Enjoying The Dry Weather in Alton

After days of rain the weather has taken a turn for the better and we've been getting lots of dry, cold and sunny days in Alton.  We really enjoy the outdoors (when it's dry!) so it's been great to wrap up warm and get outside.  It's been pretty chilly here until mid morning and by mid afternoon it's started to turn cold again.  So, first thing and last thing we've been doing indoor jobs getting ready for what we hope will be a busy B&B season.  Then in the middle of the day we've spent some time outside doing jobs or sometimes just taking a walk.

 

These are a couple of photo's that we've taken lately.  We don't remember cutting our grass before in February.  The grass was looking a bit long, the weather was sunny and dry so we thought why not get the mower out?  So we did!

MALT TIP: Get outside, fresh air makes you feel great!

Strange Wildlife at The Malthouse!

If you've been to stay at our bed and breakfast you'll know that we we have a pretty big garden.  Whenever we have time to spare we're often outside watering pots, cutting grass, tending to plants and occasionally (well fairly often if we're honest!) having a cup of tea!  For quite sometime now we have been feeding the birds that visit our garden.  We really enjoy watching the birds (it gives us an excuse to have longer tea breaks!) so this year we decided to add a few extras for them.  To try and encourage different types of birds to come to the garden we've been putting out a wider variety of food.  We've also made two window feeders that are fully stocked with food.

Here is one of the window feeders.   

If you don't have one of these bird feeders you really should consider getting one.  It took approximately three weeks for any birds to be daring enough to use the window feeder BUT once one bird tried it LOTS more followed!  Our window feeders are attached to our dining room windows.  It's lovely to enjoy a meal and see the birds swooping in and out enjoying their meal too!

Birds are not the only wild animals that come into our garden.  Recently we've spotted hedgehogs, badgers, foxes and squirrels.  We're particularly fond of the birds and very pleased to see all the other animals but since we've started to put out more bird food we've noticed more squirels too!  The squirrels are cute chaps and we know that they need to eat but we do wish they wouldn't keep pinching the birds food.  The squirrels are particularly fond of the fat balls that we put out for the birds.  The fat balls that we buy are individually wrapped in green mesh.  If the birds eat the fat balls the green mesh is left behind for us to throw away.  However, the squirrels often get to the fat balls before the birds and take everything including the green net!  We have a silly sense of humour here at The Malthouse, we imagine that the squirrels use the green nets as hair nets and laugh at the thought of Alton's squirrel population having perfect hairdos!

Now a couple of weeks ago we had a lady named Kylie (not Minogue but equally as beautiful!) staying with us.  This lovely lady has stayed with us before, it was great to see her again.  During Kylie's stay we stood outside chatting about the weather, garden, wildlife etc and we we're telling her about the local squirrels having hair nets.  We thought Kylie would think we were mad and that we might not see her again, so imagine how much we laughed when we saw how she had dressed one of our squirrel garden ornaments. 

What a relief it is to know that other people have the same daft sence of humour as us!  Hope you see this blog Kylie. x

Our Walk from Alton to Denstone and Back!

This week we decided to take a walk from our B&B in Alton to the nearby village of Denstone.  We often drive through Denstone but have never walked there so we thought it would make a change. What a lovely afternoon we had, it won't be the last time we walk from Alton to Denstone and back!

We chose to walk to Denstone along an old disused railway line that runs next to the River Churnet in a nearby valley.  On the way back to Alton we walked along public footpath.  Initially the public footpath went through open fields, then to our surprise it carried on along a stone path between the fields.  We think that the footpath follows part of the Staffordshire Way so maybe this is why the path is there, we're not sure.   

It was lovely to walk along and enjoy the sounds (and smells!) of the countryside.  These cows were waiting at a gate near a farm that we passed.  We don't know much about farm animals but to us these pretty young ladies seemed to be in very good shape!

We think that we probably walked about 5 miles in total, which we were pleased with as we're not super fit.  To be fair though the walk was pretty easy going thanks to the flat railway line, the stone public footpath oh and of course the tea and cake we had at Denstone Hall Farm Shop!

MALT TIP: If your staying at our B&B you won't be able to resist a short (or long) walk in the countryside so remember to pack walking shoes, wellington boots or old trainers!

Many of our guests are heading to Alton Towers Theme Park.  Most first timers to the area are amazed that the theme park is located in such a beautiful rural setting.  Often guests returning to stay come back for longer to visit the theme park again and enjoy the fantastic countryside that's here.  If your looking for accommodation in Alton why not give us a call 01538 703273 to check availability.  

Alton Towers Gardens NGS Open Evening

The gardens in the grounds of Alton Towers Theme Park are beautiful to say the least. Guests staying at our bed and breakfast have commented that it's a shame you can't visit the gardens without purchasing an expensive theme park ticket. So, we are delighted to say that Alton Towers will be opening their magnificent gardens to the public on Friday 1 June from 5pm to 8pm.

For just £4 visitors will be able to enjoy the splendor of the gardens at Alton Towers.
The entrance fee will be given to The National Gardens Scheme - Gardens open for Charity.
See http://www.ngs.org.uk/gardens/gardenfinder/garden.aspx?id=2295 for details regarding this event.

If you don't live locally but would like to come along and see the gardens why not telephone 01538 703273 to check accommodation availability at The Malthouse B&B. We're located in the village of Alton just one mile away from Alton Towers.

Look What We Saw on Our Lunch Break!

Today we'd had a really busy morning at our B&B so when lunchtime arrived we were ready to take a break. For a change of scene we decided to drive to our local chippy for a lunchtime treat. To get to the chip shop we drove through a few local country lanes and just look at what we saw along the way!






















We stopped to speak to the farmer who was tending the donkeys. He told us that that baby donkey had been born just last night.

As you'll know if you read our blog we just love lambs. As we passed number 10 we couldn't resist getting a snap of him as he looked so cute.

What a lovely lunch break we had! The chips weren't bad either!

Consall Hall Plant Hunters Fair

If like us you love to be in your garden you might be interested in visiting a Plant Hunters Fair that is taking place at Consall Hall on Saturday 31 March 2012. The gardens and fair are open from 10am to 4pm, entry for adults is just £2 and child entry & parking is free.

There will be a selection of award winning nurseries at the fair, see http://www.planthuntersfairs.co.uk/Venues/consallhall.htm for more information.

Consall Hall has gardens, lakes and over 4 miles of paths so that you can enjoy the scenery. Located in Wetley Rocks near Cheadle Consall Hall is approximately 7 miles from The Malthouse. Why not stay at our B&B and turn your visit to Consall Hall into a short break? To check availability at The Malthouse telephone email enquiries@the-malthouse.com or telephone 01538 703273.

Autumn is Starting

Here are a few snaps that we've taken this week in our garden at The Malthouse B&B. Autumn is one of our favorite times of the year - we just love the colours outside. Alton is particularly pretty at this time of year.

I think you'll agree that the plants and flowers in our garden are still looking lovely!

This old tree is our orchard is absolutely loaded with apples that are ready to pick. It's the best crop the tree has produced for a few years. Perhaps the dry and wet spells of weather we've had this year have suited it!

The only downside to Autumn is that the weather can turn cooler. So far though it's been pretty mild here. Just what we want so we can get a few jobs done in our garden before Winter arrives!

SPRING IS NOT FAR AWAY!

Are you cold and looking forward to Spring arriving with hopefully some better weather?



Why not give yourself something to really look forward to and book a short break with us at The Malthouse in Alton. There are lots of things to do in this part of north Staffordshire. You might just want to relax and enjoy the peace of the fabulous countryside. We are located in a rural area know as the Staffordshire Moorlands and the stunning Derbyshire Peak District is just a short drive away.



Alternatively there are many different tourist attractions nearby to us. Why not visit one of the many pottery museums or pottery factory shops in Stoke-on-Trent. Spend a day or two at Trentham there are shops, a monkey forrest , garden centre, lovely walks and lots more. The country estate of Chatsworth house is breathtaking and well worth a visit. For thrill seekers there is of Course Alton Towers Theme Park on our doorstep and Drayton Manor Theme Park just an hour away.



For more information regarding local attractions visit http://www.enjoystaffordshire.co.uk/.

WONDERFUL COUNTRYSIDE

Many people visiting Alton Towers are surprised to find that it is located in such a rural area.
They sometimes assume that it is near to Stoke-on-Trent. In reality the theme park is around 15 miles or so away from the city.

The gardens inside Alton Towers Theme Park are beautiful and well worth a visit. Your Theme Park ticket gives you access to the rides of course but also lets you see the gardens. You can walk through them or travel via the Skyride. If you have time do both but if your feet are tired try the Skyride! The views are wonderful and should not be missed.

Alternatively the village of Alton where we live and the surrounding area are a perfect place to relax. There are plenty of lovely walks nearby. We like to take a stroll along the old dissused railway line when we have time. This is a nice flat route (once you get from our house down into the valley!) with a great place to stop off for tea and cake. As you can tell we are not serious walkers! For the more adventurous the Peak District National Park is just 5 miles away from us. This is a breathtaking area to walk or drive through.



Why not extend your visit to us? Returning guests tend to stay for longer each time they come back. Repeat visitors have a busy day or two at the park and then realise that they need to take it easy afterwards!