Miller Beck Illuminations

Illuminations

In contrast, this weekend we were mega busy.  It started on Friday night with a trip to Miller Beck for their Christmas illuminations.  Miller Beck as I'm sure you remember is the private garden railway in the Lakes that opens for 8 weekends a year.

Happy Boy

They had gone to town on the illuminations with many many Christmasy figures all lit up.  Tom ran to the trains, no waiting, he was desperate to get on.  We got a train to ourselves, which was great, so we sat back and enjoyed the ride past all the lit up figures.

Mary Christmas

We got off at the farm house and were greeted by the main man, Arnold dressed up as I guess Mary Christmas - he was in full drag in a green dress that lights up (a Christmas tree dress)  We were treated to rather potent mulled wine and mince pies whilst we waited for Father Christmas.  We were ushered in, or rather Tom was ushered in.  We went with him, Father Christmas then told us to move away as he and Tom had private business to attend to.  We did as we were told and Tom and Father Christmas had a chin wag.  Tom was at his limit of being over whelmed, but he kept it together and was able to tell him what he wanted for Christmas.  (Luckily the same 3 things he told us)

With Father Christmas

He was then given a present and said goodbye.  We had a little look around the yard, including saying hello to the lamas (the nearest they could get to reindeer) and a go in the lucky dip and then hopped on another train for another ride around the gardens before arriving back at the start.

We then headed to the Masons Arms pub not that far away.  We have been there for a drink and lunch before but not dinner, the food has always looked good, so we were keen to try it out.  I had a wild boar and damson burger (very tasty), Tom had a bowl of macaroni cheese, and Matt went for mango and stilton sausages.  We all ate up well.  Tom opened his lucky dip present - Wow!  The lucky dip was only £1 a go and he got a £5 activity book - very good quality.  I reckon his Christmas present is probably very good, we have kept it for Christmas day.