I was recently the guest of Tots100 at River Cottage in Devon, a cottage known across the land for it's beautiful homegrown locally sourced produce. Set in 100 acres of uneven and tricky land on a hill outside Axminster, the farm is accessed via a gloriously bumpy tractor ride, which wends it's way downhill depositing a slightly shaken version of yourself in front of an apple tree.From there we meandered down to a yurt tucked into a grassy … [Read more...]
A ticket to Dreamland Margate’s newest attraction
Margate has seen a lot of changes in the past few years, the latest of which is the opening of Dreamland- Margate's newest attraction- the re-imagined funfair that has been a part of Margate's landscape since the 1880's, though the name came in the 1920's when the park's scenic (and listed) rollercoaster popped it's head above the facade of shops and arcades along the seafront. Since 2003, the lot has been vacant and decaying, and the town … [Read more...]
Home Exchange FAQ
If you read Ten Reasons you should try Home Swapping you will undoubtedly have questions. I get asked a lot of questions about the home exchanges that we do from people who are either curious or genuinely very keen, and so I thought I'd do a Home Exchange FAQ to help answer some of them. 1. Do people get to look in your underwear drawer? The first question always relates to underwear. And I would say yes, they do- or rather they could. But also … [Read more...]
Duinrell Holland may be the best holiday you’ll ever have
I'll confess that when the DH told me we were going to be staying in a Lodge Tent, I didn't immediately picture Holland. But when we spent May half-term glamping at Duinrell last year, I was won over. In fact if you have come across me in real life or online talking holidays since then, you're likely to have heard all about it. DH and I may well be responsible for the Lodge Tents being booked out this year, so enthusiastic are we about it as a … [Read more...]
Days Out with Kids: Drusilla’s Park, Sussex
Dimples knew immediately that she wasn't going on the school trip. She was so ill she didn't even cry. So whilst her school class went to Drusilla's Park, Sussex - a trip she had looked forward to all term- she lay on the sofa, alternately sleeping and being sick. I was heartbroken. And then, a few days later, I received an email inviting me to a Drusilla's Park Press Day- to celebrate Drusilla's 90th birthday- in the Easter holidays and was … [Read more...]
Family Travel: Camping Pods at Port Lympne
I have always held a picture in my head of what it must be like to camp in the wilderness and awake to the sounds of Big Cats calling to one another. As it turns out I didn't even have to get on a plane to experience it, for Port Lympne have brought Kenya to Kent. And earlier this month they launched their Pinewood Camping Pods, allowing families to come to the Port Lympne Park and sleep next door to the animals usually found on reserves … [Read more...]
Knights, Dragons and Fairy Tales: Family Fun at Leeds Castle
You can never really rely on the weather in the UK, which is how we found ourselves visiting Leeds Castle on a snowy day at the end of February. The white carpet had dissolved by the time we arrived after lunch last Sunday but the drama was still plentiful. Leeds Castle, nestled in the heart of Kent, rather than Yorkshire, is imposing but not in a scary way. It's a castle of fairy tales, surrounded by water and looking out across green … [Read more...]
