Holiday in the UK? Not if you need to travel by train!

[Magneto]

This may be old news for some of you who travel by train regularly but I just want to have a rant. I travel by local train every day but have never really needed to travel across the country by rail until now and I'm bloody shocked and fuming!

I may have to go on holiday on my own with ds next month as dh may possibly be starting a new job the week the holiday was booked for (over a year ago!). I don't drive, so I decided to plan ahead and see how much it would cost to get the train to our destinition, which is in the UK. I know train prices can be steep and I expected quotes of about £100-£150.

They want at least £350 for a return ticket! I would have to change trains 3 times (with suitcase, toddler and pram) and it would take 9 hours!

The same journey by car would take 6 hours in good traffic and dh estimates it wouldn't cost him half as much in fuel.

For that price I would rather have gone to Paris than stay in the UK.

Thanks for the tips Geranium3, those places sound ideal! Hadn't thought about buying stuff (aside from food) when we're down there, androbobb but it's a good idea thank you!

Well good luck OP. I'd have stayed home but then I'm not very brave. I have been to at Ives though and can confirm it is lovely.

Op buy nappies etc when you get there , there is a boots

Have a dab time I am very jealous.

Could you order an online shop and get it delivered to your holiday rental?

I am sure some of my colleagues have done that before. That way you wouldn't need to carry so much stuff, worry about food shopping etc.

Op - I know a mnetter who lives in st Ives I'll send a pm and see if she can offer any advice.

And that's me, as recommended by jeans! Although I don't live in St Ives (I wish), I'm about ten miles away. My advice is don't take a pushchair as St Ives is NOT designed for them (hideous narrow pavements). If you can't survive without one then why not buy a cheapo stroller from the big Tesco there or if your DH is driving you down then from the monster Tesco at Pool?

Flambards has just opened a soft-play-hell place called 1 to 11 so is worth a visit if it's raining and you're desperate but it's a fairly hefty bus journey from St Ives. I second Paradise Park (also got soft play as well as lots of nice birds/ petting zoo etc. Look out for the goats and the lovebirds as my children are their sponsors ). It's a nice train journey from St Ives to Hayle too. I think that one of those cafes where you go and eat and then paint your crockery has just opened in St Ives which might be nice with a toddler. If you're keen on bussing it then Heartlands has just opened at Pool and is fabulous and has lots of events on through the summer. You can get a week ticket for the bus for £37

I am at the price of the train ticket! Utter rubbish isn't it? I really hope you and DS have a lovely time though.

St Ives is lovely but I would be daunted by a week on my own with a toddler. How big is the place you have rented? Could you get a friend/relative with a similar little one to go too?

I could easily imagine spending a week in St Ives without needing to go anywhere on public transport but there is an open topped bus that goes round the tip of West Cornwall. Run by the normal bus company so not outrageously expensive. Massively appealing to my children just for the open top and you could use it to see a bit more in a hop on off way. IMO Lands End is v dull though!

I also like Barbara Hepworth's house and garden. Might sound weird for a toddler but it is a little oasis of calm when St Ives gets massively busy. Interesting for an adult plus the little paths through the garden are just perfect for a tiny toddler to wander up and down.

The place we have rented is actually a Haven caravan (I got it cheap and upgraded to the best I could because I'm a bit of a snob I'm sick of slumming it in dirt cheap hotels) but I believe the caravan sleeps 8 people! And ds and I will be in the same bed for a week... so if anyone has a family of 6 wanting to pop by lol!

Dh and I were going to use it as a base for exploring the surrounding area by car, but without the car I'm obviously looking more locally for things to do now so thank you for all the recommendations! We have a handly little maclaran pushchair at MILs I may have to nab but hopefully I can get by with my various carriers and slings if my back can take it.

You are going to have a lovely time! Is the haven site just outside of St Ives?

Yes it's Riviere Sands. It looks like I'll be able to get the train in and out of St Ives fairly easily .

You will need to get a bus from hayle really otherwise a bus then train.

Just a bus is cheaper. Taxi from St Erth or bus. You want me to find timetables?

If you could lagoonhaze, that would be fantastic! Thank you so much

Ive had a quick look. Can you contact park and check if they are on the towans bus route? I think they are.

We flew Manchester to Newquay for £80 pp then got a taxi to St Ives for £60. Flight 50 mins. It was fantastic, took DD (2) and DS (5 months) and paid for 1 hold bag. Took huge pram n car seat at no extra charge.

On their website they say nearest bus stop is 1km away and run every hour.Check which stop they mean as there are a few near by.

I would take a buggy but im not very fit and 0.6miles in any sling/wrap would kill me! I would book a taxi from St Erth station and see if they can get a car seat in it for you.

www.cornwallpublictransport.info/index.asp

Thank you lagoon, I'll contact the park tomorrow.

I have many happy memories of the Haven that you're going to OP from my early years! I won the beauty contest twice, sigh, oh how things have changed

You're so close to a gorgeous beach. I just hope the weather is nice for you and, if not, just make sure you wrap up warm and get down onto the beach anyway.