Jump to content

Recommended Posts

My sister and her husband/kids are coming over from Holland this summer and wanted to combine a visit to us with a holiday somewhere in the South (of the UK). They will be driving so any destination within about 4-5 hours of London is fine. Husband is a self confessed snob (well, grain of salt there) so camping is out.


The 8 year old is very active, masters any sport within 5 minutes, I can see him on a dirt bike track. The 10 year old would probably like being near the coast. My sister likes anything pretty and romantic.


What destinations should they consider? I don't think they mind whether it's self catering or not.


Thanks for any ideas!

Lyme Regis.

Beautiful little town, very romantic (The Cobb) great beaches, the ammonite pavement, a walk up to Golden Cap, a fossil walk, booked from the Old Fossil Shop, or from Charmouth fossil centre. Beer is a lovely pretty near-by place to visit and you can hire a motor boat and mackerel line. You can also go on mackerel fishing trips from Lyme Regis.

There are nice cafes and smart restaurants, book self-catering accommodation through LymeBay Holidays, or similiar.

Babington House is great, especially if you get one of the family rooms. Plenty of space and activities for kids, cowshed treatments for mums, great food. Thoroughly recommended. They only have limited availability for non-members but I have recently seen them available through Mr and Mrs Smith so worth giving them a call?

Why not look for a cottage in Devon or Cornwall - try ownersdirect.com


However, the comment about your husband's view on camping made me smile as every campsite I have ever been to (and we go about 4 times a year) is about as middle class as you can get with an on site organic farm shop, pick your own vegetables and early morning cricket in Boden pyjamas .... I think he may have the wrong end of the stick :)

They have CenterParcs in Holland. Personally I don't see any point in coming over here and then going to an on-site place that could just as easily be in their home country. Center Parcs are all of a muchness. Wouldn't they rather go somewhere genuinely English and different?


What about a chalet at Sandy balls? Or at Kelling Heath in Norfolk?

How about Camber Sands? Lots of sand dunes and Rye is nearby.

There are lots of holiday parks around, but if thats not your thing there are also some lovely hotels too.

We stayed at The place at the Beach a few years ago and really enjoyed it.

Thanks for the feedback all.


Carbonara I'm not keen on Center Parks myself (ehm never been but am judging nevertheless) and my sister didn't sound too interested either. So far they seem most keen on Dorset (Lyme Regis) hoping to be able to do some snorkling, climbing etc there.


LOL about the "Boden cricket games" at campsites prdarling! I think that when my brother in law hears this he'll say that in that case you might as well sleep in a proper bed ;)


Speaking of camping, my husband suggested we take our 2 and 4 year olds camping "properly" this summer, i.e. to a tiny basic campsite with a few friends some of which also have kids - 2 or 3 nights in a family tent and another few nights in a log cabin. Am pretty excited about the idea.


Anyway thanks again for the ideas (Sandy Balls, Kelling Heath, Camber Sands etc), will pass those on to my sister as well!

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Latest Discussions

    • It shouldn't be a difficult DIY job. Replacement cylinders are available here are a couple  https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/236294046742  https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/177388193151 What is the make and model of your chair?? Unless its a Herman Miller then its worth fixing but some other may not be worth it.
    • Returning to the question, although still not directly answering I'm afraid as ive not lived on that road: I have previously lived in a house where the railway line was behind the house and over a playing field, and also in a flat blocked from the railway line by at least one more block worth of houses. I would not live that close to a railway line again. In the house the noise with the windows open always disturbed me at night. And you need to bear it mind it is not just the timetables of passenger trains you need to consider, at night time there could be freight trains too. That was my problem in the flat: not noise, I was shielded from that, but the weight of the freight trains passing made the whole building shake enough to wake me up. If you are a sounder sleeper or less sensitive to noise it could be fine. I would suggest checking if freight trains use that route though.
    • Thanks TWB, that is all really useful. However, if  memory serves, The Fox Project actually directed me to The Fox Angels when I phoned them, and had no facilities in this area for sending anybody out themselves. They seem to be based in Tunbridge Wells. The Greenwich Wildlife Network also just suggests other organisations who may help in certain situations. To the best of my knowledge, however, for situations involving foxes, including injured or ill  foxes, Fox Angels are the only people who have someone available very locally who can come out virtually immediately (I waited maybe half an hour after I phoned them). The person who came had all the necessary equipment to move the fox, was very gentle and caring, and took the fox to a local vet (it sadly died). It's possible that if you phoned a local vet they would help, if you could get the fox there. The RSPCA has guidelines on what to do if you find an  animal in need,  however although they have recently had a campaign on this (and sent me a badge and a copy of the guidelines on a pocket sized card) I can't find them online. I attach a photo. Don't know if the QR code would work from a photo.    
    • My mum (91 years young!) well remembers going to Austin's as a child, which she described as an 'Aladdin's Cave'!  She absolutely loved it - and is still a shopping fiend to this day (I 'blame' Austin's 😉). Going back up Peckham Rye, passing Austin's on your right hand-side, just past Phillips Walk (so not far from Austin's at all), I believe there was a British Relay Wireless shop - this would have been in the late 1930s/early 1940s.  Does anyone know anything about this? My grandad (my mum's dad) used to manage it; it was severely damaged in The Blitz - but I am having trouble locating it.  Mum's memory is dim (she was 6 at the time); she originally thought it was in Rye Lane, but we think now it was in Peckham Rye just up from Phillips Walk (originally Phillips Road). 
Home
Events
Sign In

Sign In



Or sign in with one of these services

Search
×
    Search In
×
×
  • Create New...