Awesome Autumn Warmers!

Autumn is upon us - the trees are ablaze with colours, the weather is cooling down (scrap that - it's freeeezing already!) and the nights are drawing in, but fortunately I have these current perfect little pleasures keeping me as snug as a bug in a toasty little rug.

1. The online 21 Day Meditation Challenge from Chopra Center Meditation - It's a 15 minute daily guided meditation on inviting abundance into your life and is a welcome break from life's current pressures.

2. The Bridge Season 1 & The Killing Season 2 - I currently can't get enough of Scandi noir; so much so that I managed to watch the entire season of The Bridge in one weekend!

3. Modelo Beer - If you enjoy Mexican beers such as Corona or Sol, then I recommend you try Modelo beer. It's delicious, refreshing and refined.

 

4. I've recently invested in a pair of Salomon trail running shoes and they're so good that I could wax lyrical about them all day. They're comfortable and provide excellent support, and are actually rather 'sexshy' (as far as running shoes can be anyway!).

 

5. Spending more time in the kitchen - The current snap of cold weather has been a great encouragement to stay in and try out some new recipes. Recent experiments include Jamie Oliver's home made granola and my personal favourite - Canadian pancakes with blueberries, maple syrup & bacon on a lazy Sunday morning.

 

6. It's only taken me 3 years, but I have finally found a fabulous pair of winter boots from Rieker. They are one of the leading designers of anti stress boots, so it's safe to say these boots rival my new Salomon trainers in the comfort stakes!

 

7. Party planning - My birthday is swiftly approaching which can mean only one thing - house partaaaay! The theme is Mad Hatters & Mayhem - I recently came across the Vintage Dorset website, which has some brilliant ideas I may be using for the party!

 

8. Autumn - What's not to love about Autumn? Crisp, sunny mornings, the first frost, pumpkin carving, the Fall leaves and the promise of the Christmas break just around the corner... Yes please!

 

9. Warm Wolf - Cold nights mean that it's time for the return of Warm Wolf - a wolf teddy bear with a hot water bottle inside it. Yes, I may be in my 30's but I don't care!

 

10. M&S food - Ok, this is an expensive addiction to have, but Marks & Spencer's food is just so deliciously, fantastically, resplendently amazing. That is all. :)

 

 

What are your perfect little pleasures right now?

 

Trail Running in the Savernake Forest

One of my happiest discoveries this year has been my love for trail running. I've been an avid road runner for a couple of years now but it's only more recently that I've ventured off road into the exciting and extraordinary world of trail running.

This weekend a friend and I headed to the Savernake Forest in Marlborough to stretch our legs in the 4,500 acres of this beautiful woodland owned by the Earl of Cardigan. The forest is in a designated 'Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty' and words alone simply cannot do it justice.

 I took my phone camera along for the run which was both a good and bad thing - on one hand it allowed me to capture these beautiful images, but it meant that I kept stopping intermittently to take pictures! Fortunately, my running buddy was very patient and admittedly the breaks were welcome as the Savernake Forest is certainly a challenging run consisting of ample hills and some very boggy terrain underfoot.

Some people discount trail running if their focus is on achieving good running times. Naturally, the pavement or the treadmill are better if you're trying to improve your time but there's no harm in adding a spot of trail running into your routine too. It brings a whole new dynamic to the sport - it's both challenging and rewarding and it allows you the opportunity to spend quality time outdoors in the beautiful countryside. It's worth investing in a good pair of trail running shoes if you live in the UK though as it can get a tad muddy along the way!