We have been looking at where to go during Spring and have planned a whole week packed full of things to do, the good thing about making friends on the internet is that they are world wide so we are off down South! Gloucestershire is somewhere I visited when I was small and with my family, we would tour the whole of the UK, from the tip of Scotland to Devon & Cornwall. We never once went abroad and were always content with lovely sunny days spent wandering the local stores and attractions.
Dad would drive everywhere so nothing was a problem but as I don’t drive we would now travel by down by train and then use a private hire in Gloucestershire to get around. This would be ideal as it means we are not tied to the one area and also don.t have to worry about parking etc too. So many visitor places are set up that require passes or prepaid tokens, to be honest I can do without the stress while having to entertain little ones!
Picking somewhere close to local attractions or the town centre means that if the days are nice we can get out and about on foot too. There is something different about walking at home compared to strolling along on a holiday – why is that? The girls are more than happy to walk for miles on holiday, ice cream in hand. Mention walking at home and you would think I signed them up for a marathon!
Preplanning is something that is a must when travelling with little ones. I always like to source things to do on at least half of the days we will be there. That way they don’t get bored but they are also not overwhelmed with getting up and out every single day. Sometimes its nice just to stay local and play with a ball in the park or something. You don’t have to spend a fortune to have a good time. I have found a few different things to do that I know the girls are going to love.
If you enjoy fantasy movies and the like then Puzzlewood would be ideal – A Magical Day Out in the Forest of Dean. Why is Puzzlewood magical? Is it the maze of pathways winding through deep gulleys of moss covered rocks, the twisted roots of the Yew trees or the bridges, ‘lookouts’ and features to find on your way round? Puzzlewood was used for the filming of Merlin, Dr Who and the Warner Bros movie, Jack the Giant Killer. There are also farm animals, a willow maze, an indoor maze, playground, picnic tables, café and gift shop all onsite.
One of the things we love to do as a family is travel back in time and look at beautiful stately homes. Whether its because of my obsession with the likes of Downton Abbey and Bridgerton or simply because everything looks so grand and pretty. Either way it is a fabulous way to show the girls how people use to live, what technology affords us now and just how different life use to be before mobile phones and computers! Dyrham Park is home to a 17th-century house and formal garden set in ancient parkland. In 2015/16, the house underwent a huge conservation project to replace the leaking roof and install a biomass boiler. The house and garden are now in a state of transformation and include new tours, areas and exhibitions.
The About All Things Nature Reserve looks like a fabulous way to spend a few hours, including a dinosaur experience for little ones…when I say little ones you just know this Jurassic Park loving momma would be in her element! All Things Wild has a huge variety of wonderful creatures to see. Get up close and personal with some of your favourite animals. From reptiles to zebras, you can keep them learning about the animals whilst having a great day! They have smaller animals too including meerkats and more!
Cotswolds Farm Star has been recommended as a fun family place to stay for holiday. Farms offer a range of activities on or nearby including woodland and farm walks, hiking, horse riding, golf, cycling, shooting, fishing, bird watching, fossil hunting or opportunities to help on the farm with lambing or milking. I get the impression there are a lot of real working farms too so a good idea for the girls from a home school point of view too to show how things work.
Have you been or do you live near Gloucestershire and have things to recommend for our visit?
