Staying on the Grounds of Hogwarts?!

Regardless of how good the uni social life is, sometimes a much needed break is in order, so the other weekend I swapped the buzzing uni halls for a tranquil weekend away with my family. Obviously being a student, I don't see my parents all that much so they came up to visit and we all stayed on the grounds of Newstead Abbey. 

Newstead Abbey was originally an Augustinian Priory with a great deal of history, both the house and grounds are open to wander around and are perfect for both children and adults. It's around 30 minutes from Nottingham centre, which is far enough to forget you're anywhere near a city but also near enough to pop into if you fancy a day of shopping or just browsing. It was so lovely to feel as if you're in the middle of nowhere, so tranquil and relaxing. In some ways it felt like I was staying on the grounds of Hogwarts (top middle photo). 

The actual house that we stayed in was a 10 minute walk from the abbey which meant we didn't really have to use the car much at all, it's an old converted barn which was lovely to stay in and very homely. The photo second down from the right shows a view from my bedroom which was the courtyard, shared with one other family and a horse stable just off the back (hence the horse selfies!) 

The Abbey itself was actually a really fun afternoon out, they've made the house very child friendly with plenty of activities aimed at keeping them out of mischief, my sister certainly loved trying on all the old costumes (and so did Dad judging by the photos) and doing various treasure hunts. The staff were all really friendly and happy to tell you anything you wanted to know about the house, which was actually really interesting- especially all the ghost stories! 

If you are interested in staying here, maybe whilst visiting children at uni or just for a peaceful getaway, the link to the house is HERE. The other pro to staying here was that just a 2 minute drive away was the most amazing pub called 'The Hutt'. The food they did was to die for (especially considering I probably don't eat proper food now!) so that is definitely worth checking out.

I hope you guys enjoyed reading a slightly different style of post, I am considering uploading my week (or maybe month) in instagram pictures occasionally, so let me know what you think of that idea!