By Melissa Corkhill
25th January 2012
GILL KILNER writes our Learning page every issue, sharing advice and inspiration for your child’s education
“Not having much time for travelling these days, I love to just visit the North Yorkshire coast from time to time. It takes us just over an hour to get there and we all have our favourite locations to suit our mood.
Scarborough is for when we want to have fun. Strolling along the sea wall, there are shops and – at one point – loud arcades to the left and crashing sea to the right. And then the ancient, ruined castle looms up ahead skirted by proud battlements: a relief on which to feast the eyes, with the blaring racket of slot machines in the ear!
We go to Whitby, further north, to immerse ourselves in history and the calm of the abbey there. Wandering through its towering shell makes me wonder about its founder St Hilda and what kind of person she must have been, as such a pivotal historical figure. “All who knew her called her mother because of her outstanding devotion and grace,” said Bede. The abbey has been completely rebuilt since its founding 1354 years ago, but Hilda must have enjoyed the same sized magnificent view over the town, river and sea that never fails to take my breath away.
The existing church in the old abbey grounds feels sacred, squat and safely set square. It seems incongruous in its setting though: the graveyard of Dracula. I can’t match the two in my mind, no matter how hard I try – especially in daylight. It’s probably easier after dark.
Then it’s down the 199 (count them: we always do, out loud and chanting!) Church Steps to the old town, with its narrow cobbled streets, squares and unfailingly enticing, unique and eccentric shops. It’s easy to forget about the 21st Century in Whitby. And even the 20th. The clatter of horses’ hooves coming up from behind one wouldn’t be at all surprising: it’s the hum of car engines queuing to get across the bridge that jars.
Six miles down the coast and even more historically evocative is the steeply cobbled smugglers’ town of Robin Hood’s Bay (pictured). Itself seeming to hide in the cove, you have to know about it and seek it out to discover any of its mystery. But once there, it’s possible to spend hours wandering curiously around its endlessly confusing maze of narrow paths, passages, steps and streets. Many of the higgledy-piggledy impossibly placed houses are linked by tunnels and passages through their cellars so that goods could be conveyed from the boats and hidden quickly and effectively from the sight of the Customs officers. Any cargo could magically find its way from the sea at the bottom to the moor at the top without ever seeing the light of day!
Scarborough and Whitby have beaches, but Robin Hood’s Bay has endless rock pools instead, between which a child can jump and into which he can poke and swish his net to spy and catch his own secret treasures, as children probably always have there.”
JOANIE GORMAN crafts beautiful creative projects for every issue of the Green Parent. This issue try out printmaking with her easy to follow instructions, which produce great results
“Big Sur, California is hands down my favourite holiday destination. I grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area and Big Sur, 150 miles south of the City is a place close to my heart. In the late 1930s my maternal great grand parents built a home in neighbouring Carmel, back then the area was still only sparsely populated by artists and explorers. As children in the seventies and eighties, my brothers, sister and I were lucky enough to spend nearly every summer in that same house, just across from a long, sandy beach.
At the age of only six or seven I’d literally wake at the crack of dawn, grab my bucket and head down to the shoreline on my own to hunt for shells and explore rock pools at low tide. We’d spend most days bodysurfing, even in thick fog, and spent evenings round a campfire on the beach. I have fond memories of exploring nearby Point Lobos Nature Reserve with my brothers and sister, trekking down long paths through woods that would end at secluded marine coves. From there we’d head into Big Sur on famous Highway One; to this day I still find myself closing my eyes crossing 85 metre high Bixby Bridge which juts straight out of the mountains to cross Bixby Creek and a deep ravine. Journeying across the famous bridge is worth it, all ninety miles of Big Sur coast are glorious to behold.
The ruggedness and vastness of Big Sur has kept it free from sprawling population and though it’s beauty attracts many visitors one could still easily escape a single soul for weeks on end. The breathtaking Santa Lucia Mountains tumble down to rocky shores of the Pacific where sea otters play and hunt in kelp forests and vivid blue water. It’s easy to encounter extraordinary wildlife up close in the area. On land monarch butterflies, black tail deer and bobcats are easy to spot while by sea humpback whales, dolphins and sea lions are frequently seen.
Visitors will find a nice variety of places to stay. There are wonderful campsites or amazing retreat destinations like the Esalen Institute. Esalen holds over 500 workshops a year including many for families, that are as the website states, “Centered in principles of connectedness, awareness, discovery, and creativity, Esalen programs offer ways for families to grow together…”
If you seek pampering, parents who visit The Post Ranch Inn are in for the ultimate treat. The Post Ranch is consistently voted tops in lists of green luxury accommodation. My husband and I honeymooned there nearly fifteen years ago and our only regret was that we could only afford to stay for two nights; it’s a bank breaker, but stunning. The Ranch sits on top of cliffs over looking the sea and the rooms and houses are built from reclaimed timber blending with the surroundings – they’re carved into the hillside, built around trees and perched on top of peaks. One day I’ll return to the Big Sur area with my children for a very extended stay, I want them to experience the same sense of awe I feel every time I return; a feeling that can never be captured in books, photographs or stories – only by being there.”
EMMA TYER writes the magical Cycles of the Year column for every issue of the magazine, sharing ideas for creative projects to mark the changing of the seasons.
Our first family holidays were spent with friends and relatives and that felt like an adventure enough given the paraphernalia that seems to accompany a young child, however simple you try and make it.
One year, the year of the solar eclipse, we decided at the last minute it was time to take a holiday. We decided on Cornwall (slightly strange given the circumstances) and found a holiday cottage in Constantine Bay near Padstow. It really was just “luck” as we took what we could find. The 8 hour journey by car from East Sussex with 2 small children went surprisingly well and continued to be on each of our subsequent visits over the next 5 years.
We continued to holiday in the same place. For some this might be considered boring, but the children loved the familiarity. It was a home from home and yet so different, sea, sand and boats. We spent hours watching the boats in Padstow harbour.
Of course holidaying in England means at least two days of rain, and sea mist, but it never really spoilt the holiday. I remember seeing one family sitting on the beach in the pouring rain, they had dug themselves in and put umbrellas up, determined to enjoy it, whatever the weather.
We found organic and locally produced food in Wadebridge as well as interesting shops selling local arts and crafts. One favourite place to visit was the National Trust property Lanhydrock, and it’s amazing kitchen! Of course the Eden project was also on our returns list.
Eventually we adults felt that we would like a change form Cornwall, so obviously liking the rain we chose Ambleside in the Lake District, which we again returned to for subsequent years. Ambleside has some wonderful eating venues in Lucy’s of Ambleside which produces fantastic meals a restaurant or bar as well as a delicatessen, all with locally produced food.
The Lakes offers long walks in great beauty and of course the opportunity to play ‘Swallows and Amazons’ for real. The scenery is stunning whatever the weather and there is nowhere else quite like it.
After eleven years of holidays in this green and pleasant land we finally got to use some of our carbon footprint and visited Vancouver in Canada (one of the wettest places in the world!) for my stepson’s wedding last year. We were however blessed with 30 degree heat throughout.”
BECKY SIMMONDS writes about the two loves of her life for our Feb/Mar edition – family and running and how she manages to combine the two
“As a child my family didn’t have much money so we holidayed on a farm in Cornwall out of season in November or December. It was a matter of pride that we all swam in the sea no matter how cold it was (even if it was snowing) but I loved it. Staying on a farm was fantastic and I would always struggle to get through breakfast in my eagerness to go out and see the animals. We had log fires in the evenings and fell into bed absolutely exhausted, so Cornwall will always have a special place in my heart.
My father now lives in Spain and my husband and I took our daughter there for the first time in September. He lives in a place called Nerja right by the sea. There are lovely beaches and a huge balcony over the sea called the Balcon de Europe where everyone congregates in the evenings for a drink, ice cream and evening stroll. There is nothing about the place that makes it better than anywhere else but it was a very special holiday for us and my husband and I were struck by how much more child and family friendly the locals were. Old ladies would stop to smile at our daughter and talk to her in the street, and waiters treated her as a special guest. I often feel the general public in the UK barely acknowledges children. We could learn a lot from other European countries.”
ELLIE GARWOOD discovers the lost art of soap making for issue 45 of The Green Parent
“My favourite holiday destination is anywhere in Devon and Cornwall because you can get there without a plane and yet there are beaches and landscapes to rival any across the globe. In addition to this the surf is amazing, locals are happy and healthy, villages and towns have real character and the cream teas – well, I’d holiday there for a single clotted cleam, strawberry jam soaked scone alone!”
JOSH SUTTON writes about how camping can be the best social family holiday for all ages in our Travel Special this month
“A Favourite family holiday destination would either be Camping at Son Bou on Menorca, a superb family run ‘ready-errected’ campsite on the south of the island, or our annual trip to Mundesley in Norfolk, staying on The Links campsite in May and eating as much seafood as we can possibly fit in in a week!”
CLARE COLE writes about Early Years Education and whether targets are damaging childhood in issue 45
“My favourite place to holiday is Cornwall. The stunning beaches, the all-weather activities for the whole family, and the laid-back locals, all make it holiday heaven for me!”
TRACEY SMITH writes our exciting Seasonal Food column every issue, sharing her insider knowledge and insight
“Every year, millions of people make a beeline to the New Forest in Hampshire. It has some of the largest areas of unenclosed forest, heath and pasture land in the south and is packed with free-roaming ponies, commoners’ cattle and donkeys. If you’re a birdwatcher, you’ll delight at trees teeming with Redstarts, Curlews and Snipe, you might even spot a Red Kite.
I prefer our days out to unfold organically and I’m a total lover of nipping into the nearest tourist information office and seeking out a crumbling hidden gem to visit amongst the 150 ancient monuments dotted throughout the Forest, many of which have free admission too.
My most treasured memory of a peaceful stay here is at Carey’s Manor Hotel, an oasis of a manor house nestled in the heart of Brockenhurst. I’ll be honest, I don’t really do hotels because they rarely share my passion for the environmental elements that are important to me, but this place is different.
Sustainability runs through the centre of it and they have a smashing green team who will be more than happy to assist. They actively encourage you to visit without a vehicle and can arrange for you to be met at the local railway station and they’ll give you a discount on your stay if you do!
Early morning walks through the gardens offer plenty of spaces to sit and meditate and their food is outstanding and will leave you with flavours to savour, as locally sourced, free-range and organic rate highly on their agenda.
Carey’s wear their green heart on their sleeve and I love the fact that they ‘politely’ demand delivery vans take back packaging that has arrived with their orders, see www.CareysManor.co.uk for further details.
Local attractions include:
Bucklers Hard, Beaulieu Village This gorgeously quirky 18th century boatyard crafted much of Nelson’s naval flotilla on the banks of the river. Adult £6.20 Child £4.40 Family £18.00 Open all year 10:00-16:30
New Forest Treasure Trail, Lyndhurst
Check out the Treasure Trail at nearby Lyndhurst for a fun and interesting way to go exploring. Learn fascinating facts about the area too. You can pick your copy up from the booking centre in Beaulieu Village or by calling 01590 612377, £5 without postage.
New Forest Reptile Centre, Lyndhurst
This unique reptile centre explains all there is to know about reptiles and amphibians. You should be able to see all of Britain’s reptiles in one place, including adders, grass snakes, smooth snakes, lizards, frogs and toads. There’s no admission charge but standard pay and display car park charges do apply. Open all year.”
LIZ SKAN shares her experiences of Sunship Earth, an earth education programme for children aged 8 to 12 for our Travel Special
“When I was younger we had a different family holiday every year so for me holidays are about exploring new places, so many amazing places to see in the world. As a car free family with two small children we look for places within easy reach of a train station that allow us to explore the local area on foot or by public transport. We like somewhere with a bit of history and character, near the sea for somewhere to swim and play on the beach and access to long country walks. I also have a soft spot for Gothenburg in Sweden. I studied there in my twenties and still have friends in the city so love to go and visit. We took the kids to Universeum right in the heart of the city, which is kind of a cross between the Eden Project and the Science Museum.”
Nostalgic image for this post is from the National Railway museum in York. You can purchase the print from World Gallery.
