Red Rose Mummy

According to Alfred Wainwright, there is no such thing as bad weather, only unsuitable clothing. We're firm believers in that in our little family and we all have a wealth of outdoor clothes, including waterproofs and boots which should allow us to get out whatever the weather. As my pregnancy was so horrible we've struggled to get out much in the last few months but we are trying to do more as a family now I can actually walk again!

On Sunday we decided we would have a drive to a farm and gardens around 25 miles from our home. We'd originally planned to use a Groupon for a Zoological Park that I had but a combination of a late start and a lack of printer ink meant that we shelved that for another day and Googled to find an alternative. Cobble Hey Farm and Gardens is situated near Garstang in Lancashire and, as I had promised Bud we would go to see some animals, we decided that would be our destination.

The weather was beautiful but we've had a lot of rain recently so we anticipated mud. The people at Hippychick had sent Bud an All in One Waterproof Suit, through my new role as a Direct 2 Mum Blogger and we decided that our day out would be the perfect opportunity to put it to test.It can be difficult to source effective wet weather clothing for young children but I think Hippychick have a solution in this range.

Bud isn't overly keen on new clothes and tends to greet them with the words 'too big' and refuses to put them on. We persuaded him by explaining that he could wear the suit in the mud with his wellies and we quickly put it on.

The suit was so easy to put on. There is velcro at the waist and around the ankles which means it slips over the clothes, and shoes, and you simply tighten it as much as you need to and it will fit nicely. This one is a little big on Bud but I don't mind that as suits like this tend to be worn less often so a bit of growing space is always useful to get real value for money from it. He could also wear a coat or gilet underneath this suit if it was very cold. It was cold on Sunday but he was very warm in this so it might not be necessary. It feels quite thin but the fabric is really tightly woven and Bud stayed warm and dry in it, despite being splashed with mud when jumping in many muddy puddles.

This suit is great for any kind of outdoor activity and Bud really put it through it's paces.

He did get muddy but I popped the suit in the wash when we got home and it looks great now. It can also be wiped clean as it is made from a Teflon coated fabric. The suits are waterproof, windproof and breathable and also have taped seams for extra water resistance.They are available in sizes from 12 months to 4 years and are all fully adjustable. The first two sizes (12-18 and 18-24 months) also feature elastic stirrups to keep them in place over the feet. They are available in yellow, pink and blue. I was so pleased to be sent the yellow suit as a certain little girl will be able to inherit it when Bud is too big for it and she has grown a little. I always buy items like this in unisex colours to make sure they can be passed down. The suits are priced at £27:50 which I think is a very good price for a suit of this quality. I am sure it will see a lot of wear through this Winter and beyond. This is definitely suitable clothing for bad weather, Mr Wainwright.

Cobble Hey was a lovely place to visit with fantastic views out over the Ribble Valley to the Lancashire coast. As it was a clear day we could even see ships out on the sea on the horizon. November is a difficult time to visit many outdoor attractions like this and the gardens were closed due to mud but Bud really enjoyed meeting the goats, calves, pigs and chickens. Admission prices are much lower than a number of farm attractions that we have visited and the tearoom looked lovely and seemed popular. I think we will definitely be returning in Spring or Summer when I am sure we will be able to experience fully everything the farm has to offer. It is in a beautiful location in an area that we know well and visit often. We finished our day out by driving to Blackpool for fish and chips and a walk down the promenade at sunset, altogether a lovely day out!