Warwick Castle (Take Three) 2nd

What to do on a lazy Sunday in the New Year when, lets’ face it, we have been spending so much time at home? You visit Warwick Castle of course! This was to be our third and final visit to the castle with our Merlin entry passes almost due to expire. It was a castle with a difference this visit. Gone were the battling knights, replaced by a Victorian circus theme. Fortunately for Abbey, the princess tower remained unchanged and this time even Nathan got to enjoy a visit. Abbey was over the moon when she alone was chosen to lie on the bed piled high with mattresses and, low and behold, she could actually feel the pea. She is a real Princess after all!

Abbey takes a shine to a passing Lady

The kids stir the pot that fed an army

Are the guards getting smaller, or have we grown?

The kids got to be involved in Victorian circus activities such as coconut shy and riding the helter skelter. We were entertained by the performances of the strongest man in the world and Pierrot the silent clown. We oohhed and aahhed along with the crowd when presented with the bearded lady and were amazed by the mysticism of the fortuneteller. We were then all swooped time and again during the birds of prey display.

Taking aim at coconut shy

Enjoying some old fashioned fun on the helter skelter

The circus performers in action

The silent and the not so silent

Up close and personal with a bird of prey - Woodie

Probably one of the funniest moments of the day occurred during the ‘Sword in the Stone’ performance. Lancelot chose a small boy from the audience to help him retrieve the sword from the stone. When asked his name, the boy replied ‘Arthur’. It was quite obvious that this was not expected this as the boy’s dad was quickly called upon to confirm. Luckily for Arthur he did manage to retrieve the sword and was presented with a toy sword of his own as a memento.

Merlin seals the sword in the stone

Lancelot faces up to Mordred the Murderer

The day ended with both kids having their fortunes told by the mystic fortuneteller. Zac will apparently have a great love (obviously his mother) and will probably never leave home whilst Abbey was perceived as headstrong and stubborn but both of them will live happily ever after. She really was mystic after all!

The telling of fortunes

Farewell Warwick Castle