Penny Travels

Travelling the world, near and far, one step at a time.

Pitstone Windmill

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Believed to be the oldest surviving windmill in the British Isles, Pitstone Windmill is somewhere that I have driven past for years, yet until last week I’d embarrassingly not got round to visiting. 

Looking at the rear of Pitstone Windmill. You can see teh ends of teh sails on teh front of teh windmill and the stairs leading up into the windmill and the wooden arm with the turning wheel on the end of it. Also in picture is teh National Trust welcome table outside the windmill. Text has been added to the photographs saying "Visiting Pitstone Windmill".

History of Pitstone Windmill

Part of the National Trust’s Ashridge Estate, the windmill is clearly visible from the nearby road and is a beautiful example of an early post mill. A post mill is one which was turned on top of a huge wooden post to face the wind. Once you’re up close to the mill the tail pole and accompanying rotation wheel make it obvious as to how this was done. Today the mill no longer turns, but it has been restored, inside and out, to show visitors how it would have operated at the time.

The stairs leading up into the windmill and a wooden arm with a red wheel, looking a bit like a cart wheel on the end of it.

The earliest date carved into the mill is 1627, although it is believed that the mill is even older than that. At one point it was owned by the nearby Ashridge Estate before being sold to a local farmer, Mr Hawkins of Pitstone Green Farm (now home to a fantastic independent museum). Hawkins happened to be the windmill’s tenant at the time. Whilst Mr Hawkins had had great success running the mill, and oversaw repairs there in 1895, a great storm in 1902 damaged the mill. So much so that it was no longer operational. It confuses me therefore as to why Mr Hawkins decided to buy the mill in 1924, but maybe at the time it was thought to be rescuable. By 1937 it was clear that saving it would be out of their abilities, so the mill was donated to its current owners the National Trust. 

It wasn’t until the 1960s though when a group of local volunteers came together that work started to restore the mill. By this time much of the original machinery inside the mill had been lost or destroyed so a huge amount of work went into rebuilding, restoring and finding replacement parts. 

Pitstone Windmill Today

Pitstone Windmill is now locked into place and the milling machinery inside no longer works, but everything is there that would have been needed to make it operational. Some of it having originally come from other mills across the country.

One of teh milling stones inside the windmill with a wooden surround.

Inside the windmill visitors are able to visit three different levels to understand how the whole milling process worked at the site. It is fascinating to see the early engineering that was used inside and also to realise just how much work would be done on the site by just one person. National Trust volunteers take visitors around the Windmill explaining the mill’s history and workings.

Visiting Pitstone Windmill

Pitstone Windmill stands in the middle of a farmer’s fields and there is a path leading to it from a small parking area on the B488 just outside Ivinghoe. The National Trust opens the windmill on Sunday afternoons in summer months, with exact dates and times published on their website.

A view across fields looking towards Pitstone Windmill. The windmill is in the distance and there is a grass path leading to it. In the foreground is a National Trust sign welcoming visitors to the windmill.

There are no facilities at the windmill itself. National Trust members can visit for free, but there is a charge for non-members. Payments have to be in cash as the welcome desk is literally a table just outside the windmill! For the upper two levels of the windmill there are steep ladder like steps to climb which may be difficult for some, including young children. 

A front on view f Pitstone Windmill showing the sails. There are no sailcloths on the sails.

If you’ve an interest in local history, or in seeing how windmills worked then it’s an excellent place to visit. The nearby National Trust estate at Ashridge has proper visitor facilities and also a large number of walks advertised. It’s also possible to visit the windmill as part of a local walk centred around Ivinghoe or Pitstone. There is also a great local campsite that I can recommend at Town Farm.

More adventures in Hertfordshire

For us Hertfordshire is literally just down the road and all three kids go to school in the county. Just because somewhere is local though doesn’t mean you can’t have an adventure there. You can share more of our Hertfordshire adventures with us here.

Southend Cliff Lift

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One of my latest fascinations is cliff lists – or just funiculars in general really. I blame Tim Dunn for covering the Saltburn Cliff Lift on his excellent Yesterday programme The Architecture the Railways Built. We took a November trip down Southend for a bit of sea air and a chance to see one of the new trains on the pier there (more on that in a separate post soon), and somehow it had completely passed me by that Southend had a cliff lift.

Looking down the tracks on the Southend Cliff Lift. In the foreground you an see the rear of a two year old wearing a yellow coat and pink bobble hat who is looking out of the window.
Looking down the tracks from inside the lift

Now this might have been because I’d been looking online at list of funiculars in the UK and there is a bit of a dispute as to whether or not the Southend Cliff List is a funicular or not. Let me explain.

The upper station at Southend Cliff Lift
Upper station

A funicular or not?

The definition fo funicular is as follows:

adjective

  1. (of a railway, especially one on a mountainside) operating by cable with ascending and descending cars counterbalanced.
  2. relating to a rope or its tension.

The problem, in Southend’s case, being that there is only once car. However the sign at the bottom of the cliff lift says the following:

The Clift Lift is a counter-balanced funicular railway – a funicular, also known as an inclined plane or cliff railway, is a cable railway in which a cable moves a carriage up and down a steep slope.

I’m guessing that at least makes it a discussion point! As far as 2 year old Tube Stop Baby was concerned it was a “baby train”, and one that she was very excited to be able to press the button to operate.

A two year old girl wearing a yellow coat and pink bobble hat is pressing the button to operate the lift whilst under the watchful eye of one of the volunteers who is stood next to her wearing a jacket with reflective stripes, a lanyard round his neck, a black face mask and a flat cap.
Operating the cliff lift

History of the Southend Cliff Lift

The Southend Cliff Lift originally opened on August Bank Holiday Monday in 1912, and goes between the Western Esplanade and Clifftown Parade. It only covers a distance of 40m (albeit with a 43% gradient), but at just 50p a ride you can’t complain.

A view up the tracks of the Southend cliff lift, taken from just outside the lower station and looking up the steps that run next to the tracks.
Looking up the tracks

Originally the site hosted an innovative moving walkway that as installed in 1901, but being open to the seaside elements it proved to be unreliable and was then replaced by the funicular instead. In its lifetime the cliff lift has been closed on three occasions to allow for major restorations – 1930, 1059 and 1990. In 2003 a malfunction with the counterweight meant that it was out of action for 7 years in total. Major corrosion was found in the structure, and around this time the council also received Heritage Lottery Fund funding to restore the neighbouring Cliff Gardens including the lift stations. The lift wasn’t re-opened until 2010 at which point it had not only refurbished stations, but all a new carriage, tracks. winding gear and electrical and control systems. I fear that if the Lottery funding hadn’t been there the lift might not be there today.

The lower station of the Southend Cliff Lift with the lift carriage seen ascending.
The Lower Cliff Lift Station

Visiting the Cliff Lift

Covid obviously closed the lift for a period, but when we went in November 2021 it was running with volunteers manning the lift and charging 50p a ride. The aim to open from 10am to 3pm in winter and until 6pm in summer, but this is dependent on volunteers being available. I was told the most accurate way to keep track of it they’re open or not is via their Facebook page. Technically the lift is part of Southend Museums Service.

Looking through the orange gateway into Prittwell Gardens in Southend-on-sea. You are looking at an ornate fountain in the middle of the gardens, and there is a clock (showing the wrong time!) above the entrance as part of the ornate metal gateway.
Prittwell Gardens

There’s obviously plenty to see at the lower end of the lift with the Pier and its railway just a short walk away. At the top station we took a short walk along to the stunningly beautiful Prittwell Gardens and also spent a while looking at the statue of Queen Victoria pointing out to sea with her disproportionally long right forearm. Go and have a look and you’ll see what I mean!

Family Day Out Post Covid – Woodside Animal Farm

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Everything’s changed.

Those two words pretty much sum everything up from a travel point of view since Covid-19 came to be a thing.

It’s hard as a travel writer to know what to write about now as travel has changed so much. For weeks we weren’t even allowed to go anywhere. Now places are opening up again, but things are different. In some cases very different. Lots of people are (understandably) nervous about heading out, and everyone is clamouring for information about what places are now like in this post-Covid world. I see plenty of people online asking what going on a train, or even just into a specific shop, is like now. Some places have really got it right. Others are still trying to find the balance in this new world.

What I plan to do here though is start to share our findings of what the world looks like with Covid in the hope that it helps some of you get out again. In as safe and enjoyable way as possible.

Woodside Animal Farm

Our first proper family day out post lockdown was to Woodside Animal Farm. A small farm attraction just down the road from us on the outskirts of Luton. We visited towards the end of July, at a time when Luton itself had a rise in Covid cases and everyone locally was on high alert, despite not being in a lockdown situation.

Now, my eldest two kids have been to Woodside before, but for us adults and 20 month old Tube Stop Baby this was our first trip. I asked the kids to compare it to life before, but to be honest they were just so excited to be back at a place like this that I didn’t get much sense out of them!

Before our trip

Now, this is where an attraction’s website really is important. Before going to Woodside Animal Farm I went onto their website to book tickets (something you must do now) and also see what they had to say about how things are running at the moment.

I’m delighted to say that there was loads of useful information on there. Not only things about regular cleaning etc, but also details like needing a face mask as the exit from the farm is through the farm shop where they are compulsory. It also explained how tractor rides are operating at the moment. A fact that is vitally important for visitors with kids.

Arrival at the Farm

With a pre-booked time slot we arrived at Woodside and only had one other family in front of us in the queue to enter. There were signs about social distancing and plenty of reminders about hand washing. Staff on the gate were behind a plastic screen and entry just required them to scan a QR code that I’d been emailed when I booked.

We had booked to arrive after lunch, but you can choose time slots throughout the day easily enough and there is no time that you need to leave the site by.

Inside the Farm

Once inside the farm, it generally felt much the same as these places normally do. With the exception of hand cleaning reminders everywhere. I was pleased to see how many places there were to use hand sanitiser and old fashioned soap and water hand washing dotted around the place. Another delight was the fact that there was also hot water to wash your hands with! Not something that all farms manage.

Visitors inside the farm were generally pretty good. Some were choosing to wear face masks for the whole of their visit. Some didn’t. There was plenty of stepping out of people’s way in places where paths narrowed, but generally there weren’t that many people on site so social distancing was easily possible.

Play areas

My kids were all delighted to find that the play areas were all open at the farm. Again, it was down to parents to make sure the kids social distanced as much as possible on the play equipment, but this seemed to be working well.

Two children on the jumping pillow at Woodside Animal Farm

On the jumping pillows (there is one for over 5s and one for under 5s) there were signs up for maximum capacities due to Covid. There was no one there enforcing these and many parents either didn’t seem to be bothered, or simply hasn’t seen the signs. Whatever the reason though, the pillows didn’t seem too crowded and the kids were no closer together than they were on other bits of play equipment.

A girl sat on a small balance bike at Woodside Animal Farm

The ride on tractors and bikes were also open, but once again overall visitor numbers meant that this wasn’t a problem in terms of overcrowding and children were encouraged by signs to wash their hands when they’d finished on them.

The tea cup ride was operating with just people from one bubble allowed in a tea cup at any one time. Again, hand sanitiser was positioned right on the gate so people could use it on their way in and out. The carousel was closed with the sign (and website) explaining that this was because it was impossible to social distance on it.

A ten year old girl posing on teh crazy golf course at Woodside Animal Farm

I enjoyed a round of crazy golf with the kids. There was a separate place to leave used clubs and golf balls when we finished so that they could be cleaned for the next people going round.

The indoor play barn was also closed as per current government rules.

Animals

It can be easy to come to places like Woodside these days and forget about the animals as there is just so much other fun to be had. For TSB though the animals were a highlight. With lockdown, this was her first visit to a farm since she’s been talking properly and so she was in her absolute element shouting out animal names as we walked round. Goats confused her a bit as she thought they were dogs and Alpacas blew her mind Sheep, cows and chickens though went down an absolute storm with her.

A ten year old girl feeding goats at Woodside Animal Farm as a toddler in a pushchair looks on

It was also nice that you can still buy animal food at Woodside and feed the animals as you go around. The only thing that I felt was missing (and this is a non-Covid thing) was signs telling you that it is OK to feed them. My elder two are so used to places where it is very clear to tell you what you can and can’t feed that they felt a bit nervous at first in case they fed something they shouldn’t.

Tractor Rides

A tractor driving round Woodside Animal Farm

All three kids were delighted to see that tractor rides were still running. The only difference was that it was one bubble at a time. If anything I felt this made the whole thing far nicer than being squashed in with strangers. Again, hand sanitiser was there for you all to use on the way in and out and everyone I saw was doing this. The queue was nicely socially distanced and the staff members driving the tractors were always wearing face masks.

Food and drink

As we only visited for the afternoon we just took a few snacks with us and plenty of water as it was a hot day. The kids did visit the kiosk though and we had ice creams there. They also seemed to be selling various snacks and hot and cold drinks from the same kiosk. I believe there was also some food available inside from the cafe area that is normally next to the soft play. There were plenty of spaced out picnic tables and again it was easy to socially distance whilst enjoying something to eat and drink.

Staff

To be honest I didn’t see many staff in our time at Woodside Animal Farm. There were a couple going round emptying bins etc and making sure that the hand washing stations were well equipped, but the only other we saw were either driving the tractor, manning the entrance, running the tea cup ride or serving food and drink at the refreshment kiosk. All that I encountered were friendly and professional. I heard a couple talking over their walkie talkies about someone needing to go and clean up some tissue paper that was blowing around near one hand washing area and saw one guy going round checking toilets periodically.

Overall Vibe

One comment that I made to Bonn as we went round was about how much I actually preferred our post-Covid farm visit over others that I’ve done before. Maybe lockdown has made me realise how much I don’t like other people and the way some of them behave, but our visit to Woodside was lovely as it wasn’t too busy at all, but yet the farm had a lovely relaxed vibe about it too. There was space to see and do things and we liked not being jostled by other people all the time as often happens at family attractions in summer holidays.

We certainly felt safe at Woodside, and as our first real trip out since lockdown this was particularly important for all of us. The older kids described it as being “like a normal trip” which I think is possibly one of the most important things. I don’t want them feeling scared to go out anywhere, but they’re also children and I want them to be able to have fun. That’s exactly what they did.

A family group of two adults and one toddler on the tractor at Woodside Animal Farm

Disclaimer: We paid for our own visit to Woodside Animal Farm and I decided to write about our visit as a way of sharing information with readers. I was not compensated in any way for this post.

For more inspiration for family days out take a look here.

Lockdown Travel – the armchair version

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There’s no doubt about it – travel is, for now, off the agenda. Everyone is staying at home. International borders are closed. Aircraft are grounded. The travel industry as a whole will probably never look quite the same again. Something no one was really expecting to happen quite so fast.

Having been somewhat grounded to the UK already by the reality of being a parent, the current lockdown is even harder because I can’t even go to my go to places here in the UK. My local National Trust site is closed. The London Underground is for essential journeys only. We can’t even jump in the car to escape to the coast for a day. I totally understand and respect why, but at the same time it is frustrating for a family who like to be moving around a lot.

Instead I’m trying to get my travel kicks remotely via a screen instead.

At the weekend I saw the end of the second series of what has to be the most exciting travel programme I’ve ever seen – Race Around the World. Last year I wrote about how much I enjoyed the first series, but the second one has been even better. Not only did the winning team win by only 20 seconds (honestly!) but I think it was a longer series, and one which shows off a part of the world that I know very little about – South America. If you haven’t seen it yet then please do, it really is wonderful television. South America, especially the Southern part, is now firmly on my bucket list. It looks absolutely gorgeous and the terrain there isn’t really what I was expecting. I think most of my South American knowledge was about the more northern countries. That needs rectifying now.

Television Travel Race Around the World

The rest of my travel viewing has been closer to home focussing on the London Underground. I accidentally stumbled across the Hidden London Hangouts that the London Transport Museum is putting out weekly on their YouTube channel. The experts from the museum’s Hidden London series of talks and tours sharing their knowledge about the London Underground. What isn’t to love? It’s certainly satisfying my current Tube withdrawal symptoms. It’s also making me keener than ever to finish our Tube Stop Baby challenge when we can.

Continuing the theme, someone on Twitter recommended the Heart of the Angel documentary on BBC iPlayer. Recorded back in 1989 before Angel station was redeveloped it is a fascinating look at 48 hours in the station and some of the people who work there. In a way it is hard to believe how much has changed in just 30 years.

One thing I miss loads under lockdown is being able to either travel by train, or see a train anywhere. We don’t live near a railway line and have no essential journey that requires one. I’ve managed to scratch that railway itch a bit though by watching the first episode of Tim Dunn’s new series on Yesterday – The Architecture the Railways Built. Not only does episode 1 let you have a nosey around the closed Down Street Underground Station, but he also visits the gorgeous Central Station in Rotterdam that Bonn and I were lucky enough to see for ourselves a couple of years ago.

Television Travel Rotterdam Central Station

Travel might change forever after all this, but we’re still determined to get out there as much as we can (rules permitting etc) and hope to still be able to share our adventures on here with you. Until then they might have to stay confined to our back garden!

RAF Museum, Hendon, London

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London can seem awash with museums, but I’m not sure that all the ones away from the centre are as well known. That certainly seems to be the case with the RAF Museum in Hendon. It may be out in Zone 4, but it’s only a 30 minute tube ride, and not far from the M1 if you’re travelling by car.

For anyone with an interest in aviation, military or just technology in general you won’t be disappointed with the RAF Museum, and there’s so much to see and do there that it’s very easy to spend a full day at the museum.

RAF Museum Hendon

For those that may have visited the museum before, it is worth pointing out that there has been quite a re-vamp over the last few years with the museum reopening in 2018 to celebrate the RAF’s 100th anniversary.

What is there to see at the RAF Museum?

Our visit to the RAF Museum took in the newest part of the museum’s offering – Hangar 1 – which focuses on the first 100 years of the RAF. With lots of real life accounts of what it is like to work and live as part of the RAF’s family it is a great way to start your visit to the museum.

RAF Museum Hendon

There’s plenty to read and look at, but for kids (large and small) there are also several hands on games to help you get a feel for the skills needed by the RAF.

RAF Museum Hendon

This hangar also features the RAF First to the Future gallery which uses simulators and other interactive exhibits to help visitors really get an understanding of what it is like to be a Hawk pilot or a drone operator. My older kids both had an absolute ball in this part of the museum.

RAF Museum Hendon

With only half a day at the museum we didn’t have time to visit all the hangars, but did spend an enjoyable hour or more in hangars 3, 4 and 5 that no only house the indoor picnic space (brilliant if you’re trying to have a winter day out on a budget) but also everything that comes under the broad heading of War in the Air 1918 – 1980.

With separate sections on the Battle of Britain, Bomber Command, Helicopters and Wings over Water it really does cover a huge range in the same way that the RAF itself does. My kids’ favourite part of these hangars though is always the section that houses a reconstruction of an aircraft factory that was hit during a bombing raid. Not only does it open up an interesting conversation with the kids about where the enemy might target, but my kids are always super excited about the fact that there’s running water to depict a water pipe having been hit!

RAF Themed Kids Playground

RAF Museum Hendon

With only half a day at the museum we simply didn’t have time to see everything, but it is worth mentioning the playground area. My kids always need somewhere to let off a bit of steam and there is a brilliant RAF themed outdoor play area – think planes and helicopters, as well as a model of one of the nearby buildings on the site. It’s nicely fenced off to keep it safe, lots to do for all ages, and for the parents the cafe with outdoor tables is right next door! You can tell a parent was involved in the planning of that.

RAF Museum Hendon

Practicalities of visiting

One of the best bits about the RAF Museum is that it is free to visit. They do ask for donations and you do have to pay for car parking – but the charges for it are very reasonable, especially when you consider that you’re not being hit by a high entry fee.

If you’re planning a visit to the RAF Museum in Hendon there’s a brilliant page on their website about getting there. There’s also plenty of information on the site about the different hangars and what they contain, as well as details on exhibitions and special events.

If you’re not near London, did you know that they also have a separate RAF Museum in Cosford in Shropshire?

Want to read more?

If you’re looking for places to go on a family day out, or museums to visit then make sure you take a look at the other places we’re written about here on Penny Travels.

Disclaimer: We visited the RAF Museum in London in January 2020. We did so of our own free will and were not asked in any way to write about our visit.

AD Using the Three App to make the most of my mobile whilst travelling

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It’ll come as no surprise to readers of this travel blog that I travel a fair bit. Both around the UK and overseas. My husband Bonn travels for his day job, and rather than sit at home whilst he’s gone, Tube Stop Baby and I try to go with him wherever we can. I’m fortunate in that my job means that I only need an Internet connection to be able to work. I’ve been a Three customer for more years than I can remember and when I pack for any trip my phone (and charger) are right up the top of my packing list alongside my passport and wallet.

Penny sat using her phone in a restaurant in Copenhagen with Tube Stop Baby sat next to her in her pushchair smiling. Photo to accompany an article on the Three App.

My Phone. My Travel lifeline.

For me though, it’s not just having the ability to call my other kids whilst we’re away that means my phone is so necessary. I use it for a million and one purposes. Everything from maps to find my way around, geocaching apps when I’m being a tourist, translation apps to work out what a menu says, currency converters to find out how much things cost and also for catching up with news and my favourite TV programmes. It’s my business lifeline too. I’m self employed as a blogger and writer and I use my phone to keep all my social media accounts up to date, and also to connect via my laptop to enable me to write whilst on the move. I’m sat writing this post whilst in an Airbnb property in Copenhagen having spent the day exploring the city. It will be uploaded via my phone as the 4G data is actually better than the host’s wifi in terms of speed and reliability!

Penny working on her laptop whilst sat at a table in an Airbnb in Copenhagen. Photo to accompany an article on the Three App.

Go Roam

With my Three contract I have Go Roam, which means I can use my regular minutes and data in 71 different locations around the world. It’s one of the reasons why I am with them as a network provider. When you’re travelling you want peace of mind. I don’t want to suddenly discover that I’ve run out of data when I’ve got an important article to submit and can’t find any free wifi anywhere. Or even worse, be stuck in the middle of a strange city not sure which way I should head to find my way back to where I’m staying. For that peace of mind I use the Three App.

Using the Three App abroad

All I have to do is open the app from anywhere in one of their Go Roam locations, log in, and I can instantly see just how much of my data I have left for the billing month, as well as loads of historical usage data that statistic geeks like me love.

Picture of the Data Usage screen on the Three App.

There’s also a fantastic section on there covering everything you need to know about using your phone abroad. Not only does it list the Go Roam locations so you can check before you arrive somewhere new, but it also talks you through how to get international roaming to work on your handset.

Photo showing the section on the Three App on using your phone abroad.

That’s not all

That’s not all you can do on the Three App though. Through their live chat you can get help with any problems you might be having and also check whether you are eligible for an upgrade, and if so, what to. There’s also a handy feature on there where you can check how much it will cost to call a specific number. I can never remember what all the dialling codes mean when a company gives you a number to call them on. Via the Three App you can simply type a number in and it will tell you if it is included in your plan or not, and if not how much the call will cost you. So much better than being stung with an unexpected extra call charge!

When you’re exploring new places, especially with a young child, being prepared and having peace of mind is key. That’s exactly what the Three App gives me for staying connected whilst travelling.

Disclaimer: This post was commissioned by Three. All opinions in it are my own. I am an existing Three customer through choice and pay my own bills with them each month. I already used the Three App before being asked to write this article.