Bath – Rugby, Lights and candles

It is the ‘October Half Term’ holidays this week for our mini farmers. We always try to do something fun in this holiday as it is the last flash of family time before our hectic poultry season gets into full swing!
There really is something quite special about sharing places that you love and that hold special memories for you with your children. For us that special place is Bath. Will’s grandparents farmed just outside of Bath and so Will has many fond memories of Bath. From the pantomime on Boxing Day at the Theatre Royal to playing in Victoria Park. It was also the first place Will and I had a break away together what feels like 100 years ago. Then we have been a few times since and always absolutely love it. It is safe to say Charlie and Flora now do to!
Charlie has really got into his rugby over the past 12 months and was thrilled that Will had booked tickets to see Bath play. His first experience of a premiership match. Bath won so he has been told by some of the supporters he needs to be there for every match!
While the boys were at the rugby Flora and I went to a candle making workshop at the ‘Paddywax Candle Bar’. https://visitbath.co.uk/things-to-do/paddywax-candle-bar-p3155243 She was absolutely in her element as she loves all things making and craft. We had to each choose our candle pot, choose the scent, straighten and fix our wicks. Then follow instructions to mix our wax and pour carefully into our candle pots. Paddywax then let the candles set, trimed the wicks and boxed them up ready for us to collect the following day. Flora was bursting with excitement to pick hers up!
On Saturday night we were lucky enough to book tickets for the last night of the ‘Shine On – Luxmuralis’ in Bath Abbey. It was a spectacular light show which filled the abbey with moving music and animation. https://www.bathabbey.org/whats-on/shine-on-luxmuralis/2024-10-21/
We of course had to take them for a little bit of history at the Roman Baths. We haven’t visited for several years. This time more of the baths were open to see. Flora loved completing the half term trail and diligently listened to every segment of the children’s audio guide. Charlie meanwhile enjoyed the baths but was rather disappointed you couldn’t take a dip!
On the way home we stopped in at Swineford where Will showed the children the farm his grandparents had, where they walked the cows down the road and the field he first drove a tractor in.
Altogether it may have been a short and sweet trip but we certainly had plenty of family fun and made some special memories together. All made possible by Emma running the farmshop and market and Kenny at the helm on the farm.
Now we are home and back to our usual roles on the farm and the meat business of course with our mini farmers helping this week!