Short break in Guernsey
Rainy days, beach days, blackberry picking, storytelling, colouring, ice-cream eating, fish and chips on the beach, car sickness (not so good!), playdates, catching up with old friends, lots of laughing, 'goodnight feasts' and sandcastles.
Seven happy days and nights in Guernsey.
Norwegian adventures
Kayaks in Olden, Norway
This was our third visit to the breathtaking Norwegian Fjords. Some people may find revisiting the same place again a little boring but there’s so much to like about Norway. For me personally it’s the beautiful landscapes, clean air, friendly people and relaxed pace of life. It’s always a welcome break from London.
Each time we have visited, it’s been on a cruise. Norway is expensive so hopping on and off the ship to discover a different town each day is a great way of exploring such a beautiful country without paying a fortune. Travelling on the water through the Fjords is just magical. I’d go back again tomorrow.
72 hours in York with kids
There are two things that are a pleasant surprise about York.
1. It’s actually just 2 hours from London by train
2. You can easily walk everywhere when you're there.
My husband acted as expert guide on our 3 night mini-break with the girls (both under 4).
He could easily identify with the three young guys swaying down the road in 70s get up for he was once a student there himself.
17 years later and with two pre-schoolers in tow, would York offer a good respite after a hectic Christmas?
The answer is a definite yes.
What to see
In our short few days in York we visited the breathtaking York Minster - the biggest of its kind in Northern Europe immense in scale and with some stunning stained glass. The closer you peer, the more you notice. The detail is incredible. The kaleidoscopic ceilings are something to behold and admire.
We also visited the Jorvik Viking Centre. In slow-moving cars (a bit like the waltzers at the fairground but about 200 times slower) you get taken on a 16 minute tour through life in a 10th century Viking city. With animatronic people and animals, the ride offers in insight into life back then - complete with sounds and smells. It’s something for all ages to enjoy.
The National Railway Museum is also a must. An impressive collection of old locomotives showing how people used to travel (spoiler alert - it was a hell of a lot nicer than now). We timed our visit perfectly as Tim Peake’s spacecraft is currently on display there - a reminder of one hot and (I imagine) uncomfortable journey back to Earth (the Soyuz Descent Module is tiny for three men to be cramped inside).
Where to Stay
We stayed at The Grand Hotel which was perfectly placed close to the train station and a short walk to York city centre with all its restaurants and shops. The Grand offers large rooms - perfect for a family of four and a big highlight for our 3 year old was an indoor pool. ‘We wanna go back the room’ became a familiar sentence from our two girls. After a hectic morning of walking more than they normally would, the girls were more than happy to arrive back at the hotel for a swim and a movie in the room (the hotel kindly provided a DVD player.)
For the best coffee...
Head to Spring Espresso (named one of Britain's 30 best and buzziest coffee shops by The Daily Telegraph). This stylish and relaxed cafe (child friendly) served up a delicious marmite toast. The marmite is pre-mixed into the dough with a sprinkling of cheese. The coffee was the best I’ve had for ages. This place will offer a great caffeine hit to start your day and they also serve babyccinos for the little ones. Brownie points for mum and dad.
Restaurant-wise we ate at the family-run Mamma Mia in Gillygate. A simple spicy Arrabiatta hit just the right spot washed down with a chilled glass of Pinot. There is a children’s menu with pizza and pasta options to choose from.
Gusto in Little Stonegate is a lovely, atmospheric brasserie we ate at, offering an extensive range of pizza, pasta, steak, salads and more. Again they offer a good selection for children.
So while the temptation in January may be to hop on a plane and escape the rain and drizzle - we wrapped up warm and embraced it. York has lots to offer for a few days away. Only last night we were chatting about how relaxing it was being out of London. The kids clearly loved a change of scene and being somewhere new. I’m sure it won’t be long before we head back - I miss it already.
5 reasons to try family cruising
Taking in the view in Olden, Norway.
Ahhh… holidays with young children. Those wonderful memories of those special early years - first steps in the sand, first ice-creams at sunset…
But let's be honest, getting ready to go away isn’t exactly a walk in the park.
Firstly you literally have to pack up the whole house and try to fit it in a couple of suitcases.
Then you have to deal with airport tantrums, being the couple with THAT SCREAMING BABY on the plane and the toddler who kicks the back of the seat in front.
We have taken the stress out of the equation and take to water instead.
Friends may look at me like I am mad when I tell them we’re off on another cruise. I guess to non-cruisers it may seem like an odd choice when you have young children.
But to me it’s the perfect solution.
Our eldest who’s 4 next March has been on three cruises, our youngest (22 months) has been on two.
My husband and I fell for cruising just before we got married. Our second cruise and honeymoon took us to Caribbean.
When we had our first child, we presumed our cruising days were on hold.
But when I looked into holiday options when our eldest was 14 months, I realised children are very much included in the cruising experience.
These are five of the reasons why we choose cruising as a family:
1. Kids are well catered for
Anything from bottle warmers and sterilisers to baby baths. It’s all taken care of if you put in the request either when you book or are on board. Baby food is also supplied and children are more than welcome during the evening meal.
2. Play
There are children’s clubs full of toys, soft play equipment and family movies. There’s a creche and kid’s club and numerous swimming pools on board for potty trained toddlers.
3. Stress free travel
Imagine hopping on the train for a few hours and straight on to a luxury cruise liner? Each time we cruise with children we head to our nearest port - Southampton and step straight on board. No plane delays, no airport stress, the holiday can begin right away.
4. Staff friendliness
That extra scoop of ice-cream at dinner, adoring smiles when you walk around the ship with the little ones, peek-a-boo with the stateroom attendant. The staff onboard can’t do enough when you take children on board. That makes for such a special experience and a memorable family holiday.
5. And relax…
So what about mum and dad? When I am on board I make the most of a few hours to myself while my husband babysits - a trip to the cinema, a luxurious deep tissue massage, a glass of fizz by the pool (maybe with snow-capped mountain as your view), or even something as simple as breakfast on the stateroom balcony. There’s simply nothing better than enjoying a steaming cup of coffee, a pastry, the sound of the waves beneath you and a grinning toddler at the glass door - watching mummy and also watching the world go by…
Sunset in the Norwegian Fjords