October Ward Photography » Treasure a moment, captured in time – forever!

Nestled among the Warwickshire hills and canals, sits Lowsonford Village, two miles from Henley-in-Arden. Surrounded by stunning views of quintessentially English countryside it’s a perfect destination for a few days away with the dogs.

Lengthman’s Cottage was home for the weekend. Built in 1812 for the Lengthaman who maintained the not only the lock which is right outside the front door, but the stretch of canal too.

The charming little house has whitewashed walls, a black half-barrel roof and pretty green doors. Inside, it boasts two bedrooms, a double and a twin decorated as you’d imagine a traditional cottage. A spacious living area, with its original, fully functional fireplace it even has the folding arm to hang your pot over the roaring fire. There’s an antique pine kitchen table, which seats four people comfortably. The kitchen, hallway and bathroom are located to the side of the living room. The kitchen has everything you need; pots, pans, crockery and cutlery – they even have two dog bowls!

We arrived late afternoon on Friday, it was getting dark so after settling in, we took Oakley and Roxy for a short walk around the village. Fortunately we found two torches in the living as there’s no street lighting in the village and it’s pitch black at night. On the way back we stopped in at the Fleur de Lys for a quick drink and find out they lay of the land from the locals.

We woke early on Saturday morning to two very excited Dalmatians. They knew that this weekend was about them and that meant walking and lots of it. After breakfast we set out along the canal heading towards Lapworth. The path is well maintained and meanders the length of the canal, passing locks, bridges and the odd docked barge. We made it back to the cottage for a spot of lunch before heading off into Hockley Heath to pick up some wood for the fire.

In the afternoon, we decided to explore the canal in opposite direction, this route was much more rural, providing beautiful autumnal views. There’s a well beaten track, but you’ll need your wellies if it’s wet. There are also a few public footpaths leading off into the forest at various points along the way.

We spent Saturday evening in front of a roaring fire, cuddled up with two very exhausted but extremely content dogs.

It’s Sunday morning and the sun was shining, we ate breakfast quickly and hit the track, literally. We took the advice from a fellow dog walker, and followed her directions to a nearby footpath that opened out to farmland and large copses. The dogs were in heaven, as we were able to let them off and stretch their legs for good run. We walked for miles through fields, woodland and country roads, but one thing remained constant, the views. They were simply breathtaking. Even in late autumn, the vista couldn’t have been more beautiful.

The three hour walk had built-up quite a appetite, as we walked past the local pub the Fleur de Lys, the tempting smell of Sunday roast was more than we could take. The Fleur de Lys is the original home of the Steak and Kidney and Chicken and Mushroom pies made famous by Mr Brookes in the 1950s. He use to sell the pies from hatch at the back of the pub. Although, I really fancied a Sunday Roast – having been tempted by the fumes – I just had to sample of the famous Chicken and Mushroom pies, and yes it tasted every bit as good as looked. The pub is only a two minute walk across the bridge from the cottage, and the owner also having a couple dogs of his own welcomes well behaved dogs.

Feeling the need to walk off all that pastry, we took the dogs for one last walk before making the long journey home. We explored the route we’d seen earlier. This one was a bit more off the beaten track. We walked back to the cottage through the North end of the village along the roadside, all of us were dragging our feet – like little children who knew the fun day was about to end.

Lengthman’s Cottage is a fantastic holiday home in a gorgeous location. There’s more than enough walking for even the most hardcore walkers, plenty of dog and child friendly pubs and Henley-in-Arden is definitely worth a visit for spot of shopping.

For more information on Lengthman’s Cottage or any other dog friendly property check out the Land Mark Trust

She smiles the biggest the smile, it’s beautiful and infectious. She’s an absolute delight to be with, but then so is Dan and their families… and friends… They ALL have an energy that radiates. Their day was perfect, even the sun smiled along with them. I had so much fun capturing their day.

It was a glorious Autumn day, perfect for a wedding – for Sam and Nathan’s wedding. The leaves were starting to turn a warm golden hue, the sky was a blue and a cloud couldn’t be seen for miles. When Sam arrived at St Peter’s Church she radiated beauty and had a smile that could light the darkest night. Her big day was finally here, she was about to marry her teenage sweetheart and best friend.

It’s a place I’ve always dreamed of visiting, the art, the architecture, the ice-cream… I got tired of dreaming and boarded a plane with my Canon 5D mk2 with my 50mm 1.2 attached and a few pairs of shoes, oh and I took the husband along for the ride too. Everyone has told me of the great beauty of this city, but you really do have to see it to realise exactly what they mean. We spent three days wandering the streets, some on the main tourist drag and others not so much, but every inch of Rome has something to delight the senses!

Around this time every year, my Father-in-law, Terry’s village pub holds the harvest festival in aid of Tydd St Giles church. All the local farmers donate all sorts of goodies to be auctioned off – and this is where the fun begins! We arrive early to get the best spot and quickly assess what we’re going to bid on and Nathan tells me not to get too carried with the bidding. I smile sweetly and nod my head, however, when the chocolate sponge came up, I just couldn’t help myself. I got into a bidding war but unfortunately lost! Although I did win the Lemon Drizzle cake, a bag of apples (for the dogs, yes, my dogs LOVE apples), a loaf of bread and posy of pinks!