Sure Hope Church

21 July 2012   ARK and SPARK day out to Bodelwyddan Castle

Ark in the Spark is becoming a "catch phrase" which is starting to catch on. What can we do next together? Where can we go? What will be the next event? Just some of the questions that I am beginning to hear being asked on a regular basis. 

And there are lots of ideas. The weather for the summer of 2012 has been awful in the UK, but as the date for this day-out approached, so the weather forecast improved. In fact the forecast said it would be hot and sunny all day, but in fact it turned out not to be quite that - warm, with hazy sunshine.... which was perfect for the fun and games!

Bodelwydden Castle is a beautiful location for a day out. With a large picnic area, and children's adventure play area - there was certainly lots to do.

But of course we need to make our own fun too! Climbing on a rustic wood frame is great, or swinging round on a huge tyre is brill... but what about a game of footy?

Or was that rugby? We did play both, but it seems to me that the photographer forgot to take some photo's of what turned out to be a very competitive match. The goal keeping skills of the photographer, (oh, yes that's me) kept one team in the game.... but I shouldn't say too much about that. Rugby seemed far too energetic for most, but for others they were ready to get stuck in!

 Even those a little more mature in years decided that they should give this a go.... but legs ached the next day, (or maybe for a few days) and blood pressures raised for a week. But good fun, just the same.


Even Grandad had a go!

There was certainly more fun to be had trying to do a Mary Poppins impression. On a windy day we could well have had to send out a search party for missing children, but thankfully, with just a gentle breeze, this became the fun thing to do..... canopy ballooning!

Great fun.... 

All in all, even when buried in a collapsed balloon suffering from exhaustion, there's always the climbing frame!   And then of course there is always piggy back racing.....well nearly a race, we just needed more volunteers to compete!

But we mustn't forget cricket.... if anybody had any energy left at all, then a rather rule relaxed game of "chase the cricket ball" followed. 

What happened to the stumps.... nobody knows, but it was much more fun to make up our own game rules.


So whether relaxing over a latte in the cafe, or just chatting over a picnic bench, we had a good time together. The ARK and SPARK certainly enjoyed themselves while Mum's and Dad's had chance to relax for a few hours in the warm weather - and not run for cover ever 5 minutes!