I’m not a huge fan of traveling abroad. I’m not scared of flying, but I don’t like all the sitting down and the cramped conditions, with the air-conditioning being the real icing on the cake.
I went on a yoga retreat as part of my honeymoon in 2014. I got there feeling pretty lethargic and had my usual issues with back, neck and shoulder aches and stiffness. After a week of yoga and good food, I felt pretty energised and, well, flexible by the time that we left. A 2 hour taxi drive and a 4 hour flight later, I felt fairly rotten and lethargic again by the time we got back.
Now that we have a little-one, budget is also a big consideration when booking holidays, as well as the length and comfort of the commute. With this in mind, here is a shortlist of places for us to visit in the next few years…
Cheddar
Cheddar in Somerset is famous for its gorge, the Cheddar Man and of course, Cheddar Cheese.
What to do in Cheddar?
Things to do in Cheddar include visiting the Cheddar Caves & Gorge, the Original Cheddar Cheese Company and walking or cycling the Strawberry Line and visiting the Cheddar Man at the Museum of Prehistory.
- Visiting the Cheddar Caves & Gorge
- Visiting (& eating at) The Original Cheddar Cheese Company
- Visiting the Cheddar Man at the Museum of Prehistory
- Walking or cycling the Strawberry Line
- Playing at Mendip Frisbee Golf Course (not in Cheddar but nearby)
- Bike the Gorge Hill – if you really, really like cycling
As you’d expect really, there are also a variety of walks that you can do around the gorge:
If you stay in Cheddar Woods Resort & Spa, there’s also a wide range of activities that you can do…
Where to Stay in Cheddar?
Cheddar Woods is almost definitely the best place to stay in Cheddar for families, and many of the lodges are also pet-friendly, so you can take your dog (or cat, rabbit, not sure about chickens or lizards).
Dog with a business pass
" data-orig-size="960,540" sizes="(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px" aperture="aperture" />With outdoor, private hot tubs in some of the premier lodges, a luxury spa, gym, pool and restaurant; there’s quite a lot to keep the family entertained whilst on site.
The lodges provide a lot more space than you would normally get in a hotel or a B & B:
If you are looking for a hotel, then as you’d expect, TripAdvisor is probably the best place to do some research.
If you’re on a tight budget, The Oakhouse Hotel has good reviews and is very competitively priced.
The Lake District
The Lake District was declared a National Park in 1951 and according to Lonely Planet – it is by far the UK’s most popular national park. If you like the great outdoors, then the Lake District is a great destination for you, and your family (assuming their outdoorsy types too).
The Lake District has inspired many great writers & poets, including William Wordsworth and Beatrix Potter. A great testimony to the inspiring landscape that possesses many therapeutic benefits. If you’re feeling stressed out, like a lot of us are, spending time in nature has been proven to treat everything from mild depression to ADHD.
What to do in the Lake District?
With more parks, forests and lakes that you can shake a proverbial stick at, the Lakes has lots on offer. A walk around Derwentwater is always a winner – with some amazingly beautiful and relaxing scenery. Keswick’s local lake is 10 minutes walk from the town-centre.
Other Lake District walks include:
Day trips on offer in the Lake District include:
- The Beatrix Potter Lakeland Tour
- The Spectacular Ten Lakes Day Trip from Windermere
- The High Adventure: High Mountain Passes Spectacular from Windermere
Where to Stay in the Lake District?
It’s difficult to say exactly, with so many difference options available. The Lake District is fairly well known for wild camping, although that’s not exactly ideal for families and larger groups of people. The best place to get some ideas is on the Lake District website.
Places of note to stay in the Lake District include:
- Keswick Reach Lodge Retreat
- Brimstone at Langdale
- Cedar Manor Hotel & Restaurant
- Holbeck Ghyll
That’s just 2 places to visit in the UK. North Wales is also listed in the Lonely Planet’s best regions to visit.
North Wales is brilliant, if you like walking, hiking, cycling, camping and general ‘in nature’ stuff – which I do. I’ll cover that area in a future post!
