It's February, it's half-term, it's raining! Cinema Time!!

Well today has been a grotty day indeed.  A day for cosying up and playing games and a day for the cinema!!  Hurray!  We are very lucky to have a great cinema just 4 and a half miles away (we're in the countryside so this is just down the road!  - as long as you have a car or a bike that is!)
Lego Batman Movie - here we come!!  (ou and we're going tomorrow to see 'Sing' too)...

Tickets are cheaper than the crazy multiplex cinemas adorning most large towns, the latest films are always showing, the popcorn is good, the snacks are good and there is no better way to spend a couple of hours.

Live screenings are showing too - The Tempest and Amadeus this year so far, Saint Joan on Thursday.  The cinema really is making an effort to cater to every market and if you are visiting the Mablethorpe area I highly recommend a visit.  You will not be disappointed!

http://www.loewencinema.co.uk/

https://www.facebook.com/The-Loewen-Cinema-115905548444812/

Happy New Year!!

Here we are 2017!!   How on earth did that happen!?

A busy busy 2016 and Garden Lodge is looking beautiful.  We have been inspected by Visit England and been awarded a 4 Star rating.  More importantly we have had many happy guests and look forward to welcoming many more over the coming years.

This is the review from our latest guests who visited for a New Year break --

"...we had a lovely New Year at Garden Lodge!

It is one of the nicest properties we have stayed in. It was finished to a high standard with quality furniture, fixtures and fittings and immaculately clean.  The downstairs area is really spacious, with a great entrance hall and a wonderful open plan layout which worked great for two families to enjoy time together.

Good wifi, music system and recycling were an added bonus, not to mention the wine and goodies and warm welcome from Barbara!

The house is in a lovely location and a real credit to you. We hope to return and that many more couples, families and four legged friends get to enjoy Garden Lodge!"

:-)

Garden Lodge, located at the foot of the Saltfleetby-Theddlethorpe National Nature Reserve, can comfortably accomodate up to 7 people in three bedrooms.  There is a fully secured and private garden with views across the fields and to the sand dunes, with a large lawned area and an amazing veranda. 

Newly built, the Lodge is fully centrally heated, equipped to a high standard and has WiFi.  We aim to provide a home from home with the added extras that will make your stay easier and more enjoyable.

Garden Lodge is situated up a private drive in the grounds of Roman Bank Farm.  There are designated parking spaces for up to two cars directly outside the Lodge.

The lower level of Garden Lodge is accessible for guests with reduced mobility, with a gently sloping access to the main door from the parking area (temporarily some of this area is gravelled, as can be seen in the photograph).  Once inside the Lodge there is a ground floor bedroom with two single beds and a large low level shower cubicle in the family bathroom.

The large open plan kitchen and living room is a 'wow' area.  We are really pleased with how the space looks and feels.  

Two sets of patio doors lead from the living area to the veranda and garden emphasising the feeling of relaxation and tranquility.

There is comfy seating for 6 -8 people, uplighters and reading lights, a TV and DVD player, a Bluetooth compatible music system with a CD player and DAB radio, and a selection of books & magazines to browse.

The chunky solid wood dining table seats up to 8 people and looks out on to the private garden.

The kitchen is well equipped with an electric cooker, fridge-freezer, dishwasher and microwave, with the washing machine and tumble dryer situated in the utility room.

The utility is a great space for shedding boots and drying soggy, sandy dogs and kids after hours of fun on the amazing beach!

The spacious ground floor bedroom has two single beds, wardrobe space, a chest of drawers and a TV.

In the upstairs bedrooms the shapes provided by the roofline create fantastically modern, relaxing, luxuriant spaces.  

Both the double and twin room are spacious and have ensuite shower rooms and TVs. 

 The double room has the added luxury of a balcony overlooking the sand dunes to the east.  This is my very favourite part of the Lodge.  It is a great place to relax at any time of day.

The twin room is very spacious and light, with plenty of room for the extra bed we provide in the form of a futon chair.

Ensuite shower rooms for each of the two upstairs bedrooms.

The views from upstairs show just how peaceful it is here :-)

View to the east over the sand dunes and nature reserve 

 

wow!!  we now have a complete building

!!... granted it's still a bit drafty yet, but - it's fantastic to be able to walk through all the rooms; plan the layout and really get a feel of the space. 

A climb up the scaffolding revealed the great views from the cottage.

The balcony from the main bedroom will provide a perfect place to sit and relax in the early morning sun and, if you're an early bird, watch the sun rise from benhind the sand dunes.

The timber frame is an amazing structure.  Love the feeling of space up here

There are some great spaces in the upstairs rooms which  are going to be really exciting to work with it creating original and spacious feel to the rooms.

      

Next it's roof and windows!

This is where we are at!!

In the space of a week we have a building!  It is like magic!

The frame arrived on a lorry and 4 guys and 4 days later .... it's all taken shape.

Windows, outer wall cladding and roofing will all be happening soon.  It's going to be fabulous! :-)

** Please take a look through our website to follow the progress of the new build.  Exciting times for us** 

Well it is a glorious morning.. and the Bank Holiday threat of dreadful weather was in the end not as fun-spoiling as it threatened to be.  There were plenty of beach walking opportunities, places to explore and Easter Egg hunt adventures.  A happy Sunday morning was spent on a sunny stroll through the dunes looking for the Easter Bunny and building sandcastles.. and eating homemade simnel cake and yummy Easter eggs...

Monday was a fantastic storytelling morning by the fire followed by a visit to Alford Craft Market where the local crafts are going from strength to strength, there was live music and a fantastic, relaxed atmosphere and we happily decorated Easter eggs... today we are returning to make fimo dragon eggs with the fabulous Charlotte of Fantasies in Fimo at the Alford Craft Market Shop.  they are running a fantastic range of courses, some for children and some for adults - but open to all - and if you wish to book on any of the courses while you are on holiday we can happily arrange that for you.

you can find information at their website and on their Facebook page, where they respond very quickly to messages

https://www.facebook.com/AlfordCraftMarket?ref=ts&fref=ts
http://www.alford.info/craftmarket/

It's nearly Easter!!

A rather lovely little girl keeps reminding me excitedly that it's nearly Easter!!  It seems it is nearly more exciting then Christmas - but I do think it is the prospect of 2 weeks off school, being able to go on adventures, play in the garden, be on the beach and generally have lots of fun that is creating the excitement!  Easter eggs are surprisingly ( for a 6 year old) low on the list -- though of course we will have garden Easter egg hunts for probably every day of the two weeks of holiday!! :-)

We are excited too about the season coming to life at Easter.  Places that have been closed to us all over the winter months are springing into life once more.  One of our first visits this year will be to the gorgeous Gunby Hall near Skegness - I adore the gardens at any time of year and the house is a wonder.  We have been to theatre productions in the gardens and some of the fabulous events they put on throughout the year.  They never fail to disappoint at Gunby Hall, which is why I am so looking forward to them being open again - and, of course, if you are a National Trust member entry is free, and the cakes are good whether you are a member or not!

http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/gunby-estate-hall-and-gardens

On Mother's Day this year we went to the Manor House in Alford for afternoon tea.  It was amazing!! So so tasty - the homemade scones and cakes are defintely to be recommended!-  and such a gorgeous building to immerse yourself in.  We also discovered the beautiful walled garden on this visit too - a real gem.  A fairly new orchard sitting alongside vegetable growing areas, parterre garden, fruit bushes and sculpture encapsulates a perfectly relaxing and traquil space - and, very best of all, the trees and many of the plants all had name labels - I love that!  This, along with the fascinating history of the building itself, is a must for both visitors and locals.

http://www.alfordmanorhouse.co.uk/

Just a couple of the amazing places to visit nearby ..