackberry & Apple Crumble with vanilla custard. The crumble was beautifully presented and much lighter than I expected.

Overall the food was excellent, as you would expect from a restaurant commanding a higher price point, but it’s the service and surroundings that make a visit to Rules a truly special experience. Thank you so much Lauren and Gina.

Uig Lodge Smoked Salmon with Scrambled Eggs, £14.95
Cod, Mussel & Prawn Curry with cauliflower, coriander & pilau rice, £24.95
Plum, Blackberry & Apple Crumble with vanilla custard, £7.95

Rules can be found at 35 Maiden Lane, Covent Garden, WC2E 7LB and you can make a reservation on their website.

19 October, 2016

Culzean Castle and Country Park, Ayrshire, Scotland

19 October, 2016

I have lots of fond memories of visiting Culzean Castle and Country Park as a child and I was keen to share them with John. I got my chance on a beautiful warm summer’s day, perfect for exploring the extensive estate.

Since I knew where I was going we decided to park at the swan pond at the bottom of the park and work our way up towards the visitor centre at the very top. The pond is home to ducks, swans and a wide variety of other birds and is often covered in lily pads. It’s also right next to a huge adventure playground called Adventure Cove that was making me very envious of the children allowed to play on it!

Circling the pond only takes around 20 minutes and there is plenty of wildlife to enjoy.

The park boasts coastal views and on a good day you’ll be able to see Arran, Alisa Craig, Kintyre and on a great day you might even see Northern Ireland.

The park even has its own resident heard of deer!

Perched on the cliffs by the sea the 18th-century castle is absolutely stunning. There are guided tours of the castle at 11.00am and 2.30pm daily and family tours on Saturdays and Sundays at 11.30am and 2.00pm. I remember them well, they used to hide a Lego man in every room for children to find which kept my brother and I busy as we were shown around the lavish rooms.

This time we had our puppy Maisie with us so weren’t able to explore inside any of the buildings but it really was the park and scenery we were most interested in.

Culzean Castle and Country Park is owned by The National Trust so is free for members. If you’re a non-member you can choose to visit the castle and the park for £15.50 per adult or simply visit the park for £10.00 per adult. Although it is on the pricey side there is enough to keep you busy all day, especially if you’re visiting with children (they won’t want to leave that playground in a hurry!).

3 August, 2016

Caer Beris Manor, Builth Wells, Wales

3 August, 2016

We had planned to camp the night before we collected our little Cairn Terrier puppy but we decided the stress of bringing our new arrival home from Wales would be enough without adding putting up our new tent into the mix. Instead we treated ourselves to a stay at the beautiful Caer Beris Manor in Builth Wells.

The historic manor house has 23 bedrooms which are almost as impressive as the stunning exterior.

We booked a Heritage Double Room and were given The Harcourt-Wood Room (Room 18) which features a large, authentic leaded window and boasts views out over the courtyard.

The room was beautifully decorated and had everything from a flat screen TV to fluffy towels to use in the modern bathroom.

The courtyard makes it easy to see why the Manor is now a listed building after being restored by its current owners.

Set in 27 acres of parkland and with The River Irfon winding through its grounds the Manor’s gardens are perfect for an evening stroll.

It even has its own suspension bridge with a sign that warns only one person should use it at a time, making it a little bit nerve wracking!

The next morning we headed to breakfast early so we had plenty of time for another walk before we checked out.

I decided on a cheese omelette while John went for the traditional full Welsh Breakfast with a pork and leek sausage, bacon, fried egg, tomato, mushroom, black pudding and wedges, all of which he said was delicious!

We paid £74.00 for bed and breakfast which we felt was very reasonable especially considering the sheer beauty of the surroundings and the attentiveness of the staff who were all curious about our journey to collect our new puppy. They were quick to point out Caer Beris Manor is a pet friendly hotel so maybe one day we’ll head back to let Maisie explore the extensive grounds and swim in the river!

19 July, 2016

Highland Folk Museum, Newtonmore, Scotland

19 July, 2016

When my parents told me that the Highland Folk Museum was used as filming location for one of my favourite TV programmes, Outlander, I knew I would have to pay it a visit.

Situated in Newton More, just off the A9 to the South of Aviemore the Highland Folk Museum is open 7 days a week in the summer and is free to enter.

The museum gives visitors a taste of how people in the Highlands lived from the 1700s right through to the 1960s.

Each building is fully furnished with period pieces and wandering from one era to another is a fascinating way to spend a few hours.

You can even learn a thing or two in the old school house.

We practised our writing with pen and ink and spoke to the school master who explained where the building had been moved from and how the children taught in it were disciplined.

The collections at the Highland Folk Museum feature everything from agricultural equipment to domestic
items such as laundry and even a traditional Steam Engine.

Many of the buildings have been saved from demolition and preserved for future generations.

The 1700s Township was the thing I was most looking forward to and it didn’t disappoint!

The 6 houses are stunningly authentic and if you’ve watched Outlander you’ll recognise the village from the first series when Jamie and Dougal travelled around their clan’s land to collect rents.

Although the museum is free to enter I’m sure you’ll want to leave a donation and maybe even purchase something from the gift shop to ensure it’s around for years to come.

4 July, 2016

A Walk from Craster to Dunstanburgh Castle

4 July, 2016

If you’re looking for a nice easy coastal walk in Northumberland with stunning views I would thoroughly recommend the walk from Craster to Dunstanburgh Castle.

You can park in the pay and display which is on the right as you enter the village and walk down towards the harbour. When you get to the harbour it’s clear to see which way to go as the impressive ruin of Dunstanburgh Castle sits high on the headland and can be seen from miles around.

The walk to the castle is 1.3 miles and a word of warning, there are no loos on site!

And quite a few locals so make sure to keep your dog on a lead.

Dunstanburgh Castle is managed by English Heritage and is free for National Trust members. If you don’t have a membership and want to venture in entry is £5.20 per person with gift aid. The ruins are open from 10am – 6pm during the summer season but having visited before we decided the walk itself was enough for us.

We refuelled at The Shoreline Cafe in the centre of Craster with an open prawn sandwich on sourbread and a tuna and red onion panini. Both were delicious and much cheaper than a pub lunch, plus you can take your four legged friend inside with you!

If you’d like some other ideas for things to do in Northumberland why not have a look at some of my other posts?

The Alnwick Garden and Treehouse
Camping at Budle Bay
Housesteads Roman Fort
Craster Harbour
Holy Island at Dusk
Bamburgh Castle and Farne Islands Boat Trip

30 May, 2016

Meet Maisie, Our 9 Week Old Cairn Terrier Puppy

30 May, 2016

I have wanted a dog for a long time and this time last week my dream finally came true. After months of planning and a few false starts John and I picked up our Cairn Terrier puppy from a lovely breeder in mid Wales.

When we arrived our puppy was in a crate waiting for us and we fell in love as soon as we saw her. We had a cage set up in the car and everything we could possibly need for the four and a half hour journey home. We knew it might take a while for pup to settle and were surprised when she slept for most of the way only waking when we stopped to give her some water.

Maisie is now 9 weeks and 2 days old and is full of energy. So far she has slept through every night, is doing well with her training pads and is learning quickly. We’re working on getting her biting under control and can’t wait till we can take her out for walks.

9 May, 2016

Amsterdam Mini Cruise on DFDS Princess Seaways

9 May, 2016

What do you get the girl who has everything? A mini cruise to Amsterdam! It was my 27th birthday recently and John decided to whisk me away to Amsterdam. Knowing I love boats he booked the Amsterdam Mini Cruise with DFDS Seaways where you spend two nights on-board and 5 hours exploring the Dutch capital.

The ferry leaves from Royal Quays, North Shields which is near Newcastle and pretty easy to get to from the A1. My birthday was on a Monday so we chose the cruise which left on Sunday afternoon and returned on Tuesday morning.

We checked in at 2.30pm and had plenty of time to explore the ship before our 5.00pm departure. First we went to find our cabin and see where we would be laying our heads. John had upgraded to a room with a window so we could enjoy the view and the cosy cabin had everything we needed.

Once we were settled in we headed to the upper decks to watch as our voyage got under way. On the top deck we found the Sky Bar, ordered a drink and enjoyed the sea air.

In the evening there were plenty of restaurants to choose from and we settled on Little Italy which is also the cheapest except for the cafe. It offers fresh stone-baked pizzas and classic pasta dishes. A margherita with fresh basil set us back €15.50 while a large portion of spaghetti bolognese was €18.50 so it was on the pricey side but we were expecting to pay over the odds for food on-board.

After dinner we had a few drinks and listened to music in our cabin before heading to the Columbus Club to see what entertainment was available. We had brought our own bottles of wine but needn’t have bothered as the shop was duty free making it cheaper than the supermarket at home.

The Columbus Club is the main bar and spans the width of the ship. It has a stage, dance floor, casino and even offers table service. We watched the live band while we drank and left when the bingo started, it’s really not our game!

Our 2-berth cabin had an en-suite bathroom, air conditioning and bunk beds. We had already agreed John would take the top bunk (he was worried I might fall out after a few glasses of wine!) but the bunk beds were a decent size and very comfy so we both slept soundly.

In the morning the ships tannoy woke everyone up an hour before we arrived in Amsterdam. We grabbed something to eat in our cabin then went out on deck to watch as we docked.

The buses were waiting for us after we came through passport control and we began the 45 minute journey to the centre of Amsterdam.

We had five hours to explore so first thing was first. Cheese!

So. much. cheese.

Then we took in the sights and smells of the world famous flower market.

These ones didn’t smell quite as good.. and I didn’t notice they were wooden until after I had taken the photo!

At 12 noon we were surprised to hear an air raid siren blaring. We had no idea what was going on but since none of the locals were batting an eye lid we decided everything must be fine. When we returned home we did some research and found that on the first Monday of every month at noon a network of 4200 sirens are tested all over The Netherlands. It’s called Waarschuwingsstelsel and no matter where you are in the country you should be able to hear the sirens. If it’s not the first Monday of the month you should go instead, shut all doors and windows and turn on your radio!

After that little drama we decided the best way to see the rest of the city was by boat and booked ourselves a canal cruise. We chose Lovers Canal Cruises which was €16 each and spent an hour touring the harbour and the many scenic canals. Unfortunately my camera was having a wobbler so I had no choice but to sit back and relax. Lovers Canal Cruises also offer evening cruises with dinner and drinks and if we stay overnight in the future I would love to go on a candle light or even a pizza cruise!

We spent the rest of the afternoon exploring the city centre, enjoying the architecture and dodging the April showers.

At 4.00pm we headed to our pick up point and took the coach back to the ferry terminal. Boarding was much quicker when we were getting back on the boat and before long we were heading home.

The evening was spent watching the sunset and enjoying a few drinks. We ate in Little Italy again and watched people gamble in the Casino before calling it a night.

We docked in North Shields at 9.00am the following morning and immediately started thinking about our next voyage on the high seas!

If you want to have your own adventure Amsterdam mini cruises with DFDS Seaways start at £85.00pp.

6 April, 2016

Big Kid Circus 2016

6 April, 2016

The circus has been back in town! Last month I went to see Big Kid Circus for the fourth year in a row. Yup, four years running! I’m choosing to blame the fact that I never went as a child and have a lot of catching up to do. You can see last year’s post here. This year there were new acts as well as some old favourites like the Wheel of Death and Spiderman who always wows the kids.

One of the most impressive performances was Cascade Troupe with their incredible perch act. This awe-inspiring show of strength and balance involves one man holding a very long pole on his shoulders while the other shimmies up it and performs amazing balancing acts at the very top.

A few familiar faces from the film Monsters, Inc. made an appearance during one of Georgie the clowns’ performances and a balance and poise act featured some amazing flexibility and an incredible number of candles.

The Three Wheel of Death was even more death defying than last year with one of the Moroccan group doing a full flip while standing on top of one of the moving wheels.

Another crowd pleaser was Vasyl the strong man whose act revolved around some very heavy kettle bells and yet more examples of balance and agility. Marianna performed an aerial silk act, the Agadir acrobats took skipping to a completely new level and Cascade Troupe performed again with a Russian bar which is effectively a narrow trampoline held between two people who have to move to ensure the flyer can complete their tumbles without hitting the floor!

The show was busier than I’ve ever seen it so the word about these spectacular gymnasts and performers must be getting around. We really enjoyed the show again this year and are looking forward to seeing what Big Kid Circus come up with next.

14 March, 2016

Go Ape at Whinlatter Forest and The Proclaimers

14 March, 2016

For John’s 29th birthday I bought him a voucher for Go Ape and for my 26th John bought us tickets to see one of my favourite bands, The Proclaimers. We decided to book Go Ape for the same date as the concert and make a day of it.

We went to Go Ape at Whinlatter Forest in the Lake District, just 50 minutes from Carlisle. Since I was convinced the highest Go Ape in the country would get the better of me we asked John’s friend and business partner, Ben, to come along.

The boys were shown the ropes (literally) and began making their way around the course. With my feet firmly on the ground I watched them navigate through the trees and over all sorts of obstacles high in the canopy.

The course at Whinlatter features tunnels, bridges, crossings, cargo nets and more. Some of the obstacles look easier to tackle than others but looks can be deceiving. At one point Ben was pretty much horizontal after choosing the trickier way round.

Since it was raining and my camera and I were getting a bit damp I decided to retreat to the visitor centre for a cup of tea and a bite to eat. When I walked back into the woods I thought it might be difficult to find John and Ben again but I soon caught sight of John whizzing through the trees on one of the zip-wires before crashing onto the bark covered landing area.

The whole course took John and Ben around 2 and a half hours to navigate although they had no idea they had been in the trees for that long!

After dusting themselves down they were presented with a certificate to acknowledge their achievement (John was particularly chuffed!) and we headed back to the city for the concert at The Sands Centre.

John and I had seen The Proclaimers once before at Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival but this was a very different environment. John had asked for advice on the best seats so we were able to enjoy the show from the very centre of the audience and this time The Proclaimers had a full band in tow.

The Proclaimers were on top form and sounded album perfect. They played all of my favourites including most of the songs from the Sunshine on Leith album and a few of their most recent releases.

I absolutely loved the gig and John couldn’t get the smile off his face after his adventure in the trees. All in all I think we did pretty well with our birthday gifts!