Teacups and Glitter

I have some adorable nieces and nephews. When I get to spend a day with them, I try to make the most of it.

I don’t want to see them on their tablets or phones. I want to use our rare day out together to build memories.

I planned a chasing waterfalls kind of day. Our wellies and raincoats were packed, so off we went!

We started with a picnic. It was a quirky dining experience in Sketty, Swansea. As we walked into The Picnic Bench I immediately felt relaxed because it was casual. I had two kids in tow who were loud and fidgety, so it made me feel comfortable.  

I liked a lot of the special little touches. The wall of pastel prints was a favourite! It reminded me of 1950s America and the colour trends of pastel pink, mint green and pale blue retro palette.

I especially liked the Eat cake. It’s somebody’s birthday somewhere quote and thought this is my kind of place!

They used a chalkboard as a feature wall. The word hello was written in different languages, which linked to each of their themed picnic benches. As the chalkboard went to the floor, children could write messages or play games.

Another thing I liked was how they pinned polaroids of customers who had previously dined there. We sat for our retro photo that got immediately pinned to the wall.

I was beginning to notice a miniature theme – the polaroid photos, the picnic benches, the salt and pepper cellars, and the milk bottles – it was all too cute.

The kids’ menu offered two different picnic bench options. The first one had cod cubes, baked beans or peas and a cheese sandwich on the bottom; fries, a fruit pot, chocolate cookie, mini cupcake and a milkshake on the top.

The second option had meatballs in tomato sauce, mini cheese and tomato pizzas and fries on the bottom; jelly and ice cream, a fruit pot, a mini cupcake and a milkshake on top.

Both sounded delicious. I think the sound of pizza and jelly and ice cream sold it to the kids – they both chose the latter.

Adults were spoiled-for-choice! Each picnic bench offered a different theme. You could choose from Italian, American, Mexican, Vegetarian, British and of course Welsh! I love that they included a very patriotic bench on their menu called Welsh Dragon.

I chose the American Dream – a classic cheeseburger, hot dog, fries and onion rings on the bottom. BBQ wings, cheesecake, apple pie, a mini cupcake and a milkshake on the top tier.

Our meals came on mini wooden picnic benches. As soon as the kids caught sight, they squealed with excitement, and their eyes were as big as saucers. That was a special moment.

Our picnic was an experience in itself, and it certainly made mealtime fun.

The kids loved it and even said so on their mini feedback form.

We had full bellies, so it was time to go chasing waterfalls.

I drove about 45 minutes to a part of Wales known as Waterfall Country. Sounds magical already, right?

Waterfall Country is in Brecon Beacons National Park, where several waterfalls are close together. It generally includes:

• Four Falls Trail
• Henrhyd Falls
• Melin Court Falls
• Aberdulais Falls

We visited the Four Falls Trail and parked at Gwaun Hepste (CF44 9JF) near Ystradfellte. We used this postcode as I have heard plenty of people getting lost using other ones.

There had been a few days of rain, so we changed into our wellies and raincoats and set off to discover some of the most stunning waterfalls in Wales.

There is something magical about waterfalls. Watching the power of the water plunge somehow relaxes me. I love the smell of the forest, I love the roaring sound of the water, and I love admiring its beauty. Yes, I LOVE waterfalls.

I read somewhere that there is a scientific reason why we love waterfalls. Something to do with rushing water giving off negative energy – which weirdly gives us positive energy!? It is one of the reasons why we feel great after a shower.

So here I was, sharing my love of waterfalls with the tiny people in my life.

As we approached our first waterfall, Sgwd Clun-Gwyn (fall of the white meadow), we could hear the thundering roar before we saw it.

There was a rocky viewing point to admire the dramatic waterfall. A few daredevils walked dangerously onto the cliff ledge at the top. The kids asked if they could do the same – heck no!

The second waterfall – my absolute favourite did not disappoint! Because it had rained for a few days prior, Sgwd-yr-Eira (fall of snow) looked spectacular. This particular waterfall can get crowded, but we were lucky enough to enjoy it on our own.

We followed the rocky path that led right behind the curtain of water gushing down. As we stood behind the waterfall, it felt intense! The spray completely drenched us. I could hear the kids shriek with laughter. They howled “it was so worth it!” (referring to the long walk) as they got soaked again and again. 

We only visited two out of the four waterfalls on the trail.

The kids did not mention that they were missing their screen time once, and we all made some special unforgettable memories.

I would love to return in winter and hopefully see the ground covered in snow and see glistening icicles form along the rocky edges.

Spend time with those you love. One of these days you will say either, “I wish I had,” or “I’m glad I did.”

Zig Ziglar

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