Alnwick Castle

I got 2 visits this year, with Ma and then Mol.  The weather for both was better than on my previous visit, with some sun and with Ma even warm!

This has been the seat of the Percy family for many centuries, since before the time of Hotspur....

It was windy the day I went with Mol!

It's an impressive pile, and we enjoyed staggering round the state rooms.  Photos not allowed inside, but the best bit was the trail they'd set up for children.  Count the number of mini stuffed toy dragons and owls (little white Hedwigs of course).  I was a few short with Ma, but found the missing ones with Mol.  Such a relief.

The swallow family seat!

We wandered round the inner and outer bailey as well, and Mol and I went up the battlements.

Never did find out the significance of these little statues all over the place

Ma from the battlements!

We found a way in round the back over this bridge

Me by Ma!

How Mol didn't trip herself up with her stick I have no idea......

But of course, for me the highlight was when I visited with Ma and got some broomstick training.......  We saw them giving a lesson to a visiting school first.  Complete mayhem.  (If you look closely, you'll probably see that some never did work out which way round it should go!)

The classes are given by Professor Bottomley (in grey).....

... assisted by Professor Didgeridoo from down under (or Professor Didgeridon't according to Prof Bottomley)

And then it was the turn for the main public class of the day.  Being a weekday in term time, I was by no means the oldest participant!

Learning the Wizard Warm Up....

... and being carefully checked for style

Ma missed the all important Grab It NOW - we have now mounted

Practising the Stop and Go principles

With our broomstick engine noises. Mine was vroom vroom.  We were not allowed to go "wheeee" - there was to be NO wheeeing on Professor Bottomley's brooms

I think the assistance was a bit of a cheat

I was a natural - doing the grand fly by after for the cameras!

You'll be delighted to hear that we all passed with flying colours.

Top day!!