Family Favourites - Holidaying in South Devon
Family friendly properties - especially those near the beach - are in great demand, particularly during the school holidays but also in the ‘shoulder’ months of June, early July, September and October when those with pre-school age children can make the most of lower out-of-season prices. Parking close to the property is one of the first requirements we are asked for by those travelling with children. With all the equipment associated particularly with young children and most certainly with more than one, parking away from the property would not necessarily make for a relaxing break!
Safe, enclosed gardens are often next on the list for parents of young children looking for a bit of a rest whilst away from home. If outside space is important to you , discuss your requirements before booking as many properties do offer gardens, but with miles of beautiful, unspoilt beaches close to hand and the glorious Devon countryside all around there is plenty of space for tiring out young legs!
Many visitors simply do not consider access to the property they have chosen before booking a cottage or apartment for a holiday, but this can be quite an issue if you have to carry a double pushchair up and down a flight of steps every time you go out! Knowing and visiting our properties as often as we do gives us the opportunity to advise on any access queries and to recommend one of the many more suitable properties. Before booking a property, it is worth asking questions – how far is the beach, are there ‘child-friendly’ pubs and restaurants nearby, is there a cot/highchair or can we hire them, where is the nearest shop, how steep are the internal steps/is there a stair gate or can one be hired?
Whilst equipment for babies and young children, such as cots, highchairs and stair-gates, can be hired locally, many property owners do provide them, so check before you book – it might save you squeezing one (or two!) in the boot of the car along with the kitchen sink! Over near Dartmouth the owners of one luxury development, Hillfield Cottages & Country House, have invested in a large number of cots and highchairs and will position the required number in the property prior to arrival. With beautiful grounds, children’s play area and just a short drive from award-winning Blackpool Sands with it’s organic beach café, the apartments and individual barn conversions and cottages of Hillfield are proving popular with families.
When booking accommodation it is also important to think about sleeping arrangements, particularly when more than one baby is in the party. Cosy cottages might well have smaller bedrooms whilst bedroom furniture might not be moved that easily to accommodate more than one cot. Checking room layouts and bed configurations prior to booking is important, whilst choosing a slightly larger than required property is one solution taken by many families, particularly out of season when special offers and cheaper prices for larger families are often available. Twins Holly and Alex Weston (aged one) recently enjoyed a week’s holiday in popular Hope Cove, staying at Tidewave, a detached house with views of the sea and a very large garden, with their parents and grandparents. A spacious, 3 bedroom property enabled the girls to have their own large bedroom, perfect for two cots and with plenty of room for all their associated luggage! Plus with one cot and highchair already provided they only needed to hire one set. Cot bedding is usually not provided as most mothers prefer to bring their own, but it is worth checking at time of booking.
Travelling in the car with children - particularly in busier holiday periods - can often be stressful for parents, so some arrive tired and with fractious children to cope with, as well as the unpacking to do! Thinking of arrival days, avoiding the main school holidays whilst children are pre-school aged, is best and, if unavoidable, travelling either very early or later in the day can be worth considering. Journey times can be considerably shortened with a bit of careful planning and you could even go straight to the beach to burn off any pent up energy after sitting in the car. Don’t, however, presume that you will be able to access your holiday property early just because you have chosen to travel earlier. Whilst we always aim to try to get properties ready earlier than the 3pm arrival time wherever possible, the volume of changeovers to complete is a mammoth task particularly during the busy summer period. We are also dependent on those leaving the properties on time and in good order! Its certainly worth calling ahead, though, to find out the situation as we will always try to assist parents with young children as much as we can. Packing a picnic to tide you over and planning a walk on the beach or an exploration of the village if you expect to arrive several hours earlier will avoid any end of journey disappointment.
With the car bursting to the seams with baby equipment, planning food requirements and ordering ahead is a good way of cutting down the luggage for a family. Local food hampers can be pre-arranged from companies such as Goodstuff of Kingsbridge, containing all you will need and more for a hearty breakfast and/or ready prepared full evening meal. Wine can be delivered from Red & White of Kingsbridge whilst local deli company Red Earth Kitchen can supply picnics, catering and good quality frozen gourmet ready meals with items on the menu aimed at ‘very ickle people’. Tescos deliveries can also be pre-ordered so you could even avoid packing the nappies and baby wipes (those for the journey excepted!)
With safe sandy coves for sandcastles and swimming, plus crabbing, rock pooling and surfing still proving popular pastimes, this really is the perfect destination for a family seaside holiday. Local attractions including award-winning farms such as Pennywell, places of interest including National Trust properties and gardens and adventure parks like Woodlands, with the largest indoor play centre in the UK including a separate area for Under 5’s, offer entertainment whatever the weather. For food loving parents, the area is a haven with regular Farmers Markets, readily available local produce, an abundance of tea rooms, award-winning restaurants plus the local ice cream is delicious! With the mildest climate in mainland Britain we welcome visitors to this area of outstanding natural beauty throughout the year and we hope to see you soon too!
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Source: ArticleTrader.com