Now that the football season has come to an end and our Sundays are no longer consumed with football matches across the country for Guy and Jed we are free between the morning animal feed run and the afternoon train ride to make the most of some family time. Keen to make the most of our new National Trust membership we checked out options for the day. Trerice at 40 minutes drive and close to Newquay felt perfect. We hadn’t been before and had no idea what to expect. We left the teens behind, Ally revising for AS levels, Felix for GCSE’s and Theo who is boycotting family days out as “uncool” at 13!
I have learned over time that my children only operate on full tummies so the first stop was MacDonald’s for lunch. Refuelled we drove into the car park at Trerice surprised how busy it was since it was still school term time. Despite this as we entered it actually felt really quiet and the children immediately set up a game of chase along the pathways in the formal gardens.
Our last National Trust visit was Cotehele just before the season started and the house was still closed. This time there was no problem going inside and guy and Jed were delighted to be greeted by a room of medieval armour in the first room. Thanks to some helpful staff they were allowed to try the chain suits, this really made their day, though made of metal they did question how anyone managed to run from their enemy or even see them clearly decked out in the full kit!
Clio soon lost interest in the boys and busied herself with a giant jigsaw of the house that Jed had abandoned on seeing the armour.
Upstairs the children couldn’t have been more delighted than to see a vast empty banqueting room with an old woven mat, a chance to practice their gymnastics, check out the view from the window and try a little weaving for themselves.
As we expected the rest of the house received a cursory glance and they turned down the chance to follow the house trail eager instead to explore further outdoors. A mini maze caught their attention.
Of cause they ignored the steps preferring to leap over the flower bank to reach the maze!
In the outbuilding they found a huge empty guilt frame next to a box of dressing up clothes. Without the interference of the teens they rummaged in the box and found an outfit each in which to pose, and repose within the frame.
At the head of the hayloft a table of brass rubbings caught their attention. A reminder for me that we need to try out bark rubbing here at Coombe Mill, I couldn’t believe the children hadn’t heard of brass rubbings before.
What I loved about Trerice was the informality, it was quiet and peaceful and we were free to explore. Down onto another terrace and the children found a game of quoits casually placed in the centre of the garden. I can’t tell you how much fun this provided as family challenges took on a serious dimension. The triumphant garden lap by Jed when he won akin to a crucial premier league football goal!
For me the beauty of the National trust is the gardens in bloom at this time of year, I hung back to capture a little of the beauty.
While the kids disappeared up a tree! Even the journey back to the car involved scaling a wall and exploring down the lane.
Back home the triplets regaled their brothers on all they had missed. I can thoroughly recommend Trerice for a visit if you are staying with us. It is also just minutes from Newquay with its famous beaches and seaside town centre if you fancy combining both on a day out. We popped in for an hour to enjoy ice creams and a mooch around the shops.
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