Before the clocks changed at the weekend I enjoyed one last post shift walk at Attingham Park. I was treated to some beautiful Autumn colours and the walled garden was decked out for ‘The School of Magic’ trail.

When the evenings get darker after the clocks change I like to travel home in daylight to avoid the constant dazzling headlights on an unlit road.

I was back volunteering today and for part of my shift I helped hand out the trail leaflets. Then after the (mostly) youngsters had graduated from the School of Magic, I presented them with their spell book and colouring pencils.

Attingham was extremely busy and for the first time in eighteen months of volunteering I wasn’t able to park easily when I arrived for my shift. I ended up half way down the overflow field, and still the cars were steadily flowing in.

It was also lovely to see some former work colleagues as they passed through visitor reception.

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The weather was glorious on my recent volunteering shift at Attingham Park, perfect weather to explore Ismore Meadow afterwards. The meadow is accessible  for a few weeks in summer until the grass is cut for hay by the tenant farmer around mid-July.

As I returned from the meadow some deer treated me with their presence. Such a joy to see.

I can’t believe that I have been volunteering at Attingham Park for a year. My first post shift walk (after a taster session) was on February 8th 2024 to see the snowdrops.

You can view the post here.

I haven’t walked after my shifts for a couple of months due to the lighting levels for driving home. I don’t like driving along a dark busy road with oncoming dazzling headlights.

I love it when the evenings get lighter with increasing speed in January and into February. Today, the 11th February it was light enough for my first post shift walk of the year.

One year on from the beginning of my volunteering journey I enjoyed another post shift walk through the snowdrops and walled garden.

After my stint of volunteering in the visitor reception area in Attingham Park I was able to explore some of the newly installed features, ready and waiting for the school holidays.

I resisted walking the labyrinth until Mr C can join me. He always enjoys exploring a labyrinth of maze.

I am really enjoying my volunteering opportunity in Visitor Reception at Attingham Park. I work alongside some lovely people both permanent staff and volunteers.

I am so grateful for this opportunity to fulfil one of the aspirations I held when I took early retirement.

My post volunteering walks are a bonus but… I am already thinking towards autumn and pre volunteering walks.

Today was the first time for three weeks that I was able to manage a post volunteering walk in Attingham Park. I wasn’t able to due to the restrictive visiting hours in hospital. Mum has moved from hospital but is not yet home.

I was also pleasantly suprised to find that a scarf I had noticed before Easter had not been sold. I was sure that someone would have taken a fancy to it and I would have missed my chance.

Much later after visiting mum in her new temporary accomodation we enjoyed a beautiful sunset before dining in the Queens at Horton.

This walk was there and back again. I wasn’t able to navigate my way around a small muddy area and I wasn’t in the mood for walking through mud

I ‘was’ in the mood for the glorious sunshine after so many rainy days. Lucky me for choosing an sunny ’slot’.

Today was my second stint of volunteering in the Visitor Reception Area at Attingham. So far I am really enjoying the opportunity.

After scanning visitors cards on entry to Attingham it was my turn for a brisk walk around the parkland.