Adventures at Longlands Adventures on Exmoor & North Devon
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Adventures at Longlands Longlands has a boating lake and 2 skiffs: Oxford & Cambridge, so you can race around the island in your very own Boat Race! Each boat can take one adult and one child. Life jackets of varying sizes are provided. There are stream walks and nature trails in our woods, and lots of sticks with which to practice den building. We have a number of outdoor games including petanque/boules, cricket, rounders and badmington, all of which can be played in the lakeside meadow. There is a football goal on the football field, a cricket net above it and a basketball & netball hoop near the Larder. So score a goal, hit a run or shoot a hoop! Our streamside and woodland walks are very sheltered, so are excellent for rainy days. Bug hunt along the stream, discover animal tracks and perhaps even spot deer in the woods. Our shop is stocked with lots of adventure kits including Bug Hunting, Ponding dipping, Bird spotting and even Den kits and kites! Within the lodges themselves we have a box of favourite family games including Monopoly, Scrabble, Cluedo, Risk, Jengo, Dominoes, Uno & playing cards, and in the Larder you’ll find plenty of books to borrow. Next to the Longlands Larder there is a covered area with Table Tennis & Giant Jenga and within the shop itself there are colouring and activity books to provide endless entertainment even on the wettest of days. Exmoor is the best place for stargazing in the UK, according to the Campaign for Dark Skies. In fact it is the first designated International Dark Sky Reserve in Europe - and Longlands looks directly on to it - Definitely worth staying up for on a clear night. Download the Exmoor National Park Dark Skies Guide on exmoor-nationalpark.gov.uk/ environment/landscape/dark-skies/?a=164534 Adventures on Exmoor & North Devon Walk, surf or swim at the award winning Woolacombe Beach. Its three and a half miles of beautiful golden sands are only 20 minutes away. For those who want to learn to surf, Hunter Surf provides wetsuits along with boards so no matter what the sea temperature you should be warm! And as a Longlands guest you can enjoy a 15% discount on any lesson price. Just call Enrique or Will on 01271 870543 for Surfing, Coasteering and Stand Up Paddling Boarding and tell them you are staying at Longlands and quote my name, Bella, as proof! Alternatively, we have arranged an exclusive Surfing package for Longlands guests with Lyndon Wake Surf School in Croyde, including collection from & return to your lodge. A half day session with a 2 and half hour lesson, including equipment and a private instructor for the group is £50 per person, or for a full day with 2 surfing sessions or one surfing and one coasteer session, with lunch included between session is £90 per person. An fantastic opportunity, and you may even be lucky enough to be taught by Andrew Cotton, who recently surfed what was thought to be the largest wave ever at 80 feet! Call Lyndon on 01271 891200. For those wanting an adventure with an adrenaline rush try Coasteering at Watermouth, Rock climbing & abseiling in the Valley of the Rocks or mountain biking along some of Exmoor’s 400 miles of bridleways. All these activities are provided by Exmoor Adventures. Call Dan on 07976 208279. For a completely different view of the North Devon Coast take to the air on a Tandem Hang Glide with Fly Like a Bird. Most flights are over Woolacombe Beach with stunning views out to Lundy. Call Sam on 07875 247389. If you would prefer to paddle along the coast line in a more reclined position then hire a Kayak from Surf Side in Combe Martin. A wonderful way to see explore the coast and perhaps even catch sight of Dave the Dolphin! Call Gary on 01271 883220. The Tarka Trail, with its stunning views of the North Devon coast, is only minutes away from Longlands, and Heddon Valley, Watersmeet and Valley of the Rocks are not much further. We have numerous books full of local walks or maps of Exmoor walks that guests can borrow. If you are a keen cyclist bring your bike and book a guided ride with Propello to enjoy stunning views, quiet roads, good food and a real sense of achievement, whatever your ability. Cycling on Exmoor and the surrounding area is a climber’s delight with numerous entries in the official 100 Greatest Cycling Climbs in Britain Guide. Exmoor is also home to the famous Exmoor Beauty & Exmoor Beast Cycle sportive, the newly created Smuggler sportive and a stage of the Tour of Wessex and Tour of Britain! To book a guided ride with a fully qualified Coach call Rob on 07779 136840 For more relaxed cycling the Tarka Trail, along the estuary and around Braunton Burrows, is a lovely flat family friendly cycle ride and Fremington Quay is a fantastic destination or half way point. Seriously good sandwiches & cakes, particularly if you’ve earned them from cycling miles! Bikes can be hired from Otter Bikes in Braunton (The Old Pottery, Station Road, EX33 2AQ). Call 01271 813339. If you prefer your bike with an engine then try Quad biking! Quad Biking Devon caters for all ages from 6 years, for all abilities, and apparently “the wetter, the better!” Call 01271 862247. Dean Riding Stables, just over the hill from Longlands, offer lessons or hacks over Exmoor. Call Tracey or Ashley on 01598 763565. To ride on Woolacombe beach and through the dunes call Woolacombe Riding Stables on 01271 870260 deanridingstables.co.uk / woolacombe-ridingstables.co.uk Take a Sea Safari and enjoy a totally different view of the North Devon coast. Spot a dolphin. Spy a seal. Bounce over some waves and zoom over the water. Call 01271 863398 ilfracombeseasafari.co.uk Escape to the magical island of Lundy just a two hour boat ride from Ilfracombe. Spot a puffin. Meet a Lundy pony. Take a walk and hunt for the Lundy Letterboxes. Admire the views. Enjoy a delicious meal & pint at the Marisco Tavern. Book a day trip by calling 01271 863636 landmarktrust.org.uk/lundyisland Let us know if you would like us to book any of these activities for you before your arrival, as they may be booked up if you leave it until you get here. Dog Sitting Trudie Norman, one of the Longlands team, offers a dog sitting service if you need to leave your dog for a few hours or half day. Call her on 07792 536493. If you wish to leave your dog for a longer period call Shirley from Dog Walking- Sitting on 07765 154549 or 01271 812340. Rainy Day Suggestions Exmoor Zoo (5miles): Meet the Beast of Exmoor and its babies(!), walk on the wildside, be a keeper for a day, feed the lemurs, meerkats and penguins. EX31 4SG / 01598 763352 / exmoorzoo.co.uk The Wildlife and Dinosaur Park in Combe Martin (2miles): Swim with sea lions, feed the lions, shadow a keeper, or fly a bird of prey. EX34 0NG / 01271 882486 / wildlifedinosaurpark.co.uk Arlington Court (4miles): Discover a house full of treasures and secrets, spy on rare horseshoe bats, enjoy a carriage ride and explore the National Trust Carriage museum. EX31 4LP / 01271 850296 / nationaltrust.org.uk/arlington-court The Aquarium in Ilfracombe (9miles): Journey from an Exmoor stream to the Atlantic Ocean without ever leaving the Old Lifeboat House. EX34 9EQ / 01271 864533. / ilfracombeaquarium.co.uk Watermouth Castle Theme Park (5.5Miles): Descend into the dungeons, get lost in the Maze, marvel at the Watershow Extravaganza, get wet and wild in the water and adventure park. EX34 9SL / 01271 867474. / watermouthcastle.co.uk Woody Bay Station (6.5miles): Enjoy the last narrow-gauge railway adventure and see the start of an immense restoration project to restore the legendary Lynton and Barnstaple Railway. A must for any small Thomas the Tank Engine fan! EX31 4RA / lynton-rail.co.uk Paint a Pot, Braunton (13 miles): Indulge your inner artist and create a ceramic masterpiece! They will even post your creation home to you. EX33 2JL / 01271 813999 / paintapot-braunton.co.uk Rock & Rapids, South Molton (16 miles): Try your hand at climbing the indoor climbing wall. EX36 3NA / 01769 573380 / rockandrapidadventures.co.uk The Big Sheep, Bideford (22 miles): Ride a tractor, a train, the piggy pull along, a swan pedal or the vintage pony carousel. Race a sheep, cuddle a rabbit, somersault on the Jumping Pillow or whiz down the slide and drop into the ball pit. The perfect day out for younger children. EX39 5AP / 01237 472366 / thebigsheep.co.uk The Ultimate Adventure Centre, Bideford (22 miles): Wipeout on the ultimate assault course, brave the high wires, zoom down the hill on a mountain board, get giddy zorbing, climb the wall, kayak on the Torridge estuary. The ultimate adrenaline rush for older children, teenagers and dare devil adults! Voted No 1 Top Adventure weekend for kids. EX39 5AP /01237 880028 / theultimatehigh.com Dunster Castle near Minehead (28 miles): Find the secret passage, explore the crypt, play the piano, enjoy snooker, handle a real shot gun, enjoy breathtaking views across Exmoor and the Bristol Channel or lose yourself in the subtropical gardens. TA24 6SL / 01643 821314 / nationaltrust.org.uk/dunster-castle But top of our rainy day activities is surfing at Woolacombe (long board, body board or no board!) – after all you are wet anyway and wetsuits, boots and gloves are the warmest gear to wear on a beach! All equipment can be hired and lessons arranged through Hunter Surf.