3 reasons why we love The Bishop’s Palace

I’ve been writing this blog for a couple of months now and it’s dawned on me that, while I have highlighted a few of our favourite spots in our hometown of Wells, I have yet failed to mention the Bishop’s Palace. Now, after writing all about the delights of Hestercombe last week, this seems a little unfair, so I’m dedicating this week’s post to the palace, which we visit so frequently that it has almost become our home from home in Wells. Given we live just a short walk away, we probably visit the palace at least once a week, sometimes more (we’re members by the way, which makes it a very cheap day out). I imagine most Wells folk will already be aware of the palace’s appeal but those that live a little further away may not be. From the outside, with it’s drawbridge and neatly mown croquet lawn (complete with “Please keep off the grass” signs) it doesn’t immediately shout “come in, and bring your kids” but venture into the gardens and you’ll find plenty to keep the little ones amused. For us, it’s the perfect place to take the children. Whether it’s for an afternoon with the grandparents, a picnic with friends or just popping in to pass the time before a nursery pick-up, here are three reasons why it’s our go-to place.

The Dragon’s Lair
The Dragon’s Lair is a perfect playground for young adventurers, who can let their imaginations run wild as they come face to face with… a dragon! The interactive play areas are all inspired by the history of the palace so there’s a waterwheel and pump (which the Little Big One loves), a maze, a tunnel, a pole jungle and a couple of climbing frames (with a slide thrown in for good measure). You’ll find the Dragon’s Lair in the arboretum so not only is it great fun, it’s also in a lovely shady spot (a perfect hideaway on a blazing hot summer’s day… or, more likely, a good place to shelter from the rain!) There are picnic benches here and plenty of space for picnic rugs so it’s perfect if you want to picnic and play. If you remember, do ask at the entrance for one of the beautifully illustrated story maps, which little navigators and explorers can use to find their way around the palace to the dragon – you’ll learn a few cool dragon facts too!

Getting acquainted with the palace dragon, in his lair

Taking the Dragon’s Lair stepping stones in her stride

Picnics in the South Garden
The South Garden (just inside the entrance) is an ideal location for a picnic (one of many lovely spots in the palace, but my particular favourite). It’s a beautiful spot – a lovely open lawn with a few large trees dotted around that provide a good amount of shade – and with plenty of space for little ones to run around. In fact, it’s where the Little Big One first honed her walking skills. It’s a toddler’s dream: soft ground underfoot, trees and plants to investigate and so much space for little legs to roam. Bigger kids can explore the ramparts (or palace walls) too which overlook the moat and the countryside beyond.

The South Garden – a perfect picnic spot

Exploring the “African Savannah” in the South Garden

Summer holiday fun – Crafty Cats and Nature Ninjas
As well as the usual attractions, the palace put on some lovely holiday activities for children big and small (these occur in half terms, Easter and summer holidays). On Tuesdays it’s Crafty Cats which takes place in the palace itself (the Undercroft) and invites children to, you guessed it, get crafty – gluing, colouring and snipping to create anything from a unicorn (Legends and Folklore week) and a Tudor Rose (um, Tudor week) to taking part in their very own scrap heap challenge.

Nature Ninjas, on the other hand, takes place in the community garden on Thursdays and encourages kids to embrace nature and the world around them. Children can try their hand at sowing seeds or flower pressing and do a spot of pond dipping. The pond is teeming with wildlife – we saw dragonflies, plenty of tadpoles and even a newt!

The Little Big One loved making her own flower press

Annual membership can seem pricey – it’s around £30 for an individual and £52 for a couple (kids under 5 are free). But at £8.95 a go for entry you only need to go a handful of times a year for it to be worth it. If you look at it like that, our membership probably paid for itself within two weeks! Well, as I’ve mentioned, we do quite like the place.

Aug 08

Holiday fun at Hestercombe

On Tuesday our brave Little Big One made her first acquaintance with a reptile. Not just any old reptile. A python, no less. She actually held the python in her tiny hands (albeit with a trained animal handler holding her hands to take the weight. It was her hands that were making contact though). Oh and she stroked a bearded dragon (so did the Not So Tiny One, though she’s never really one to pass up on the chance to do something daring).

This all happened at Hestercombe gardens near Taunton. A lovely place at the best of times, I’m sure, but a great place to visit in the school holidays. Their summer programme is fabulous! We visited on one of their Terrific Tuesdays and had the joy of attending a Really Wild Show where we were acquainted with the aforementioned beasts. The show brought us face to face with some very curious creatures – as well as the python and bearded dragon, we met a lizard that can lick it’s own eyeball and a tarantula. The show was fascinating, fun and very informative (the Really Wild Learning team do birthday parties by the way).

After the show we wandered over to the Orangerie where there were more animals for us to meet – three lovely alpacas. Freshly confident from her heroics with the snake, the Little Big One hand fed one particularly hungry alpaca and we petted them for a while. Personally this was more up my street than the reptiles, but of course, I didn’t let on!

The Orangerie was also host to some arts and crafts activities, all with an animal theme. We made a paper chain snake (easier to handle than the real thing) and a floaty fish wand.

Once our activities were complete the girls whiled away a big chunk of time in the little play park – accessible without a ticket (it’s just before the main entrance). There’s a picnic area here too, although it’s not covered (which isn’t ideal in the rain, as we found out). Annoyingly you’re not allowed to eat picnics in the gardens (I can only assume this is because of concerns over littering) so this designated picnic spot is the only place you can (openly) eat your own food. The cafe serves a great hot chocolate though.

As we were busy enjoying all the fun that was laid on, it didn’t leave us with much time to enjoy the rest of the gardens, aside from a very quick peak at the formal garden (which isn’t accessible by pram, unfortunately. Too many steps). This seems to be a recurrent theme here at Hestercombe – lots of steps and uneven ground makes using a pram a little tricky. However, the Georgian landscaped gardens do look beautiful with many attractions to see including a waterfall, a Chinese bridge, a mill pond and a watermill. The mill pond and watermill can be seen from the accessible route which is marked on the visitor’s map. But many of the other attractions, including the waterfall, are harder to get to so next time I’m taking a backpack carrier for the little ones so that we can enjoy the full tour.

I would certainly suggest visiting in the holidays if you can – Terrific Tuesdays are on for the rest of August with the timetable as follows:

But at £6.25 for a Bishop’s Palace member adult ticket (as a partner garden, BP members receive half price entry – it works the other way too), I’ll definitely be returning outside of the school holidays. Kids under 5 go free.

If this smiley hot chocolate face doesn’t sell it to you, I don’t know what will…

Aug 01

How to… have the perfect family camping adventure

Last weekend we hit the jackpot in camping terms. We ventured out of standard Parent Playlist territory and travelled east to Surrey, where we spent a pretty much perfect weekend camping with friends at Embers, a campsite situated at the beautiful National Trust estate of Polesden Lacey.

Our family isn’t new to camping. Both of our girls had spent their first nights under canvas well before they reached six months of age. But this weekend was different. Hubby and I really felt like we’d nailed it. Not only did the children have the most fun ever with their friends but hubby and I had the most brilliant time with ours. And we even managed to relax (which as all parents know, is nigh on impossible whenever the kids are in the vicinity). Embers Camping, we salute you. Not only did you host a great weekend; you also won round our friends who were previously a little dubious about camping with children (and there was rain, so it was a big ask).

Following this successful camping adventure, here are my top tips for camping with kids.

Free range camping is where it’s at. Find a campsite with lots of space for children to roam free. What you want is for your kids to have the space to run and the freedom to go. The set-up at Embers was perfect for this – a large field with pitches around the edge, leaving the area in the middle free. The children could be let loose but adults had eyes on them at all times. Some campsites (Embers included) also have a no-vehicle rule (not ideal for setting and packing up but perfect for creating a safe environment for kids to roam in).

Ditch the routine. The light evenings and constant buzz of noise around a campsite doesn’t create the ideal sleep conditions for small children. Rather than worry about keeping to our normal nap and bedtime routines (to be honest, bedtime is really the only one we’re pretty strict on), we relaxed the rules and went with the flow. The Not So Tiny One napped in the pram and when it came to bedtime, we were guided by the girls rather than putting them down at their usual time. Our whole family unfortunately suffers from FOMO so this did mean that both girls were up way past their bedtimes but once hubby and I had accepted this fact, it actually made for some really enjoyable evenings (much more enjoyable than spending hours in a hot tent fighting to get children that don’t want to sleep, to sleep).

Embrace the magic of camping. The best thing about keeping the children up past bedtime is that they get to experience the best bits about camping; I’m talking huddling around the campfire and stargazing (yes, on two out of three nights both girls were still up with us after dark, which as you know at this time of year is LATE. I’m telling you, serious FOMO). We started the campfire early – lighting it as the children finished their dinner – and dessert consisted of toasted marshmallows (there’s no way under normal circumstances, I’d give them that much sugar after 6pm but it’s all part of the magic isn’t it). The children sat in their cosies and enjoyed snuggles around the fire while us grown-ups opened the wine and caught up. And hubby’s stargazing app came into its own as the children had a lesson on constellations and even did a bit of planet spotting.

Take a trip with other families. The best thing about this holiday was that our children had a bunch of other children to play with – as a group, we’d come with a grand total of 9 kids between us. There really is nothing better than watching your little ones happily playing with your best mate’s little ones and seeing them collectively welcome other kids into the fold and forge new friendships. You see, that’s the joy of camping. With so many families in one place, children can’t help but attract other children. And in the safe space of a campsite, where you can see what’s going on, parents can sit back, relax and catch up with their own friends too. Perfect.

Communal space is key. We weren’t so lucky with the weather on this particular occasion but one quick-thinking member of our group had the foresight to purchase two basic gazebos so that we had somewhere to shelter from the rain. This covered area became our hub – it was where we prepared and cooked our food, where we gathered to eat meals and where we positioned our campfire and huddled on one particularly wet evening. And on the sunnier days, it gave us a shaded area to sit in, keeping the kids cool.

So there you have it. Camping is the way to go. While it takes quite a bit of organisation (there’s a LOT of stuff that’s needed for a night away in a tent), once you’ve arrived and got set up, it really is a great holiday for all. Even in the rain.

Where to find great family-friendly campsites

So where to look. Cool Camping is a great website for finding places that offer camping as it should be (we’re talking all of the above). A lot of campsites also offer a glamping option, so if you’d prefer to try before you buy all your gear, it’s worth taking that route.

And here are a couple of my own recommendations:

Embers Camping, multiple locations across the UK
Embers campsites are ideal for families. They’re all about creating space for children to play; they encourage campfires; most sites have pizza ovens so you can pre-order your evening meal; and they are all located at stunning spots – national parks, by the sea or at National Trust sites – so you don’t even need to drive anywhere once you’re there. At Polesden Lacey the campsite fee includes entry to the property so there’s plenty to see and do right on your doorstep. All this comes at a price though, and they to tend to be quite a bit more expensive than other campsites.
http://www.emberscamping.co.uk/what-we-offer/

Petruth Paddocks, Cheddar
A favourite of ours, Petruth has a similar philosophy to Embers – to offer a true free-range camping experience. And it’s just up the road from Wells so makes for a quick and easy weekend away. We’ve stayed there two years running.
www.petruthpaddocks.co.uk

Jul 24

Summer holiday swimming spots to keep the kids cool

The summer holidays are upon us and with this balmy weather here to stay (*crosses fingers hopefully) I thought I’d do a little round up of our favourite places to swim. I’ve included some indoor and outdoor options, to suit all weathers (*faces facts and notes that said balmy weather probably isn’t here to stay).

Please note: These are all official leisure venues. Although I quite like the idea of wild swimming, if I’m honest, it’s the last thing I fancy doing with a toddler and a pre-schooler in tow (*shudders at the thought). Maybe in five year’s time I’ll do a wild swimming blog post… watch this space.

Wells Cathedral School, Wells

One of our favourite regular groups to go to is Sing and Swim at Wells Cathedral School. The drop-in class features a music and dance session (run by the school’s dance teacher) followed by a general swim in the school’s lovely pool. The pool is housed in a glass atrium and the water is usually pretty warm so on a sunny day it can feel like you’re in the South of France. Sadly, the group only runs during term-time and the public school holidays are particularly drawn-out. However, last summer I realised that the lovely people at WCS keep the pool open during the summer holidays! Result. The pool’s opening hours are sporadic (they rely on having lifeguards available and sometimes there are last minute cancellations so it’s worth checking again on the day) but all times are listed on the school’s website. At the moment timetables are up for the next fortnight, with new dates being added each week.

Cost: Adults £4, Under 18s £2 and under 5s free

Shepton Mallet Lido, Shepton Mallet

One of two lidos, or outdoor pools, within close proximity of Wells. Shepton Lido is smaller, quieter and, in my opinion, more relaxing (if you can say that when you have two kids in tow). By that I mean that everything is in one place so you can easily keep tabs on two children that will undoubtedly want to be doing different things at the same time. There’s a full-size pool and a children’s pool; a very small splash park with a few fountains; a mini play area and some picnic benches. There are some pretty basic changing facilities at the far end and there’s also a place to buy snacks. The water temperature is a little on the cool side but on a baking hot day it’s the right side of refreshing. Speaking of baking hot days, there’s very limited shade by the poolside so come prepared to make your own!

Cost: Adults £5.50, juniors £3.75, under 5s free

Greenbank Outdoor Pool, Street

At the other end of the scale of outdoor pools is Greenbank, which is Shepton on steroids. It has a huge pool with an adjoining kids pool (that is also pretty big and has a great slide that you’ll have to fight to get the little ones off). It has an equally large splash park with another great slide (it’s fast so probably not one for the really little ones); and there’s a ton of green space around the pool so you can make yourselves comfortable and settle in for the day. The changing rooms are bigger and cleaner too. The best thing about the pool is the temperature: it’s over 30 degrees and the children’s pool, particularly, feels like you’re in a bath, bliss. Greenbank is open from May to September and during the school holidays (from July 20) the pool opens from 12-6:30pm. A word of warning – it does get very busy and you’ll probably need to queue if you want to get in there early, but the queues usually go down pretty quickly and it’s worth it, honestly. Another thing I’d say is that everything is quite spread out so if, like me, you have more than one pre-school aged child in tow, you might want to take reinforcements and go with a friend!

Cost: Adults £5.70, Child (age 2-17) £4.70, under 2s free

Cheddar Woods Resort and Spa, Cheddar

Cheddar Woods is a holiday resort on the far side of Cheddar with an indoor swimming pool that is open to the public. Being a spa destination, the changing rooms feel pretty plush and the pool is lovely and clean. There’s a full-size pool and a children’s pool, adjacent to eachother. The pool is open to the public every day but do check the website for timetables as you’ll need to go for the general swim if you’re taking the family. Once you’ve been for a swim, you could head to the cafe or give the kids a run around in the park (which you can see from the cafe’s veranda).

Cost: Around £5 for adults, under 5s free

If you’re willing to travel further afield, there are a few other outdoor options: Shaftesbury Oasis Swimming Pool (https://www.shaftesbury-oasis.com/); Tintinhull Swimming Pool (www.tintinhullparishcouncil.gov.uk/Swimming_Pool_22592.aspx); and Portishead Open Air Pool (www.portisheadopenairpool.org.uk). Just make sure you check their websites for opening times as they are pretty variable.

Jul 18

Weekend ramblings: Five family-friendly pub walks you’ll do again and again

It’s the weekend. You may have a quiet couple of days ahead with no plans. Or you may have friends coming over and are yet to decide how to entertain them. Well, if, like us, you enjoy exploring the local countryside then you’re sure to love these walks. And if, like us, no walk is complete without incorporating a local pub where cold beverages and yummy grub is on offer, then you’ll be even more pleasantly surprised by this list. Read on and get those weekend plans Locked Inn (pun intended. *See item 5 on list).

Wookey Hole Inn, Wookey Hole

Duration: 45 minutes each way (or 30 minutes if you return via the road)
Terrain: Pram-friendly with some hills
Type: This route has the benefit of being circular, or linear if you return the same way you came

The walk… For all you Wellsonians out there, this is a brilliant country pub walk that can be done without even getting in the car. A rare thing indeed. It’s also a walk that can be done with a pushchair (or a sling, depending on your preference). So top marks all round from us. Heading up from town, the walk takes you up Ash Lane and onto Milton Lane (where you’ll face the steepest incline of the route) before heading out of town and into the countryside with gorgeous views across Wells and beyond. You then follow a semi-sheltered path that runs alongside the Split Rock Quarry, uphill first and then switching to downhill as you start the descent into Wookey Hole village. The last 10 minutes or so of the walk is on road (Wells Road) so do take care if walking with a pram. It’s not too busy but you’re likely to meet a car or two. Wells Road merges with the High Street and you’ll see the pub on your right hand side. On the way back, you can choose to return via the same route or go the quicker way along the road (Wookey Hole Road) and follow the footpath all the way back into Wells.

The pub… The Wookey Hole Inn was owned by the guys that now run The Sheppey in Godney (another favourite of ours) so it’s got bundles of character. The roast dinners are delicious and it has a good varied menu. They welcome children with open arms – every table has a pot of pencils and a white paper tablecloth so they’re actively encouraged to get creative. There’s also a garden that is great in the summer (it’s on a slight hill but, as long as you’re keeping an eye on them, the kids can happily run around).

The Litton, in Litton village (near Chewton Mendip)

Duration: Around one hour
Terrain: Sling only as there are a number of stiles to navigate. Can get muddy in wet weather too.
Type: Circular walk

This is a firm favourite of ours. So much so that I’ve written a blog post dedicated solely to it. Fabulous pub with an even more fabulous circular walk that combines all (and more) of the must-see sights that every good country walk should include. What’s more, the pub has created a beautifully illustrated pocket map of the walk for its visitors to download or take as they explore the area – it would be rude not to combine the two. And you’ll certainly deserve that lunch when you’re done. Read more here.

The Railway Inn, Sandford, Winscombe

Duration: Various distances. The walk follows the old Strawberry Line railway so you can opt for a short amble or a longer walk, depending on your mood
Terrain: Flat and prammable – a mixture of grass, gravel and tarmac but it’s footpath or road all the way
Type: Linear

The walk… This one is around a 35 minute drive from Wells but is well worth the trip. The Railway Inn is owned by Thatchers Cider and sits on the site of the Thatchers orchards and factory. It’s also on the Strawberry Line, a disused railway line that runs through Mid-Somerset so walks from there are nice and flat. If you’re walking from the pub, turn right onto the road, walk for around 300m and there are two options: turning left onto the Strawberry Line takes you towards Winscombe and turning right takes you towards Congresbury. The Winscombe way is shorter and more direct (it takes just over an hour to reach the village) and the Congresbury route is a little more meandering, coming on and off the Strawberry Line a couple of times and incorporating a bit of quiet road walking too. Congresbury is around 13 miles away so it’s unlikely you’ll do the full route but you can walk for as long as you like and turn back anytime you’re ready. On this route, you get to stroll through some of the Thatchers orchards, which is pretty interesting, but (I must warn you) you also have to put up with the God-awful stench of a sewage plant as you turn off the first section of road and return to the Strawberry Line. Don’t worry though, the smell disappears as quickly as it arrives!

An array of signage signals the start of the Strawberry Line and the way back to the pub!

The pub… The Railway Inn itself is a lovely pub with a great outdoor space, complete with a wooden train (that the Little Big One loved playing in) and a large grassy area for running around in. There’s also a toilet outside with changing facilities, meaning you don’t have to tackle the busy pub and oodles of stairs if you need to get there quick!

The Talbot Inn/ The Walled Garden, Mells

Duration: As long or as short as you like
Terrain: Flat
Type: Linear

The pub… Mells is a beautiful little village near Frome, about a 25 minute drive from Wells. Here, you have the option of dining pub-style at the Talbot Inn (it has a kids menu and a grassy area just off its outside courtyard where children can have a run around) or heading opposite into the more relaxed Walled Garden where you can have sandwiches, salads or pizza (from their very own pizza oven) while enjoying the tranquility of the beautiful gardens and nursery. There are an abundance of different seating areas to choose from (including a covered greenhouse area) but while there’s lots to see, there’s not a lot of space to let children loose. You can save that for the walk!

The walk… If you take a little amble through the village – past the post office and village store – and take the second left turn, you’ll discover a wonderful little woodland walk that follows the river. About 10 minutes into the woods, you’ll come across a waterfall and shallow area that is just perfect for paddling. It’s just beautiful! The path can take you all the way to Great Elm village if you’re in it for the long haul, or you can choose to walk as far as you like and turn back when you’re ready.

There are a few parking options in the village. We parked in the free car park adjacent to the recreation ground (there’s ample space) but there’s also limited parking at the Talbot Inn and, if you’re visiting the Walled Garden, you can park in the Mells Barn car park too.

The Lock Inn, Bradford on Avon

Duration: Multiple options
Terrain: Generally flat and prammable, although the canal path may get muddy in wet weather
Type: You can opt for a circular route or come back the way you came

The pub… We love visiting Bradford on Avon. We have close friends that live there and we got married there, so it holds a special place in our hearts. It also has a number of blooming great pubs and some lovely canal walks too. Our pub of choice is The Lock Inn, which has a lovely large beer garden (and a funky little dining area on a canal boat if you fancy something quirky). The food is homely and served in giant quantities (which is always a winner in our eyes). And it’s right on the canal so you can wave to passing narrow boats and watch the activity at the nearby lock that gives the pub its name.

The great thing about a canal walk is that it’s also perfect for bikes

The walk: From The Lock Inn, you can walk around the picturesque town of Bradford on Avon or opt for a river and canal walk instead. There’s a lovely circular canal route that’s about 1.5 miles long. You can extend this walk to include some field paths too (this adds a further 1.5 miles onto the route and may make it trickier with a pram). The local council has created a very helpful guide to walking in Bradford on Avon which includes directions and maps to all of the above. You can download it here.

Jul 04

A taste of the good life: Five reasons to visit Palette and Pasture

We popped along to Palette and Pasture’s Open Farm Sunday event at the end of June and what a revelation it was, on all sorts of levels! Based at Pyle Farm in Trudoxhill, just off the A361 on the way to Frome (around 25 minutes from Wells), it’s home to Paul and Rachel Candy (and their menagerie of animals) who, between them, manage a 200 strong herd of dairy cows and multiple businesses, including arts and crafts, seasonal pop up events and their delicious farm-produced gelato.

The Open Farm event is one of four pop up events (they call them “Country Markets”) that occur throughout the year that enable the family to showcase their brilliant businesses and provide visitors with an insight into the inner workings of the dairy farm. Here are five reasons why it’s well worth heading along to one.

Palette and Pasture’s Somerset Gelato is divine. My, it tastes good. I mean, really good. Flavours range from the classics – rum and raisin, strawberry and mint choc chip – to the more unusual – Jaffa cake, white gold and cherry and banana sorbet. The best thing is that the flavours change each week so you can always try something new. We opted for pear and it was a real crowd pleaser. The ice cream is made from cows milk rather than cream. According to those in the know, Pyle Farm’s milk is naturally sweet, so not only does their ice cream contain less fat, it also has less added sugar. Ideal!

We learnt some really cool facts about cows and dairy farming… whilst riding on a tractor! We hopped on a trailer to join one of Paul’s fabulously engaging tractor tours of the working farm, where we learnt some fascinating facts about cows. Did you know, for instance, that cows drink up to 150 litres of water a day? Or that they lie down for 12 hours a day but actually only sleep for 20 minutes? Incredible. The farm’s 200 dairy cows produce a massive 4500 litres of milk a day and some of this goes into making their delicious gelato, which is great news for us. Oh, and they supply local cheese maker Barbers too!

It’s not just cows. They have a host of other animals you can meet. Right next to the ice cream parlour, you’ll find the family’s smallholding which is home to a couple of pigs (in the summer months), pygmy goats (that you can feed), chickens and some geese. It’s a real family affair here, and you’ll probably be enthusiastically greeted by one of their friendly dogs too.

There’s a great outdoor play area. Our two loved the digger pit and push along tractors, but there’s also a pedal tractor race track and a mud kitchen. Perfect.

Your visit will support a great local, family-run business. In addition to the dairy farm and the fabulous gelato, Rachel, who is a talented artist, sells paintings too. At their Country Market pop-up events they also like to support other local craft and food traders so the events are a great advert for shopping local.

The dates for Palette and Pasture’s upcoming events can be found on their website but for the remainder of the year these are the dates for your diary: Sunday 27th October – A Day on the Farm: Zombies and Pumpkins; Sunday 15th December – Santa and Snowflakes.

It’s worth knowing that the ice cream parlour is also open at weekends – Friday to Monday 11-5 – so you can head over anytime to enjoy a gelato, visit the animals and have a play.

Jun 27

Somerset Rural Life Museum: A playground for Toddler Explorers

The girls and I visited the Somerset Rural Life Museum for the first time last week and tried out their Toddler Explorers group. What a lovely place to spend a morning, or perhaps longer; next time I’m definitely packing a picnic lunch as there is a whole lot more to see than we had time for.

Toddler Explorers is a great little group with an educational slant (I’d expect nothing less from a preschool group hosted at a museum). It takes place on the third Friday of every month between 10:30-11:30am. This month’s session was entitled Cave Babies and we learnt about prehistoric art and creatures. Did you know that the Sabre Toothed Tiger is officially called a Smilodon? Me neither. Yep, it wasn’t just the kids that learnt something! There were lots of opportunities for the children to get messy, with painting (we were encouraged to use our hands to create our very own cave art) and gluing (we stuck bits of coloured wool onto a printed template to make a Smilodon) as well as a colouring station and a fun game of Woolly Mammoth skittles.

The group kicked off with a prehistoric themed story and there was a nice selection of books and toys laid out to keep the early birds entertained while we waited for others to arrive. And after everyone had had a chance to do all of the activities, we all gathered together in a circle to sing a song – Ten Cave Babies (based on the old Ten Green Bottles song). For this, the group leaders had created special song sheets for us so that grown-ups could sing along and children could follow and join in with the actions. The ladies that ran the group – Polly and Natasha – were super lovely and obviously passionate about what they do and their enthusiasm was contagious.

The group is open to ages 1-3, which is perfect if you have two children the same age as mine. Both girls enjoyed the morning, and I’d say the activities were perfectly suited to the Little Big One – she adores painting and sticking and loved the Mammoth skittle game too – but possibly a little advanced for the Not So Tiny One, who, while she joined in with the painting with the best of them, was more interested in chewing on the glue sticks and pencils than creating something with them. This is hardly surprising – as anyone with more than one child will know, it’s very hard to find an activity that all ages enjoy in the same way. However, the class costs £5 per child, and I’d say, on reflection that this seemed quite a lot for the very little ones. However, and this is worth reading on for… the class fee includes general admission to the museum so all three of us were able to have a scout around afterwards, and this made paying that much for the class well worth it.

The museum itself tells the story of working life and the history of farming in rural Somerset. It’s got a replica Victorian farmhouse kitchen, various pieces of old farming equipment (complete with a taxidermy horse – which the Little Big One thought was pretend, thank goodness!) and some old fashioned clothes and items from the home, which prompted lots of questions from the curious preschooler! It’s a brilliant museum for kids to explore – everything is open and there’s nothing hidden away behind glass so it feels really accessible, even though you obviously still need to discourage them from touching the exhibits. If you head upstairs, there’s a room all about learning, which has a dolls house and a wooden farm, which I couldn’t drag my two away from. Outside in the courtyard, adjacent to where the toddler group took place, you’ll find an old tractor and a model “milking” cow which the Little Big One took great pleasure in trying out! Just off here is the orchard where there are a handful of sheep grazing and a picnic area set up with a few benches. There’s also a cafe if you fancy a cuppa and some cake or a light lunch.

Another great thing that the museum offers (that we didn’t have time for on this visit but will definitely do next time) is the Rural Ranger backpack trail (ideal for children aged 6 and under). For this, you collect a mini backpack (that needs to be returned afterwards) from reception filled with activities and a little cuddly toy who can join you as you explore around the site, helping you find clues to complete a trail.

If you were planning on visiting the museum frequently, and not necessarily on the days that the toddler class runs, then it’s worth knowing about the Museum Unlimited Annual Pass. If you pay the standard adult entry rate of £7.50, you get a free unlimited annual pass which means you can then visit FOR FREE for a year (under fives go free with an adult too so it really is great value)! The annual pass doesn’t include entry to the Toddler Explorer group and some other events though, so you’d still have to pay for the children if you wanted to attend that.

All in all, I’d say this is a great day out and we’ll probably be booking on to next month’s Toddler Explorers session which is pirate themed (always a winner in our house). Next time we’ll take a packed lunch and hang about afterwards to make sure we’ve taken in all the museum has to offer.

*It’s worth mentioning that there is no Toddler Explorers group in August as they take a break for the summer, so it will reconvene in September.

Jun 20

Center Parcs: Enjoyment for the whole family, guaranteed

Last month, we took the girls and the in-laws for a short break at Center Parcs in Longleat. It’s not the kind of holiday the hubby and I would have looked at before; we’ve always thought of it as an expensive option and we’re the type of family that likes to get away and do our own thing, rather than stay somewhere with everything at your fingertips. Anyway… after an unmissable deal popped up, the hubby booked it on a whim, quickly locking in the grandparents too.

Well, through fear of this sounding like a sponsored post (I promise, it most definitely isn’t) this was hands down our easiest and most wholly enjoyable family holiday to date! Unbelievably there was zero stress too. And I mean, zero stress. I told you it was unbelievable. I just can’t praise Center Parcs enough. Having young children certainly changes your perspective on holidays. Up until now, we were the types to research holiday spots reminiscent of our youthful, carefree days, where the accommodation was quirky rather than practical and off the beaten track instead of all-inclusive. As we’ve discovered, this type of place is almost impossible to find when it needs to accommodate two small people. It also tends to involve more hassle when you’re there too, sometimes having an effect on the overall enjoyment levels of the holiday.

Now, even those that haven’t visited Center Parcs will know that it is NOT that holiday. It’s a complex. With cabins that are designed to be functional and all look the same. With an abundance of entertainment options and restaurants serving every cuisine under the sun available on tap. And with a tropical swimming paradise just a short walk away. It’s basically a cruise on land. But, and here’s the but. With very young kids in tow, this is exactly what you need. It’s convenient, easy and has everything young children need to enjoy themselves. And everyone knows that happy children make for happy parents.

Our cabin was perfectly located, far enough from the central drag that we felt like we could escape a bit, but close enough that we could walk to the main village with a pram. We were close to the top of the Cascades walkway, so it was just a short meander downhill to the beach and beyond. We also had a land train stop just a minute’s walk away. The land train, of course, was a massive hit with the Little Big One who insisted on riding it every day. Our bulky pram didn’t fit on – next time we’d definitely take an umbrella folding stroller – so the Not So Tiny One was able to take her naps in the pram while some of us walked to and from the cabin to the village (about a 25-30 minute walk). The cabin was set within the forest so it felt secluded and a bit “wild” (which pleased us) and was positioned above a pond, which meant that we got to see an abundance of wildlife from our living area. Ducks came up to the doors at bedtime looking for food, squirrels played chase up and down the trees outside and on one particularly early morning, we were lucky enough to see two deer frolicking by the water. A huge privilege that made the super early start more than worth it. There have to be some benefits to having early risers in the family!!

As this was our first Center Parcs experience we decided not to book too many activities upfront and to just go with the flow when we were there (there are an unfeasible amount of great options available though). Having said that, I treated myself to a Pilates class which gave me a rare hour of freedom (and was lovely), and we booked the Little Big One onto a toddler rollerskating class, which was well worth it – she got loads out of it and was super proud when the grandparents rocked up halfway through to see her skating All By Herself. To be honest, this was all the extra entertainment we needed. The swimming complex is a real winner and we went once a day, sometimes twice (this would seem absurd under normal circumstances, but we just packed an extra set of swimmers! This is Center Parcs us. I like Center Parcs us). As well as the main pool and the numerous slides and flumes, there are two brilliant splash parks – a pirate themed one for the bigger kids and another filled with taps, pumps, tunnels and sprinklers, which was perfect for keeping the toddlers amused. As we had the grandparents in tow, the hubby and I took the opportunity to brave the big water rides alone (brilliant fun) and we also enjoyed the outdoor thermal pool which felt really spa-like and luxurious. Our favourite bit of all though was the Lazy River rapids which both girls giggled and laughed their way around about a million times!

Aside from all of this though, it was a really good place to just be. Being in the forest surrounded by trees feels fabulous. And there’s so much to do and see outside. We took the Little Big One’s bike and she loved having the freedom to just go. There are a multitude of parks for all ages. And the lakeside beach is beautiful (I think Longleat is one of the only resorts to have this). On our final morning, we were lucky enough to be at the beach to witness dozens of carp gathering at the shoreline, only to be joined by a curious heron. Not a sight you see everyday.

We booked a Monday-Friday stay and the four nights cost around £500 for a three bedroom cabin (which had ample room for all of us – four adults and two children). We kept additional costs down by preparing batch meals in advance so all evening meals were sorted but we did treat ourselves to a couple of lunches out (it would have been rude not to!) Perhaps the biggest bonus of all about this holiday was that Longleat is a mere 30 minutes away from home. So on the last day we spent the morning at the pool, visited the beach, had a lovely family lunch, played in a couple of parks… and were still home for the girl’s dinner time!

As far as holidays go, it really was the easiest, most convenient and relaxed holiday we’ve been on. In fact, we enjoyed it so much that we’ve only gone and booked to go at the same time next year, this time with my parents. See you then, Center Parcs! x

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