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!

We just did Northumbrian coast. It's a gorgeous destination, inexpensive, loads to do, stunning scenery, real ale pubs doing fresh seafood, no fun fairs and not too many amusement arcades, half empty beaches....

Oh, wait...no, I was wrong...it was crap. Full of northerners and cold and grufty. Stay away from the North East coast. Stick with Cornwall or Devon. MUCH better!!!

Heh heh, yeah that Bamburgh and Alnwick, they're SHITE. Nobody should ever go. Back to your south coast. Away, freaks.

Too late huffy and wilf, we are already planning our Northumbrian invasion holiday for 2011. You will not have it to yourselves.
It is mine, all mine... mwahhaha.

Train your kids to showers if they are used to baths.

When the weather closes in, you can still do things you might do at home, we had a lovely day swimming at the leisure centre and seeing a film, it doesn't have to be castles/attractions/beaches all the time.

With campsites IMO the view is more important than the facilities. One gorgeous sunset over the sea makes up for a lot of traipsing to the remote toilet block.

You can visit a steam train attraction without actually going ON the train, saving the cost of a ticket.

Orm yes, don't go telling everyone about Pembrokeshire!

DH calls it "Cornwall without the crowds".

Did you see in a news item about Perranporth beach in Cornwall (admittedly a very big beach) the lifeguard said there were 10-12,000 people on the beach on a typical summer holiday day!

If you're staying in a privately owned caravan (or other type of accomodation); take pictures of where everything is, then put it all away so there's no chance of the kids moving it or breaking it! Then, before you go home, you can refer back to the pictures to make sure it is left as it was found!

We LOVE Trecco Bay in Porthcawl in South Wales, so much so, that my parents have just bought a van there - soooo looking forward to going there more often!

Don't forget money for the Severn Bridge toll if you're heading into Wales - if you forget it's a very circuitous route to go and get some cash (voice of experience).

Guernsey was fab in July, peaceful, lovely beaches, fishing and old war relics like gun mounts to explore.

Piprabbit, Alnmouth is crap too...so is Warkworth. So are Alnwick & Bamburgh, as Wilfshelf says.

We had a terrible time there! Never again :)

I was unimpressed with the northeast coast actually - I was pregnant and needed doughnuts (the sort they make in front of you and dredge with sugar) and there weren't any at any of the seaside towns we went to. I mean what kind of seaside town doesn't sell doughnuts? FFS! Should have stayed at home and gone to Filey, loads of doughnuts there.

East coast of Yorkshire - crap, don't go. Empty beaches, shitty rugged countryside, naff little Cotswoldy market towns in the Moors, loads of bloody arsing walks

Take clothing for EVERY eventuality, plus spare, plus the kitchen sink. And wellies.

Oh and definitely join English Heritage (or save your Tesco Clubcard vouchers like the skinflint pauper I am and get it for free ).

Oh seth we had a lovely time in Filey too, found a seal on the rocks. Stay at home next time

piprabbit TBH it would have been easier to shampoo them and leave them out in the rain rather than hold them in a headlock under the campsite showers while they scream "I'm allergic to showers!" much to the amusement of other campers. Is it just boys?

It's not just boys - I remember DD1 screaming blue murder when she was around 4 and I was trying (unsuccessfully) to shower her and her long hair. If looks could kill!

With DD2, we have got her used to the shower from an early age and it has worked a treat - hindsight is such a beautiful thing

Don't go to Cornwall. It's crap. Go to North Devon instead.

Do not travel on the M5 on a Friday/Saturday (going) or Sunday (coming back) and expect to get anywhere fast. Your best bet is to travel at 2am both ways.

Please do not expect too much of shoddy west country theme parks. Seriously. Legoland they aint. The nadir is Gnomeworld. A garden in devon filled with worms. Seriously. If you are silly enough to go to Cornwall avoid Flambards.

If you go to Woolacombe do not go the woolacombe end (crowded and mad) park on the long car park which runs adjacent to the beach, then run down with your stuff through the dunes and you will end up halfway along the beach (peace and quiet) and it is lovely. Good points: you are miles away from the ice cream vans and funfair so your kids will not constantly hound you. Bad points: you will have to lug your stuff up the dunes at the end of teh day when you go back to your car.

If you have a crean tea put the jam on FIRST and do not ask for butter and cream, you nutter.

I meant a garden filled with gnomes, not worms.

A garden full of worms is a theme park I would visit.

I have a garden full of worms - you are welcome to visit and I will charge a very reasonable entrance fee (but the tea might be a bit pricey).

What is so great about North Devon?

We are in Cornwall now...it has been really lovely weather so far but it has just started to rain...

AND MY HUSBAND SUGGESTED WE GO TO FLAMBARDS TODAY

if you are "hosting" (having grandparents, cousins, friends staying in the cottage you rented) then realise that you cannot do
all the cooking, all the washing, all the packing up for trips each day AND make sure that everyone has a good time. Delegate tasks and responsibility otherwise you will come back strung out and exhausted (who me?)

If you have young dcs in a large party then think a little about meal times. I recommend eeither coming back to the house for "proper lunch" or if spending all day then coming back early enough to give the children a good tea at 5ish. They are just too tired and hungry to enjoy family meals at 7ish, they then don't eat, don't sleep well that night and are grumpy the next day.

Realise that the children will remember the good times and not the bad. I always laugh when I here dh's and pils contrasting stories of the same holidays in the past

I went to north Devon and we went to Bude beach two consecutive days as it was gorgeous and as we took packed lunches it only cost the diesel.
I loved both areas.