Special Places

 The drive is always fun as you know that you will soon be arriving at a special place. The journey is scenic and passes some beautiful places that bring joy to the eyes and heart.

As a kid we would make the journey on most Sunday's. Mum and dad worked all week, but Sunday would be the day that they would take us out in the car and take a picnic. The car was always one that dad had bought from the scrap yard for £50 and was always in need of work! We had an estate car once and I can remember sitting in the back looking out at all the traffic behind us! Never allowed nowadays!

We would pass through wonderful landscapes and pretty villages; passing beautiful houses that I dreamed of living in. Always seemed to be sunny with blue skies and hardly a cloud in the sky.

As we neared I would get excited and knew that I was going to enjoy every single thing about the day. 

The first stop was always Sherwood Forest. We used to park up for free on a Sunday and jump out of the car. I loved the surroundings, wildlife and freedom of being there. First stop was to walk through the visitors centre, where there was a cafe, a gift shop and an educational centre. Always people meandering and wondering where to walk next.

We knew exactly where we were going and would head straight passed everything to make out way down to the Major Oak. Walking through the woods I felt free and wondered about everything around me; the animals and wildlife I could see, the roughness of the track and the trees; how long they had been there and what they had seen in their time.

I adored the time spent walking through the woods and every time I think about it I remember how happy I was.

We had some fun times. I remember one day dad said we should go in a different direction through the woods. As we went along we were coming off the beaten track and the growth was getting much thicker, but we had so much fun. We even had a rabbit hopping alongside us! Dad then suddenly realised that we had gone a little too far and very calmly informed us all that we were now nearing the MOD (Ministry of Defence) land and that we ought to turn back! At that time the MOD was still using the land for firing practice etc. I can tell you we made a quicker retreat than it took the time to get there!

One of my favourite things was to go into the gift shop at the end of our walks and buying something to take home, whether it be a ruler, pen, pencil, anything! I remember one time buying a bookmark, green leather with a print of Robin Hood on it. To this day I still have the bookmark and use it all the time, some 30 + years on.

On from Sherwood Forest, we would jump in the car and head over to one of the most special places in my life, Rufford Abbey.

Again, it was free parking and can I just tell you that when we pulled into the car park I knew I was in my special place. The place that made me happy like I was at home.

We would get out of the car and one of the first things I would do would be to head straight to the house ruins. How imposing the entrance was years after it had been burnt down. Imagine all those grand people walking through that entrance into the house. I would stand there going round in circles just thinking about what it would have been like back in the day. 

I would then head down to the Cistercian abbey; the room where the monks would eat their meals. I found it very eerie, but fascinating all at the same time. The architecture was amazing.

It was then time to have a walk around the lake admiring all the wildlife. I would imagine all the people that had walked that way previously and thought of all their lives; tourists, guests, workers and family. 

We would get to the lake and we were always surrounded by many swans, geese, ducks and many other birds. The geese were always the ones to chase us around!

On with the walk through the woods and would eventually come up to the ice house. This fascinated me immensely and I would always stop to look at it and wonder.

One of the many stops I used to make was the cemetery for the animals and pets who lived at Rufford including a race horse and dogs. So private and such a privilege to be able to see them. I always paid my respects to them and their owners.

We would then make our way near to the house and find a spot on the lawn to have a picnic. Laid out on the grass enjoying what my mum had packed for the day.

I would always make a visit to the gift shop before leaving. They used to sell a good range of classical books and I will always remember buying a Jane Austen book once and the lovely lady who served me said 'Now, go find a tree, sit under and enjoy'. Always remember that.

Leaving Rufford every time we visited always made me a little sad but I knew I would be back soon.

I have been visiting Rufford since I was a little kid and it never fails to make me smile and it always feels like home. It is my happy place. I love its beauty, it's nature, it's history, but most of all its ability to give me peace.

These are my special places and special memories. Lets hold them close and never forget the feeling they give you. Lets try and recreate the feelings they give us in our every day lives.