Unblogged 2025

28 May, 2025

This year so far has been one of small adventures, steady progress and a few memorable moments with family.

Dinefwr Castle

We started the year with a quiet getaway in Wales staying in a National Trust cottage in the ground of Dinefwr Castle during chilly February. The weather was cold but clear and having the grounds almost to ourselves in the evenings made the whole experience feel timeless.

Ruins of Dinefwr Castle with stone walls and towers overlooking a green landscape under a cloudy sky.
Stone-built cottage with a slate roof, white-trimmed windows, and an open door, set in a grassy garden with a small wooden fence.

Family Trip to Ireland

In April we headed over to Ireland for a family break. It was a lovely relaxing week that we all needed and I even snuck in a sneaky pint of Guinness. We also found the best themed crazy golf course I'd ever seen who sold amazing icecream and managed to get some family board game time in.

On the return trip we had half a day to kill so we parked up at the National Botanic Gardens in Dublin and had a lovely walk around the completely free gardens.

Modern coastal retreat with ocean view. White building with large windows, wooden deck, artificial grass area with round wooden table and four chairs. Lawn leads to wooden fence with palm trees beyond. Calm ocean, partly cloudy sky with sunlight on water.
A pint of Guinness with its signature creamy head
Mini-golf course with pirate-themed building in background. Large pink 'PIRATES COVE' sign on main structure. Waterfall flowing down rocky feature beside building.
Outdoor forest scene featuring a small pond with pebbles leading across the water. A wooden post with a small sign stands near the pathway. The sky is cloudy, casting soft, diffused light over the landscape.
Tabletop card game focused on nature and wildlife. Various cards depict animals like wolves, deer, trout, and birds, along with landscapes such as meadows and streams.

National Trust Cronkhill Open Day

We visited National Trust Cronkhill in May. It was a rare chance to explore Cronkhill Villa which only opens for visitors aaround eight days a year. An enchanting mix of architecture, landscape and history all in one afternoon. We also the nearby Attingham Park which was equally breathtaking. The house was impressive but the grounds are something else all together. It's easy to see why Attingham is the most visited National Trust property.

View of Cronkhill Villa.
A selfie of my wife and I at Cronkhill - in the background the Wrekin is visible on the horizon

First Camping Trip of the Year

May also hailed our first camping trip of the year. We pitched near Shrewsbury at Spring Field Dark Skies Eco Camp which we highly recommend, surrounded by quiet fields and just enough sun to feel like summer was truely on its way. The first night we had the place to ourselves and we watched the sunset in tranquility. Although more campers arrived the second night it remained a peaceful atmosphere. If you get a chance to buy some of their eggs I highly recommend you do.

Since recieving a National Trust membership for my wife's birthday we've been hitting up as many National Trust properties as possible so we took the opportunity to take a day trip out to Powis Castle in Welshpool. The gardens were in full spring colour and the castle itself perched high above the Severn valley with its sunsoaked terraces were breathtaking.

A Camping Selfie.
Cheers! a grassy area and a barbed wire fence overlooking rolling hills and trees. In the foreground, there's a small green table holding a floral-patterned cup and a can of Brewdog Cold Beer Lager.
Powis Castle, viewed from the lower gardens
View from the terraces at at Powis Castle
Our blue tent set up on a grassy field with the sunset in the background.

Pen Y Fan

We ventured to Pen y Fan, South Wales after talking about climbing it for years. The panoramic views from the top made the climb worth the effort and the route was fairly quiet as it was still off peak season.

Parking was free courtesy of our newly gifted National Trust Membership cards at Pont ar Daf carpark on the A470.

At Pen-y-fan's summit - 886m above sea level
View of Corn Du from the summit of Pen Y Fan
Trusty Kendall mint cake

DIY Progress at Home

Between trips we've been making steady progress on our new house. We laid new flooring in the living room and installed more smart gadgets. My wife is still uncovering new gems in the previously loved but recently neglected gardens. It’s a slow process but witnessing it come together is satisfying.

Recently Playing and Reading

When I'm not outside or working on the house I’ve been diving into a few games and books that have kept me happily distracted.

Games

Dragon Quest III Remake (Switch) - classic charm with a fresh coat of paint. Can't wait for 1+2 later this year^.
Oblivion Remastered (Xbox Game Pass)^ - full on nostalgia with this one
Fantasy Life i (PC) - relaxing and quirky, I've played nearly 20 hours of this in the week it launched

Books

Dungeon Crawler Carl^ series - Ridiculous, brutal and oddly heartfelt. A great starting point into LitRPG. I'm on to book 3 now and showing no sign of slowing down
Other books I've read this year include the first two Witcher books, & Interesting Times by Terry Pratchett. I really should get back to Disc World soon!