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Hi

We are going to Woolacombe in North Devon for Feb half term (Golden Coast Holiday park). Can anybody recommend any attractions within an hour that would be suitable for older children 12-14yrs. We've been to Crealy Park before adn it was great but a little far from Woolacombe.

I'd like to do some research before we get there so any ideas greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Just want to wish you luck at the Golden Coast - you need it. When I read the thread title i said to myself "gotta warn her against the Golden Coast!".....have you read the reviews on the place???? I hadn't when I booked. Sure do now to everything I book!

But apart from the GC Woolacombe & the area is lovely. How about a visit to Quince Honey Farm in South Molton. you can spend a good hour or two there (they have a website), travel to Bude to the lovely beach & shops, Ilfracombe for some fish & chips & cream tea. I have relatives in SM so I visited them but had to go home early due to both girls falling ill......I'm 100% sure the condition of the caravan was to blame. It was filthy, old, rusty, had dirty bed linen on the beds when we arrived, gas hob wouldn't light, skylight was leaking. They had no other accommodation to swap us to (so they said) so I wrote to complain & the MD wrote a lovely letter back saying "I'll personally book your next holiday"......fuck that - I'll never set foot in the place again.

Oh & if you love cabaret & bingo & greasy chips you'll love it! Will go down there again but I'll hire myself a cottage!

Yankeecandle we read the reviews after we booked, however, I rang this week and was assured that our accommodation is newly refurbished and of a high standard.....gold lodge so one down from the exclusive.

You sure know how to make someone look forward to a holiday - cheers!

I used to live there, it is a lovely place to go on holiday.

Go to Croyde for the day - it is about 20 minutes drive from Woolacombe. You can either have a surfing lesson on the beach (great fun) or go to Ruda where they have an inside swimming pool wiith slides and all that.

For day trips, there is a Dinosaur park and watermouth castle. They are very cheesy and not as big as crealy, but still good fun.

Exmoor zoo is about an hour away, on the way back you can go to Lynton and Lynmouth and go on the cliff railway.

Go to Tunnels beach in Ilfracombe - a lovely private beach (wuth a BAR) through tunnels carved out the cliffs.

Go in a boat trip (sails from Ilracombe harbout)

www.wildlifedinosaurpark.co.uk/
www.exmoorzoo.co.uk/
www.cliffrailwaylynton.co.uk/
www.watermouthcastle.com/
www.tunnelsbeaches.co.uk/
www.ilfracombeprincess.co.uk/
www.surfingcroydebay.co.uk/

The big sheep is about 45 minutes drive - it's daft but also good fun.

www.thebigsheep.co.uk/

Or, just walk along the beach and eat ice creams. failing that give them a fiver and send them to the amusement arcades.

GetorfMoiiLand that's really helpful - I've saved all the links. THANKYOU

Maybe it'll snow!!

I lived there for 27 years and I can only remember it snowing (and settling) twice in that time!

My dd has just gone to Ilfracombe today to see family and she says that it is windy and rainy, but not snowing at least.

I hope you have a lovely time, it will be very quiet (and a bit cold) but north devon is really pretty.

I don't know if you are planning to eat out or cook, but these restaurants are nice

www.eatoutdevon.com/restaurants/ilfracombe/the-terrace-tapas-wine-bar.html
www.woolacombeseascapes.co.uk/topic/places-to-eat/ specifically the Red Barn, which overlooks the beach and is full of surfers, and the Thatch in Croyde
www.vintageinn.co.uk/thebrauntoninnbarnstaple/
11thequay.co.uk/

There is also a pub called the Old Mill in Ossaborough which is in walking distance of where you are staying - that is cheap and cheerful.

have a great time (wish I was going to Devon instead of working in Swindon next week!)

Don't say I didn't warn you.