Looking back at my photos of the summer holidays, one thing dominated our collection and that thing was Gromit. The city of Bristol was filled daily with hundreds, maybe even thousands of people clutching maps and searching for Gromits. The Gromit Unleashed trail was set up to raise money for the Wallace & Gromit Grand Appeal, the Bristol Children’s Hospital Charity. 80 Gromits designed by a variety of different organisations and people were painted and placed in and around Bristol.
We made three trips to Bristol in the end and I loved discovering Bristol as much as I did finding the different Gromits. We walked for miles and enjoyed every minute of our search and our final tally was 54, which wasn’t bad.
The Gromits are all being auctioned off next month but there was one final treat; The Greatest Dog Show on Earth. All of the Gromits on display in one place. The exhibition was only on for six days and it fell on a weekend that the boys were on Cub camp, so we didn’t think that we would make it. But little Miss A had other ideas. She had loved Gromit hunting, she knew a lot of the names and was obsessing over the many photos we had taken. So I decided to take her along with my mum who was quite keen to see them too.
Saturday evening I noticed a conversation on Twitter about six hour queues and there was a moment where I did wonder if our trip planned for the next day was madness, but we went and we queued. Four hours. Yes, four hours of queuing. A was amazing considering she is only three. There were moments when she got fed up, quite understandably, there were moments when I did too. But when we finally got in there, she was like a mad child, running from Gromit to Gromit and asking me to take a photo.
Was it worth the queuing? I think so and I am certain that she would say so too. I thought I would share a selection of photos of the exhibition with you.
As we were leaving, A did ask if we could buy one of the Gromits and put it in the garden at home, I explained that we wouldn’t be able to fit it in the car and she seemed happy with this, thankfully and I will perhaps try and get one of the miniature figures for her instead.
Such lovely photos! So many Gromits we didn’t see! I would have loved to go too, but it really was impossible for us last weekend. Glad A enjoyed it. My kids want to buy one too, but don’t think we have a spare 10 grand.
I love Gromit! This looks amazing! Doubt Bob would cope with the queues though. x
You are both hardcore – 4 hours of queuing! Although it does look like it might have been worth it.
I hope it’s ok to share this as a close to home example of the difference this is making http://www.cotsfortots.org.uk/olivias-story/ x
If I was minted I would buy the strawberry Gromit. My favourite! 🙂