The BBC Countryfile Show set up at Blenheim Castle for four days and we were invited to come along and see what was happening. We sent Claire and her family to report back for us as it really suited Claire’s lifestyle. Claire and her son have recently taken to the water by having their own barge built which they will be living on and here she shares their day at The Countryfile Show.
On Sunday 7th August I took my 16 year old son Harry to Countryfile Live at Blenheim Palace.
The show was amazing. We couldn’t believe how big it was. Acres and acres of land were covered by tents, displays, trailers and thousands of people. Not just country types but people from all walks of life including townies like us.
A favourite display of ours were the tractors showing how these magnificent machines have evolved over the years. These machines are now beasts and so packed full of the latest technology that the newest combine harvesters do not even need to be driven. It is all programmed in through GPS and off they go! Working on a country estate myself I found it fascinating to see these vehicles up close.
We also watched a cookery display with TV chef Brian Turner talking to a sheep farmer and a chef. The restaurant run by the chef was supplied (very locally) with lamb from the farmer and was a great demonstration of buying local. Unfortunately there were no tasters for the viewers but it smelled delicious.
Despite having packed a picnic we needn’t have bothered since the food tent had hundreds of stalls with lovely tasters. Everything from local cheeses and crackers to Milk Vodka. I didn’t try the vodka as it was 40% proof and I had to drive home but it was very intriguing. Needless to say we came out of there feeling rather full!
With the vast array of sellers at the show there was something for everyone. Our favourite tent was Blacks. I’m certainly not a lover of shopping but I was in heaven looking at the camping equipment and footwear. That’s my kind of shopping. Blacks have such a huge range of clothing for outdoor activities and it is all great quality and not ridiculously priced.
There was also a fantastic display of hammocks to try out. They were so comfortable we could have stayed there for the rest of the day but there was still so much more to see.
There were animals of all shapes and sizes from horses right down to tiny chicks. We loved feeding the goats and donkeys.
As we wandered further through the seemingly endless show, we saw a viewing tower. We queued for a very short time and climbed a LOT of steps. The view we were met with was breathtaking. Blenheim Palace is a beautiful building with amazing gardens and turning to look back at the show revealed the full extent of it. One word… MASSIVE!
Our day came to an end with the Countryfile Calender show. This was like watching Countryfile, being at a festival and a circus all rolled into one. The show took you through the farming year in seasons with each season having its own acrobat. I particularly enjoyed watching the man under the shower using long sheets of fabric to do his act suspended from a crane (better than it sounds!) and had to laugh when a boy behind us asked his mum why everyone was still staring at the man after the act had finished to which her relply was ‘because he’s delicious!’.
Countryfile Live was a fantastic day out for kids of all ages and I would love to go back next year.
