The Isle of Wight - September 2022 Trip

 Isle of Wight Trip

Coach Trip with Acklams Coaches 

Well, here I go again with another late blog post that I should have thought about doing a while ago. Well, not this particular post but I really should have found something to talk about before now! The shame!! 

We've just come back, well in we I mean my mum, stepfather and me. We went to the Isle of Wight on a coach trip with Acklams coaches... Link below, It was a six hour trip down with a loo on board the coach and one stop only!... We had a door to door person pick us up from our house.   Well, to put it this way, I was the youngest on the coach trip which felt a bit embarrassing and sometimes humiliating.  We Stayed at the Bourne Hall Country Hotel in Shanklin for 4 nights Link:      great place to stay.   However, we did not get to choose the hotel the coach company chose it for us.  The only thing was that my stepdad was coeliac but they sorted things out.  It's a family-run hotel in Shanklin, on top of a rather steep hill.  So be careful if you are walking up.  I will put the links to the places we visited down below.  The other thing was my mum and stepdad got a room at the other end of the hotel up and down stairs, so maybe be weary of that.  Although they took the cases up for us.  I was at the front of the hotel although we didn't get great views mainly a courtyard and the back yard for my mum and stepdad.  I had a small room that was nice enough but they kept the landing light on for the duration of the stay and when I checked out one night all the rest of the hotel was in darkness.  If you are thinking of having a dip in the pool, it's outside, and according to some of the online pages about the hotel, there isn't an indoor pool.  That went a long time ago!! The outdoor one isn't heated so might want to go in the hot summer! If we have the same next year!! The food was lovely and well presented, staff very friendly and couldn't ask for a better coach driver.  His name was John from the Acklams coaches and went out of his way to help us.  Although it seemed we should have had more days on our trip, we went to some good places.  We had one leisure day where we went to Shanklin Chine.  When the coach had dropped us off from our visit on a boat trip, which was a surprise in itself, someone had put a flyer for boat trips and my mum being my mum wanted to go on it.  We got on the little ferry (with a loo on board) from Solent Cruises (link below).  On one of the days, we went to Carisbrook Castle where they imprisoned Charles 1st.  A lot of walking around the walls which were a bit steep and if you're not good at walking maybe just go around the main bit and the museum.  Saw some of the donkeys there and had a walk around. We needed less time at the needles as there were only a few things to look at.  We went to Osbourne house, where we would have liked more time there and the house was spectacular, which was where Queen Victoria stayed with her children.  Beautiful place and the best of the trip.  We went then to Godshill after a little village/town there where we had a nosey around... we didn't go in the little miniature village as it was £6 per person and didn't seem to have a lot of time there, but a lovely chocolate shop that did gluten free chocolates too for my stepdad.  Also, a lovely fair trade shop that sold all my kinds of things and incense etc.   I think ive covered it all no doubt ill have to do another blog about other things but here are the links.  Oh and if you ever visit Shanklin go to the little thatched tea room its gorgeous and nice cream teas and little faery garden!!  Until next time.  

Isle of Wight: Visit the Isle of Wight

Solent Cruises:  https://www.solentcruises.co.uk/

Carisbrook Castle: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/carisbrooke-castle/

Osbourne House:  https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/osborne/

Bourne Hall Country Hotel:  ttp://www.bournehallhotel.co.uk/

Shanklin: https://www.visitisleofwight.co.uk/explore/towns/shanklin

Shanklin Chine: https://shanklinchine.co.uk/

Acklams Coaches: https://acklamscoaches.co.uk/

Done with the aid of Grammarly 

New Adventures & a new start!

 

(200+ year old oak tree located in Rae's home town)

New Adventures with a new start

Ok, so when it comes to blogging, I know I'm a bit on the slow start.  But this time not having done a post or said anything since the start of January 2022 this year!   Ok, hear me out, i've moved, yes away from the woodland behind me the little cop of trees that we petitioned and we being me and my friend Jo and her family which we are still doing. To be in front of yet another aincent oak tree.  Not the one above, this one is in Chase Garth Park in Easingwold near me. The one I am currently sat in front of at my kitchen table in my new flat is an Oak tree planted by another friend and her brothers.  Their Grandfather apparently planted an acorn in what was a large field now these flats.  When the town was a forest, only 4 or several oak trees remain having been knocked down or used in some awful way.  

We use to be The Forest of Galtres... published in the book Easingwold, history of yesteryear.   It looks so different now theres more houses than trees sadly, we only have odd patches.  One being the famous to my towns millfield.... where the doctors surgery is... 

The path way leading down from the top of the North of Easingwold to the skate park...  and wildlife meadow, woodland now owned by the National woodland.  

It's great to walk around and has a skate park for the kids... good also for dog walkers, bird watchers, bat not sure what you'd call bat watchers!! ... I am in the process of doing a q r code style business card for people who seem lost walking around my town as people seem to think Easingwold ends with long street the large long street obvious by its name that runs through the middle part of the town... along with the link to my link tree.  

Well I'll gather more info to put on my blogs that are still pretty random.  Take Care.  Rae.

Boxing Day Meet in Easingwold Dec 27th 2021

The local hunt meets in a nearby town square.

York and Ainisty South Hunt a local one to the area, well, I went to while staying at a relatives over the Christmas period, joined in with some of the other protestors there and it all seemed to kick off with the hunt and their supporters.  Please while im saying this please refrain from sending me abusive comments if you are pre hunt, I dont want to have to delete them! ... 

The protests, horrors and realities of Fox Hunting...

 It started with the December Out Reach...

Ok, here goes nothing, I've recently got into joining our local Anti-Hunt Group.  Phew there I've said it, I've posted on my facebook page and also some on my instagram, yes I am an Anti and think its disgusting that hunts go around parading swearing and sharing drinks out with supporters and especially when Covid and a virus and colds and all sorts going around.  Not just that the animals, why the hell would you lie about a so called trail hunt and then get Terrier men to dig up earths and dens that animals live in and their cubs for sheer trophy and to look good.  Anyway lets keep this blog swearing free it infuriates me as it is!! 

You can find them also with links on my link tree and websites and one of the nearest groups that i am in to me... https://www.facebook.com/easingwoldAF  (for some reason you will have to highlight and then paste into your browser as its not letting me do links again weird thing!) 

Another near on is https://www.facebook.com/yorkantihuntleague, there is also a website which ties them in all together.  https://www.actionagainstfoxhunting.org/ This is where I get most of the posters shown

I mean I have seen taxidermy and it's given and still giving me nightmares, I also once knew someone who did holistic healing who use to have it all over her house and up the stairs... which confused the hell out of me I mean if your trying to help animals omg just dont its revolting!!! 

Well as I say these are all my own views along with those I post of other peoples that I will say when I ever come to them.  As random as my posts are, they are meant in the good content!  Thanks to my autism and Dyslexia!!

One of the leaflets read:

Despite the 2005 ban, fox hunting has never stopped. Hunts pursue and kill foxes every week in hunting season. If you hate this as much as we do, join us. We leaflet, demonstrate and hold outreach stalls. Please contact us.  WWW.ACTIONAGAINSTFOXHUNTING.ORG email:info@actionagainstfoxhunting.org or find us on twitter and facebook.  Theres loads of sabs and others on instagram!!

Another reads: 

Because hunting is cruel, the Hunting Act made it illegal to use dogs to pursue and kill wild mammals. But hunters are campaigning for the Act to be repealed. They have no moral objection to allowing hounds to tear a living animal apart. The vast majority of people rightly find animal cruelty abhorrent. Hunters, on the other hand, find the prolonged chase and the bloody, painful and terrifying death "thrilling". 

For heavens and the animals sakes think before you dismiss this blog post and join us!! There'll be an anti hunt near you... If I could post the video and the photos of what happened when I sadly visited and joined in with a protest in my town you would be so shocked it is unreal, just view the one at EAF Easingwold against fox hunting the vile and disgusting actions and words that where said is just beyond caring!!   Thank you for reading. - Rae.

Returning and New years resolutions!

 New Years Resolutions for 2022!! 

Well, here I go again, sat at the desk or rather this time my mothers dining room table typing this up and hoping for a healthier 2022.  Ok, so this has been terrible... I know i've not done many blog posts this year and I am hoping as always to do more as one of my many resolutions as well as the obvious to losing weight and trying not to catch Covid!!  As I type this the winds blowing outside and we've had temp at about -2 degrees some days here.  A bit warmer now.  Just a quick one as I am trying to think and prepare a post to do with Fox Hunting, yes it's Illegal and and still happens even though they say its so called Trail Hunting.  Untill that post stay well and safe and Happy New Year!!! 

Euans Guide and Red Cord Cards

 Euan's Guide

So, yet again I've been neglecting my blog posts with a mixture of health and busy-ness! :O I keep meaning to log these things down on paper to put on my blog.  Anyway a while ago I did a rather stupidly short post on Euan's Guide and their red cord cards and thought I'd re do it as it didn't really do them any justice! So here goes.

Euan's guide is a Disability Access Review website found at www.euansguide.com (for some reason Rae can't get the link button working so it will have to be a copy and paste situation sorry about that one).  Founded by Euan McDonald MBE and co founded with his sister Kiki in 2013.  Ok, so this is going to be another copy and paste as I don't want to get any nouns, grammar and names wrong but according to their website: After his Motor Neurone Disease (MND) diagnosis in 2003, Euan moved from London back to Edinburgh to be with his family and fundraise for MND research. In 2006, Euan and his father Donald established the Euan MacDonald Centre for MND Research, and helped to set up the Voicebank Project, which is today known as Speak:Unique.

Ten years after his diagnosis, Euan’s Guide was launched by Euan and his sister Kiki as a place for disabled people, their families, friends and carers to share their knowledge of accessible places to go. The award-winning charity is based in Scotland and used by disabled people all over the UK and beyond.

Euan and Kiki work in the Old Town of Edinburgh alongside their team: a friendly bunch who are passionate about accessibility.

About Euan's Guide:

We all navigate the world in different ways. Euan’s Guide makes it easier for disabled people to find great places to go. We all want to get out there and enjoy life, and having good quality disabled access information reduces unnecessary hassle, inspires confidence and removes fear of the unknown.

Euansguide.com is the disabled access review site where disabled people, their family, friends and carers can find and share reviews on the accessibility of venues around the UK and beyond. The site is an invaluable tool for everything from planning a day out, to picking a last-minute place for coffee or lunch.

We believe in making the world more accessible one review at a time. There are now thousands of disabled access reviews and listing on Euan’s Guide. With good accessibility information being so hard to find, one review is often enough to encourage others to visit. Euan’s Guide is opening the door for more people to find new and exciting places to go. Reviews are also sent to venue owners and this can be a positive and powerful opportunity for education and change.

The charity was founded in 2013 by Euan MacDonald MBE, a powerchair user and his sister Kiki after Euan was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease and a lack of disabled access made everyday experiences stressful. By breaking down the barriers of exclusion with the help of other people in the same situation, Euan’s Guide hopes to give everyone the freedom to explore.

There is a survey currently going on as of October 2021.  https://www.euansguide.com/access-survey again a copy and paste situation. If anyone wants a go.  I am also a wearer of the sunflower lanyard which is also a must see and read.  Until next time and hope this helps people and the info.  Rae.

Fox not getting mine! (Hedgehog 🦔)

A clip on Brackley Hog Watchcaused it to go viral well be Shared lots! Pictures a hedgehog running off with a chicken drumstick away from a fox.