Family Holiday Guide 2017 EDITION 44,000 Holiday Homes in Europe Book Online Or Call Today!
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GreTheen Parent Family Holiday Guide 2017 EDITION 44,000 Holiday homes in Europe Book online www.novasol.co.uk or call today! Croatia Italy FROM FROM £499pw £419 pw CDZ772 ISS998 Spain FROM £769pw ECB588 FROM £589 pw France FROM FROM £599pw £529pw EAN789 FBF709 FLG290 www.novasol.co.uk I 0845 680 5856 Prices are based on per property, per week, on selected dates in October 2017, they are subject to availability and Terms of Rental apply. 1346_1116_Campaign Guardian_230_175mm_UK.indd 1 16-11-2016 13:46:24 GreTheen Parent Family Holiday Guide 2017 We are so pleased to share our 2017 Family Holiday Guide with you. Here you’ll find plenty of inspiring ideas for your next family holiday from farm stays to luxurious glamping spots, adventure holidays to the very best cottages to rent around the British Isles. We included the important bits like family facilities and green credentials to help you make the right decision for your brood. Features Writer, Kate Hodges has drawn inspiration from all over the land and compiled her very favourite places to go wild and explore with children. Think mystical caves and tree-climbing adventures. We wish you a joyful time exploring all that our beautiful country has to offer using this guide as your starting point. Please mention The Green Parent Family Holiday Guide when booking your holiday KEY TO SYMBOLS Beach Nearby Baby Equipment Wood burner or Fire Outdoor Play Equipment Wifi Pets Allowed Swimming Pool CONTENTS: SOUTH WEST 4 • SOUTH EAST 12 • CENTRAL 16 • NORTH 21 WALES 25 • SCOTLAND 30 • NATIONWIDE 32 • OVERSEAS 34 Editor Melissa Corkhill [email protected] • Features Writer Kate Hodges [email protected] • Art Director Jez Harris [email protected] Advertising Sales, Emma Moss, Emma Parfitt, Brian Shilling Tel 01892 677740 [email protected] • We are an editorially led magazine, which means intelligent, non-biased journalism. Advertising space is available to those companies with a desire to make the world a greener, more positive place. Address The Green Parent magazine, PO Box 104, East Hoathly, Lewes, BN7 9AX www.thegreenparent.co.uk • Subscriptions [email protected] SUBSCRIBE TO THE GREEN PARENT TODAY: thegreenparent.subscribeonline.co.uk 3 The Jurassic Coast. WHERE Dorset’s beautiful shoreline doesn’t just TO GO have a pretty face; it tells the story of the history of the Earth. Its layers of sedimentary rock are formed from deserts, tropical seas, ancient forests and SOUTH WEST lush swamps; you’ll The South West is a find spectacular mystical mixture of cliffs, arches and dramatic cliffs, stunning columns packed emerald seas, moors with fossils from studded with stone millions of years ago. circles and orchards Visit the Charmouth groaning with fruit. Visit Heritage Coast Centre for tales of old Britain, (charmouth.org/chcc) surfing culture or a to find out more about traditional bucket- THE JURASSIC COAST fossils, then go on a and-spade holiday. safari to find your own. family-friendly stretches in child-friendly classes GO WILD of coast in a region that work for all abilities. CHEDDAR GORGE that’s brimming with Splash out on a private storybook sands. It’s the family surf-top tour of perfect place to learn a the estuary for a holiday With its enormous watersport - try surfing or adventure that will stay dunes and soft, white stand up paddle boarding with you long after sum- sand, Cranstock Beach is at the Big Green Surf mer sun has faded. big one of the most beautiful, School who specialise greensurfschool.com CRANSTOCK BEACH From the crests of includes using its dramatic cliffs lifelines, squeezing to the depths of through tiny gaps, its stalactite-laced and crawling across caverns, Britain’s the ‘Bottomless Pit’. biggest gorge is Stick around the area packed with beauty to explore bat-filled and adventure. caverns, chambers Cheddar Gorge that were home to (cheddargorge.co.uk) prehistoric people, is a centre for rock and the incredible climbing and caving – view across the its beginner adventure Somerset Levels from caving expedition the Lookout Tower. 4 FAMILY HOLIDAY GUIDE 2017 thegreenparent.co.uk The people of WEIRD Zennor tell a story that many years HISTORY ago, a strangely dressed woman A small island, at would visit St Senara’s some times cut Church, singing off by the tides, beautifully, and never St Michael’s Mount ageing. She tempted (stmichaelsmount. local man Mathey co.uk) has always Trewella away, who been a place for followed her home pilgrims to seek and vanished. Years truths and where later, a mermaid miracles are said to resembling the happen, perhaps woman asked some due to the ley lines local sailors to move which cross at its their ship, as their heart. Find out anchor was blocking her doorway. The about the story of ST MICHAEL’S MOUNT Cormoran the giant sailors realised that who lived on the the mermaid was mount, and how Dozmary Pool on local evil magistrate Jan the woman from the he was was slain Bodmin Moor is not Tregeagle, who is said church. The story by a young boy just a beautiful place to have murdered his is commemorated called Jack. Look to visit; it’s also the wife and made a pact by a carving of for Cormoran’s setting for many stories with the Devil, was set the half-lady-half- stone heart in the and fables. It’s said to the impossible task of fish on a bench in cobbled streets of be where Sir Bedivere emptying the lake using Zennor Church the Mount; if you threw Excalibur after only a limpet shell. Bring (en.wikipedia.org/ stand quietly you’re King Arthur was mortally your own shells and see wiki/St_Senara’s_ said to be able to wounded – why not have how difficult that job Church,_Zennor); hear it beating. a hunt for it on the shore might be! (wikipedia.org/ DOZMARY POOL make a visit and see of the lake? It’s also where wiki/Dozmary_Pool) her for yourself. Find the biggest the youngest children. RAINY The National selection of sharks Spot glowing jellyfish, Maritime Museum and rays in the UK at fragile corals, huge, DAYS in Falmouth tells the National Marine 2.5m lemon sharks, the story of the Aquarium (national- and Snorkel, the A must-visit area’s seafaring aquarium.co.uk) in loggerhead turtle. The destination, the Eden heritage and heroes. Plymouth. The huge centre has a strong Project (edenproject. Its five floors are tanks are filled with focus on sympathetic com) in Cornwall is a filled with boats that spectacular beasts understanding of place to enjoy whatever include Ben Ainslie’s that inspire a love of the ocean and is a the weather. Explore Finn in which he won sea creatures in even conservation charity. the huge geodesic his Olympic Gold domes that simulate Medal, kayaks and different environments dinghies. Plus you from rainforests to can explore under Mediterranean, and EDEN PROJECT the sea without are packed with plants. getting wet, climb There’s a secret slide you’ll find interactive a 100ft tower and entrance into the exhibits that include a romp around the Core, a building based giant nutcracker, the kids play area. on the structure of huge Seed sculpture (nmmc.co.uk) NATIONAL MARINE AQUARIUM a sunflower where and a soft play area. FAMILY HOLIDAY GUIDE 2017 thegreenparent.co.uk 5 South West Railholiday Ltd Crowned the most sustainable tourism business of 2016 by Visit England, Railholiday offer railway carriage accommodation in two Cornish locations. In the pretty riverside village of St Germans are Mevy, with sumptuous first class bedroom and bespoke fairytale triple bunks, and the pet friendly Travelling Post Office with wood-burning stove and trainspotter’s top bunk with fine views over the Cornish railway. There’s also ten acres of private woodland to explore. In Hayle, 1950’s Harry Potter style carriage Harvey is perfect for a bucket and spade holiday and big enough to accommodate friends, pets and grandparents too. Within walking distance of beaches and surf schools, Harvey makes a great base for exploring Poldark country and FACILITIES FOR FAMILIES the attractions of West Cornwall. In a large enclosed wildlife garden St Germans; Games Room and Play Area, Toys, Swingball, with swings, playhouse and train viewing deck, there’s plenty of space Woodland Nature Trail. Hayle; Signalbox Playhouse, Wildlife Pond, to let off steam. Railholiday offer £25 off for families arriving by train. Swings, Swingball, Large Enclosed Garden, Toys, Campfire Area. GREEN CREDENTIALS Wildlife Gardens, Woodland, Local Welcome Pack, Solar Panels, Biomass Heating, Community Rooted, Green Electricity, Excellent Public Transport, Recycling, Locally Crafted Furniture, Grey Water System ADDRESS Haparanda Station, St Germans, Saltash, Cornwall PL12 5LU WEB railholiday.co.uk TEL 01503 230783 EMAIL [email protected] SLEEPS 4 to 13 PRICES FROM Weekly: £495 Short Stay: £295 Middlewick Holiday Cottages Lovingly restored 17th Century Farmstead set on 16 acres of fields, pastures and orchards at the base of Glastonbury Tor. The family and dog friendly holiday complex consists of 10 Stone cottages, 2 wooden cabins and 3 Glamping Cabins, all newly renovated and well equipped. The property is within easy walking distance to the town of Glastonbury or a short drive to the historical city of Wells. It is also close to other Somerset attractions such as Cheddar Gorge and Wookey Hole. Longleat, Bath, Bristol and Stonehenge are easy day trips. Open all year round, there is an indoor swimming pool and steam room. There are plenty of animals to enjoy around the farm as well as lots of outdoor space for playing.