Bedgebury is holding a Christmas 'Lapland UK' Experience

[TheDuchessOfNorksBride]

... covering a part of the forest with fake snow, Christmas village, Raymond Briggs 'The Snowman' ride, Father Christmas visit, mulled wine to fortify parents, reindeer, husky dogs, trumpeters and all sorts. I'm soooo excited. Er, for my children, obviously...

It's quite expensive though (I just paid £167 for a family of 5). Here is the link. And here is the itinery.

And it's selling out quite quickly.

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Thanks so much for the tip.

We are going to book aswell, it looks great.
We're gonna have DairyLea Lunchables in our lunchbox, so there!

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how about just FruitshootFruitshoot Fio?

DuchessofNorksBride, i have booked this - i didn't realise you were the OP!! It'd better be good...

Only just found this thread. Yesterday I booked tickets for for 30th Nov. Worked out £100 for 3 adults, 2 children, two babies. Would have preferred to go in December but figured the money saved would cover the petrol and now I'm getting excited. The children can end Nov with something really exciting and then when they get up the following day they can start the advent calendar and tree.
I booked afternoon tickets so the children will hopefully have a nap on the way then a bite to eat and just be able to concentrate on having fun. Must admit it's more for me than them though. Roll on winter...

How about this then.. someone (who I really don't know, except I know who she is in the cyber world, from another site) who has sent things to my children before (via Postpals - site where you send cards etc the sick disabled kids)... has looked out my email address via someone who knows me...

..And emailed me this morning saying she would like to pay for my family to go to Lapland UK!

I am gobsmacked and the "goodness" of some people. I am not in a postition to be too proud to say yes.. and she has said it would make her so happy to do this.

Some people really restore your faith in human nature don't they!

I am so going to "pay this forward" in the future when our circumstances are different (and they will be).

Oh, shiny I am SOOO pleased for you. Enjoy.

Mymama - we are also going on 21st (booked for 12pm 'flight'). If they won't send the 'childrens invites' to Aus you can have them sent to our address instead if you want and i can then email you when they arrive and forward them to wherever you are staying at that particular time (or you can pick them up from me in London where I work/Kent where I live)...I think we should do what we can to get them to your kids... cat me if you want to do this.

just booked this for day after boxing day ds only 2 so decided if we like it we will take him again next year to see father christmas apparently its exactly the same but without father christmas, dd who is 5 not bothered about him quite excited!!

I have just booked tickets for the 17th (on the grounds I must have given birth by then)...am vey excited.

Squiffy thanks so much for the offer. Tis lovely. I have contacted them and they are sending them to us here in Australia now. Thanks again so much for the offer.

So here's who's going when...

29th Nov - bomper & yorkiegirl
30th Nov - piximon
1st Dec - victorvictoria
8th Dec - DuchessofNorksB
9th Dec - Lilyloo
15th Dec - JodieG1, WaynettaSlob, bumblelion, marina
17th Dec - cazzybabs
21st Dec - mymama, squiffy
27th Dec - ELR

Fio & ChippyMinton haven't said which day they're going but Fio will be waving her fruitshoot about so will be easy to spot. And CM looks like this.

BEST BE QUICK NOW AS ONLY POST CHRISTAMS TICKETS LEFT NOW 26-30 DECMEBER FOR LAPLAND UK.

HERE'S WHAT THE OBSERVER HAD TO SAY THIS WEEKEND.

www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2007/sep/23/escape.green?page=all

Darryl

Did anyone else see in papers today that there may be a local planning issue affecting the opening ?

Yes - heard yesterday. I'll find the link to the planning site.... hang on...

This is the planning application (received on 8 October 2007

Application: TW/07/03496/FUL Date Valid: 8 October 2007
Date Received: 8 October 2007 Officer: Peter Turner
Address: Bedgebury Forest
Lady Oak Lane
Goudhurst Cranbrook Kent Phone: 01892 526121 EXT 2059
Parish/Ward: Goudhurst Map Ref.: 572265/132736
Proposal: Use of existing educational area (east of Visitor Centre) for Christmas Visitor Experience including temporary timber buildings and other structures
Applicant: Elspeth Hill
Contact Address: Forestry Commission Bedgebury National Pinetum And Forest Park Lane Cranbrook Kent

article mentioned something about having felled trees without consent ?

I heard about the trees too but can't find anything on the Tunbridge Wells B Council website. The friends we're going to Bedgebury with said you could read letters of complaint etc about this on the site but I can't find them.

Friends also said that a decision needn't be made until mid-December but there was a hearing on 19 November.

Oh for goodness sake. We have paid for tickets and a cottage for the weekend on the strength of having booked the Christmas thing. I will be absolutely livid if it doesn't happen.

They say they have a contingency plan but don't expect to need it. Mind you that Planning Application was pretty late cisndiering they had been sellign tickets long before.

Did it give any idea what the contingency plan actually is ? I am so glad I haven't told my children about it yet. But I paid for the cottage in full to get it over and done with. How flipping stupid not putting planning in until October.