(First published: 27/05/2015)

So we all know that a big part of a bank holiday weekend in the UK is finding a country show to go to.

Yup, off we trek to see a ferret in a race and a pig in a pen.

God only knows why, but I think it is one of those things we have been brought up to believe is fun.

In fact, I do believe they are fun, and since living in rural England I have found myself actively seeking out the odd country show. So cut to this weekend when someone mentioned I should go to the Highclere Country show – well, upon research I found this was where Downton Abbey is filmed, and that not only would they have pigs and ferrets but lamas too! It was a no brainer for me and so I piled the family into the car.

What can I say?

The whole thing was horrific!

The queues to get into the car park took an hour, the standing queue to get a ticket another half an hour, where upon we were robbed of £30, and then we joined a crowd of yucky smelly bodies as we were all shunted around a small field of depressing little stalls.

Yes, it was indeed reminiscent of a bank holiday Monday in Stanstead airport – as we all know, this can never be good.

The only amusing part of the day was to watch the fashion unfold – mainly people wearing tweed hot pants and hunter wellies despite the ground being as dry as the Sahara desert. As we picked our way through lounging bodies whilst dealing with our screaming toddler who insisted on going on the snowy mountain bouncy castle in the middle of Spring, I realised the nicest place to be would be in our garden.

Country Shows have become too much of a destination for all the wrong reasons. I need to find a new way to enjoy the countryside….x