Days Out

Thomas Land

A Winter Visit to Thomas Land

We were first introduced to Drayton Manor when Sebby was a newborn but it was our second visit where we really fell in love with Thomas Land and all the park had to offer. There is nothing better than seeing your child gasp with awe and excitement around every corner as they spot their favourite characters around every corner.

Last weekend we were invited to Drayton Manor, home of Thomas Land for an exclusive event where we got to ride our favourite characters before members of the public were allowed which meant no queues, not that I have ever found them that long on our previous visits.

We followed Sebby’s lead and soon found ourselves flying high aboard Jeremy’s Air Academy.

Thomas Land

Flynn’s Fire and Rescue was next up, although it was too cold to shoot the water jets we enjoyed the ride all the same. Sadly Sebby was just too short to ride Captain’s Sea Adventure, so we watched and waved to Abbey, Isaac and Eliza instead before another flying lesson but this time aboard Harold the helicopter.

Thomas Land

Nothing would persuade the older kids to go on the troublesome trucks rollercoaster although they did bravely ride Bertie Bus and Diesel’s Locomotive Mayhem for the first time, before a more gentle drive in Sodor’s Classic Cars and Winston.

Thomas Land

Around Thomas Land there are a few booth’s where you can win prizes and we decided to have a go at the hook a duck. The joy on Sebby’s face when he won, with Abbey’s help, a James cuddly toy was brilliant and seconds later he met Sir Toppam Hatt too – that was certainly the highlight of his day.

Thomas Land

No trip to Thomas Land would be complete without a ride on some trains and we also boarded the Blue Mountain Engines and got to ride in Clarabel, pulled by Thomas of course.

Thomas Land

At the other end of the line is the chance to ride on Terence the Tractor and see the Thomas & Friends™ Exhibition in Farmer McColls Farm.

Thomas Land

Sadly the bigger rides at Drayton Manor were closed, but the zoo was open and we got to see some very real looking dinosaurs as well as snakes, monkey’s, meerkats, lynx and a rather hungry looking black panther who was pacing his cage.

Drayton Manor

I was really impressed with the facilities in the park too. The toilets and baby changing rooms were modern, warm and clean and the restaurants served reasonably priced food with a family meal deal costing £20 for four (season pass holders also get a 20% discount on food and in the shops).

Thomas Land

It may have been a cold and grey day, but it felt warm and sunny thanks to the excitement of all the children and we cannot wait to come back soon, do some of the bigger rides too and experience the what the rest of the park has to offer.

We were invited to Drayon Manor Theme Park as guests in exchange for this post.  This is our entry for the brand ambassador role for 2016.  

 

Eliza bike

Testing Out Eliza’s New Bike at Potterne Park

Eliza turned 5 last week and top of her list for her birthday was her first bike and we didn’t disappoint her. Choosing the perfect bike is a minefield and we looked at various styles and sizes before we settled on the Emma Bike from Smyths Toys which was a bonus half price in the January sales.

Eliza couldn’t wait to get out on it, but being at school meant she was restricted to the school runs for the first few days but once the weekend was here we decided to find somewhere where she could really test it out. I loaded up the car with Isaac and Eliza’s bike plus Sebby’s scooter and headed over to Potterne Park in Verwood.

Potterne Park is perfect for learner cyclists with wide concrete pathways which lead all the way to Moors Valley and The Wheels skate park for more experienced riders which features a concrete bowl and a dirt track. Of course it has the added bonus of a large play area and equipment includes a Tunnel, Swings, Seesaw, Spinner bowl, Toddler Multi-Play unit, Puppet rocker, Climbing frame, and Flexus.

We met up with my friend Joanne from Charlie Moo’s and set off on our walk.  I had half expected to have to push Eliza most of the way as she built up her strength but the encouragement of cycling with her brother, Charlie and Olive saw her shooting off into the distance.

Potterne Park

Isaac only learned to ride without stabilizers at the end of the summer and hadn’t yet mastered how to get started himself as hasn’t had much practice since. After a couple of pushes from me and regaining his confidence he was off and starting off all by himself.

Potterne Park

The kids cycled about a quarter of a mile to the first bridge where we stopped for a rest and played a game of pooh sticks. It was clear that Eliza and Olive were both a little tired so we decided to head back towards the play park which gave them an added impetus to cycle back.

POTTERNE PARK

We arrived at the park with clearly exhausted small children, but something about seeing play equipment seems to give them an added burst of energy and we stayed and played for another hour.

POTTERNE PARK

I am hoping that a few more days out like this will build Eliza’s strength and it wont be long before she is riding without stabilizers too.

Country Kids from Coombe Mill Family Farm Holidays Cornwall

The Stick Man Trail at Moors Valley 2016

The Stick Man trail was last at Moors Valley back in 2013 and the kids loved all the activities there were to do as we walked around the self-led trail and now it is back with new challenges and a new route to explore until the end of February and because the kids saw the film on Christmas Day they were even more excited to take part and of course Stick Man himself had to come with us.

We planned our visit around a break in the rain to help Stick Man find his way back to his family tree and be reunited with his Stick Lady Love, and his Stick children three.

The trail is basically the play trail backwards and leads you through the forest using activity points with activities based on the Stick Man book allowing them to live the epic adventures of Stick Man, finding characters from the book and learning about the importance of forests for people, wildlife and timber.
Stick Man Trail

We had to build a cosy nest, trying and hit a pine cone with a stick from 3 metres away, find a curves stick to make a bow and arrow and of course, make our very own Stick Man.

You can also buy activity packs for £3, which include a fun-packed activity leaflet, sheets to create your own Stick Man rubbing and pipe cleaners to make your own Stick Man, a chunky crayon and a pencil, but they are not essential as the boards have all the challenges on and the trail is clearly signposted.

Stick Man Trail

The kids had lots of fun doing all the activities, squelching in the mud and sploshing their way through the muddy puddles and as they did so well I promised them a visit to the park afterwards. The park for the older kids was open but for no apparent reason the park for Sebby’s age was closed off which was a real shame as there was nothing really for him to do apart from watch the miniature train as it trundled around the outside of the park.

Moors Valley

Despite the park being closed, we had a lot of fun doing the Stick Man Trail and you can sign up to the Stick Man and friends email newsletter to receive exclusive offers, free activity sheets, information on events and more.

Ringstead Bay

A Winters Day at Ringstead Bay

As a family we have challenged ourselves to visit every beach in Dorset and we made a good start in 2015 by ticking off Lulworth Cove, Durdle Door, Swanage, Portland, Charmouth, West Bay, Lyme Regis, Kimmeridge Bay and Burton Bradstock as well as the 7 miles of beach we have in our home town of Bournemouth.

Yesterday we headed to the Sea Life Centre in Weymouth and had planned to go up in the Sea Life Tower too but sadly it was closed. I was going to take the kids onto the beach in Weymouth but as we drove in I remembered seeing a sign for Ringstead Bay, somewhere which had been recommended to me but we hadn’t yet visited, so we headed back out-of-town in search of somewhere new to visit.

Ringstead Bay lies on the Jurassic Coast and is known for its natural beauty and fossils. The car park is a short walk from the beach and as we rounded the corner of the path to get a view of the beach it was a real “WOW” moment.

Ringstead Bay

Ringstead Bay has a pebble and shingle beach with some sand and Sebby wasn’t sure at first as the shingle was quite tricky to walk on, however he soon found his balance and headed down towards the water where they all threw pebbles into the water to make different sounds.

Ringstead Bay

There was lots of seaweed and other debris washed up on the beach thanks to the recent storms and we found a couple of mermaids purses, but Eliza was far more interested in spinning around and using the seaweed like a gymnasts ribbon.

We then headed around the corner and down the wooden steps to another section of the beach. This was framed by clay cliffs and the kids were fascinated by the soft texture of the clay which was dotted along the beach. We didn’t find any fossils as I didn’t want the kids too close to the cliffs as they are unstable because of the amount of rain we have had recently.

Ringstead Bay

We spent a good two hours exploring the bay and playing on the beach. We even spotted a couple of Cormorants on top of a pole who appeared to be having an in-depth conversation with each other.

Ringstead Bay

It was a lovely afternoon by the sea and we certainly be back when it is warmer as there is a small outcrop of rock which appears when the tide is low which we want to explore. We could just make it out as waves were breaking over it.

Ringstead Bay

Country Kids from Coombe Mill Family Farm Holidays Cornwall

The Somerford

Somerford Beefeater has re-opened its doors with a brand new look!

Somerford Beefeater has re-opened its doors with a brand new look and we were invited down to check out the designer interior and mouthwatering menu.

We last visited in September and didn’t think it needed a new look, however the restaurant has undergone a huge makeover in just eight days, with a fresh look inside and out creating a light, welcoming environment and with booth seating for large groups inside, a comfortable bar area and a modern design.

The updated menu is packed full of favourites for the whole family, including succulent steaks, BeefPasties, Mega Ribs and Oven-Baked Seabass. You will also find plenty of classics including Beer-Battered Cod & Chips and the Beefeater Mixed Grill, each prepared with care and presented with flare. And if these weren’t enough, Beefeater is now offering unlimited skinny or triple cooked chips with selected main meals.

The new menu has even created new roles, and all staff have undergone expert steak and wine training. Despite the restaurant’s new image, familiar friendly staff members remain ready to welcome everyone through the doors, ensuring that guest’s every need is met.

Kelly Redmond, General Manager of Somerford Beefeater said: “All these great changes make Beefeater even more inviting and we’re proud to reopen our doors. We have spent a lot of time working on the presentation of the new look to give our guests the wow factor. We are confident our guests will enjoy the changes as much as we do and friends and families can make the most of their time here. It’s still their Beefeater – but with a modern twist.

Beefeater is all about affordable quality and has great value always-on offers, catering for all manner of tastes. Steak and chips start from just £10.99, Daytime Menu dishes start from £4.99 Monday – Saturday and with kid’s eating free breakfast every day, a visit to Beefeater won’t break the bank either.

We visited last Sunday and saw some of the changes as we pulled up. Gone is the old porch and instead a large, modern wooden plaque features outside with the same Somerford carved into it.

The Somerford

The most significant changes I saw inside was to the bar area and the entrance where we were greeted and shown to our table in the large extension which now has comfy booths to sit in with lots of cow themed artwork to admire.

The Somerford

As it was a Sunday, Kian, Hubby and I all ordered from their Sunday Roast menu. Hubby and I went for Lamb which was perfectly cooked and came with lots of fresh vegetables and Kian went for the chicken which was also delicious. Isaac, Eliza and Sebby chose from the children’s menu and because they can be fussy were able to pick and choose what sides they wanted with their main meals.

The Somerford

I have to admit that as it was a Sunday it was fairly busy and the service was not as good as it had been on our last visit, but the meals arrived within 20 minutes of ordering them. We did have to flag the waiter down to clear the table and order our desserts, but once they had been ordered they did arrive within 10 minutes.

The Somerford

All in all we loved the new look of The Somerford Beefeater and will definately return. The only think that would have improved our visit was to have been served by Lyn but I think she must have had a much-needed day off as we didn’t see her.

If you are visiting your local Beefeater it is worth checking their website or app before you visit as we received a BOGOF voucher of the main meals which took our bill down from £76 to £65. That was for two courses and drinks for 3 adults and 3 children which is very reasonable.

Disclaimer: We were given a £50 gift voucher towards our meal for the purposes of a review.

Rock Up

Climbing High at Rock Up Whiteley

My kids adore being outside in the fresh air, but the weather has been so miserable of late that I have been desperately searching for things for them to do. Exercise is brilliant for keeping the kids calm and happy, so anything that can bring the outdoors inside sounds good to me.

Rock Up, Whiteley, is an indoor climbing centre which has been developed to entertain the whole family, no matter what age or ability and we headed there on Saturday to try our hand at climbing some pretty challenging walls.

The best bit about Rock Up is that it really does cater for all ages, as Sebastian (2) and Eliza (4) could charge around the soft play area whilst Hubby, Isaac and Kian got to attempt 26 climbing walls.

Eliza, Sebastian and I hit the Play Area as soon as we arrived whilst the boys headed up stairs for a safety briefing. The play frame is arranged over four levels with lots for children to explore, including slides, swings, a ball pool and obstacles to climb over and crawl under. I loved that they had included climbing holds by the steps so older children could emulate their older siblings who were doing the walls. There was even a baby section for even the tiniest of visitors.

Rock Up and Play

Rock Up is an indoor climbing adventure centre that uses auto belay devices which take up the slack as you climb. There are moving parts on the walls, speed climbs, inflatable climbs and a leap of faith to challenge even the most experienced climbers and the boys could not wait to get stuck in.

Rock Up

When I first saw the walls, although they are high they are in a deceptively small space and I didn’t think there were many of them, however they are carefully arranged to squeeze 26 different climbs into the space and the boys favourite was the clear wall where they could see each other as they raced up opposite each other.

Rock Up Whiteley

You are allocated 90 minutes for each session which includes the safety talk and is plenty of time – all the boys complained they were tired after they had finished!

Rock Up Whiteley

Prices for climbing start from a very reasonable £8 and soft play starts from £4, plus they offer birthday parties too, which seemed to be a big hit as there were a couple there when we were watching. There is also a small onsite cafe serving beverages and snacks.

If you are visiting Hampshire and the weather isn’t playing ball, Rock Up is certainly worth a visit and because it is situated in Whiteley Shopping Centre you can indulge in some retail therapy at the same time!

 

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