Brandon Marsh is a nature reserve managed by Warwickshire Wildlife Trust.  It’s in the countryside at the edge of Coventry and easily accessible by car because of that.  There’s plenty of a parking at the reserve.  You enter through the visitor centre which has plenty of facilities: shop, cafe, toilets, baby-changing, etc.  There is a charge to get in, or if you are likely to visit often you can become a member.  You can’t use a bike or a scooter there due to the site being sensitive and dogs aren’t allowed (in the Brandon Marsh section), except for assistance dogs of course.

It’s great that the main paths are accessible for pushchairs or wheelchairs and you quickly feel you are miles away from anywhere, which doesn’t always happen on accessible paths.  The interconnecting Kingfisher and Woodpecker trails are a good place to start exploring the reserve, whether you need an accessible path or not.  The Kingfisher and Woodpecker paths are in the Brandon Marsh section of the reserve.  Brandon Marsh is full of reeds and pools and there are plenty of water birds to see, especially if you use one of the hides (there are nine of them) to get a bit closer.  Brandon Marsh is in the floodplain of the Avon, so it can get a bit muddy in the winter apparently if the river has been in flood.

Across the road and railway line there is the Brandon Reach nature reserve which has a different character and habitat.  Here the habitat is grassland, scrub or woodland.  It’s also great for exploring and dogs are allowed in this part of the reserve.

Brandon Marsh is full of old pits and pools created during its days as a quarry.  Now nature has taken over and the pools and pits are lakes and reed beds.  There are plenty of benches dotted around, so it’s easy just to relax a while and enjoy the view.  The guide suggests trying some meditation and the sound of the reeds moving in the breeze is almost hypnotic.  If you want to get closer to wildlife, you can go into one of the hides and get a chance to see the wildlife unobserved.  Bring your binoculars if you have some, but you can see pretty well with the naked eye too.

Brandon Marsh is a great place to teach children about nature.  We enjoyed this geological wall that shows the different rocks that occur in the area.  As you can see there’s quite a range of colours and textures and even bricks represent some of the local geology.  Younger children can hunt for hidden plaques on the brass rubbing trail to create colourful pictures on their rubbing sheet.  There are regular events from pond dipping to art exhibitions to wildlife courses.

There are lots of places for kids to explore and enjoy nature including the mud kitchen, the mouse maze and mini-beast homes.

There’s also education and sensory gardens which are good for everyone to enjoy.

There are plenty of benches in the picnic area in the courtyard outside the the visitor centre.  There are also toilets here and an outside tap for cleaning muddy boots (if you need to – we didn’t).

The Badger’s Kitchen tearoom is lovely: light, bright and open.  The windows look out onto a lovely garden area and we saw lots of blue tits visiting a bird feeder.

The staff were welcoming and the service was good in the Badger’s Kitchen.  We had a very tasty lasagne with chips and salad for our lunch.  They do everything from cakes and snacks, light lunches through to main meals.

We also enjoyed a cake with a cup of tea.  Perfect for a treat after you have been walking. Badger’s Kitchen have a nice selection of cakes available.

Brandon Marsh is a great place to spend time for all ages.  There’s certainly enough to occupy you for a full day if you set out to explore the whole reserve.  It’s certainly a place you could visit and revisit over the seasons and see it through the year.  We spent the afternoon there and got to see a fair amount of the reserve.  We’d certainly go back and explore some more.

Disclosure: I was provided with free entry and a meal for the purposes of this review.

There’s something special and different about visiting an independent cinema as opposed to going to a branch of a big chain cinema.  Often they are in unusual or historic buildings and there’s usually a community behind them that makes going along to see a film a much more satisfying experience.  The choice of films is often a bit different too.  There’s more likely to be something a bit arty, or niche, or just a film created on a lower budget, but who knows it might be the first film of next big director or an early chance to see an actor that is going on to greater things.  You can even get the chance to suggest films or types of film and have an influence on future programming.  All in all a visit to an independent cinema is a great experience, and London is a good place to dip your toe into a new world of film.  You could even make a day out of it by combining a cinema trip with a indulgent foodie treat like the Montcalm London afternoon tea.

Crouch End’s Art House cinema opened in 2014 in a former Salvation Army Hall and is now established on the London arts scene.  More than just a cinema though, the Arthouse is a mix of the worlds of film, art, live music, theatre, dance, workshops, comedy, and more.  It’s inclusive too as there are sessions for parents with babes in arms; sensory impaired screenings; and special deals for the over 60s.

Portbello Road’s Electric Cinema is one of the oldest working cinemas in the country dating back to February 1911. The Electric has long been at creative hotspot. Back in the late 1960s and early 1970s, cinema enthusiasts turned it into art-house cinema. Today, viewers can enjoy leather armchairs with footstools or two-seater sofas or even one of the six double beds in the front row.  The cosiness continues with snuggly cashmere blankets and there’s a choice of snacks and drinks from the fully-licensed bars.

The Lexi Cinema in Kensal Green is a boutique, independent cinema that’s housed inside a renovated Edwardian theatre.  As a charitable social enterprise it donates all its profits to charity, but the other great thing about it is that its community run and many of the friendly staff are volunteers.  That doesn’t mean it is short on comfort though as there’s comfy seating, a stunning sound-system and a cosy bar.

For me when I think of a cinema that Art Deco look that springs to mind.  Art Deco was at its height at the time of a great expansion for cinemas and many cinemas boast Art Deco features.  The Rio Cinema in east London opened in 1915. It now has Grade II-listed status having been designed by George Coles, the architect who would become a prolific creator of Art Deco cinemas and the Rio gained its Art Deco good looks when it was refurbished in 1937.

For a trip back into film history, try the Regent Street Cinema which is the birthplace of British cinema.  This is the location where in 1896, the Lumière brothers’ Cinématographe was first shown to a paying audience. In the interim it spent many years being used as a student lecture hall,  but more recently it was restored into a working cinema featuring a state-of-the-art auditorium. The cinema is one of the few in the country to show 16mm and 35mm film, as well as the latest in 4K digital film, so you will be able to see something different here.

The Haunted Castle Halloween event at Warwick Castle is running from now until 3rd November, which makes it a perfect half term dayout.  Many of the events are aimed at younger visitors, but there’s plenty for adults too, so it’s a good trip for all ages.  With eerie experiences around every corner, Warwick Castle at Halloween is an unmissable experience as the Castle bristles with the energy of those who’ve lived – and died – at the Castle over the centuries.

Three new spook-tacular attractions are being launched for Halloween 2019. Whilst youngsters will enjoy convincing the snooty butler in the Spooky Mansion that he’s not alone, fans of Most Haunted can experience the spine-tingling thrill of joining the Haunted Warwick – Live! team as they film a live ghost hunt in the depths of the Castle. Meanwhile, the bravest can head out to The Haunted Castle after dark to pit your survival skills against the terrifying army of the dead. Travel through the Castle to make your escape and (hopefully!) live until sunrise in the Dead of Knight scare maze.

We did the Haunted Hallows trail which starts next to the Horrible Histories Maze.  It takes you through a series of spooky settings with lots of skeletons, ghosts and mummies.  There are sound effects to add to the atmosphere and along the way there are actors to bring it all to life.  A favourite for us was the chance to take some spooky selfies.

There are lots of special shows to see many of which take place on the Dead Centre Stage in the castle courtyard itself.  We saw The Wizard’s Apprentice which was great fun and suitable for all the family.

Of course, you can still see all the usual Warwick Castle attractions too.  A real highlight for us was the The Falconer’s Quest which is new to Warwick Castle this year.  We’ve always enjoyed the birds of prey displays, but this is something really quite special and unlike any other display I’ve seen.  The birds fly so close to the audience, it’s breathtaking.  It’s amazing to see the birds catch pieces of meat in the air and the finale is really worth seeing as there are so many birds of prey in the air together.  A real must-see.

Disclosure: I was given tickets to enable me to review the event, but my opinions are my own.