Tag: Family Days Out

Canoe Wild

With many rivers and lakes in the UK exploring them safely whilst having fun is key. The excellent Canoe Wild in Grove Ferry Kent is a must if you are in the area. You can explore the River Stour using one of their canoes, SUPs or kayaks. Running from Grove Ferry and Fordwich or you could even take a trip down river to Plucks Gutter. They also do a raft building session at the Fordwich site so if there is a group of you this would be great fun activity.

They also have collaborated with ‘Euro cycle Adventures’ and ‘Cols Kent Bike Tours’ for a ‘Pedal and Paddle’ adventure break and day trips.

The River Stour

The second longest river in Kent originates as the Great Stour in Lenham and flows towards and through Canterbury where it becomes tidal and then finally enters the sea at Pegwell Bay.

The river drains many of the marshland areas with Stodmarsh National Nature Reserve being one. Stodmarsh National Nature Reserve hosts the largest reed bed in the Southeast making it an ideal place to bird watch. So, if you love nature your sure to be happy here.

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Whitstable Castle and Castle Gardens 

Whitstable Castle and Gardens are nestled to the side of the main town and are a fantastic free to visit morning or afternoon out.

The Castle Gardens had a renovation completed in September 2010 when extensive work was undertaken on the grounds to achieve a stunning tranquil setting. The gardens have won numerous Green Flag awards with the latest in 2020 and I’m sure they will be awarded another one soon. 

The Orangery Tearoom is open daily from 10 am until 5 pm with a great selection of food and drinks. They also offer afternoon tea, but you will need to book at least 24 hours before you visit. 

There is a lovely pirate ship play area and the paths in the gardens are easy for pushchairs and wheelchairs to use. A great place to visit all year around with the scenery constantly changing as the plants and trees change with the seasons. The castle gardens and play area is open 8am until 6pm daily, there is a car park but note the gate is locked at 6pm.

They have a calendar packed with events on all year round, some highlights coming up in August include nature detective week and mummy mania. The castle can be hired for weddings, business events and more.

Monday, the 1st of August to Friday, the 5th of August 11:00 – 15:00

Mummy Mania – Wednesday, the 10th of August 10:30 till 12:00

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Ingleton Waterfalls Trail

Set in the Yorkshire Dales National Park Ingleton Waterfalls Trail is a great place to get outside and explore.

As we hit April 1st the trail is now open later into the evening (9am – 7pm) so you have even more time to get outside and explore this wonderful trail where you will find 6 wonderful waterfalls.

The trail is 7km (4.3 miles) and should take between 2 and 4 hours to complete depending on your pace and if you take a picnic break. Please note the trail is currently running a one way system and remember to respect social distancing, there are some narrow parts of the trail and everyone would like to enjoy the views.

Unfortunately the path is not suitable for wheelchairs and pushchairs due to the close proximity to rivers and large number of steps.

There is a cafe and toilets at the car park entrance but then not a lot for a long way so I would take plenty of food and drink. We did come across a ice cream van after the mid point snack shop (unfortunately had not been open). Please remember to take your rubbish home with you; respect, protect and enjoy.

There is parking included in the entry price, parking does get busy but some people will come and go during the day however some will spend the day there. All payments are required to be completed by card.

Dogs are welcome along the trail.

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Black Rock Sands

Black Rock Sands in North Wales holds many precious memories for us as a family. You can drive on the beach in your car with all your kit and enjoy a fantastic day at the beach. We are looking forward to visiting this beautiful beach again soon.

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Half Term Ideas – London Theatre Show

So half term is here and if your looking for something extra special to do last minute then check out Today Tix great priced tickets for top London Theatre Shows, I can highly recommend The Lion King 🦁 and so many others too, I currently have my eye on Frozen ❄️ maybe I should take my beautiful niece? 👸🏼

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Half Term Ideas – Muddy Puddle Jumping

February Half Term Ideas – time to get walking and maybe jumping in muddy puddles. It’s cheap it’s fun and the kids won’t forget it. I mean really let them have fun, go prepared take spare clothes a towel and don’t forget your wellies ❤️

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Half Term Ideas – Train Rides in Kent & Sussex

First in the February half term ideas is a train ride. Great for all weather a train ride in Kent or Sussex it’s an excellent day trip out exploring the hidden gems off the roads.

Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway the famous one third full size steam and diesel locomotives take you on a 13½ mile journey along the Kent coast and countryside ending at the only desert in Britain that is Dungeness; classified Britain’s only desert due to its dryness and spectacular lack of surface vegetation.

Bluebell Railway heritage railway runs through eleven miles of the stunning Sussex countryside boasting vintage steam locomotives and carriages. With so many amazing trips available from the roaming rover or the pullman dining packages. There is also half term ice skating sessions available – 12 – 27 February 2022 at Sheffield Park Station.

East Kent Railway a once industrial line the four mile round trip through the lovely scenic Kent villages of Shepherdswell and Eythorne is a relaxing fun journey for all. Note that trains only operate on Sundays. Update: trains aren’t running until Easter however the cafe is open Wednesdays Fridays & weekends.

Kent & East Sussex Railway  is a 10½ mile light railway that whistles you through the stunning countryside and also onto the beautiful Bodiam Castle so you could also have a castle visit too. Half term fun celebrates Waterbirds in the Wealden countryside and free children’s onboard activities.  

With so many more train journeys to be discovered in Kent, Sussex and across the UK I can’t fit them all here so I will share some more with you soon.

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Travelling to London – Day Trips

I get asked a lot about how I travel to London so here are some tips for you if you’re going for a day trip to London.

Having used the train on many occasions and experiencing the rising costs I wanted to share with you alternative ways to that you can travel to London (I travel from Canterbury in Kent).

Drive, Park and Uber Boat – Park & Glide

This is a cost efficient way to take the family. You can purchase a ticket online for parking at the O2 car park 3 and the Uber Boat from Greenwich Pier. Included in the price is the River Roamer Ticket to hop on and off all day across all of the Thames Clipper Piers. It’s a great way to start exploring London along the River Thames – keep your eyes open for iconic landmarks.

Prices as of today are (17/01/2021):

Adults X 2 £36.70

Family 1 Adult + 3 Kids £33.00

Family 2 Adults + 3 Kids £39.50

Book your Park & Glide here.

Thames Clipper Boat Map

Drive, Park and Tube

Parking at the O2 is something that I have done many times, I normally used the Station Car Park but currently this is closed or was the last time I went a couple of weeks ago. You can still park in the O2 car parks they will just direct you to an alternative car park often the Car Park for events is used in the day. You will get a ticket as you enter the car park and pay on exit.

Parking at the O2 – non-event parking charges detailed at the bottom of the page.

A short walk to North Greenwich tube station where you can get your tube to anywhere you wish. Tube Map available here.

I use the Tube Map app to plan my journeys when I am in London.

There is now a emissions charge for vehicles that don’t meet the required standards to drive in London and surrounding areas (the area keeps expanding). So you will need to check if your vehicle meets emissions and safety standards required to drive in London, or if you need to pay a daily charge. The zone have extended and I would recommend checking each time you visit to avoid being caught out and receiving a penalty. Check your vehicle.

Hope that this helps, please just message me on Instagram if you have any other questions.  

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Sharing and Caring on the North Downs Way

Today I spent walking on the North Downs Way with a group of fellow ambassadors training and sharing knowledge.

It was such a lovely day with everyone really supporting each other in every way. So watch out as we are going to share with you some of the amazing hidden gems of the North Downs Way.

You can explore the North Downs Way yourself with many self guided walks available from Explore Kent or the National Trails website. If you’re looking for an ambassador guided walk I will share them as they become available across the whole North Downs Way network.

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Experience Kent

I am so excited to share some fantastic news that I am not only going to be offering experiences in Kent but that I am training to be a North Downs Way Ambassador.

The North Downs Way is 153 miles and one of the lesser know trails against those of its National Trail counterparts. It’s a true gem of the Kent and Surrey Areas and I’m going to be sharing with the world how great it is including offering my very own guided walks.

The North Downs Way travels mostly through the Kent Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty offering spectacular open spaces even though it runs in one of the most built up areas of Britain.

I’m looking forward to sharing more with you all about The North Downs way and hope to see you all exploring it too.

Check out my interview with the team at Kent Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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