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melbeehat

@melbeehat

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Craft beer, taprooms & coffee.
Street art, nature & travel adventures.
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Amazing overnight at @thereservechesterzoo for my sister's birthday. The staff were so helpful and friendly from the moment we arrived and had our welcome drinks to our check out the next day.

We loved our lakeside lodge which had a view over the water from the balcony and lovely interior decor. It had a refreshing rainfall shower, such a cosy bed and a sofa where we could sit and chat before heading over to the Amboseli Restaurant.

We had a 2 course meal in the evening and there was a good choice for meat eaters and vegetarians. Afterwards, we got involved in a few ranger activities, a pangolin talk on the terrace, some impromptu bat watching and the quiz in the Tsavo lounge (which we managed to win 🙌).

The next morning we spotted giraffes on the way to our delicious breakfast before making the most of our early access to the Heart of Africa zone. Good to know that our stay helped to fund conservation and a great way to celebrate a special occasion.
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#zoo #hotel #lodge #lake by @melbeehat

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2 days ago

Books books books. We spent a few hours in the lovely Hay on Wye while we were in Wales. The town is famous for being the home of lots of bookshops so we had a good explore. The car was full of camping equipment but I still managed to squeeze two books into the gaps 📚
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#wales #hayonwye #booklover #bookshop #books by @melbeehat

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20 days ago

Fountains Hall and gardens at @ ntfountainsabbey. We'd been to this estate quite a few times but had never realised that we could visit the hall. taken in Fountains Abbey & Studley Royal, National Trust by @melbeehat

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a month ago

This view of a tree through the archway reminded me of the Robin Hood Prince of Thieves film when I visited @ntfountainsabbey. As you can tell by the colour of the grass, this was a little before the fourth heatwave - but we did have a lovely summery day to visit our favourite parts of this amazing location.
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I love exploring ruins and this UNESCO World Heritage site has plenty on offer. The abbey dates back nearly 900 years and was once the largest and richest abbey in the north of England. In 1539 Henry VIII dissolved the monasteries and the abbey fell into decay with some of the stone being used to build Fountains Hall.
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We first saw Studley Water Gardens when we went to watch Landscape Artist of the Year being filmed. I think you probably need a drone to appreciate the full landscape and the shapes of the lakes but they are still very serene and beautiful. These were created in the 18th century alongside other garden buildings which we also like to explore on our walk.
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#yorkshire #nationaltrust #abbey #historicbuilding #garden taken in Fountains Abbey & Studley Royal, National Trust by @melbeehat

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a month ago

Some historic scenes of Norwich with a Paddington and two coffees thrown in for good measure 😁
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Despite the heat, the whole Cathedral area was such a lovely space. It's an impressive building dating back to the end of the 11th century with the largest collection of mediaeval roof bosses (little ornamental stones on the ceilings) in the world. I found Paddington on a bench outside and couldn't resist a quick picture because he was one of my childhood favourite book characters.
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Unfortunately we didn't get to meet Budge, the Cathedral cat but we did enjoy a walk round the cloisters and a look at the unusual animals depicted on the shields. I loved the pools of coloured light created by the McLean windows which were installed in 2014 and that the copper font is a relic from a chocolate factory.
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After leaving the Cathedral we went to look at Tombland Alley which is home to a few 16th century timber framed buildings. The hollyhocks just finished the view off nicely.
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We didn't have time to explore the castle which was partly built by William the Conqueror (and finished by his brother) but we did have time to look out over the city from the entrance. I was fascinated by the plaques on the wall on the way back down, in particular the dragon one.
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There seem to be a lot of religious buildings in the compact city centre and we spotted some with local flourishes such as flint stone walls. The Victorian Gothic Revival Roman Catholic Cathedral is a fairly recent addition compared to the castle and despite its historic appearance was only completed in 1910.
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We bookended our day with two good coffees - a flat white from the Bread Source van near the Cathedral - and a much needed iced coffee from OPs on Bank Plain (where I also picked up some Duration beers to take home). There was a good choice of coffee shops in the city, I definitely need to return again and try some more of them.
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#norfolk #norwich #cathedral #castle #coffee taken in Norwich, UK by @melbeehat

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a month ago

A wander round the streets of Norwich from the historic cobbles at Elm Hill to the Art Nouveau Royal Arcade and then on to the Lanes shopping area. There were so many independent shops, cafés and beautiful buildings. I would love to go back again.
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#norwich #explore #shopindependant #buylocal #historic taken in Norwich, Norfolk by @melbeehat

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a month ago

How amazing is this garden in Norwich? I went on a daytrip to the city with a lovely friend and we were recommended to take a short walk out of the centre to visit this oasis of calm and beauty. It was a moment of joy as the entrance pathway opened up into views of palm trees and flowers.
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The garden was created in an old chalk pit by Henry Trevor. He began in 1856 and spent 40 years working on it. It was made in a Victorian style with follies and a gothic twist on the fountain. Trevor invited many visitors to see his garden and it was used by charities as well. After he died it eventually became neglected and forgotten until the 1990s. A Trust was set up and their volunteers have brought the garden back to life. The minimal entry fee of £2 along with fundraising efforts and charity grants help to keep this garden going.
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It was over 30 degrees that day and the area around the fountain was refreshingly cool, so we sat there for a while listening to the water. We walked up around the side footpaths to look at the follies and stone walls full of unusual bits of masonry and bricks. I enjoyed seeing the garden from different heights and walking over the wooden bridge at the end. If this is your thing I highly recommend a visit.
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#norwich #garden #historic #fountain #palmtrees taken in Plantation Garden, Norwich by @melbeehat

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a month ago

A visit to the @hepworthwakefield.
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This summer we've had the chance to discover some new places as we just happened to be doing something practical in the local area. This time we were at a warehouse buying a camping shelter and it was the perfect opportunity to see some works of art.
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The gallery is located in a starkly impressive building next to the River Calder. It houses a collection of Barbara Hepworth's sculptures as well as several by Henry Moore. There were some stunning paintings, prints and sculptures by modern and contemporary artists.
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After looking at all the art I enjoyed a sunny wander around the beautiful gardens which were designed by Tom Stuart-Smith. We also had a browse round the gallery shop followed by a cup of coffee and a slice of cake.
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#artgallery #garden #sculpture #art #coffeeandcake by @melbeehat

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a month ago

We spent a great couple of hours at @rutlandnursery while we were staying nearby. I loved the scandi interior of the View Restaurant and the central tree. We got to sit and enjoy our coffees at the parrot lamp table with sunny views outside.
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The garden area was beautifully laid out and there were lots of green and flowering plants despite the hot weather.
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The shop was a highlight and full of so many lovely things it was hard to take it all in. We spent ages looking at everything from unusual birthday candles to garden books. Of course I fell in love with yet another jellycat but we both liked quite a few of the ceramics too.
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Afterwards we wandered around the other spaces full of gardening tools and useful items. We marvelled at the polytunnel flowers and outdoor trees. We sat a while at the outdoor café seating and enjoyed a delicious northern bloc ice cream. I would recommend this as a stop off during any day out in Rutland.
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#rutland #garden #coffee #flowers #plants by @melbeehat

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a month ago

A bit further round the coast is Cley next the Sea. It's another lovely village and worth a stroll around. The windmill dates back to the early 1800s and is now holiday accommodation and a restaurant.
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I loved the plant filled alleyways and the houses covered with roses. The Picnic Fayre deli is located in an old forge and sells all sorts of delicious things to eat and drink. There are a couple of art galleries, a pub and a bookshop. I was fascinated to find that there is a man who sells newspapers through his window on the High Street on Sundays too.
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#norfolk #coast #windmill #deli #village taken in Cley, Norfolk, United Kingdom by @melbeehat

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a month ago

A wander around the backstreets of Blakeney. I love leaving the beaten track and getting lost in alleyways full of hollyhocks or streets with colourful doors and windows. It's always good to get away from the crowds and discover something new. Plus I love a tiny house and the one in picture number 12 is so cute (although not as small as it looks once you get inside).
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#norfolk #coast #cottage #hollyhocks #summer taken in Blakeney, Norfolk by @melbeehat

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2 months ago

We stopped off at Morston Quay while we were at the Norfolk Coast. It's an area of salt marshes and wildlife with a fascinating landscape of cracked mud during the drier months. We spotted quite a number of water birds including our favourite oyster catchers and enjoyed the far reaching views out over Blakeney Point to the Old Lifeboat House. There is a visitor centre providing information, serving drinks as well as National Trust parking. This spot is also popular for trips out to see England's largest grey seal colony dependent on tide times.
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#norfolk #nationaltrust #nature #marsh #seals by @melbeehat

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2 months ago