The Gnome Trail at MERL Reading

I had a great Birthday today at MERL Reading

I would highly recommend it to everyone - old and young - it's extremely interesting.

You can start off by watching 5 minute film which is very informative & then you walk around the exhibition and see what people did, how they made things, transported things etc. before we had all our high tech machines.

There are lots of films you can watch on the way round too e.g. how they used to make kegs (no measurements used - all done by eye!!) and there was also a film on pottery, basket weaving and rake making - we will have to go back because we didn't have time to watch them all!

Then there was the gardens and vegetable patches /allotment plots - WWII style and modern day plots, growing a variety of vegetables, along with a few great scarecrows.

Then there is the Grow your Own exhibition and they also have a great little shop for some souveniers too!

However the highlight of the day was the Gnome Trail - 17 in all, but I only found 16 so I will definately have to go back to find no. 17 !!

Thanks MERL for a great Birthday treat.

If you get a chance to go, or are driving by Reading - don't miss this rare treat - it's not a museum - its fasinating !