Essential Items to pack for Long Car Journeys After four long family road trips, each totaling between 2500 and 3300 miles, we put together this list of essential items that we now never leave home without…
Read MoreYear: 2016
FTJ1: Example Conversation Starters to ask the kids…
Forest Holidays, Strathyre
Escape to a luxury cabin, hot tub and forest in Perthshire Sitting in a hot tub in a forest on the shore of Loch Lubnaig sipping a glass of Prosecco, savouring an oh so still evening drawing down, all I could think was, “oh yeah!”. Though I also remember the children banging on the patio glass doors mouthing, “We’re hungry,” or somesuch but patio glass is sound proof for a good reason. OK, I jest. Well, kind of.
Read MoreWhitelee Wind Farm Family Bike Ride
Free Family Fun at Whitelee Windfarm (nr. Glasgow) By www.jwpatrick.co.uk A fantastic Family Bike Ride at Whitelee Wind Farm Overall the Whitelee biking trails are excellent for family bike rides. Not too steep, very well maintained, suitable for tagalongs and bike trailers. But it’s windy up there, so wrap up warm, take snacks and a puncture repair kit.
Read MoreRibby Hall Village, Lancashire
Old fashioned family fun at Ribby Hall Village Ribby Hall Village is a family-run holiday park on the Lancashire coast just south of Blackpool. The park is in the countryside close to picturesque Wrea Green, a classic English village of thatched houses, cricket pitch beside the duck pond and traditional pub.
Read MoreThe Ultimate Family Nature Trail, BC
The Ultimate Family Nature Trail, British Columbia British Columbia is a great place to track down all the kids’ favourite animals By JW Patrick Like most children, our three-year-old has the entire animal kingdom ranked in order of preference – with his premier league comprising mostly the scary ones with really big pointy teeth. Current title-holder is the Grizzly Bear, ever since he heard about one rudely interrupting his uncle’s fishing trip in British Columbia. The arrival of Wuncle David’s baby provided the perfect opportunity to combine a family visit…
Read MoreHolgates Silverdale Caravan Park, Lancashire
A high quality holiday park in the Lakes For our weekend in Cumbria, we stayed in a luxury static caravan at the award-winning Silverdale Holiday Park. Just off the M6, with views of Morecambe Bay, Silverdale makes for an excellent weekend break or stopping off point on a long trip south. You can pitch your own tent or caravan or rent a static caravan or camping pod. Silverdale Holiday Park is very family-focused, with secure entry, a large swimming pool (plus toddler pool and a sauna), an all-day family-friendly restaurant…
Read MoreHarvest Moon Holidays, East Lothian
A deserted beach, fresh air and no screens! One balmy evening, last September, we stood atop a sand dune on the ‘Forth Riviera’ looking down at a white sandy mile-long beach and saw not one single person. It was hard to believe we were just a thirty minute drive east of Edinburgh. As we admired the stunning views of the Forth estuary and the Bass Rock, the kids bombed down the sand dune on the sledges they’d just borrowed from the ‘glamp site’.
Read MoreUnscheduled Prosecco stop?
Oh, how my wife pleaded for us to take the next right. Like the Call of the Sirens in Greek mythology the call of the Prosecco lures unwary travellers to certain doom. So did we stop? No. Bologna is just off the same route and we didn’t stop for a Bolognese either. Although if we ever see the sign for Lagavulin, we’ll probably stop then…
Read MoreFlying Cheap with Kids
Pack the kids enough food, water and a couple of plastic bags and they’ll be just fine. This method of inexpensive family travel is only suitable for children under 20kg obviously. After that you’ll have to pay baggage surcharges.
Read More