Free Runners

My last pair of running runners were bought waaay back in September 2014, so I've been well overdue a new pair for a long time.

So when I was offered a new pair of Nike trainers by the lovely people at Millets Sports, I hop, skipped and jumped at the chance.

My previous pair were pre-tested on my feet and gait in the store, so were a perfect fit and we were very happy together for many years.

These ones were to picked online - and there were plenty to choose from. After looking through the selection I finally chose the Nike Free Runners - aesthetically pleasing and similar to the ones my 12 year old daughter loves and covets.

The trainers are really lightweight and extremely comfortable - they're a perfect crossover between a leisure and sports trainer. So far I've worn them with jeans, to yoga, hiking, walking and everything in between. I've done a couple of runs in them, and they mimic a supported barefoot running experience. It's nice in that they are so lightweight, however after years of much more cushioned trainers it's taking me a little while to get used to.

The main pros are that they are: Flexible. Stylish. Comfortable. Breathable. Lightweight.
The main con is that if you're not used to this type of design it may take a little while to get used to.

No matter. They have hardly left my feet since. And no, my daughter will not getting them!

Disclosure: I was kindly sent a pair of Nike trainers to review. However, all opinions, words and images are my own. 

Hiking boots and Camino trails

It's funny what giving up alcohol will make you do.

This year, instead of lazing by a pool or hitting the beach for my summer holiday, I'll be trekking 120k across Northern Spain - Bilbao to Santander, as part of the famous Camino, an ancient pilgrim route that stretches across Europe.

There are a whole host of reasons people do the Camino. Personal struggles, a fitness challenge, the fact that it's cheap, a way to meet new people... However, no matter who you are or what the reason for doing it is, one piece of advice is always consistent - get yourself a decent pair of boots.

There are stories of weeping blisters and crying men at every stop, and you really don't want to be one of the poor unfortunates that other people's horror stories going home are built around.

And so to my beautiful new Brashers from Millets online.

The Brashers are out! First training hike up the back of Powerscourt Waterfall. Boots are where they belong. 🌳🌞 @milletsonline #hiking #ireland #caminotraining #greatoutdoors #mymillets #wicklowmountains #wicklow #powerscourt #ipbig #epig #pblogger #tblogger #irishblogger

A post shared by Kate Gunn (@katetakes5) on May 14, 2017 at 6:47am PDT

I was kindly sent out a pair of Brasher Country Trekker's to test out ahead of my trip in July. Perfect timing for my training which officially began with hike #1 last weekend.

We took an easy 2.5 hour trek up through the back of Powerscourt Waterfall. Cosy stony trails making way to vast expanses of mountain wilderness.

A day well spent. Out in the wilds of Wicklow, Sunday morning hangovers a thing of the distant past. Smugness levels rising to dangerously high levels. #wicklowway #greatoutdoors #ireland #hiking #happy #love #outdoorslover #ipbig #epig #mblogger

A post shared by Kate Gunn (@katetakes5) on May 14, 2017 at 12:14pm PDT

The joy.

I bounced along the rocky paths in total comfort. High grade hiking socks and awesome boots ahave been given the firm thumbs up. They're light-weight, hardy, hugely comfortable and just a little bit gorgeous.

Is it weird to fall in love with a pair of hiking boots?

Ok don't answer that.


Disclosure: I was sent these Brasher hiking boots in exchange for a review. All thoughts, opinions and images are my own. And yes, I really do love them. 

The best back to school shoes for your children's feet

My brother is a constant source of embarrassment to our family.  He is known in our town as 'that guy who never wears shoes'. Which is all very well if it's summer and you're heading to the beach - not so much when you meet him in a posh restaurant in November and the barefoot horror is exposed to the rest of the unfortunate diners. 

Anyway, I digress. The main reason he began going barefoot is due to a persistent bad back that regular shoes seemed to exacerbate. So he ditched them and has never looked back since. Barefoor 1: Shoes 0.

Our family was born and brought up by the sea and we spent much of our childhoods running to and from the beach barefooted. I really do think that children's feet should be allowed to breath and grow without restriction as much as possible. It's something I'm a great believer in - as my own children's feet can testify:

So when Barefoot shoes pioneer Vivobarefoot got in touch with me I was delighted to test them out and spread the word. 

Not only do Vivo Barefoot produce wider, flat-soled, flexible shoes without cushioning - which are proven to mitigate issues of footwear damaging children’s feet - they have gone one barefoot step further and launched a nationwide campaign to  highlight the damage ill-fitting, tapered non-foot shaped shoes do to children’s feet.

Supported by medical professionals and parents across the UK, the barefoot shoe brand is mounting pressure on mainstream footwear manufacturers and retailers to carry warnings informing people of the danger of conventional footwear design on a child’s natural foot development.

In order to educate parents, Vivobarefoot is running parent learning sessions at its London store in London and has provided a guide to buying safe shoes on its website www.vivobarefoot.com

Galahad Clark, founder of Vivobarefoot and member of the famous Clarkes Shoes family commented:

“Our kids’ feet are being physically deformed by the shoes they wear – resulting in a national crisis – and the footwear industry has turned a blind eye to the damage being done for too long now. The mainstream footwear industry has sold parents a lie and their failure to come clean about the dangers is becoming a public health issue. We want to educate and empower parents to protect the feet of their children and put them on a path of healthy natural development.”

And yes he's even talking about his own family's shoe empire there. 

We chose a really gorgeous pair of navy and lime trainers that the notoriously shoe fussy six year old absolutely adores. They are cool, comfortable and kind to his feet. What more could a kid or their parent want from a pair of shoes? 

Luckily our school isn't too strict about shoe colour or type - so these will be the only shoes he will need for the year - inside and outside of school. They do have more traditional type shoes available though and they all follow the same 'barefoot' ethos.

My boy has been putting these ones to the maximum test - running, climbing and jumping in them. These shoes are all about allowing your body to move as evolution intended - barefoot. 

 In fact, he is such a fan he refuses to take this pair of shoes off - a first for anyone in this family.  

Which reminds me - I must go and send that link to my brother... 

Disclosure: I was provided with a choice of shoes from Vivobarefoot for the purposes of this review. I strongly believe in both the brand and it's ethos and highly recommend you take a look around it's website or pop into one of their sessions in the London store. They also do adult footwear. 

Camp Bestival - Getting There from Ireland

Camp Bestival takes place every year at Lulworth Castle in the heart of Dorset. Dorset is an incredibly beautiful part of the the UK, but not always the easiest to get to. Especially if you are travelling from Ireland.

Before planning our trip to Camp Bestival I looked into lots of options for getting there. The site is serviced by coach, rail and taxi, so in theory you could fly into Southhampton or Bournmouth and make your way from there, but to be honest if you are festivaling with kids you are going to have a lot of STUFF, so in reality you really do need a car.

Which is where those lovely people at Stena Line come in.

With ferries running between Dublin and Holyhead or Rosslare and Fishguard this is the route I'd recommend to take - not only for Camp Bestival but for any UK camping holiday or festival experience. (They also run Belfast to Cairnryan or Liverpool if you are travelling from the north).

Stena Line were kind enough to offer us return travel to Fishguard so we were able to pack up the car with all those just-in-cases and head off without worry.

Ferry travel with kids is generally a whole lot less stressful than air travel, and we were all impressed with the entertainment on offer. There is a soft play area for the little ones, a big screen movie, arcade games and even entertainers who do arts and crafts. On the return journey there was a Horrible Histories show that the kids loved (and I even managed to sneak in a much needed forty winks thanks to it!)

Early morning ferry spotting

After docking in Wales we drove to Bristol and stopped off with friends for the night. It was the perfect pit stop and, although you could make the trip to Dorset in one go (it's about 4 - 5 hours from Fishguard to Dorset), I'd recommend scheduling in an overnight stay on the way instead. On the return trip we stopped off at a Holiday Inn Express just off the motorway and got a family room for two adults and three kids for £86, which included a full cooked \ continental breakfast and - oh the joy! - actual hot showers. To be fair I probably would have paid that just for my own shower at that point so everything else was a bonus.

Once off the motorway and heading to Dorset the directions get a little more tricky. We used Google Maps to guide us but without it we would have had trouble finding our way. After lots of twists and turns and little winding roads we made it - and yes, it was absolutely worth it.

Here's a full post on what you can expect from The Camp Bestival Experience!

Travel times:

Ferry Rosslare - Fishguard: Approx 3 hours
Fishguard - Bristol: Approx 3 hours
Fishguard - Dorset: Approx 5 hour drive
Bristol - Dorset: Approx 2 hour drive

Dorset is an incredibly beautiful area so you could easily turn the trip into your summer holiday and either camp locally or upgrade to a holiday home for the rest of your stay. In fact next year we probably will.

Disclosure:
Stena provided free family travel to me and Camp Bestival provided a weekend family pass. All views and images are my own. 

The best family holiday in the Peak District: Darwin Forest Country Park

Darwin Forest Country Park is an absolute gem in the UK's Peak District. Having spent the past 4 days there I am genuinely excited about sharing this little known corner of the world with you. The Peak District itself is a fantastic place for a family holiday - and Darwin Forest is the perfect base in which to stay.

The Location:
Sitting on the east side of the Peak District National Park, Darwin Forest Country Park is close to everywhere you might want to visit. It takes no more than half an hour to get to any number of wonderful places - that is, if you want to leave the site at all.

The Peak District is in Derbyshire, close to Sheffield, Nottingham and Manchester. The closest airport is East Midlands, which Ryanair flies in to with some bargain busting flights.


The Accommodation:

The lodges at Darwin Forest are really special. Rather than a sprawl of identikit cabins, they are spread out throughout the park with lots of individual designs. Sizes and prices vary, so there really is something for every one. From Classic, Elite and Spa lodges to family cottages and exclusive ranges - the lodges go from 2 sleepers to 8 sleepers.

We were lucky enough to stay in The Meadow 'an exclusive small development of three sumptuous luxury lodges'.

Darwin Forest and it's sister site Sandybrook Country Park are family owned resorts, and the lodges on both sites are actually developed and built by the same family's other business. What this means for us is that the lodges are all built to a particularly high spec, with everything seamlessly produced.

You can also specify on booking if you want a hot tub. (Note: you want a hot tub).

We spent a large part of our time in here. Shooting the breeze and playing alphabet games. It's a fantastic family bonding time as it's a confined space with no other distractions. The warm water and bubbles just melt the stresses away and the kids adore it.

The bedrooms were cozy, comfy and had lots of light and space

The bathrooms were more 5 star hotel than log cabin in a forest, with the all important heated towel rail that kept the towels turning over as we used and re-used the hot tub. (Did I mention there is a hot tub...?)

Communal areas:

The lodge we stayed in was absolutely immaculate. So much so that I had a moral debate in my head about whether I could actually bring myself to use the grill in the kitchen. I felt like I was walking up to an oven in Harvey Norman and slapping a few rashers on to the shining metal rack. Luckily I got over myself and yes thank you - the bacon butties were delicious.

The kitchen had all the mod cons you'd expect and a few nice touches like plastic cups for the kids and a cafetiere for the grown ups.

The lounge was flooded with light all day and also had a lovely stove for those non-summer nights.

The decking area got the sun all day long and you can even borrow a barbecue from the reception area.

The Park:
The facilities in the park are fantastic. Everything you would expect and more. The outdoor areas are just wonderful. From the moment you open your cabin doors the trees, birds and wildlife are all around you.

The kids delighted in all the rabbits they found jumping around the park, and little bird boxes were dotted around the trees. Woodland walks, secret ponds, flower strewn meadows and surprise obstacle courses were all around.

A lovely playground kept them amused for hours, as did the football pitch. All perfectly located so that the grown ups could sit in the sun with a cold drink and marvel at how easy looking after kids is when you have the right facilities to hand.

And we didn't even get to the mini golf!

I took an early morning run through the forest trail on one of the days and can't describe how lovely it was. Nothing but me, the birds and the fresh clean air. Glorious.

What to do if it rains:
Yes, yes I hear you. What if you take the plunge and the rain stops play? Well thankfully Darwin Forest caters for those times too.

There is a really lovely swimming pool, complete with gym and beauty salon should you be so lucky.

There is also Little Monkey's indoor play centre and cafe. We sat outdoors in the sunshine and had lunch here on one of the days - which was surprisingly lovely. From my experience indoor play centres don't tend to serve the greatest food but this really was good.

The pub is perfect - indoors and out. We tested both extensively for the sake or research purposes. There is a restaurant attached and they are currently developing and extending this area.

There's an arcades room and snooker hall for the older kids too. We paid a visit to both and I may have had a quick game of Pacman just for old time's sake..

The damage:
No we didn't break anything. We even cleaned the grill in fact.

As I said rates vary a good deal depending on what and when you are looking. A seven night stay in an Elite lodge with hot tub for 4 people in August (peak season) is currently £1,419. A three night stay for 2 over the same dates is currently £459. For those with pre-school children, a week’s stay in October for 4 people in an Elite lodge with a hot tub is £699. The best thing to have a good look through what the options are and how much each costs.


Recommended?
Without a doubt. We absolutely loved our stay. Darwin Forest Country park is perfect for kids of all ages - whether you have toddlers, teenagers or anything in between. In fact it's a lovely getaway for extended families too - a couple of lodges taken together would be perfect for a big family meet up. Or why not bring the grandparents and get a larger sized lodge? (And maybe even a bit of free babysitting...).

One couple we met actually lived just 20 minutes away but still came to Darwin Forest to get away from it all - which says a lot really.

The park and surrounding area has so much to offer that you can really make the holiday what you want it to be. Whether that's climbing mountains and cycling tow paths, strolling around the woodland walks, visiting the local tourist attractions, touring country pubs or simply lazing round the lodge and dipping in and out of the hot tub.

I did mention there was a hot tub didn't I?

Disclosure: We were invited to stay at Darwin Forest Country Park as guests for the purposes of this review. All words and opinions are honest and my own. If you are thinking of booking and have any questions about our stay, I am more than happy to answer them. 

Precious and Personal #spon

In my mid-twenties, I was living a carefree life in a little bungalow in a little town in Co. Wicklow. I didn’t have much but I was happy. The bungalow used to belong to my grandmother and I was delighted to have a few of her old possessions dotted around my home.

One evening I returned home from working late and noticed that I must have left the bedroom window open. When I entered the house, I slowly realised something was amiss. It’s a very disconcerting feeling to walk into your own home and realise that an intruder has been there in your absence. As I took in the open bedside drawers and misshapen dressing table, it slowly dawned on me that I had been burgled. A cold veil spread over me and my senses heightened. The first question that ran through my mind was whether they were still in the house, the second – had they taken my grandmothers trinkets?

Fortunately neither was the case. They had stolen random items – CDs, clothes and a necklace that a good friend had given to me. Thankfully most of it was replaceable.

Looking back now I’m glad I had that early warning experience, because as the years go by and your family and possessions increase in numbers, there’s more to lose.

A recent survey by Liberty Insurance revealed that almost half (47%) of respondents don’t have an alarm on their home, and 17% of Irish people admitted they don’t lock their front door when they are leaving their home unattended.

But why make things easier for them? Aren’t those irreplaceable objects worth a little more care and attention? I think sometimes we believe it will never happen to us – but with over 26,000 burglaries in Ireland last year it would be very naive to go on living ‘on a wing and a prayer’.

So if you’re planning on going away this summer, here are a few handy home safety tips from LibertyInsurance on keeping your home safe when you’re on holiday.

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post in conjunction with Liberty Insurance. All words and images are my own. 

Cool Kids - The T-Shirt Edition

I do love a good t-shirt, and the thing I love about kids' t-shirts is how long they last. Unlike jeans or dresses it seems to take years from my kids to grow out of them. We've had some old favourites knocking around here for at least five years. God bless hand-me-downs!

I've been lost in the world of cool t-shirts from Melijoe this week. There are just too many great ones - for boys and girls. In fact some of these I'd nab for myself if only they did adult sizes.

If I had to pick a favourite it would be the old skool Lacoste blue one, or maybe the Palm Tree one by Scotch & Soda or possibly the Australian Trip or...

Hmm, if only we could take the lot.

The beauty of a cool t-shirt is that you can pair it with pretty much anything and still look great. Denim cut-offs, chinos, jeans, leggings, skirts - whatever floats your child's boat. PLUS they wear them all year round so they aren't a short lived seasonal thing.

And what child doesn't love a super soft, super cool t-shirt?

Imagine a life with no 'what to wear' arguments... It's a win-win as far as I'm concerned.

Disclosure: This post is in collaboration with Melijoe.com. All words and opinions are my own