Swan Rescue

Another of our Yorkshire holiday trips was a visit to Lightwater Valley Theme Park, once again courtesy of Tesco Clubcard vouchers.

Two things made an impression on our arrival at the park – the lovely countryside setting and the amazing animatronic dinosaurs at the entrance.

On entering the park properly, the first area that we came to was filled with fairground rides, although we soon realised our favourite of these (the dodgems) was missing. What did grab our attention was the birds of prey centre, which we thoroughly enjoyed. Containing many species of owls and other birds, and even a small snake section, this made for interesting viewing and a change from the rides.

A wide selection of rides are on offer at the park, a good number that are suitable for younger children, as well as some more daring thrill rides. The park setting is great for picnics and the little train that runs round the park is a good way to view what’s on offer.

The Lightwater swan rescue begins!

One of the more traditional attractions available is the pedalo ride, little boats in the shape of swans. We fancied a relaxing trip across the lake, so we climbed aboard. The boats hold four people and are operated by a steering wheel as opposed to a tiller. This should have been straightforward, but unfortunately we were assigned a boat that malfunctioned.

A short way into our ride the steering would no longer allow for a right turn. “Never mind”, we thought, “We’ll just do a circuit bearing left.”

But no! It then refused to go in even a straight line (having jammed) and would only send us round in small circles. As we started to drift into the bank, we waved at the attendants on shore – who promptly ignored us!

For some time we debated how best to remedy our situation, until finally another family came along and offered to tow us in. This was not as easy as it sounds, as both boats kept drifting, but after a concerted effort, we made it back to dock – some 40 minutes after setting out!

The young girls managing the ride were still oblivious to our plight, and looked blankly when we tried to explain. However, we eventually managed to persuade them to contact maintenance and left it in their hands.

Looking back we found the situation slightly comical, but at the time it was extremely annoying!

Our saviours!

Apart from this blip, we quite enjoyed our day; Lightwater Valley is a bit different from other theme parks that we have visited.

Thoughts On Half Term

February Half Term holiday is always a bit of a funny one. The weather’s not always great, so outdoor activities may not be top of the agenda, but strangely many indoor attractions don’t open their doors until at least March, and in many cases April.

Searching for places to visit this week I was surprised to see so many museums were closed, stately homes too, although the latter I can understand a bit more, as muddy boots and plush carpets don’t mix very well. Although I have visited venues where disposable overshoes are provided to slip over your outdoor ones – a kind of compromise. But many museums keep their doors firmly shut at this time of year – a bad move as far as I’m concerned. Once the sun is shining I want to visit outdoor attractions, not closet myself indoors!

Fortunately, a couple of our local museums were open to the public this week so I popped in for a browse with my son. At the first we had a lovely, tranquil visit, but sadly our trip to the second was chaos!

I couldn’t believe the number of parents that were just letting their children run riot! Whilst some were engaging their children with interesting chats about what they were seeing or helping them to complete the quiz sheets provided, others were just standing by while their offspring rolled around on the floor (and I’m not talking toddlers), ran headlong into other visitors and whooped at full volume.

Now I don’t believe that children should be seen and not heard, or that they should tag along meekly without a bit of self-expression, but I do think that basic manners should be observed. A troop of youngsters, old enough to understand how to treat others, should not really be barging into other visitors without a polite, “excuse me” or “sorry”.

Sadly, it became apparent how some of their behaviour had been acquired. We were walking along a narrow aisle of the museum, when we found our way blocked by a group of mothers engaging in intense conversation. My first “excuse me please” was ignored, my second request yielded a tiny step to the side by one individual, which still did not allow me to pass due to her enormous umbrella sticking out at a dangerous angle. We eventually managed to pass amidst tuts and filthy looks, as if we were in the wrong!

I think it’s great that places such as museums often provide interesting workshops and activities for kids during the school holidays, but if you take your child along to such a place, I urge you to encourage consideration for others – and lead by example!

A Day At Thrigby Hall

During my latest stay in East Anglia, I visited the delightful Thrigby Hall Wildlife Gardens near Great Yarmouth, which proved to be a real treat.

Thrigby centres on the wildlife of Asia, housing creatures such as tigers, leopards, red pandas, gibbons, crocodiles, snakes and storks. Although not one of the country’s largest wildlife parks, it offers a lovely garden setting, and represents great value for money, with admission costing just £13.50 for adults and £9.50 for children.

One of the things that my son and I particularly liked about our visit was the opportunity to get close to the animals due to the walk-through enclosures, treetop walks and tiger tunnel. The treetop walk near to the gibbons’ enclosure allowed us to watch these fascinating animals swinging through the trees whilst being at their level.

One of the most stunning animals from our point of view, however, was the clouded leopard, which has the most beautiful markings. Other high points as far as my son was concerned were the crocodiles in the swamp house and the snakes (he particularly enjoyed feeding time for these).

Overall Thrigby is very well laid out and I was pleased to discover that the café provided very reasonably priced lunches – soup and a roll for £2.50, hot pasties for £1.80 and a selection of sandwiches, snacks and jacket potatoes. Ice creams were also standard prices, as opposed to the over-inflated ones charged at some attractions.

We thoroughly enjoyed our day at Thrigby and recommend it for a fun, yet educational, family day out.

To The Tower!

I’ve visited many tourist attractions over the years, a number of which I have blogged during the past year or so, but somewhere that I had never got round to visiting was The Tower of London.

But now I’m back fresh from a visit to said tower, full of enthusiasm and information about my day.

As with all the London attractions that I visit, I tend to go on a Sunday, when there is no congestion charge and parking can be found cheaply or even free. When there are several of us going together it is cheaper and more convenient than using the train.

For our visit to The Tower we parked in The Minories Car Park, details here, a multi-storey just a few minutes walk from the attraction, which costs £2 per hour during the week, but on a Sunday costs just £2 for the whole visit.

Arriving by 10.30 we found that there were no ticket queues (on this particular Sunday at least) and instead of paying the admission fee of £19.50 for adults and £9.75 for children (higher rates if you include the voluntary donation) we exchanged Tesco Clubcard Days Out Vouchers for tickets.

Once in the grounds I was pleased to find plenty of benches to pause and picnic on, several blocks of well-kept toilets and a restaurant providing drinks, meals and snacks at quite average prices, as opposed to the more inflated ones found at some attractions. We paid just over £9 for a Latte, an Americano, a bottle of 7Up and three delicious pieces of shortbread.

I loved seeing The Crown Jewels, especially the dainty coronet sported by Queen Victoria and thought the moving walkway system past the main jewels a clever way of keeping visitors moving.

Other highlights included St Thomas’s Tower above Traitor’s Gate complete with bedchamber and small chapel with a lovely stained-glass window, The Coins and Kings Exhibition with fun interactive displays and the small monument at the Scaffold site.

The White Tower is full of armoury, which I confess to becoming a little tired of by the end, and whilst the climb up was not bad, ascending one floor at a time largely via reasonable staircases, the climb down was by way of one long spiral staircase leading to a cellar before depositing us in the gift shop.

There are plenty of other exhibits to see and a great view of Tower Bridge, the Yeoman Warders were helpful and informative and the ravens a powerful presence. We had a really great day.

For more information see http://www.hrp.org.uk/TowerOfLondon/

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Head For The Hills

Amongst the most recent round of trips to visitor attractions that I made this summer, was a great day spent at Pleasurewood Hills, a family theme park in East Anglia.

Those of you who have been regularly reading my blog will know that I’m not a big fan of thrill-seeking rides, but I was largely drawn to this attraction by the shows that it provides.

Fans of Britain’s Got Talent may remember Sean Alexander, a past contestant on the programme and a very entertaining illusionist. His twice-daily shows performed at the park’s Castle Theatre are definitely worth a mention. My son and I were spellbound by the series of surprising illusions performed by Sean and his ‘Angels’ and highly recommend his show.

We were also greatly entertained by the park’s sea lion duo, performing a string of antics both in and out of the pool. The pair obviously enjoyed the limelight, ‘smiling’, ‘clapping’ and executing a number of clever tricks. I was particularly amused by the sea lions’ impression of a seal!

Not to be outdone, the Pleasurewood Hills parrots put on a fun show too. From counting to skating, they certainly had mastered a fair few tricks to perform.

Shows aside, there are plenty of rides to choose from – there’s certainly something available for all ages and levels of daring. Traditional dodgems, roundabouts and a carousel sit alongside thrilling rides such as the 120ft tall ‘Wipeout’ and 600m long ‘Enigma’. There are even a few more unusual attractions such as chair lifts and pedalos.

Although Pleasurewood Hills is smaller than many of its counterparts such as Chessington and Thorpe Park, it still provides a good day’s entertainment at very reasonable prices. Tickets cost £19 on the day for adults and £16 for children, with youngsters under 1m high going free. There is a reduction of £1 per ticket if you book online, with group tickets also available if you choose to buy them in this way. Or you could do as we did, and use Tesco Clubcard Days Out Vouchers to pay for admission.

Pleasurewood Hills is currently open at weekends only, with a full week of opening at October Half Term holiday.

For a fun family day out, then be sure to ‘head for the Hills’!

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Return of the Blog

Yes, I’m back in the saddle, and plan to write a steady stream of new blog posts following my short break.

I decided to take some time out to recharge my batteries and reflect on a few things. This time of year is a bit of a tough one for me. In a few days it will be the third anniversary of the death of one of my sisters (the one closest in age to me, with whom I shared many happy childhood memories), followed by what should have been her birthday. Just over a week ago, it should have been my eldest sister’s birthday (just days after my own) but she too died just eighteen months ago, and August is also the anniversary of the death of my much-missed dad.

Apologies for all the gloom, but I find the reminder of all these events somehow makes me stop and take stock – evaluate what I’m doing in my own life, being aware as I am of how precious life is.

This year I became even more thoughtful following a bit of personal criticism that I couldn’t help taking to heart, causing me to look at things a bit deeper.

But I’ve paused for thought, dusted myself down and now I’m ready to write, and rant, again.

One of my current gripes is with Ofsted. Can’t go into too many details at this point, but I really question the validity and motivation of Ofsted. How can a school that has one of the best achievement ratings in the country, is filled with diligent, polite students who not only achieve academically but within sporting and community areas too, encourages students to take pride in their school and offers a good range of extra-curricular activities, get a truly damning report? It’s something I will be looking into and would really like to discuss the whole Ofsted thing with Michael Gove, who I’m hereby inviting to join me for tea and debate!

My other current issue is with Tesco who, to my mind, have failed in their promise to stock more British meat on their shelves. Recent shopping trips to the store have revealed that there is still a high proportion of meat from various other sources, both in fresh cuts of meat, and chilled meat and poultry products such as Chicken Kievs and pies. The worst offenders are products that contain chicken sourced from Thailand and Brazil!

I’d also like ask whether any of you have been invited to become ‘expert patients’, i.e. patients who have an ongoing condition and who are willing to share their experiences with others. This is something that has been suggested to me and as a concept this does have some good points; peer support can be very valuable, but it’s the terminology I don’t like. By becoming an ‘expert patient’ it conjures up an image of someone who’s very good at lying in bed and doing exactly what they’re told. I know this is not what is really being implied but can’t we think of a better term. Maybe something like ‘patient pals’ or ‘treatment buddies’?

So yes, I’m back with the rants, but will also be reviewing and recommending (or condemning) products, visitor attractions and services. It’s good to be back!

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Fairground Rides

I have to admit that I enjoy watching others on fairground rides, far more than I enjoy riding on them myself. Whether it's a travelling fair, seaside attraction or Theme Park, I'm often there to view as opposed to ride.

Don’t get me wrong, there are a few rides that I venture on, but they are what many may refer to as ‘tame’. I’m certainly not a thrillseeker, preferring rides that somehow have a point to them as opposed to just throwing me around and up and down into delirium.

Big kid that I am, I enjoy the gentle boat rides that wind around enchanting little scenes or ‘caverns’, and I really love a ride that involves a bit of competition, such as Tomb Blaster at Chessington. I get really competitive, frantically shooting the targets along our route, aiming (and often succeeding) to get the highest score in our family.

The nearest I get to riding on the more thrilling attractions is the type of ride where you sit in a tub and get thrown around on the ‘rapids’, often getting a good soaking into the bargain – great on a hot day!

As I child, I was often taken to Dreamland in Margate, Kent, Every time we visited I begged my mum to let me go on the roller coaster, but she always fobbed me off, muttering something under her breath about possible accidents. So I resigned myself to riding the swans on the ‘Alice in Wonderland’ track, gently chugging round the Lewis Carroll characters.

I eventually went on said roller coaster in my teens, only to discover I didn’t much enjoy it anyway. The same applied to the other more daring rides that I tried.

As my children came along, I enjoyed the type of rides that we could all go on as a family – although I have to admit, even the little caterpillar roller coaster was a bit much for me!

Thorpe Park used to be great fun before it became home to many of the more ‘dare-devil’ rides as it is today. It was much more my thing to sit on a train that took me on a journey to an island where pirates chucked buckets of water at us (hands up all those that remember this!), as opposed to being blasted by a Tidal Wave.

Today I still visit Theme Parks and fairgrounds on family outings, but with the exception of a few fun rides, you are much more likely to see me there in the role of spectator, as opposed to a keen rider.

Do you enjoy fairground rides?

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Summer Holidays

Well, here they are, the summer holidays have officially arrived, with many schools having now broken up for the next six weeks or so (my son finished last Friday).

You may now be looking for ways to pass the time and entertain the kids, unless you've signed up for one of the many holiday play schemes around the country. Perhaps you’re going away for at least some of the time, be it near or far, or looking to spend some recreation time nearer to home, in between juggling work and all the other commitments that you may have.

I’m fortunate in that I write to earn a crust and can pick up pen (yes, I do still draft some work in longhand) and head for my happy place (for those of you who aren’t familiar with this, my static caravan on the east coast).

In addition to writing my blog (purely for pleasure), I write for a few businesses, composing copy for their websites, brochures, company blogs and press releases, and inventing slogans. Fortunately, there is no conflict of interest with my own blog writing as the businesses that I write for include an engineering firm, construction company and some double-glazing suppliers, as opposed to High Street retailers or visitor attractions.

I’m also putting the finishing touches to a couple of short stories, and have drafted the synopsis of a book, which I may or may not actually get round to writing.

So this summer I will be combining time at my caravan with trips back home, so that I can keep an eye on my elderly mother (she suffers from dementia) and see my daughters and baby grandson. I may even get to throw in a brief camping trip if I’m lucky.

With a busy schedule ahead, I’ve decided to reduce my blog posts to around three a week (you may already have noticed that they’ve fallen from five to four), to allow time for other projects and to enjoy summer pursuits with my family, especially my son during his school holidays.

Whatever you’re doing this summer, I hope you have a fantastic time, and do continue to look in on my blog when you get the chance.

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This July Why Not …?

Become a tourist in your home town. It’s an odd thing, but it’s often the places closest to our own homes that we don’t get round to visiting. Attractions and historical sites on our doorsteps are often ignored, whilst we quite happily journey afar to view those on other people’s doorsteps. I was born in and lived in Rochester, Kent, for many years (I’m not far from there now) and yet I never ventured into the keep of Rochester Castle until about three years ago. I had often visited the grounds, playing in them as a child and attending events as an adult, yet had never actually looked inside this great Norman castle. What nearby tourist attractions are you missing out on?

Meet family and friends halfway. Do you live a fair distance from certain family members and friends and never seem to get together due to the journey involved? Then consider finding a suitable halfway point to meet up for a picnic, outing or get-together. A couple of years back, we decided we’d like to see family members that were spread quite widely across the country, so we chose a suitable central point, booked a function room in a pub with catering included, divided the cost between us all, and had a fantastic time catching up with one another. Mass family picnics are great fun too, so be sure to arrange a big ‘meet-up’ this summer.

Send a postcard. Even if you’re not actually away on holiday, take the time to send a postcard, or better still a notelet or handwritten letter on decorative paper, to someone that you haven’t seen for some time. In these days of texts and emails, I still love to send and receive a ‘proper’ letter once in a while.

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June’s Blog Review

‘Flaming June’ it may not have been, but at least some warm sunny days have enabled us to get out and about to various visitor attractions and enjoy some traditional family picnics.

With this in mind, this month I wrote several reviews about places that I have visited and would recommend. These have included Bressingham Steam Museum and Gardens, Norfolk (a great fun family day out), The Hop Farm, Kent (offering free admission and reasonably priced rides) and some lesser-known English Heritage sites, such as Burgh Castle.

One of the main irritations that I addressed this month was the way that certain companies ask you to ‘hold for a moment’ then proceed to abandon you for what seems like ages. Comments from readers included stories of extremely long waits, tales of being passed between a series of unhelpful people and complaints about the cost of such lengthy calls. At least companies that use 0800 numbers allow you to listen to their annoying music, stony silence or intermittent recorded messages for free!

Some of the other topics that I wrote about this month were camping (great fun, low cost holidays), moving your static caravan (easier than you would think) paying for public toilets and the worst shops as defined by a recent consumer survey.

It was thumbs up for Avon Eyeshadow Primer and Bookstart, but thumbs down for Belvita Breakfast Biscuits.

Next month there’ll be more visitor attraction reviews, more verdicts on products and no doubt a bit more ranting about life’s irritations.

Thanks for reading.

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The Hop Farm, Kent

Over the years we’ve made many visits to the Hop Farm at Paddock Wood, Kent and during that time it’s undergone many changes.

In the early days of our visits it was known as ‘The Whitbread Hop Farm’ with the emphasis on the Shire Horses, but was later taken over by Southern Water, then Hop Farm Trading.

Over the years many attractions have been added, with some remaining (including various children’s rides) and others falling by the wayside (such as the dubious waxworks display).

This year new owners have taken over the Hop Farm, and admission is now free! In view of this we decided to revisit the attraction, picking a sunny Saturday afternoon for our trip.

It now costs £1 to park your car at the Hop Farm, which is a bargain, in view of the free admission. Once inside, certain attractions, such as the farmyard, play area and crazy golf can be enjoyed at no additional cost, whilst you need to buy tokens for other rides and exhibits. These tokens cost £1 each, with different attractions requiring 1, 2 or 3 tokens.

How did we do this?

The best value of these, to my mind, was the Magic Castle, costing just one token per person. The ‘castle’ is full of optical illusions and fun tricks to try out, before leaving via a mirror maze. Kids will love the driving school and giant jumping pillows, whilst we noticed there is now a 4D cinema, though we have not tried this out as yet.

What is really great about the new free admission offered here, is that it’s now possible to dip in and out of what the Hop Farm has to offer, making more frequent short visits to view a couple of attractions at a time.

On the day we visited there was also a polo tournament in progress, which was free to watch. A full list of events is available on the website www.thehopfarm.co.uk

The only downside of the day was the price of the ice creams. A van parked on the site was charging £3 for an oyster (my favourite ice cream), needless to say I didn't bother buying one!

If you plan to visit from further afield, then you’ll be interested to know that there are camping/touring caravan pitches available at very reasonable prices.

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This May Why Not…?

Enjoy some May Day fun. In 1978 the May Day Bank Holiday was instigated in the UK, allowing us to enjoy a 3-day weekend in the spring sunshine (fingers crossed). There will be many events across the country so be sure to check out what’s going on in your area. We often attend the Sweeps Festival at nearby Rochester (Kent), where you can be entertained by a host of Morris dancers and mummer groups. Stalls and displays line the High Street and fill the Castle Gardens, including a fun fair, arts and crafts stalls and refreshment stands. This year the festival is from 4^th to 6^th May, so go along if you have the chance – it’s really good fun!

See Britain in Bloom. I love this time of year with blossom on the trees and so many lovely flowers coming into bloom and I enjoy visiting some of the wonderful gardens that are open to the public. Some historical buildings have beautiful gardens and grounds that you can visit independently of the actual buildings, including Penshurst Place and Hever Castle, both in Kent. Penshurst has 11 acres of walled gardens as well as a great play area for the kids to let off steam, whilst Hever has well-tended lawns and plants, a large lake and a fun water maze which can be enjoyed by all. Both these attractions offer ‘gardens only’ admission rates, but for a bit extra you can explore the buildings too.

Ditch the bread. If you regularly have a packed lunch or like to make up a family picnic, you may, like me get very fed up of bread. So why not fill some mini pitta breads or flour tortillas with your choice of fillings instead. They make a welcome change and are a more ‘summery’ option too.

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Gressenhall Farm and Workhouse

On my travels last week I visited Gressenhall Farm and Workhouse (near Dereham, Norfolk) with my son. We had a great day, helped by the sunny weather, and recommend that you add it to your ‘places to visit’ list.

Gressenhall is a former workhouse where you can get a taste of the life of the ‘inmates’ from the displays, films and artefacts on show. We were surprised by the strange, wedge-shaped beds, shocked by the rules and harsh punishments recorded and intrigued by the graffiti wall ‘signed’ by former residents.

We enjoyed exploring Cherry Tree Cottage, the old School Room and the ‘shops’ in Village Row, but there is more to Gressenhall than just the fascinating museum displays.

Across the road from the workhouse is the farm, where you can see horses, pigs, sheep etc, as well as visit the old farmhouse and shepherd’s hut. If you’re lucky enough to experience good weather on your visit (as we did) then you can wander along the river and farm walks. On these trails, children have the opportunity to stamp a card that they are given – a full cards results in a badge. You can also enjoy a tractor and trailer ride around the farm.

Other attractions include the centenary wood, where you can take a stroll, a woodland playground, to allow the kids to let off steam and a café, for some well-earned refreshment.

What I particularly like about Gressenhall is that there are plenty of areas with picnic tables and benches to pause for a rest, and toilets are plentiful too, situated in many of the buildings. However, there appeared to be a shortage of bins for the rubbish from our picnic, although we did eventually spot one by the chapel. I was impressed that ice creams were not over-priced as at some attractions, with a Magnum costing £1.60 as opposed to the £2+ that we have paid at some places.

Overall we had a really great, reasonably priced day out (admission for adult accompanying young person £8.30, young person £6.30), with lots to see and do.

I would have liked to be able to share some photos of our day out with you, but unfortunately I experienced a camera mal-function that day, sorry!

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Easter Holiday Fun – Down On The Farm

Children always seem to love visiting farms and petting the animals or feeding them. Here are a couple of suggestions of where they can do just that – and more.

South Of England Rare Breeds Centre, Ashford, Kent adults and children from £5.45 (winter ticket price without Gift Aid). Plenty of animals to see, including some rare breeds no longer bred for commercial farming, alpacas, a walk-in aviary and a selection of insects, snakes and lizards at Creepy Crawly World. There is also a butterfly tunnel, but this doesn’t open until May. Other attractions include trailer rides, play parks, woodland walks (which we really enjoy on a warm day and have discovered grass snakes along the way) and the Mysterious Marsh Trail, which you are meant to negotiate without your feet touching the ground – quite a challenge! This makes a really fun day out, especially on a warm, dry day when you can take a picnic and enjoy all the trails and activities on offer.

Knockhatch Adventure Park, East Sussex, admission adults £1.99 - £7.99 (depending on day) children £4.99 - £9.49 (Tesco Days Out vouchers accepted). The children’s farm has a large number of animals including alpacas, chinchillas, deer, goats, guinea pigs, wallabies, pigs etc, whilst there are a number of activities on offer too. Have a ride on the Go-Karts or a row on the boating lake; children can enjoy adventure play or get daring on the ‘devil-drop’ slide; or have a game of crazy golf or relax while the children enjoy the soft play area. With all this and more to do, it’s a great family day out with something for everyone. 

To find a great farm attraction near you, visit http://www.farmattractions.net

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Gift Aid Explained

Have you, like me, become a bit confused about the whole Gift Aid process, especially when applied to visitor attractions?

Gift Aid as a basic concept is quite straight-forward when it applies to charitable donations. The explanation given on the HM Revenue and Customs website is that “Gift Aid increases the value of donations to charities by allowing them to reclaim basic rate tax from your gift.”

 

Simple, you make your donation, declare yourself as a UK taxpayer and your donation is worth more as the tax is claimed back.

However, the concept becomes somewhat more vague when applied to visitor attractions, which often have charitable status. I have visited attractions where I have paid the standard entrance fee and just signed a form to agree to Gift Aid. Yet I have visited others where if I want to agree to Gift Aid I have to pay a higher admission charge for this to take place. This got me wondering why that is.

Apparently, in 2006 the law surrounding Gift Aid on admission charges changed, stating that as Gift Aid was aimed at donations, it was not appropriate for it be to claimed on standard admission charges payable by all. Instead, in order to qualify for Gift Aid, visitors had to make a donation on top of the standard fee of at least another 10%. Providing the donation element of the charge has been paid, the whole amount of the admission fee can then qualify for the tax benefit. For example, if the admission charge is £10, providing you pay at least £11, Gift Aid will be given on the whole £11.

However, there are some conditions attached to the Gift Aid pricing strategy. The difference between standard admission charges and the Gift Aid inclusive price must be clearly stated/displayed, with the visitors choosing for themselves whether they want to pay the higher amount, rather than be coerced.

On a visit to a National Trust property (Bodiam Castle), we were automatically charged the Gift Aid price, without being asked, let alone volunteering it. This was wrong and we stated as such, insisting that they reissue standard tickets, amidst much groaning on their part.  Sorry guys, but the law says that we must volunteer the donation amount – otherwise it’s hardly a donation!

I can’t help thinking charitable status is issued a bit too freely anyway; with organisations/attractions qualifying for Gift Aid when I don’t think it’s appropriate. If too much tax is claimed back, that leaves the public purse a bit short for other essentials, like education and healthcare. We should really only agree to Gift Aid in situations where we think it is wholly appropriate and most needed.

What are your thoughts on Gift Aid? comments@shoppersjoy.co.uk

March Blog Review

With double-figure temperatures and sunshine one day and snow blizzards and freezing temperatures virtually the next, March has certainly been a right old mixture weather-wise. It’s been rather a mixed bag on my blog too – hopefully providing something for everyone.

I’ve had quite a lot to say about Travelodge this month, sharing my experience of stays and offering tips to help your stay go smoothly. Travelodges are basically cheap and cheerful (although occasionally lacking the cheerful), but let’s face it, you get what you pay for and they do make very handy stopover points without breaking the bank.

Following the horsemeat scandal, the focus has been on buying British meat, so I was pleased to hear that Tesco are aiming to stock more meat from British producers, as recent visits to the supermarket chain had revealed a huge selection of meat from all over Europe. We really should be supporting our own British farmers. At least fresh meat tends to be clearly labelled with the country of origin, whereas frozen meat does not always display where it is from with any clarity. New government guidelines really do need to be introduced for frozen food packaging.

Other topics that I felt strongly about this month included high cathedral admission charges (I feel that these buildings should be free and accessible to all) and self-serve checkouts (I’m really not a fan). Some responses to the cathedral charge post suggested that those of you who were tourists interested in viewing the architecture, did not mind paying a fee, but it seems agreed that those wanting to visit for some quiet reflection or to light a candle quite rightly did not expect to pay a high admission charge. Suggestions for aiming charges at tourists only include asking visitors to pay for audio or guided tours, photography permits, information leaflets and booklets or to enter special exhibition areas. No doubt the debate will continue.

I’m really hoping that April will see the weather become much more settled and definitely warmer. With the start of the school holidays in reach, I’m now looking at places to visit to keep the kids amused. Many attractions are reopening after their winter break, so hopefully you’ll get to visit a few.

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Easter Holiday Fun – Outdoor Museums

Now that spring has arrived (nominally at least) and the school Easter holidays are about to start, many visitor attractions will be opening their doors following their winter closure. Even attractions that remained open during the winter months tend to increase their opening hours and available facilities once we get into spring.

With warmer, drier weather, it’s a great time to get the kids out and about and make good use of their energy. If you enjoy museums, but don’t want to be stuck indoors, then why not visit some of the outdoor museums around the country?

The Weald and Downland Open Air Museum, West Sussex, (7 miles north of Chichester on A286, adults from £10.40, children from £5.70, family from £29.50 (higher charges if agreeing to Gift Aid). This is a great rural location, with plenty of space for the kids to run around (50 acres), with over 50 buildings that have been rescued from various locations around the South East and rebuilt for visitors to enjoy. We particularly loved the Tudor kitchen, where we literally got a taste of some interesting Tudor fayre and enjoyed having a picnic lunch overlooking the lake, which we supplemented with hot drinks and cake from the café. It makes a really great day out.

East Anglia Transport Museum, Lowestoft, (at Carlton Colville, 3 miles outside Lowestoft), adults £7.50, children £5.50, with tickets valid for 1 year if you consent to Gift Aid. What’s great about this little museum is not only do you get to see the exhibits, you get to ride on them too (included in admission price). It’s great fun riding the trams, trolleybuses and light railway, as well as wandering round the recreated street complete with shop fronts. This is a great place to take the grandparents too for a bit of nostalgia.

Other places to try:

Museum of Kent Life, Maidstone, Kent, combines historic buildings with farm animals and children’s’ play areas, also hosts a number of special events.

Beamish, The Living Museum of the North, County Durham, a recreation of a small rural town, with a selection of shops, farm, mine etc – lots to do!

There’ll be some more Easter Holiday outing ideas coming next week.

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Travelodge Tales

I have recently completed my sixth stay in a Travelodge, this time at Norwich Central. I’ve read some very mixed reviews about the budget hotel chain, but have to say my own experience has, on the whole, been favourable.

Our Travelodge stays around the country have cost between £19 and £35 per night for a family room (myself, my husband and our son), consisting of a double bed, sofa bed, bathroom containing a bath with a shower over it, TV and some basic storage. Towels have been provided (for the adults) along with a little tea and coffee. Ok, five-star accommodation it is not – but then the prices are hardly top notch so what do you expect?

Don't expect this level of luxury

Speaking to a few fellow guests, I’ve had the impression that they are sometimes disappointed by what they find, but have their expectations been too high? We know what to expect, and providing our room is clean and equipped with the basics we are happy. Of course, people with real grievances should report their problems, but need to be polite to the reception staff. I’ve seen a Travelodge employee being shouted at very loudly, when they had only just come on duty and could not possibly be responsible for the problem at hand!

Our most recent stay at Norwich Central was ideally located for the visitor attractions and shopping centres alike. Our room was very clean and comfortable – in fact the bathroom was the best we’d had – the staff were friendly and helpful (extra pillows were provided on request) and we had a very enjoyable stay.

Other Travelodge Experiences include:

Chichester Emsworth, an out of town location, although conveniently placed on the A27. We visited this one a few years back and had a reasonable stay although it was looking a little tired. Apparently it was due for refurbishment however, and we’ve not visited since.

York Tadcaster, another out of town location, but very easy to access York from here. We were provided with slightly more ‘rations’ (more generous with tea and coffee) here and staff were helpful – slight blip with the hot water though.

Acle, situated on a roundabout, but much more peaceful than we would have thought. We were ‘greeted’ (used loosely here) by a very surly man on reception, to whom being helpful didn’t come naturally. We arrived to find our room bereft of towels, which he would only provide following interrogation. Thankfully other staff members were more cheerful and the room itself was fine.

Rugby Dunchurch, a rural setting, with good country smells wafting through the window to prove it, but within handy reach of Warwick, where we visited the castle. We loved our first stay, great standard of cleanliness and friendly staff. However, a subsequent stay was very different. Our room on arrival was fine, but the following day it was not serviced – no clean towels, no fresh tea, coffee, milk etc. When we complained we were told there were ‘staff problems’, which may have been true, but it was disappointing after such an excellent first visit.

However, we will continue to use Travelodge for short breaks, family visits etc, as they are reasonably priced, convenient and largely clean and comfortable (in our experience). To get the best price be sure to book at least 21 days in advance, but remember you can’t expect luxury if you’re not paying luxury prices.

Next week I’ll be sharing some ‘Travelodge Tips’ to help you make the most of your stay.

What’s your experience of Travelodge? comments@shoppersjoy.co.uk

Half Term Holidays – Again!

Once again we’re on the brink of another half-term holiday, with our thoughts turning to how to entertain the kids. February half term can be a bit of a tricky one, as many attractions don’t reopen their doors until the Easter Holidays, so there are fewer possibilities to choose from.

If you’re familiar with my winter outing series, you will know that the majority of wildlife parks and zoos, many castles and a large number of museums do stay open all year. Some of these do operate reduced opening times until the main season kicks in at Easter; so do check out relative websites, tourist information offices etc when planning your visit.

This half term we are planning to visit the Norwich Castle Museum and Gallery. As we have not been before I can’t vouch for it personally, but have heard some very enthusiastic reports. Norwich Castle is reportedly “packed with treasures to inspire and intrigue visitors of all ages”. Housed in a Norman keep, exhibits include Anglo-Saxon and Viking displays, Queen Boudica’s story, and Natural History and Egyptian galleries. You can also visit the battlements and dungeons. Open Mon-Sat 10-4.30, admission is £4.90 for children and £6.80 for adults. I’ll let you know my comments on a future blog post.

Hoping for some fine weather to get out and about

What I can recommend is the Castle Museum in York. Tickets are valid for a whole year once purchased (£8.50 adults, children FREE) and highlights include the Victorian Street, ‘Toy Stories’ Exhibition, Half Term Fun including gingerbread making and playing 100 year old games, and a great collection of historical exhibits. We’ve always thoroughly enjoyed our visits here.

Other favourites of ours open this holiday include Dover Castle, Kent www.english-heritage.org.uk Time & Tide Museum, Great Yarmouth www.museums.norfolk and Colchester Zoo, Essex http://www.colchester-zoo.com

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This January Why Not …?

Buy Christmas cards and wrapping paper. I know that we’ve only just had Christmas, but now is a great time to buy for next year for less. It’ll really help next year’s Christmas budget – just don’t forget where you’ve put your purchases!

Get your finances in order. It amazes me when people say, “I’ll have to go to the cashpoint to see how much money I have.” Don’t they know? I recommend buying an exercise book and ruling it up with columns appropriate to you (better than a fiddly little cashbook) and recording transactions as they happen. On the front page list which direct debits are due and when, so that you remember to deduct these as they happen in addition to recording transactions in shops, at cashpoints etc. This way you not only know what money you have in your account, you can also check your record against your bank statement to ensure there are no errors. Mistakes do happen (so do fraudulent transactions unfortunately) so check for these regularly – the sooner they are found the sooner they can be rectified.

Have a winter outing. If you’ve been reading my ‘Winter Outings’ series you’ll know that plenty of attractions open their doors during the winter season, including museums, castles, many English Heritage properties and wildlife parks. Some even operate special winter pricing schemes, one of the best being Drusillas Zoo Park, East Sussex, a fun, smaller animal zoo with a wealth of play opportunities for the kids. Between 3^rd and 31^st January prices are: individual adults and children £10.00 each, family of 3 £27.00, family of 4 £36.00 and family of 5 £45.00!

Clear out the old. Make room for the new items you’ve received at Christmas, by clearing out some of your old things and donating them to a charity shop. Unwanted gifts? If you are able to exchange them, you local charity shop will be glad of these too.

Plan for the summer. You may be booking your summer holiday about now, or at least wondering whether the budget will stretch to one. But even if money is tight, there are ways to get a summer break, or at least some memorable family outings: be sure to collect and accumulate your Tesco Clubcard points to exchange them at four times their value for days out – making even normally expensive Theme Park trips a realistic option, points can also be exchanged towards booking holidays; start saving bags of 2p pieces for kids (of all ages and sizes) to spend in the arcades on seaside trips; save up all denominations of coins, then bank and save them towards a summer treat. I will be running lots of holidays tips on my blog throughout the year.

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