Please recommend me a holiday

[BikeRunSki]

Please can someone help us find a family summer holiday for next year. The dc will be nearly 11 and nearly 8.

Five or 6 years ago MNers told me about Crieff Hydto, and we went there, self catering, 5 years in a row, but we now kind of feel that we have grown out ir. Crieff. This is what we liked (and why we feel we’ve moved on).

1- self catering, can have breakfast in our pyjamas
2- option of using hotel facilities - pool, restaurants, cinema (although choice of restaurants has reduced over the years)
3- on site activity centre (DS now does Archery and rock climbing anyway, and does not get much out of 1 group taster sessions)
4- kids club (hours greatly reduced)
5 - kids buffet tea (no longer exists)

What we don’t want in a holiday

• lying/playing on a beach
• swimming as a main activity(DH can’t swim)
• airports/aeroplanes - DH not keen on flying, finds airports very stressful
• totally self catering- need eatibg our options easily, otherwise it’s nit much of a holiday!
• camping - the dc and I love camping, but DH has scoliosis and hay fever and find camping uncomfortable for more than a couple of nights

What we do like

• outdoor activities l, especially mountain biking
• other children /kids clubs
• UK - happy to load up van and drive for 7 or 8 hours (from Sheffield)
• Ferry travel
• Fairjy basic accommodation as long as there is a bed and a roof!
• Wi-fi - DH is s cimpany directir and finds it much easier to relax if he can dip in anf out of work (I know, I know....)!
• don’t expect sunshine!
• if there was an opportunity for DH and I to have some child free time, thstbriuld be marvellous (we have no local family, kids clubs in holiday is the only time we ever get any time together without them, if only for a couple of hours).
• Some kind of organised activity we could tap into

Basically, if we could have Cub camp with real beds, we’d all be happy.

Would Landal GreenParks be worth a look? They have some holiday parks in UK but mainly concentrated on the continent eg The Netherlands (v doable by ferry). They offer lots of the facilities you like and usually have a range of accomm to choose from inc. budget style.

There are lots of campsites in Europe (you can look at them on Eurocamp website but book direct with campsite if you prefer) which offer many of the things you like. Again v doable by car/ ferry.

Can you tell I am hoping you will venture abroad?

Would the Auchrannie resort fit the bill?

www.auchrannie.co.uk/accommodation.html

this may be suitable. its in cornwall, and while it doesn't have a kids club, it does have a games room, indoor soft play barn and a babysitting service, so you can get away.

this one here does have a kids club and is also in cornwall, however the activities that you can book are all in the water, so if its cold they may not appeal.

What about Dumfries and Galloway
www.coastalkippford.com
The lodges are lovely and there are plenty of places to eat out in . There is the Galloway Forrest park nearby and the Galloway activity centre www.lochken.co.uk
You can follow the kite trail, play golf, walk or fish. You can go to the dark sky part of Galloway Forrest .
No kids club but there is an adventure park bit in the caravan park where you can let the kids go on their own .
Other suggestion would be the time- share lodges at coylumbridge in aviemore

Thank you for all the suggestions.

We go to Dumfries and Galloway pretty often for long weekends for the 7 Stanes , but that looks right up our street nooddsocksforme

More than happy with abroad ovenchips, and The Netherlands is dead easy, as we are about an hour from Hull for the Rotterdam ferry. DH is twittering about 20 mile queues to all ports post Brexit though, and has googled Hull’s emergency plan, and is refusing to book anything abroad. We were going to go to Eurocamp until he decided that it would be imposdible to leave the country after March.

Thank you for the Cornish suggestions sleep, will check these out.

ooohChips Isle of Arran, love an opportunity for a CalMac ferry 😊

I know I always suggest it but would you consider a cruise?

They work really well for us, sailing from Southampton is v relaxing, in port you can do all sorts of interesting activities, on ship, life is relaxing but there are activities to join if you like, including for DC. Only disadvantage is small/cramped family accommodation. You can get room service breakfast though!

Google real family holidays run by field studies centres. Bloody brilliant.

I’m on their mailing list for alert when they start taking 2019 bookings Haggisfish. We used to go on FSC holidays when I was a child. Feeling quite positive about them, but put ferkers our for alternatives.

Chewbacca we would kill each other on a cruise, we really would.

Probs not then

But thank you. I live the idea of a cruise. By myself or with DH, but not the dc.

It's my teen DS who really loves cruising actually. He loves the freedom it brings and the balance of time doing stuff and downtime with new friends.

Bluestone in Pembrokeshire, Wales, kinda like a cheaper Center Parcs.

What about arisaighouse.co.uk/

This is not too far from where I live.

Cottages in the grounds, ferries, boats, kayaking, riding all close by. Cottage in the grounds but meals if required in the hotel.

Glorious scenery, Harry Potter train, Skye, Ben Nevis all on the doorstep.

Also: youth hostels! Often in stunning locations with fantastic walks/ activities right on your door step. Sometimes in amazing buildings. Incredibly cheap. You can get family room with en-suite these days. Can eat cheap and cheerful filling food they cook (or self cater) or eat out if pubs /restaurants nearby.

Duinrell in Holland sounds idea for you. There is a small theme park next door which is free to got to if you are staying on the site, as well as a pool complex. There is a lovely sandy beach nearby if you fancy the sea. It’s fairly flat so,you can hire bikes. Amsterdam isn’t too far away if you fancy visiting there.

I think my kids were similar ages to,yours when we went there.

Duinrell

Duinrell is good, as you can just wander in and out if the theme park from the campsite bit. You can go there with Eurocamp and similar, take your own tent/caravan or rent a holiday home. The town over the road is lovely too.

We went to La Grande Ferme last year:
www.familyadventureholidays.com/normandy-grand-ferme/

We all had a great time.

We didn’t by ferry: Portsmouth-Caen on the way out. Then St Malo-Jersey and Jersey-Portsmouth on the way back (with 3 nights in Jersey at the Merton Hotel).

Have a look at potters resort in Norfolk

Not exactly what you have asked for but a lovely place with so much to do for all ages and great value for money

We love it

I was going to suggest Duinrell as well. We've been both with with our own tent and and also in a Eurocamp caravan and Duinrell themselves also have their own properties ( Duingelows!!!) So much to do both on the site itself and in the local area. (not sure if you know my current username but it's your local MNetter - message me if you want any more info!!)