Every Girl Needs Her Castle

Castles are what fairy tales are made of.
But sometimes, those of us who haven't been lucky enough to grow up near one forget that castles exist in real life too.

I've always wanted to see one.
And England was a gold mine when it came to it.

We found a wonderful, mysterious castle, on the edge of a lake, deep within the woods, atop a huge hill.
You can't make this stuff up.
Fairy tales were actually telling the truth.

It's called Old Wardour Castle.
And it was awesome.

Unfortunately we got there 10 minutes before closing time so we were only allowed a quick peak.

But then again... who actually sees a castle for the first time and can resist not exploring it?!
Not me, that's for sure.

It's really in an ideal location.
Has some good land surrounding it.
Strong walls.
Might need some TLC, but other than that I think it's good to go.
Where is the dotted line I sign on to buy this place?

And with a final few looks back, we were off.
Old castles, quaint houses, good beer and wide open spaces.
I think this country definitely needs a thorough exploring in the warmer summer months.

Gold Hill, Dorset

Gold Hill is described as one of the most picturesque, romantic places in all of England.
I used Pinterest to pin all the things I wanted to see and do in England, then let Chris go through it and point out the ones that were feasible in our time span.
Can you imagine my luck, having a boyfriend from a place that's within a 30 minute drive of some of the greatest places in all of England?!

I gotta say, it is a pretty freakin' sweet view.

You can see for miles from the top of the walkway.
There's a sweet little garden there with benches to sit on too, but it was a little chilly in the middle of winter.

Gold Hill is in Shaftesbury, Dorset, a quiet, quaint, sweet town.
We were in a bit of a hurry doing last minute Christmas shopping so we didn't get to explore thoroughly.
We did however find a little church sale going on with lots of trinkets and all sorts of things on sale.

I'm almost through with photos of England, then onto Ukraine!

Durdle Door and the English Coast

I really wanted to see the English coast before leaving.
It's said to be picturesque and jaw dropping with it's steep, jagged, white cliffs and blue, blue sea.
And it was.
And despite how much people complain about the weather, we had another perfect day.

We hiked up a massive cliff, stopping along the way to enjoy the view (and catch our breath).
And Holly was the happiest dog I've ever seen.

The one thing I specifically wanted to see was Durdle Door.
Because I saw it on Pinterest and it looked amazing.
And luckily for me it was only a short drive away from us!

I think these beaches and hillsides would be amazing for summer picnics.
Despite it being the middle of winter the grass was green and the sky blue which gave me a small glimpse into what it must also look like during the summer months.
I'm so happy I got to see this magical part of England.