Bits and pieces, news, views, reviews and stuff
This sculpture can be found in the garden of the Beaufort Arms at Hawkesbury Upton. There are quite a few sculptures at pubs and inns, if I wasn’t driving I might have stopped and had a pint at each one…
Are you sitting comfortably? Step between the pages of your favourite bedtime stories. Beautifully illustrated with familiar fairytales, myths and legends, this dreamy dog is a walking storybook covered in childhood charm!
After enjoying my National Trust membership in 2023, I decided I would rejoin the Trust for 2025.
My last (proper) visit to a National Trust property was back in May. I did try and visit Westwood Manor in July, however, I couldn’t find any parking.
There have been lots of reasons for not visiting, in the main as I have been travelling going to University Open Days, throw in a holiday to France, various work trips, and let’s not forget the weather! I realised that if I was going to continue to take advantage of my membership I would need to make a bit of an effort. So with a nice day forecast I headed up to Gloucestershire to visit Newark Park.
I had visited the property before in May 2018 however when we went, the house was closed to visitors. We did have an enjoyable walk in the grounds, but it was a pity to miss the inside of the house.
This time not only was the house open, but there was also a basement tour which I managed the snaffle the final ticket for.
The house started off as a Tudor hunting lodge, before being converted into a Georgian mansion. It fell into disrepair before being leased to a Texan who brought the house back from potential ruin.
Newark Park
A secluded estate with glorious views, providing country house hospitality, garden strolls and woodland walks
Current saving £163.90
One adult £14.00
Parking £3.00
Total saving £17.00
Cumulative saving £272.10
Membership cost £91.20
Net cumulative saving £180.90
It’s a lovely house with some nice walks around the estate. There are some incredible views as well.
I really enjoyed my time at Newark Park and I am planning to ensure that there isn’t such a huge gap between this visit and my next visit to a National Trust property.
The most northern sculpture can be found at WWT Slimbridge.
Fresh off the plane from Los Angeles, El Plumas has been painted by acclaimed director Jorge Gutierrez, with inspiration from his award-winning film ‘The Book of Life’. A true celebration of the Mexican holiday ‘The Day of the Dead’, Feathers is ready to doff his sombrero to the friends and family no longer with us.
From Frances Hodgson Burnett’s classic tale, Gromit is re-imagined, full of beauty and surprises. Let the Robin guide you to the hidden key and the garden’s locked gate, where you’ll uncover a world of wonder!
One of the things I like about the sculpture trail is seeing new places and finding things you didn’t know existed. There are a lot of pubs on the trail this year, but this sculpture was at the West Country Water Park which I didn’t know about. Somewhere to go another time I think.
Our very own catch of the day! Humming sea shanties of storms weathered, and treasures sought beneath the waves, Wallace is re-imagined as a traditional fisherman resplendent in wellies and fishing gear waiting for his next adventure on the high seas. No one does it Feta!
I’m going to need your kettle, your teabags, and your motorcycle! Introducing the time-travelling cyborg Wallace, The T.E.A-minator. He loves a brew, and no matter how you make his tea, he’ll be back.
In the cafe at Aerospace Bristol is Beagle 3.
Beagle 3 blasts off in style, ready to explore new frontiers and starry odysseys on his intergalactic quest. Beagle 3 has been reimagined as an exploration satellite and is paw-sitively out of this world!
I did make a mistake thinking the sculpture was in the foyer of the attraction, but no, it was in the cafe.
Up in the new Brabazon development is The Birds.
An homage to Alfred Hitchcock’s feather-ruffling thriller ‘The Birds’, this Gromit is sure to be the squawk of the town. See if you can spot a familiar face…
It was nice also to see the Brabazon Hangar from the car park. As well as the Brabazon, this hangar was also used for a range of other uses including Concorde.
Back in the 1990s I visited the hangar a number of times , when I ran some college field trips to Airbus to look at manufacturing and technology.
The future for this huge building is to become a venue for arts and music.
One of three sculptures that can be found at Cribbs Causeway.
Yee haw, there’s a new sheriff in town. Gromit Woody has been designed in collaboration with Pixar Animation Studios. A new addition to our Toy Story family, following the much-loved Gromit Lightyear in 2013, this rootin’ tootin’ pooch is ready to lay down the law. Watch out Gromit… There’s a snake in your boot!
One of three sculptures that can be found at Cribbs Causeway.
In collaboration with Lucasfilm, this bird of many faces has been transformed into a Lord of the Sith. Of course it’s no secret that Feathers McGraw has always been drawn to the dark side. © & ™ 2025 Lucasfilm Ltd.