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Family Favourites August 2014 3
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Family Favourites - August 2014
It’s been so hot recently that we have been looking for relaxing and cool activities, as well as a lot of jumping around in and out of the sea and rivers!
Our first recommendation for a relaxing summer is a new studio Made With Love Studios in Dartmouth, run by a Mum/teacher from Dartmouth Academy (on her days off). Anne-Marie is amazing at involving everyone in a huge variety of crafts, from painting to knitting, bag making and “Make Do and Mend.” She is also wonderful to chat to and spend time with.
We have had two lovely sessions in her studio, the first just fiddling about with bits and bobs, and on the second Emma (6) and Tom (3) made bags (cost for materials and lesson was £5), which they will cherish forever. Emma’s is a lovely bright pink corduroy bag, with orange handles and bunny rabbit buttons. Fantastic. Anne-Marie’s studio is only recently opened and the range of activities she is running seems to be growing by the day! She is located in the Palladium Arcade, right in the town centre, and to contact her ring 07944 126923 or see her Facebook page, Made With Love Studios. Booking is helpful but not essential. Look for the pink signs in town!
Since the Kingswear Castle Paddle Steamer came to Dartmouth in 2012, we have been waiting for friends or family to visit so we can justify a trip aboard. When my brother and his family came with their toddler daughter (who is just at the age where she needs to wander around all the time) we decided to take a trip. It was perfect. We all loved it. The commentary was hilarious, the trip was just the right length, with plenty to see but not overly long so the younger ones got bored, the deck is big and fairly flat (good for pottering about on), and you can look into the engine compartment and see all the machinery whirling around. I don’t usually find boat trips relaxing with two children on my own but this was excellent and I would really recommend it.
In terms of facilities, there is a nice bar on board, and the loos are a real treat as they are beautiful works of art painted in blue and white, in keeping with the early 1920s theme of the vessel. Truly a relaxing morning out.
Dartmouth Castle is running pirate themed event days in the summer holidays, usually on Mondays and Tuesdays. Check the English Heritage website for details about the events - we went to one of these last summer and thoroughly enjoyed it. There were children everywhere dressed in awesome pirate costumes, weapons being fired, songs being sung and various other pirate themed activities. The actors and actresses did a great job of keeping my two children entertained by bringing history to life. Apart from these themed days, why not visit the castle anyway for some of the best views in town and to learn something new?
We have recently visited Totnes Castle for the first time. It is well worth a visit, again for the fantastic views. The facilities are basic but the walk up to the fort is definitely worth the effort. The gardens at the bottom of the winding path are lovely: flat, spacious and shady. Perfect for a cool picnic. Tom loved it there.
We have been going to the recently reopened Sandquay Woods for a bit of shade in the past few weeks and have been paddling in the river just beyond the tower at the bottom of the hill (when the tide is not completely out). We love Sandquay Woods as there are “loop walks” in a variety of lengths, which are achievable for small children. We go down the main track and veer right on the big path all the way to the pond (fairly dry and muddy at the moment), and then just after the muddy pond turn left down to the river’s edge where we paddle. Then we keep following the path round to the left up to the tower and a flat area where we usually hunt for treasure (it’s amazing how the fairies leave sweeties behind) and then we head back to the car. This is a really short loop that takes about an hour at our speed, and is manageable for our three year old, but there are much longer loops to keep dog owners and older children happy. The woods are very cut back compared to how they used to be but it was essential maintenance work and it is still a gorgeous spot for a walk, picnic or paddle. Parking is easy and the paths are well marked.
And finally, for the inevitable rainy days with the good old English weather, here are some ideas.
In Dartmouth: Made With Love Studios; Browns Hill Arts; Dartmouth Library (visitors welcome); The Flavel Cinema; Dartmouth Museum (now free for kiddies in the summer); a ride on the steam train and what about the outdoor pool – you might as well get wet in the warm water anyway. Slightly further afield: The Play Station in Totnes; the Aquarium in Plymouth; the Royal Albert Memorial in Exeter. Then, if all else fails, get the waterproofs and wellies on and hit the beach. Thank you to all my Family Favourite Mummies who shared these rainy day ideas with me.
First published By the Dart August 2014