Butterflies and Battle Proms...

Our final few days in the UK continued in a slightly eclectic vein with a fantastic trip to Butterfly World with our ridiculously cute nephew Henry and a very British afternoon picnicking at the Battle Proms at Highclere Castle...

One of many stunning butterflies... I think this trip was more for photography than entertaining Henry!

They'd hidden some non-butterfly creatures in the green house too! As Henry so aptly put it, "woweee!" This chap was big and slightly scary!

Outside the greenhouse we found all sorts of creatures...

Comparing the Meerkat... (although he was actually more interested in the animal's plastic ball and passing aeroplanes!)

What you looking at?

Playing the classic game "let's poke Uncle Ali in the eye"

Getting him back with a tickle!

Dinner time! Ox hearts and dead chicks on the menu today.

Dinnertime for the Meercats too... a tasty looking fruit salad until you spot the live worms!

Then dinnertime for the boys too. Thankfully no worms or dead chicks here.

Splish splash splosh!

Who'd have thought running through some plastic doors could provide some half an hour of entertainment? No need for expensive toys here!

Tyrannasaurushenry

A celebration of all things British at the Battle Proms... Beginning with a jolly good picnic!

An aerial display over the castle... the end of Downton Abbey if these chaps messed up!

A little bit of loop the loop...

Missed!

Henry with Uncle Chris (well, Tim actually but they they're both the same to Henry)

An evening stroll...

Henry gets the best view in the house for the cavalry display!

The cavalry at full charge...

The legendary spitfire circles during the opening piece...

Live canon fire during the 1812 overture!

And a fantastic firework finale... 

ooooooh....

ahhhhhhh...

Pembrokeshire

As the summer still looked set to continue we booked up another impromptu family holiday, this time to Pembrokeshire. I've never been here before (it's a long way from anywhere and nearly always raining) but I was bowled over by the stunning coast line, quaint villages and beautiful beaches. Although the weather was a little bit more British at times and climbing was (literally) shot out of the equation by military training on the ranges; we had a fantastic week of walking, puffin watching and possibly the best fish and chips of my life!

St David's Cathedral - a massive building in a TINY city! 

Some climbers enjoying the sea cliffs

Quaint little harbour of Porth Clais

Risking a dunking for a scenic shot!

One of the many nice stretches of the Pembrokeshire Coast Path

Lifeboats all ready to go at St Justinians

Corn in the sunshine. You just can't get my husband away from plants these days. 

Whitesands beach (and proof that British holiday makers are lazy as they all congregated around the car park and ice cream van despite miles of empty beach!)

One of many moody sunsets from our campsite, overlooking Fishguard Port

Not a bad view from a pitch!

Departure bay for Skomer Island and a fantastic day in store...

Heading down to the ferry terminal...

Arriving on the dry land of Skomer after stomach churning crossing from the mainland...

On a mission to find puffins...

It wasn't hard to find them, they were everywhere! A little harder to photograph without a telephoto lens, but I think Ali did pretty well. 

Hello little Puffling...

Dinner is served!

I was surprised how small (and cute) they were!

Another poser with the bay of the Wick behind

Rushing back though the meadows to catch the boat back, puffin watching is surprisingly addictive! 

A slightly clumsy take-off!

Our boat arrives...

Some well-earned tea and cake after a hard day's puffin watching! Ali's was surprisingly tasty courgette cake!

Fishguard Bay Campsite and home for the week. A lovely clean and friendly site, and literally cliff-top camping! 

A slightly less moody sunset from the campsite

Strumble head lighthouse in all its glory!

Another nice stretch of the Coast Path...

A break in the showers on Newport Sands

The teeny tiny St Non's chapel

It's a long way down! The stunning cliffs of Carreg-y-barcud. Lots of good climbing but Ali's already done every route!

A bit of wave and seal watching!

The super quaint village of Solva - a crabbers paradise down on the harbour. One family had caught over 80!

Colourful houses and quirky shops...

Dogs playing on Fishguard Harbour

Having been turned away from climbing on the ranges, we went for a walk around Stackpole Head... unfortunately the tide put pay to climbing here too. A nice walk nonetheless!

The mighty Stackpole Head. 

Do not jump off cliffs?

Finishing our walk along Broadhaven Beach. A heavenly little spot - albeit with the sound of gunfire and explosions echoing from the military ranges behind!