This weekend marked the highlight of the Herne Hill social calendar – and a particular favourite annual occasion for Family Agar – the Lambeth Country Show!  I’ve adored the crazy event since I first moved to Herne Hill, but love it even more now we have children.  What could be better – a proper country fair with sheep shearing, crazy vegetable competitions, morris dancing and cake, combined with jerk chicken and urban music! It’s perfect for them – and being within an easy walk meant we visited both days this weekend and could take it at a gentle pace (vital this weekend given the oppressive heat).

We were joined for this super fun weekend by Katharine and baby Emilia so we enjoyed showing them our favourite parts of the show.  We started on Saturday sampling some of the scrummy food on offer (I opted for a hog roast sarnie and Matt went for a stunning looking Moroccan tagine) before giving into Alex’s desperate whining for an ice cream!

With that important stuff done, we watched a spot of camel racing (yes, really you read that right)

And then Alex and Matt enjoyed the funfair while the little ladies napped.

Alex’s favourite ride from last year was back – the runaway train.  He firstly went on it with his daddy, and was then brave enough (and tall enough) to ride it alone! He’s growing up so fast!

It was so hot and uncomfortable, we headed home to make the most of the paddling pool. We’re having our garden done up at the moment, and thankfully the guys have left it safe enough for us to still play in it – phew!  Emilia loved the paddling pool and coped well with Alex’s splashing!

Sophie looked gorgeous in her pretty new swimming costume from her Auntie Elaine (thank you!) – she looks so tanned having spent all summer outside.

And then the hose came out!

Sophie was a bit hesitant to start with, but the cool water was so tempting on such a hot afternoon that she soon joined in. I know I’m biased, but she is so gorgeous!

We had three happy and tired children come bedtime!

With today marginally cooler, we headed back to Herne Hill for a donkey ride.  I don’t think Sophie’s helmet was doing much good!

And then explored the animal area, stopping on the way to pet a snake!

Emilia saw her first farm animals and loved them

And Alex got stuck in too.

Our normally animal mad Sophie suddenly got cold feet, and wouldn’t go near anything in the petting zoo (perhaps she was put off watching Alex getting bitten by a rabbit!). But she was all smiles again when we headed to the merry-go-round.

Emilia seemed to enjoy her first fairground ride too!

Sophie and I enjoyed the tea cup ride together:

And Sophie looked longingly at the Helter Skelter as Alex whizzed down it – I’m sure she’ll be up there in 2015!

With scrummy churros to top off a great time in Brockwell Park, we headed home for a quiet afternoon and evening. Exhausted.

It was a really wonderful weekend. Alex wants to go back to the show tomorrow – hope he’s no too disappointed in the morning!