#CountryKids on the beach at Les Mouettes, Vendee

It's been all quiet on the blog as we have been in France enjoying the camping break I had partly won from Canvas Holidays. On our first full day at the site it was extremely hot and sunny so we headed down to the beach (it turned out to be a longer walk than advertised!). It was almost deserted as was not French holiday season:

My son lost no time in heading down to the waves whilst the adults set up base:

It was so peaceful and quiet as well as being very clean. I suspect that in August it is packed out with holiday makers:

My son soon started work on building a marble run to see if we could make videos like some of the ones he has been enjoying watching on YouTube:

#CountryKids on Freshwater East, Pembrokeshire

On the day that was forecast to be the best weather we headed to Freshwater East to let the children try out their bodyboards and wet suits. It is one of the safer of the beaches along the coast although the waves are not as big as on other beaches. It is certainly a beautiful setting:

The water was lovely and clear for swimming and for messing about on the water. The advantage of being in a large group was that there was always an adult willing to be in the water with children allowing the others to chill on the sand. 

It was pretty good sand for fun too, especially when you have a willing volunteer to be buried in it:

It was good for making sand castles too:

#CountryKids in Tenby (Dinbych-y-pysgod)

On a grey and damp day a group of us decided that the best option was to head to the seaside resort of Tenby (in Welsh Dinbych-y-pysgod which means fortlet of the fish). It is blessed with 2.5 miles of beaches one of which is South Beach:

The children raced ahead down the steep and slippy steps from the town straight down to the beach:

Despite the cold and rain they were all keen to get in to the water paddling away. The adults stood at a sensible distance wrapped up in raincoats! A few children got a bit too enthusiastic and got completely soaked... 

We decided against paying to get up to the fort on St Catherine's Island, although some of our larger group later told us it was fabulous, and headed into the town itself. One mum had to take her children to buy dry clothes and the rest of went in search of a restaurant with enough seating for our large group. Eventually we struck lucky:

As it was a seaside town the children all wanted to play in the arcades so we then spent ages on the 2p machines:

Eventually it was time to head back through the old medieval walls (not too many of these remain):

We made the most of the shops to buy wet suits and bodyboards for future adventures! I would love to return there on a warmer, dryer day but I guess it would be incredibly busy..

#CountryKids Virtual Vikings, Waterpark Fun, Windy Beaches and Rugged Coasts

After our busy history day we went for more of a fun-filled one and headed back down to Waterford to visit the King of the Vikings which is the world's visit virtual reality Viking encounter: 

As there are only 8 people in the attraction at a time we had to book and then wander around admiring the mix of modern and Georgian architecture around the Anglican cathedral:

We even had time for a very happy coffee:

#CountryKids Sandcastles and Ghosts at Robin Hood's Bay #Whatevertheweather

We had a wild, damp day exploring the village and then the best weather of the week meant a full day on the beach. This gave my daughter and her new friends a chance to build a pretty awesome motte and bailey sandcastle:

My daughter was so dedicated to building up the bailey:

She also carefully dug out a bridge across the moat:

#CountryKids More Beach Fun at Robin Hood's Bay

When you have taken body boards and wet suits on holiday the children will want to use them even if a) the conditions aren't right b) they aren't experts! So on a grey day my son donned his wet suit and we joined a few other hardy souls on the beach:

There weren't any decent waves but my son enjoyed just being in the surf on his board:

#CountryKids On the Beach at Robin Hood's Bay

Sunday was a good weather day and we spent a lot of it on the beach at Robin Hood's Bay:

The tide times didn't make for a long time on the sand but there was a chance to try to build tide defences:

and to have an ice cream from the van:

#CountryKids on Aldingham Beach

 

Our local Parkrun wasn't on this weekend so we traipsed all the way to Barrow instead as my brother wanted to do a bit of a run on his holiday. Nice to catch up with some folks and complete a hilly course:

As we had dragged all three generations with us almost to the end of the Furness peninsula we decided to try and entertain everyone on the way back. First up letting the dog have a free run on Aldingham Beach. Like all beaches in Morecambe Bay you have to watch out for quicksand but there was plenty of room for her to run around whilst the children made a big splash:

This is one of the years when there has been an influx of jelly fish to Cumbrian coasts and the children found several washed up on the stones:

My daughter had a lot of fun hunting for shells. These were just some of her haul:

#CountryKids Newquay and Mawgan Porth

After our Karting we headed up to Newquay in search of some beach fun and lunch. It was an amazing coastal drive but the town itself was too commercial and frantic for us. So we grabbed some pasties and I snapped the main beach before we left:

A Google search revealed a dog friendly beach back along the coast at Mawgan Porth so we all headed that way. It was worth the drive:

The children were soon in wet suits and took the very long walk to the sea (it was low tide):

#CountryKids at Polkerris and Megavissey

You can't go to Cornwall and not try out as many beaches as possible. So we headed along the coast to Polkerris. It felt like proper Cornwall to have to walk down a single track lane to find the sea:

Then you get a glimpse of the sea between the old lifeboat station and the pub:

It was a lovely quiet beach with sand and rock pools:

#CountryKids at Pentewan Sands

There is no way you can come on holiday near the sea side with children and not go to the beach even if the weather is not beach friendly! So we jumped in the cars and headed a few miles from our accommodation to Pentewan Sands. The beach is in private hands but the car park was reasonably priced. Unfortunately its a dog free beach so the canine member of the family had to be returned to our house. It was a beautiful if chilly setting:

My daughter wanted to get into the sea so decided to change in to her swim kit and ran off to the water:

Rather rapidly she came back seeking her wet suit:

Once the children were kitted out properly they headed for the sea:

#CountryKids Broad Haven beach Pembrokeshire

One of best things about our holiday was the beach at Broad Haven itself. It was just 100 metres from our hostel:

As soon as we reached the village the first thing my children wanted to do was head straight to the beach:

A lack of swimming gear and towels was not a deterrent to my son heading into the surf:

Single with Kids in Broad Haven

I got back last night from co-ordinating a Single With Kids in Broad Haven, Pembrokeshire. Having been on a variety of their trips to hotels and camping it was exciting to be left in charge for a week! We were staying at the Youth Hostel and had exclusive use of it for 6 nights.

It took me back to have to make my own bed in the room! We were in a 7 bunk room with just the 3 of us an en suite wet room/toilet. The hostel was really close to the beach:

We had so much fun including a sunset walk on the beach:

#CountryKids a day on the Blackpool beach and promenade

One thing we have all missed after moving from Hastings to Kendal 4 years ago is the sea. So it was great to head to the most famous seaside resort in the North West - Blackpool. Its just over an hour away from us which isn't far for a day trip. I obtained parking tips from Twitter (on street near the airport), packed our swimming kit and off we went. It's all so well signposted even without a navigator.

As advised we took a tram as we were almost at the far end of the promenade. It was a reasonable £4.50 for the 3 of us to go all the way to Central Pier. This was my children's first tram ride and it was a nice way to arrive. The children's priority was the beach so we set up base on the steps next to the pier:

As it was mid week the beach was pretty quiet even though it was boiling hot! The tide was on the ebb so there was plenty of sand: