Visiting another country for a holiday with your whole family can be stressful, especially when you are travelling by plane. This issue has only been made worse by the COVID 19 pandemic and the extensive restrictions placed on travel. With the pandemic still ongoing, many are choosing to holiday in the UK, planning a staycation to avoid the stress of organising international travel.
With plenty of advanced warning you can find activities to participate in that will make your holiday a real adventure. Many UK holidaymakers are trying various water sports like paddle boarding as well as other new things, such as archery and horseback riding. This article will discuss some exciting activities that will make your UK holiday an unforgettable experience, no matter where you are.
Wilderness adventures
A lot of our best childhood memories involve playing games in the great outdoors. Finding a great spot in a forest or beach and organising some games to play can entertain the whole family, giving you a much needed break. Here are some fantastic games that can create hours of fun:
- Capture the flag – This game is best played with a large group of people so ringing friends and family and inviting them to compete as well, can make the game more engaging. There are two or more teams that must protect their flag and capture everyone who tries to steal it. The team that manages to steal the other team’s flag, wins the match.
- Build a fort – Creating a den is a fantastic way to spend a holiday afternoon. From elaborate treehouses to blanket forts, creating a den can be hours of fun. In a wood you can use materials like branches and leaves to make a hideout, or if you don’t have access to natural materials, using a picnic blanket to make a tent can be a lot of fun as well.
- Hide and seek – One of the easiest games to play, hide and seek can keep the kids entertained for hours at a time. Setting out the boundaries where they can hide is a good idea though – staying within the hotel gardens for instance.
- Build a boat – Using string, glue and paper to make a miniature boat and racing them down the stream or river can be great fun. If you don’t have time to make an elaborate boat racing sticks can be just as fun.
- Blackberry picking – Going out blackberry picking, for crumbles, pies or jam is a lovely family activity that can be enjoyed throughout the autumn. Taking the blackberries home after you have finished picking and tasting the spoils will make for an excellent evening. If blackberries are not in season, visiting a fruit farm for any number of different varieties of fruit, such as pears or plums can be a fun trip as well.
- Treasure hunt – Setting up a treasure hunt can be a lot of fun, for the adults as well as the kids. Setting up elaborate hunts around the garden using little riddles or an orienteering challenge to search for a prize is a good way to keep your kids engaged and enthusiastic.
Hiking
Here at Salomons Estate our hotel is situated in the centre of Kent, known as ‘the garden of England’. With thousands of gorgeous walks and trails in the beautiful countryside around our estate, ask at our help desk for recommendations for walks that you and your family will enjoy. Finding a walking route on a map and going for a walk can also be a very rewarding experience. Going out for a hike in the morning and then heading back to Salomons Estate for an incredible Sunday roast is a very popular way to explore what Kent has to offer.
Heading out for a trek with a packed lunch and a map can be a great way to spend your weekend. If you are an experienced trekker, finding a trail on the map to follow that looks the correct length can bring you to new and unexpected places to explore. However, if you weren’t a champion orienteer, keeping to a well-established route such as Bewl Water or Bedgebury Pinetum will prevent you getting lost. Venues such as these also have facilities available for children, with visitor’s centres and play areas to enjoy.
Pony rides and trekking
Riding is a fantastic way to enjoy the outdoors and something that most people will have tried at least once. Whether your kids are experienced riders or first time trekkers there will be an experience that can work for you. Taking ponies out on a trek is a fantastic way to explore a new area and can give you an appreciation for the outdoors you didn’t previously have. Most pony rides are for those with at least a little bit of experience riding, but if you are new to the sport, the stables often offer a lead reign option for those that are less confident.
A few tips to remember are:
- Wear comfortable and worn clothes, anything you wear will probably end up covered in horse hair or mud.
- Most stables have boots you can borrow, but just in case ensure you are all wearing boots with heels to stop them slipping through the stirrups.
- Bring some hair bands. Many stables will request you put long hair into a pony tail to keep it out of your eyes when riding.
- Make sure you have kit that is appropriate for the potential weather, waterproofs for a rainy day or sun cream and water bottles for the summer.
- Don’t forget your camera or phone!
Canoe & Kayaking
This can be a great activity to try – allowing you to explore the coastline or the local rivers and lakes by boat. In Kent, Bewl water offers canoeing opportunities within the reservoir and there are many others to visit on the coast.
Most people will be able to use canoes and kayaks with minimal previous experience. However, if you have younger children with you or have not tried kayaking before, choosing to go on a guided tour can help relieve any worries you may have. If you have tried this method of travel before then simply renting a set of canoes and lifejackets will be just fine – especially where the water is calm. Speaking to some local professionals about which areas are safest to kayak is a good way to make sure of your safety.
Cycling
Cycling can make what would be a very arduous walk, into a fun and significantly faster trip. Whether you bring a bike of your own on the roof of the car or hire them once you arrive, a cycling trip can be a fantastic experience allowing you to explore longer routes. Some bicycle hire shops have multiple suggested circuit routes of varying difficulties for you to try.
Making sure you stay safe with helmets and try to select paths that pass onto roads as little as possible is important when planning your trip. If you are ever in doubt about whether you will be able to bring you bikes along a certain route, asking hotel staff or searching online may give you some good suggestions for safe places to cycle.
If you are looking for a family friendly hotel in Kent, please contact us here. If you have any enquiries about potential activities in the local area, contact our help desk.