A picnic with a view

We have been indulging Annabelle’s passions for trains, picnics and puddles!

We took a trip to Rudyard Lake Steam Railway in Staffordshire for a ride on the Steam trains and a picnic by the lake. The railway is a miniature scale, so is perfect for children to get up close to and have have a good look. The railway runs alongside the beautiful Rudyard lake, and there are lots of walkers and cyclists to wave at along the way! We stopped at a station halfway along the track to have our picnic in front of the lake and watch the boats, trains and ducks.

Rudyard steam railway

Annabelle had a fabulous time experiencing the smokey trains and ‘choo chooing’ along as the train tooted. After our picnic we finished the trip along the rest of the lake and then had a walk along the land for some excellent puddle stomping!

Uh oh, Nathalie had a little accident in the mud!

After our lakeside adventure, we had time for one last little treat – we popped up the road to Leek to see one of the gold post boxes. Annabelle loves anything post related so seeing one of the special post boxes was very exciting! A select few post boxes have been painted gold in honour of every Olympic and Paralympic gold medal achieved in London 2012 in the athlete’s hometowns – the Leek post box is to celebrate Anna Watkins’ Gold in Double Sculls rowing, and Annabelle was fascinated with it!

Leek gold post box

We had such fun at Rudyard lake, we couldn’t keep away! We went back for the last weekend of the season for one last go on the trains!

I have a feeling we will be back here many times next summer! (And maybe the Santa specials?!!)

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