Hampshire Archives - Page 5 of 7

The Lost Kingdom at Paultons Park

May 8, 2016

This weekend we were invited to an exciting preview of the new Lost Kingdom at Paultons Park, a new £9m attraction which transports families back millions of years to when dinosaurs roamed the world!

The Lost Kingdom is set within four acres of Jurassic landscape, inspired by the era of fierce velociraptors, flying pterodactyls, giant triceratops and the mighty tyrannosaurus rex and we were amazed by what we saw. The dinosaur walk of old has been brought right up to date with lifelike animatronic dinosaurs and some brilliant new rides as well as a couple of revamped old favourites.

Our first experience of the Lost Kingdom was the Dinosaur Encounter where we came face to face with the Park’s very own, but fortunately quite friendly, captive T-Rex.

The Lost Kingdom has some fantastic new Jurassic-themed family rides including Boulder-Dash, Temple Heights and Dino-Chase; a dinosaur adventure play park, Little Explorers, and The Dinosaur Tour Co – a 4×4 Jurassic Jeep expedition, where you get to discover dinosaurs of all shapes and sizes along with a few surprises along the way and get to earn a Park Ranger License.

Isaac, Eliza and Sebastian loved the Dinosaur Tour Co. although Sebby was a little scared when we went in a dimly lit tunnel and was met with a rather scary looking dinosaur who squirted him with water. Boulder Dash was lots of fun and had us spinning really fast in circles, Temple Heights was a really gentle flying carpet style ride and the adventure play park was lots of fun and the kids got to meet a baby Velociraptor in the shade of a large sand pit.

Paultons Park is home of Peppa Pig World and therefore an instant hit for toddlers but with the addition of the Lost Kingdom there is now something more daring for older children to enjoy with the launch of not one, but two new rollercoasters: Flight of the Pterosaur and Velociraptor.

The Flight of the Pterosaur is a 395m suspended dinosaur coaster, which takes family adventurers swooping high and low around the prehistoric landscape with speeds of up to 35mph. Although Isaac and Eliza were both tall enough for this ride they were not brave enough to try it, leaving me to put it to the test. I have to say it was brilliant, you were held in at the waist which means your upper body is free. Having nothing to hold on to is exhilarating as you soar above the park.

Again I was on my own to take on Velociraptor. This breath-taking 200m dinosaur family coaster drops you from 20m in the air and sweeps around tight bends with speeds of up to 40 mph and then sends you back around the track backwards. I have to say sitting at the back of the coaster sent me to its highest point and it is a lot higher than it looks but was great fun.

The old caterpillar rollercoaster has been given a make-over to become Dino-Chase and I was impressed that Eliza braved it with Nanny, I think I may convert her into a rollercoaster lover very soon. The real highlight of the Lost Kingdom is the realistic animatronic dinosaurs that are scattered through the park, along with life-like sounds.

Of course no visit to Paultons Park would be without visiting Peppa Pig World for Sebastian, who is finally tall enough to ride on George’s Dinosaur Ride (it has been a long time coming) and we spent a couple of hours enjoying the delights of Peppa Pig and her friends.

The Lost Kingdom is a fantastic new addition to Paultons Park and now makes it appeal to families with older children too as along with Magma, The Edge, Wave Runner, Sky Swinger, Log Flume and Cobra, there now enough to keep them occupied all day too.

Disclaimer: We were provided with a family ticket for Paultons Park for the purpose of an honest review.

Thrillseeker Family Fun at Go Ape!

March 20, 2016

As part of our build-up to our cruise in August, Carnival decided to give us a little taste of what us thrillseekers could experience onboard … Read more

Testing Out Eliza’s New Bike at Potterne Park

February 9, 2022February 1, 2016

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

The Stick Man Trail at Moors Valley 2016

January 21, 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.

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.

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.

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.

Climbing High at Rock Up Whiteley

February 9, 2022January 12, 2016

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 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.

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.

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!

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!

Revisiting Portsmouth Historic Dockyard

January 6, 2016

Back in July 2015 we visited Portsmouth Historic Dockyard and found that there was so much to see and do that you could not fit it all into one day.

On New Years Eve we headed to Portsmouth to visit Spinnaker Tower and as we have annual passes to the dockyard we decided to head back and see what we missed back in July.

Our first port off call was HMS Warrior 1860 which was the fastest, largest and most powerful warship in the world when she was launched. She was Britain’s first iron-hulled, armoured warship and the pride of Queen Victoria’s Fleet with a combination of iron sides, which offered protection from the exploding shells and the ability to carry large guns, changed the nature of marine warfare.

HMS Warrior has been beautifully restored both inside and out and provides a valuable insight into what life was like onboard an elite warship from the Victorian era.

Once we had finished we had a bit of a breather and headed into Action Stations where the kids got to steam around the activity centre, fire (pretend) guns, fly helicopters in a simulator and try out some science experiments.

Last time we visited Portsmouth Historic Dockyard we looked around HMS Victory ourselves, stopping to ask the guides who were dotted around the ship questions. This time we had a set time to visit and went around on a small group with a guide that explained everything in fine detail. It was fascinating looking into the lives of those on board and I was surprised at how engaged Eliza and Isaac were – both asked lots of questions. Sebby on the other hand decided it was time for a snooze on Daddy’s shoulder.

Our final ship of the day opened in August 2015 and was the HMS M.33 and the sole remaining British veteran of the bloody Dardanelles Campaign of 1915-1916, and the Russian Civil War which followed. The ship is one of just three British warships from World War I still in existence.

HMS M.33 was built in 1915 on the orders of the First Lord of the Admiralty, Winston Churchill. She was a floating gun platform designed to bombard coastal positions from the sea and she was a lot smaller than I initially imagined.

We were greeted aboard the ship and told some of her history and then were allowed to wander unaccompanied throughout the ship. We were warned that it was dark inside and at one point of the tour, there were videos being projected against the walls with loud acoustics of guns and warfare. I would have liked to stay and watch more of this as it was fascinating, but the kids were scared so we may go back and revisit when they are at school, but the kids were told to look out for the ships cat which kept them busy.

By now the weather was starting to close in and it started pouring with rain. We had planned returning to Spinnaker Tower to take in the view in the dark but the weather got the better of us, so we headed back to Action Stations so Isaac could do the climbing wall which had been too busy before.

Of course the boys wanted to man the guns again so I decided to have a go too – strangely therapeutic blowing up pretend arm vehicles!!

It was a very wet and windy walk back to the car, but was a lovely way to spend New Years Eve and we ended the year as we started – adventurously!

Climbing High in Spinnaker Tower

February 9, 2022January 5, 2016

Soaring 170 metres above Portsmouth Harbour and the Solent, the Emirates Spinnaker Tower is taller than the London Eye, Blackpool Tower and Big Ben and we have been itching to climb it since it first opened way back in 2005.

Ten years on and we have finally made it!

The weather has been quite frankly awful in recent weeks with torrential rain and high winds, but we saw a break in the pattern of a few hours and decided to make the most of it. My weather app on my phone told me that we had a period of six hours which promised to be dry, however we did start to worry it may be a wasted journey as the heaven’s opened for most of the 45 minutes drive to Portsmouth but as we arrived the sun made an appearance too.

We were surprised that the signposts led us to Gunwharf Quay as I had assumed it was closer to Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, but we found it tucked behind some restaurants on the Quay. Our bags were searched and we were scanned by metal detectors at the entrance before purchasing our tickets and having our photo taken on a green screen.

It was then time to take the express lift which takes all of 30 seconds to the first of the Three view Decks whilst the lift operator told us what to expect.

With full height glass walls which surround you on three sides, it really is a WOW! moment as you exit the lift as the windows allow you uninterrupted panoramic views across the city, harbour, sea and coastline. At this point you are 100m above sea level and if you are brave enough there is Sky Walk to walk across (or jump if you are my children). The unique glass floor is made up of 4 panes, each of which measure 2050 x 950mm, giving the floor at total area of 7.79m2. The overall thickness of the glass is 60mm and can hold a total weight of 288 stone – plenty of room to run across.

Of course the real treat is the breathtaking 350 degree city, country and seascapes which stretches over 23 miles. The weather wasn’t perfect for us although we did manage to witness a brief sunny spell, but it was fascinating watching a storm front rolling across the Isle of Wight, brushing past us and then heading back out over the sea. A great learning opportunity for the kids.

We also had a fantastic view of the dockyard and HMS Victory and HMS Warrior. There are several i-View monitors on this floor which are interactive multi-touch screens which allow you to find out more about the many points of interest in the view, zoom in to get a closer look and switch between a clear day or magical night-time view. Isaac even got to drive a speedboat!

You can take the lift up to the 2nd and 3rd viewing decks but we chose to take the stairs, heading for Deck 3 first which is the highest deck with an altitude of 110m above sea level. When we were told in the lift that this deck was open to the elements I was looking forward to seeing the views without rain spotted glass in front of me, but sadly, the Sky Deck only lets the wind catch your hair as it is just the roof which is missing, with a large net like material above your heads.

Deck 2 is home to Cafe in the Clouds which offers hot and cold drinks and cakes to enjoy along with the breathtaking views.

We spent about an hour and a half in the tower and our hands were stamped so we could return anytime during the day, however we decided to head to the dockyard to look around some of the ships we had missed on our previous visit.

Christmas Fun at Peppa Pig World

February 9, 2022December 10, 2015

Visiting Peppa Pig World at Paultons Park at Christmas time has become a Christmas tradition for us with a visit in 2013 and 2014 and this year it is the youngest member of the family who adores everything Peppa – well George to be precise.

We have visited Peppa Pig World with Sebastian a few times but this weekend was the time when he really appreciated what was going on. As soon as he spotted the sign he shouted Peppa, running and pointing as he went. Peppa Pig World this time of year is nice and quiet and we didn’t queue for more than ten minutes at any point in the day, often walking straight onto the rides.

Sebastian doesn’t talk much although he is saying more and more by the week, so even I was surprised when he spotted each character dotted around the park and called them by their name – the little monkey can obviously say much more than I thought but chooses not to!

Our first ride of the day was Miss Rabbits helicopter which took us for a spin high in the sky above everyone’s heads, followed by the big balloon ride where the kids insisted on spinning us as fast as they could.

Sebastian was so excited he couldn’t decide which ride he wanted to do next, so we chose them by which queue was the shortest to make the most of our day and it was Grandpa Pigs Boats and his mini-a-ture locomotive next.

What I love about Peppa Pig World at Christmas is that even though the weather was grey and miserable the whole park is lit up with magical fairy lights and lots of beautifully decorated Christmas trees around every corner.

As we got on Daddy Pig’s Car Ride the heavens decided to open so we retreated to George’s Spaceship Play Zone where the kids got to race around in the dry before having some lunch. Thankfully the rain didn’t last long and I spotted that Peppa and George had come outside to meet their adoring fans, so we raced over to meet them, although Sebby wasn’t sure at first as they are huge!

Our visit to Peppa Pig World was provided by Pampers to take part in their 12 hour challenge for the ultimate test for the unbeaten dryness and convenience of Pampers Baby Dry Pants as parents have said that trips to adventure parks with young children can be a challenge. Peppa Pig World know this and their facilities for small people are second to none – they have toddler toilet seats on every toilet for those that are toilet trained and large changing facilities for children who still wear nappies. Pampers Baby Dry pants have clever Micro Pearls that absorb liquids up to 30 times their weight and lock wetness away deep at the core, giving your baby up to 12 hours of dryness, even during sleep. The tear-away sides make changing so easy; just pull on, then tear off and dispose when it’s time for a change. They also have a sticky tab at the back to roll them up after use to keep their contents in the nappy when disposing. I prefer using pants on Sebby as being a curious toddler he hates having his nappy changed and less time spent on tricky changes means more time for playing, plus they keep him as dry and comfy as a traditional nappy.

We spent the next hour racing around the park before finishing off with the rides we had missed. Sadly Sebby and Eliza were both too small to go on George’s Dinosaur ride so we watched as Isaac bounced around the track and then they span me even faster than before on Windy Castle and had final ride on Grandpa Pig’s train.

The spinning theme continued aboard the Victorian Carousel and we visited the new Critter Creek which opened earlier this year and is a fully themed world of strange mixed-up creatures known as the ‘Curious Critters’!

Of course being almost Christmas there is also another guest that we had to visit in their Winter Wonderland – Father Christmas! Inside the Christmas Wonderland you step into a festive dreamworld with adorable animated characters greet you at your every turn as you make your way through the enchanted winter snow scene. You cannot miss Rudolph and Donner the singing reindeer from the north pole before seeing the elves working hard in the Toy Factory to finish all the gifts and presents in time for Christmas Eve.

Thank you Pampers and Paultons Park, we had a fabulous time and Sebastian remained dry and comfortable throughout the day, giving him the change to play as much as he wanted.