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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To refuse to go on days out in the UK anymore ?

377 replies

Heswall · 08/04/2012 16:39

I have spent half the day mumsnetting from my phone because we have been bored rigid on a "day out" at a local national trust event.
The egg hunt clues were crap or missing, I ended up offering lunch at Frankie and Benny's if we could get the hell out of there and warm up.
I am sick of having to buy tons of layers of warm clothing that get taken off and then lost - if anyone finds an age 11-12 Joules Aire bodywarmer can I have it back please ? - I am sick of paying £60 in petrol and entrance fees for an hours entertainment at best.
For the price of Alton Towers I can fly two people to Spain, I feel I have done every farm, theme park, old house in the half of the country I live in.
AIBU to stay shove the staycation and save up for warm sunny weather and pastures new instead ?

OP posts:
laptopdancer · 10/04/2012 16:38

we just went away for 2 nights , free accomodation, drove there but ended up about £250 dwon at the ens of it. (family of three)

laptopdancer · 10/04/2012 16:40

Cost us £15 to go into a castle. Train journey a few stops and back was £20 each

Original poster
Heswall · 10/04/2012 16:46

It's ok Mutt according to mums net this weekend I'm ruining the children's lives with their education, they are negative and I'm joyless with shit hair so I've buried us all under the patio to put us all out of a misery.

OP posts:
fuzzpig · 10/04/2012 16:46

I am possibly preaching to the converted but I thoroughly recommend railcards. Great discounts. I am too old now to get another 16-25 railcard but the Family and Friends one is very useful indeed.

BikeRunSki · 10/04/2012 16:54

We have just had a fabulous day out at National Coal Mining Museum in Wakefield. Living history, button to press, levers to pull, playground, soft play, nice toilets and baby changing, no queues, craft activities, nature trail, miniature train, ok cafe, lots of outdoor and indoor stuf, cultural history, loads of parking and it's all free. Actually train was 50p for over fives. I made a donation as we go there a lot, but felt under no pressure to do so.

If you are anywhere near M1 junction 40 and have children then go, go, go.

Alibabaandthe40nappies · 10/04/2012 17:01

Oh I love places like Beamish.

I was delighted to find a living history museum very locally, although nowhere near on the same scale as Beamish.
We went last weekend and had a great time.

I was brought up spending weekends and holidays traipsing around castles and stately homes and walking up hills. It is so much more fun than theme park hell, and you actually learn things.

Picnics are the only way if you don't want to feel ripped off.

marriedinwhite · 10/04/2012 17:05

Hey, Le Queen if you are keeping tabs on this thread I have popped over to the Premier Inn. Looks absolutely fine, they are doing a bit of refurbishment but it's five rooms at a time and has no impact on any of the other rooms. The comments in the visitors book were all positive, the man on the front desk was very helpful and said if you are coming by care and arrive early am there should be parking but they if not they could advise on nearby streets where you can park. They are fully booked next weekend and the one after though.

BarryStar · 10/04/2012 17:21

Keeping a list of things on fridge is good idea, will start one and add some of the ideas on here.

married - what a lovely thing to do, I thought you were joking when you said it yesterday.

mankyscotslass · 10/04/2012 18:20

Just back from an afternoon at the IWM North.

The kids loved it, there were lots pf interactive displays and helpful staff, and the exhibition on childrens war literature was excellent.

Then we wandered round Salford Quays and people/tram and duck watched while munching on snacks we brought with us. When it rained we ducked back into the war museum or the lowry shopping outlets.

We had a lovely time. Smile

shockers · 10/04/2012 18:55

I often meet my son there Manky, he's at Manchester Uni. The stuff made by prisoners of war always amazes me, the little carved shoe collection and the embroidered sheet.

LadyClariceCannockMonty · 10/04/2012 19:02

OP, that's about £4.50 each, which doesn't sound unreasonable for six people (I know one only had a biscuit, but we're talking averages).

I think YABU a bit, although I know some places are v expensive and kids 'entertainment' and 'activities' can be a bit half-arsed and naff. There are also, as others have said, some wonderful places to go, and great days out to be had with a positive attitude and some flasks of tea and hot chocolate. Smile

minimathsmouse · 10/04/2012 19:34

I love days out in the uk, kids do too. We went to Somerset for four days in March. We went to cheddar Gorge and wookey hole. I had been to both as a child and felt it was a real must for my own kids. They loved it, we saw wild goats, the caves are interesting and the weather was lovely. We also visited Stone henge and wells.

We belong to the NT and English heritage and the membership saves a fortune and makes planning easy.

We also collect the days out leaflets where ever we see them and pop them in our to do folder. The kids love looking through it planning where they want to go.

Are you unreasonable? damn right, what child should be deprived from seeing what history and natural beauty is available in the UK, it's their heritage. Spain is crap and boring.

mankyscotslass · 10/04/2012 19:44

shockers the kids were impressed by the yukele made by a POW. Smile

They also had the chance to try on some of the Fire wardens helmets, and so did I. Blush

I can't believe I've never been there before, even though I had been to the outlets.

NiceHamione · 10/04/2012 19:50

To say the whole of Spain is crap and boring is a rather harsh overstatement. However I agree that children should be exposured to British culture and history.

Original poster
Heswall · 10/04/2012 19:54

Oh they've been exposed to it all right ...... it pissed down at cheddar gorge too I might have mentioned that a few pages ago .......

OP posts:
minimathsmouse · 10/04/2012 20:01

Poor OP, maybe you have a point, you haven't got a cloud following you? Maybe we have just been lucky.

I have been spain a few times and I found it boring although Pamplona and Cadiz were quite nice, the food is yummy but I don't like lazing on beaches.

Original poster
Heswall · 10/04/2012 20:05

We went and sat in the pub at the bottom of the gorge, where you get on the bus and they actually commented they'd not had rain like that for decades, bouncing off the roof it was. Gee great.

OP posts:
NiceHamione · 10/04/2012 20:10

Have you ever enjoyed a day out in the UK?

minimathsmouse · 10/04/2012 20:19

We often go away in April and so far we have been so lucky.

OP maybe try the south east, it's really dry here. I'm rain phobic so its great. Pretty too with castles, houses, lovely villages, (and pubs) Brighton has a lot going on, sussex and kent are very green, very quaint and there are quite a lot of things to do.

5Foot5 · 10/04/2012 20:32

Heswall It sounds like you are some kind of rain godess who can conjure up clouds wherever she goes. If you don't already live in the South you should visit - you will surely be welcomed with open arms!

We had a fantastic day out in the SNOW on Thursday. Went up in to the hills in the Peak District and had a brilliant walk. Some of the snow had drifts where we went in up to our knees, it was great! The sun came out as the day went on and it was absolutely lovely. At the end of the walk it was warm enough to sit outide the pub for a pint while watching someone put their skis away.

busyboysmum · 10/04/2012 20:33

Haven't read all the thread but we do loads of holidaying in the UK - we have a caravan and Merlin Passes. They cost 300 for the year for the whole family. We live near Alton Towers so we also got passes for their waterpark for 100 for the family. So that is our entertainment sorted for the year. We camp nearby, and you can always get in early with the passes and get on the rides you want before the queues, then we go back to the caravan for our lunch and spend the afternoon in the Water Park.

last year we also went to:

Legoland Windsor 3 times
Warwick Castle 3 times
Blackpool Tower several times including the pantimime there and the circus there
The Blackpool Dungeons
Blackpool Sealife Centre
Legoland Manchester about twice a month, just get there as it opens, have a coffe, let the kids run around
London Acquarium, London Eye, Trip down the river Thames

We are also members of the NT and love just taking the kids bikes, looking round the houses and the gardens and having a slice of cake and a coffee. Because the parking and the entrance is free, feel justified in spending more in the cafe. Whenever we book a caravan site I always look to see which NT places are nearby, they usually do something for the kids in the holidays which is free. I never pay to do additional activities.

5Foot5 · 10/04/2012 20:34

Oh yes and I should have said that apart from the odd pint of petrol to get there and the price of the pint afterwards it was all free!

busyboysmum · 10/04/2012 20:45

Oh and also our 2 local shopping malls have kids club cinemas - about a pound each to get in, you can take in your own sweets, drinks etc, films aren't current but not totally out of date - Friday we are going to see Journey to the Mysterious Island. My kids love doing a pick and mix out of our goodie bag (ahem, some stuff in there is left over from Halloween) - I give them a party cup and tell them to go mad!!

BikeRunSki · 10/04/2012 21:50

5foot5 - where did you go?

MissGreatBritain · 10/04/2012 21:57

I hate tourist attractions; you know, the ones that are only there to make you spend money (not things like Stonehenge iyswim). We do go on days out, but it tends to be to the beach, with a picnic and maybe half an hour in the amusments on the way back to the car. Or a bike ride.

I detest the NT with a passion - they are very child-unfriendly ime.