Exploring Coity Castle, Bridgend, Wales

Coity Castle , an impressive ruin standing in the centre of Coity village, close to the town of Bridgend, South Wales, is well worth a visit. After more than 2yrs of extensive repairs and undergoing major conservation works, it's looking better than ever.  What is the history of Coity Castle? This castle has a rather interesting history (as most Welsh castles do) which can be seen in its ruins of jumbled architectural styles. Having begun as an earthwork castle around AD 1100, although some historians think there may have been a Roman fort here before. The stone keep and curtain wall was then added later, sometime in the late 12th century, before being expanded even further in the 14th century and then again in the 15th century after Owain Glyndŵr laid siege.  The siege lasted nearly 2yrs and despite Owain's successes elsewhere, the owners of Coity managed to withstand his assault, this was the most historical event associated with Coity Castle and its 900yr existence. H......

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Celebrating Love For all Mums this Mother’s Day

*AD  This a paid partnerhsip with Boots #LoveforAllMums  Families come in all shapes and sizes, all wonderful, all valid and this Mother's day is about celebrating ALL MUMS and those mothering figures in your life. The idea of the cereal packet nuclear family is thankfully changing and whether you are a single parent, biological parent, adoptive parent, foster parent, same-sex parent, a non-binary parent who sees themselves as a mothering role, or an older sibling taking on the role of parent, everyone deserves to be celebrated, because family life is diverse and unique and individually beautiful. I'm so proud of my little family unit, the adventures my boys and I embark on, the things we learn along the way and that I get to see them grow into themselves, while I myself continue to grow as an individual. I am continuously grateful on a daily basis that I still have my own mum in my life, especially after losing my Dad in my late teens. She recently turned 75 and is still pain......

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7 Ways to make gardening fun for kids

*This post contains affiliate links Not only is gardening educational for children but it's also a lot of fun and as many know, being outdoors has lots of health benefits. I feel very grateful that I have an outdoor space and while it may be fairly small, every summer my kids and I like to create a space that is fun, inviting and somewhere we enjoy spending time in. We always try to grow some veggies, undertake essential maintenance, and make our garden a safe and happy place. I know parenting, work, life, travel etc can make life very hectic but there are simple ways to get kids interested in gardening and having fun outdoors even when time is limited. So I thought I'd share a few tips on how I encourage and promote a love of gardening with my own kids and hopefully it will help you get outdoors more with your family as we head into spring.  1. Involve them in the planning  Involving kids in decisions really helps to pique their interest. We have already made a list of the ve......

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Well paid jobs perfect for Introverts

*This post contains affiliate links  Not everyone likes being around people 24/7, or perhaps you don't stay the same place for long and prefer to travel, with many roles heading back to the office after having moved to work from home during the last few years, many. rather not have to compromise your introverted or nomadic ways for the sake of a job. In fact, there are plenty of career paths that lean well towards those that thrive in their own space or feel drained when working around others for hours on end.  This post will take you through some of the best antisocial jobs that actually pay well. Freelance writer With more freelance copywriting roles, blogger positions and written content creator jobs available that allow you to work from home, this is a great option. If you're leaning more towards being an author, then a writer’s inspiration can come from silence. If you have a knack for writing and go the self-publishing route , your income is potentially uncapped. Virtual......

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