days out by public transport?

[mima08]

Hi - I seem to remember a great thread with lots of suggestions for family day trips by public transport - or was I dreaming? We would like to get out of London for the day on Sat, with our 2.5yrs old, trying to avoid a car journey...

Any suggestions?

mx

[bluesuperted]

Would love ideas for this, just came back to see what people had put and no replies yet. I'm especially interested those that a) don't involve the tube and b) go from Forest Hill and into other stations with step free access!

Any ideas? Particularly keen on beaches, don't mind train journey being long, more about the step free access as will be slinging baby and using bugaboo bee for toddler and general day trip detritus!

[mima08]

Hi - nope, no replies: seems not many ideas about days out by PT (does that say something about public transport?). In any case, we ended up going to Brighton by train: Overground from Peckham Rye to Clapham Junction, then train. If you can get to PR without having to go up the stairs & change platforms, it's step free...

A lot of fun was had!

[enjoy]

I love to go to broadstairs, but l dont know if thats easy by train.

The beach is a bay direct in front of the small town.

Lovely, small, calm water, short ways to shops and restaurants.

When mine were younger l went with them all by myself as l felt it easy to handle there.

But as l said, not sure about the train connection

[StraferJack]

I think it might be the number of times thread like this have been posted, and less to do with public transport

On previous threads i have always recommended Eynesford. Half an hour from Peckham rye, aquaduct, eagle sanctuary, lovely village, paddling in the river etc

Beach tends to be brighton

[mima08]

Thanks for the tip about Eynesford!

I did think there were threads on this subject and had done a good bit of search before posting. There are some great threads on days out - I've taken notes for future inspiration - just could not find ones on PT only, hence my question.

[StraferJack]

sorry, wasn't meaning to knock the thread - I too did same search and found same as you. But we both (and therefore likely others) probably though "been done before, someone (else) will point that way again"

Car or public transport tho, day trips TEND to be London based, just because there is so much to do and some of it takes so long to get there in any case. Or we are visiting friends in parts of the shires I may not want to visit otherwise

But if I'm going somewhere nice and "different to London" I try and make it worthwhile by staying at least one night - although that has obvious cost implications

Another (far more sandy) beach is Bournemouth. It is a fag to get to so you might bot think qualifies as a day trip - but as I tend to do that day trip a few times a month for work I'm including it!

[mima08]

Thanks for the tips, SF - and agree, people probably thought someone else will pitch in :)

There are some really great threads on here - I had some time ago copied links into an off-line document for inspiration, but with a recent software change I managed to lose a number of documents, including that one (annoying!).

Most trips out of London appear to be by car - which I guess is partly why it takes so long to get anywhere: just getting out of SE is a nightmare. As my son is not a good traveller, I prefer going by pt, though.

As for staying overnight ... costs mean more planning is needed - I guess an indication of lack of organisation on my part.

Will look up Bournemouth as well - for the staycation holiday days!

[katgod]

If you can get to Fenchurch Street (number 40 bus) you can get a train to Leigh on Sea, Chalkwell, westcliff or THorpe Bay - basically all beaches in suburbs of Southend. Southend Central is on the High Street (M& S, Debenhams etc) and the best staion for the pier, arcades, Adventure Island (mini theme park type place with roller coaster etc) chip shops etc. The other places mentioned are less busy beaches but all the staions are pretty close to the sea front, esp Chalkwell. the train line follows the coast. Or could go East London Line then Jubillee and get on the c2c line at West Ham.

Or Train to Croydon where there is step free access to the platform that the Eastbourne trains go from. Or to Waterloo for Portsmouth and Gun Wharf (good shopping) and Mary Rose etc. In fact Waterloo for pretty much everywhere on south coast!

[oimissus]

I think this is the thread you were after?

http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?29,1101578,1102950#msg-1102950

[mima08]

Ah, brilliant - yes, that was one of them! Silly me - I kept searching "public transport" with lots of variations on "days out" but not train, dhu!