Just been on your hols? Just about to go? We need you top holidaying-in-Britain tips

[HelenMumsnet]

Hello.

We're looking for your tip-toppest tips on having a brilliant family holiday in sunny old Blighty.

So, what to take, what to expect, what type of holiday (cottage, tent, hotel, holiday camp) bad-weather tactics, peculiar British delights - and why it's better than lugging the entire contents of your house onto a charter flight halfway across the globe. Etc etc...

Your contribution may be published in a round up of Great British holiday tips, sponsored by Butlins.

Thank you!

rubyrubyruby but then i would spend the time leading up to it nipping my botty in fear that that big hunk of metal will pick my holiday to come hurtling out the sky - holiday ruined.

The Pelham Hotel

I don't holiday much in Britain (would like to but spend most hols going to see my dh wherever he happens to be working) but I did a houseswap (with an MNer) a few years ago that was brilliant.

I'd really recommend that to people. I wonder why more don't do it? (Also people think you have to have a very grand house which isn't true, If you go onto sites like www.homeexchange.com(sorry, laptop v old so links take an )age you will see all sorts.

There are also special sites for pet owners, religious people, gay people, singles, teachers and so on. I think a really good idea to develop would be to design a website for use by families of kids with SN, many of whom really need the break more than most but need an 'SN friendly' home.

Oooh I adore The Pelham! It was our fave hotel bolt hole until ds the credit crunch.

Can't afford Babington House though

Can't see Butlins (see OP) publishing holiday tips that include going to The Pelham and Babington House

Thought of another top tip - menu plan your evening meals and base the Tesco shop around this.

Sounds obv but I had never done it before and it was great, no more unnecessary purchases in the cupboard all fortnight.

NB if you do decide to do this (and I realise for many the idea of cooking on holiday is anathaema - but we were on a budget) then remember if you plan something with puff pasty, there will not be a rolling pin (wine bottle is possible but not ideal) and if you plan soup, there will not be a blender! You may wish to take these items. Just make sure the kitchen packing is not bigger than your clothes bag (always a risk with me - twirls madly in Nigella manner round kitchen wearing dirty T-shirt)

Oooh talking about Nigella - bake some stuff in advance and take it for yummy treats. Brownies, date and walnut loaf, banana bread, flapjacks all good.

Kids do not need wetsuits in Cornwall until they are old enough to 'need' them as a fashion statement and to prove they can surf!

Force any child, or adult male, to change into swimming appropriate attire if you come anywhere near 100 yards of a beach, otherwise you will have moany, damp people who were unexpectedly attacked by a wave they were running away from.

Parents need raincoats, windbreaks and as much weather protection as possible as younger children will enjoy themselves in a new environment for as long as you can bear it they are allowed to have adventures. I have spent many an hour attempting to read a damp book on a very cold, rainy beach while the step-children and their dad are having a whale of a time!

Hot chocolate is essential when boys who are not going to go in the sea and have therefore not changed into swimming gear eventually re-appear with their father, all blue with cold and unable to speak through chattering teeth.

Make the most of behaving like a child yourself, it's fun and no-one knows you.

Obviously all holidays are boring for teens. Take something you can plug them into.

Best places in Cornwall, in my opinion:

St Ives - many beaches, all in walking distance from each other and all with different sea conditions ranging from surf beach to harbour paddling, a couple allow dogs

Porthcurno - the most beautiful beach and Minack theatre a walk away, prob not suitable for buggies/wheelchairs etc

Seal Sanctuary at Gweek - really interesting, good walks and funny seals, also do v good work, not cheap but always locally available dscounts from local paper, car park tickets or vouchers in local shops

Paradise Park at Hayle - beautiful birds, great bird displays, penguin feeding for young ones and a brilliant play area (would describe it as 'soft play area' but have seen other threads...)

Lots more ideas if anyone wants them

Go crabbing! Cheap and endlessly appealing to kids whatever the weather.

Ahem obviously you need some water...

I just read that as "Go crapping!"

Puts a whole new spin on things...

Invest in a Family and Friends railcard for enormous discounts on train journeys.
You can then use the railcard all year long even for shorter more local journeys.
Layers: T-shirts, fleece jacket and light rain jacket/kagoul will get you through most British days out.
When taking small urban children to the beach pack at least 3 sets of clothes as they will be so excited they will charge repeatedly into the sea and get soaked and cold.[experience speaking]
Take wasp Eze and antihistamine if holidaying anywhere remotely likely to have wasps.

this is my name please can you send me the link? Thanks

floweryblue please keep the suggestions coming - we will be staying near Porth. Thank you.

Self catering is much nicer with babies.

If travelling with a very young baby you can hire stuff like a steriliser, cot, bedding, etc.

If travelling with an older baby consider bringing a hand blender with you.

In general bring a couple of kitchen essentials with you like a good knife, salt and pepper, corkscrew etc.

Do an online shop for all the food and baby stuff (nappies, wipes etc) to arrive the same day you do.

Bring a nice picnic blanket (with a waterproof backing) or too. Can be used on walks, in parks, on beach, etc.

Choose toys wisely - they need to be compact, unlikely to break when packed and multi-purpose to keep kids interested throughout the week.

If you are still at the pram/buggy stage think through any visits to local attractions - there is no point going to a ruined castle if you can't get near it with your buggy.

Invest in a good cool box and take luxurious picnics with you on trips out still cheaper than eating out as a family, kids are happier and you can eat what and when you choose and it makes a trip to the beach special.

Never rent a cottage with less facilities than you have at home.

going back to work .. here - i know it says £megas for a week but i emailed the owner and told her my budget and she agreed to it as had availability so worth a haggle. I will always use owners dirct now.

Oh and if I had known earlier I would have bought a cheap three wheeler pushchair off ebay just for beach holidays. A light umbrella fold one is not much fun over sand, grass or rocky cliff walks.

Instead of spending all morning cutting mountains of sandwiches and preparing a picnic, we just dropped into whichever supermarket we passed on the way to the beach and grabbed a stick of french bread, tub of hummous, some sliced meats, fruit and bottles of water. You never eat as much as you think you will! Don't think my kids ate much at all - too busy in the water or burying each other in the sand!

We are in the CORNWALL IS FAB camp too

If you're near Bodmin or Wadebridge then there are huge supermarkets so you can go and shop for the whole week in one go.

Go down in stages. We're going on a Friday (yes I know) to Weymouth - a holiday in itself - as that's where the inlaws live. A night with extra babysitters then off early Sat to Cornwall, hopefully hitting the A30 before it gets near lunchtime. Drop in Morrison's Bodmin for groceries and arrive at cottage after 3pm when we can get access.

If you have toddlers or younger, don't go in August! We found last year in early Sept that the entire beach was covered in toddlers and babies and their parents. No older kids to knock them over, and no bored teens. And it's cheaper. And still warm.

Visit websites before you go, and get a list of places to explore. Then there's something to do when if it rains.

(We went on honeymoon to Cornwall. We had an Atlantic gale. We didn't leave the cottage for two days. We didn't care!)

If you are planning a beach holiday and including a child under 2.5, take a good backpack (eg Bushbaby) - much much easier than a pushchair and makes cliffs etc a cinch.

Ours was worth hving for holidays alone!

Make like a Girl Guide and be prepared:
Take details of the nearest A&E, supermarket, public swimming pool and softplay/play farm/local park with you.
Find out the details of Park and Ride schemes to local towns.

Book a cottage which is within walking distance of the beach and facilities, so you don't need to battle with parking all the time. Make sure that cottage has adequate off-street parking and a garden for the children to play in.

Take your first night's tea and the following day's breakfast with you - a frozen lasagne will defrost gently on the way. This means you only need to find somewhere that sells milk on arrival.

Pack cardigans/fleeces and pacamacs to go over the top - much more adaptable and easier to carry about than bulky coats.

Check if your holiday home has a DVD player and take some DVDs with you. Take some paper and pencils/crayons so you can get arty if the weather is really awful.

Would it be really, really wrong to say, um, don't go to Butlins?

In fact, my general rule is, if it has to be in UK where everything is horrifically expensive compared to other hol accommodation, then always save up to stay somewhere nicer than your own house.

Pop up beach tents and playtents, swingball in a box from Aldi, pick up sticks, cheap binoculars for each child (aldi again), magnifying glass, cloudspotters guide, Collins Gem or wonderful old Observer books of weather, flowers, beach combing etc ALL really helped our Hols this year...