Tagged: Morden Hall Park

May 2, 2017

Bank Holiday x

Every May Bank Holiday we try to go to the May Fayre at Morden Hall Park, a National Trust property at the end of the Northern Line. It’s a old fashioned cocktail of traditional family delights far removed from it’s urban setting. Apart from the display above..bikers doing their thing..

Except afterwards you could have a free go over an obstacle course yourself..and that’s what makes it’s so special. People are there because they love what they do and want to share it.

In amongst the stalls are little gems like this one for rescued reptiles, where the owners are happy to talk and answer questions.

These two had been inspired by watching too much Harry Potter..

You never know what you’ll see next.

Wholesome, good family fun. Until next year.

Laters, Kate x

May 3, 2016

Bank holiday x

What a difference a day makes..from snow to sun burn. Righting the wrongs of too many Bank Holiday weekends the weather was glorious and a siren call for the outdoors. We headed to Morden Hall Park, a National Trust property at the end of the Northern line which provides a beautiful link between urban and wild. Look closely..and you can see a heron…(really closely – he was bigger in real life..honest)

Or bee keepers tending their hives.

We were there for the May Fayre, a wonderful mash of mystique and rural from terrier racing to sheep sheering to duck herding and tie dye t-shirts. It’s a bit of a favourite.

(Charlie running off to race against the terriers. The terriers won..)

A bit of fence wattling?

Or just watch from the shade..

Charlie holding his wallet. Yes, that be a sock with a knot..

There were also some great stalls, from food to alpaca blankets. I fell for these Chinese shoes..

They have that folksy vibe but with a cool cut: The wedge heel with the ankle tie just make them. The red ones had a slight heel but come much further up the ankle. Super cool and super comfy..win win.

Meanwhile today is the day the flooring goes down in the cellar..and then it gets transformed. At the mo all the shelves are still filled with the residue from all the decorating..this will go…very soon..Of course I’m still waiting for the fitter to arrive. I do my friend Pauline’s shopping for her on a Tuesday as she’s house bound..and I have a friend coming round for lunch that I would love to buy supplies for…. but why would a workman ever be prompt?? Except my wonderful Polish builders who proved that it’s possible…

Not that we haven’t been using the cinema room – we couldn’t miss Game of Thrones – all hail John Snow! But camping chairs really don’t cut it..

Laters, Kate x

May 8, 2015

Morden Hall Park x

My book club book (due for discussion next week) is H for Hawk, a memoir by author Helen Macdonald about raising a Goshawk in a time of grief. So it was pretty thrilling to go to the Morden Hall Park Country Fayre on Bank Holiday monday to see live birds in action.

Morden Hall Park is a National Trust property right at the end of the Northern line where the river Wandle, the river used by William Morris to power his factory, flows powerfully through.

It’s a place that manages to marry urban and country in seamless unity..and this Fayre was no exception.

A barn owl flying over one of Charlie’s class mates.

Full of people but still far from the Madding crowds, there were salt of the earth stalls like this man, quietly making the most beautiful and realistic flys for fishing.

In the grounds blacksmiths and basket weavers were practising their fine arts.

There was even time to catch bubbles..

With miniature steam trains, ferret racing, dog shows, lots of animals as well as traditional stalls..and not so traditional ones…it was a genuinely great and unexpected day out.

But that’s the nature of Morden Hall Park – they really like to embrace the wild. In July they’re holding a Big Camp weekend with the opportunity to set up an overnight camp in the same field that Lord Nelson tethered his horse whilst he fished in the River Wandle and two days of ranger led activities with dinner cooked on a camp fire and story telling. Just gutted we’ll be away…next time Rodders, next time..

Laters, Kate x