Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to attempt a Haven holiday by public transport?

34 replies

FreudianSlipIntoMyLaptop · 21/01/2011 11:16

As we don't drive. sorry just posting here for more replies! Blush Does anyone know if any of the south east (preferably) haven resorts are reasonably accessible by bus/train? Or at least which ones are totally isolated so are best avoided? We will have toddlers and DH will possibly be on crutches so don't want to be walking for miles along country lanes! The website isn't very informative... I'm easily confused... Any experience?

OP posts:
Original poster
FreudianSlipIntoMyLaptop · 21/01/2011 11:18

Although do say if IABU to even attempt it!

OP posts:
WimpleOfTheBallet · 21/01/2011 11:18

Phone them up...ask what they think...if there is plenty on site you'll be fine. Many places like this are well served by buses and you can take the odd day trip out.

MrSpoc · 21/01/2011 11:20

The national express coaches do tend to go to Haven sites.

(i use to work on Butlins for my sins in a past life).

Pick a site, call them up and ask them if the National Express drops off at the site.

bubbleandsqueaks · 21/01/2011 11:23

We went to Weymouth bay I think it was called, there was a bus that ran everyday from outside reception down to the seafront, every hour. But the last bus back was about 5ish so meant eithregetting back to site quite early (and having dinner either in the caravan or in the mash and barrel restaurant) or getting a taxi back later on.

Don't go to perrenporth cornwall by public transport

sory for rushed post, on way to pick dd1 up from nursey

bellastella · 21/01/2011 11:23

I've done a public transport holiday to the 'seashore' site in great yarmouth. train stops in great yarmouth and i got a cab to the site for not much money. or you could walk into town (not far) and then get the dotto train along the prom to the site. easy peasy!

would recommend you post additional info, as 'south east' is pretty big Smile

bubblewrapped · 21/01/2011 12:18

If one of you is going to be on crutches, you are going to have toddlers, and cases to manage, I would ask a friend or relative if they can take you (obviously with you providing the petrol money, as this will still probably work out cheaper than coach or train fares).. and get there relaxed rather than stressed out.

Original poster
FreudianSlipIntoMyLaptop · 21/01/2011 13:00

Ah well there will also be 3 teenagers so no room in the car, but equally lots of help carrying luggage :o

We are only going for 3 nights so not too fussed about day trips, the issue is getting there and back.

We were actually looking at the Weymouth one :) or maybe Essex/Kent/Norfolk... Not actually bothered where we end up!

OP posts:
Original poster
FreudianSlipIntoMyLaptop · 21/01/2011 13:02

What would a coach trip be like with toddlers btw? I imagined quite restrictive/stressful?

OP posts:
bubblewrapped · 21/01/2011 13:04

It depends on how far away the holiday site is, and how long the coach journey would be.

If you are going to spend 5 or 6 hours travelling to get there, then that is day 1 gone already..

Hire a minibus and driver!

AMAZINWOMAN · 21/01/2011 13:06

I have been to Haven by public transport and it was easy. Ask the site for specific help though as there are lots of people who use public transport to get there

masochismTangoer · 21/01/2011 13:07

I will have to watch this thread. I've done Butlins with and DH on crutches and three under fives got there and back by public transport so it is do able.

Taxies to train stations either end of journey then several trains. There were buses two both train stations but adding buses onto it would have been to much.

Getting to site is one thing there - at least at Butlins everything was there on site so once there no need to worry about shopping or entertainment which took a lot of pressure off. So suggest you ask about shops and what they have ect at the sites you look at.

masochismTangoer · 21/01/2011 13:09

FreudianSlipIntoMyLaptop
Ah well there will also be 3 teenagers so no room in the car, but equally lots of help carrying luggage

Would not have thought there would be too many problems then. Do the web pages not have How to access with public transport sections? I know Butlins and Centre Park web pages do.

masochismTangoer · 21/01/2011 13:13

If you have DCs between 5 and 15 Family Rail card might be worth it to keep train fares down - under five would not need a train ticket.

As coach journey would probably be much longer than trains due to all the stops they tend to make - personally I would not want to take toddlers on a coach trip.

masochismTangoer · 21/01/2011 13:15

Plus on a train they can wondered around a bit which image would be frowned on with a coach.

Hai1988 · 21/01/2011 13:18

Church farm near bognar regis, has a train staition and a bus route that runs from bognar to the camp

bentneckwine1 · 21/01/2011 14:01

Different area to you but we travelled from Scotland to Blackpool Haven site with 3 adults, 4 children and a dog! My dad is disabled and has mobility problems.

We would have had to take 2 taxis to station, 3 trains then another 2 taxis to the campsite. And the same in reverse. Which we were prepared to do and were looking into booking disabled assistance on the trains.

My gran (who wasn't coming with us) decided to treat us to a 9seater carhire which in the end cost only £15 more than the train tickets!! But had the advantages of leaving when we wanted to, no changing trains carrying luggage and being able to stop for dad and the dog when necessary. Also didn't have to carry all the cases round the park looking for our caravan once we had checked in.

My BIL drove us down on the sat then took the van back up to Scotland on the Sunday. He then drove back down for us the following Saturday.

If you know somebody that can drive and book in advance there are some good deals on carhire.

bentneckwine1 · 21/01/2011 14:03

Meant to say - the train prices we were quoted were with the family railcard but still the carhire was cheaper.

And once we were on the Haven site we managed with public transport for the week - there was a regular bus into the town centre.

amelem · 21/01/2011 14:04

Not unreasonable at all, if you think about it when people go abroad they use a few different methods of transport. My DD loves going anywhere by train.

RobF · 21/01/2011 14:11

Depends where it is. Some of them are in the back of beyond, away from any train station. I used to work at the one at Mablethorpe in Lincs, and plenty of people used to come by bus, there wasn't a railway station nearby.

Lisa Scott Lee worked there when I worked there. She was a singer in the house band, then literally a week or so after the season ended she shot to fame in Steps.

masochismTangoer · 21/01/2011 14:14

bentneckwine1
Also didn't have to carry all the cases round the park looking for our caravan once we had checked in.

That was the worst part of the whole journey for me - getting to the park then having to walk length of park for keys then back and around for accommodation with three tired DC and all the bags and DH getting slower and slower on the crutches and more irritable.

bentneckwine1 · 21/01/2011 14:50

masochismTangoer you are right it is a nightmare trailing all the suitcases and kids round the park. I have often tought they could hire out those wee golf buggy things to allow people to find their caravan and carry the luggage. Surprised they are missing a trick there because they charge for most other things!!

FreudianSlipIntoMyLaptop Another important fact for me was that I had been to that campsite a couple of times with DS and knew the 'lay of the land'. Which meant I knew which area in the park would be better for my disabled dad and I knew what public transport links were around about. Going somewhere new would have been much harder.

ratspeaker · 21/01/2011 15:01

Go onto the Haven site
look at the park you want
under FAQ there will be details of how to get there and if there's a train service nearby. Most have coach deals

Original poster
FreudianSlipIntoMyLaptop · 21/01/2011 15:11

Yes I browsed the FAQ bit, but they all just had the distance from the nearest station - nothing about transport from station to site though, so it could be an easy journey or a horrendous one.

All very useful info thanks :)

OP posts:
ssmile · 21/01/2011 15:15

Exmouth Haven in Devon. You get a train to Exmouth, walk outside bus takes you straight upto the Haven site, and runs regularly into town during the day. Lots of people do it. Good luck.

llbeanj · 21/01/2011 15:23

there's one near hastings that's within walking distance of a train station

Swipe left for the next trending thread