Travel – Mediocre Mum

Ski Lessons for Kids in the UK

Things to do during the school holidays near St Albans

During October Half-Term we had the opportunity to go to The Snow Centre in Hemel Hempstead, we’ve been skiing there before and we had a sledging party for my daughter’s 6th Birthday a couple of years ago. As a Canadian I was impressed with the quality of snow, pretty close to the real stuff.

As we live in St Albans, the Snow Centre is normally less than 20 minutes away by car. Unfortunately, on this occasion, the main road in was closed due to an ‘incident’. Luckily, we were able to find our way around the incident and weren’t too late. We were actually on time but left us with less time to get kitted up – skis, boots, poles and helmets were included in the lesson. You can also hire clothing if you don’t have any of your own.

This made it a bit stressful as I hate being late. However, the staff were excellent helping us get organised and calmed me down, it took 3 trips to the ‘clothing department’ to get the correct size snow trousers and two to the ‘equipment section’ to get the right size boots, which was not a fault of the Snow Centre and my daughter did wait till she had her boots on to tell us the trousers were too big. Grrr!

Being half-term it was rather busy but it was all very well organised and flowed, after check-in you were guided to an area to meet your instructor and get ready. It did look chaotic but it really wasn’t.

Fun for all ages

We had an adults lift pass and a private lesson for our daughter. My 67-year old mother was visiting from Canada at the time, so we had to decide which one of us got the lift pass. Coincidently she taught me to ski as a child, my first skis were 110cm and we did toy with the idea of sending her. However, in the end, as she was only going to be with us for a week and we hadn’t seen her in 15 months, we didn’t think we should risk an injury, so we sent my hubby in the end.

It’s like riding a bike…….

The ski hill is split into two sections, those who are proficient can whizz up and down on the left and the group and individual lessons happen on the right. So hubby went off to the left, while our daughter went off to the right for her lesson and we went upstairs to watch from the viewing platform. It’s been awhile since my husband has been skiing and he said it didn’t dawn on him till he got to the top of the drag lift that he may not remember how. Secretly, I was hoping for him to bail so I could get some good photos, sadly he didn’t.

My daughter’s instructor was lovely and patient. She had our daughter going up the learner slope in minutes, she used great analogies like pizza slices to introduce her to turning and the snow plough. She did spend a lot of time on her bum but had a brilliant time and as soon as she came off the slope, she asked if we could come again.

Après Ski

We finished of our visit with a bit of Après Ski in the Lodge Bar, where you are transported to Austria with a great selection of authentic Austrian dishes or a few of your favourites. The prices were reasonable, great view of the slopes and fantastic atmosphere.

I think if anyone is considering a ski holiday or looking for something to do during school holidays, I would definitely recommend a trip to the Hemel Snow Centre. You can book lift passes and lessons online or follow them on Facebook for deals and news.

Now your chance to win!

The lovely folks at the Hemel Snow Centre are offering my readers a chance to win A family lift pass, 2 adults and 2 children, any time in the next 12 months.

To enter simply use the Rafflecopter form below. The full Terms and Conditions are at the bottom of the form, but in short it’s open to UK residents 18 years and older. The winners would have to be at recreational standard, or the value can be put towards a lesson. Competition closes on the 1st Dec 2015.

Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This competition is listed on Loquax, Prize Finder and Competition Hunter.

Short Family Breaks in North Norfolk

‘You either get Norfolk, with its wild roughness and uncultivated oddities, or you don’t. It’s not all soft and lovely. It doesn’t ask to be loved.’ Stephen Fry

Where to stay?

We were invited, along with our dog, to Forest Park Holidays in North Norfolk, near Cromer. It’s only 2.5 hours from London, if you get a clear run. We had the option of camping or staying in one of their holiday homes. We’re intrepid campers but as it was the end of September and temperatures were likely to drop in the evening and in the mornings we plumped for a caravan. The holiday homes are very well kitted out; double glazing, flat screen TVs, sleeping for 6, an en-suite, plenty of outdoor seating and sea-views from some parts of the park.

The site itself is rather vast you can walk for about 15 mins without leaving the site. However, unlike other caravan parks, where you have 100s of static caravans lined up in a field, the site has gentle rolling hills and is surrounded by forest which results in much smaller more naturally attractive clusters of holiday homes. There’s also an onsite bar/restaurant, games room for the kids, outdoor play equipment and an indoor heated pool. The camping facilities also looked impressive.

Things to see and do

We were absolutely blessed with the weather, we had booked into Pensthorpe Natural Park and Hootz House, which is an indoor play centre that brings the outdoors inside, on Saturday morning, but as the sun was out and we were expecting temperatures in the region of 18 degrees, it would have been criminal not to go to the beach. The Beach, in Overstrand, was only a 15 minute walk from the Holiday Park. As the tide was out we decided to walk to the pier in Cromer which was only about a 30 minutes by foot.

Food and Drink

It was the best decision, after grabbing a quick ice-cream we meandered down the pier, luckily we’d thought ahead and had brought a crabbing net with us, but if you find yourself short, you can buy everything for a spot of Crabbing at the RNLI gift shop, including Mackerel, at the end of the pier. And to my great delight there was a bar on the pier and if you put your lager in a plastic glass you could go anywhere on the pier with it! Beer, Sea and Sunshine! Result!

As we were in Cromer it would have been rude not to have crab sandwiches, before grabbing a quick taxi back to Northrepps, which was less than a fiver and they were more than happy to accommodate our dog.

On Saturday Night we treated ourselves to a meal at the Sister Hotel to the Caravan Site, Northrepps Cottage Country Hotel, it was less than a 10 minute walk through the woods, but make sure you take a torch, as the return journey after a few Gin and Tonics and possibly some red wine could prove difficult.

Edible Flowers! ‘Mummy they taste a bit off!’

On Sunday, we decided to make a small detour on the way home, to revisit Salthouse where we stayed at Christmas. The staff at the Holiday Park were incredibly friendly and helpful, when we mentioned we’d be heading west along the coast, they suggested we stop at the newly opened Rocky Bottom Cafe, originally built in the 1800s as a brick kiln, which is situated between Cromer and Sheringham.

If you find yourself in the area, it’s a must, fresh local seafood with a stunning view. It is owned and operated by husband and wife, Richard and Alison. Richard has been a local fisherman for 35 years using a traditional double-ended crab boat, he goes out every other day and upon his return he boils the crabs and lobsters and Alison dresses them all. You don’t get much fresher than that.

That was my third trip to North Norfolk and I have definitely fallen in love with it and will be returning as soon as we can for another family holiday.

Family Camping Checklist: What should we take?

Just sitting here thinking of a couple of friends who have gone camping for the first time with their kids, the weather couldn’t be worse for them this week. We’ve text a few times, the gazebo has collapsed in the wind, a tarpaulin has taken flight and they’re currently hiding in the Children’s Play Barn. Bless them, but their spirits don’t seem to be ‘dampened’. Hopefully it brightens up for them this afternoon.

This year we were incredibly lucky, we went camping for a total of 14 days in a row, taking in 4 camp-sites (Hurley Riverside, Wo Wo, Stubcroft Farm and Eweleaze Farm) and only had two days of rain which is a miracle in the UK. We normally go to Canada every summer and this is the first time in 7 years we didn’t, the flight prices just got too much, hence the extended camping trip. Personally, I love camping, I can sit by a fire drinking beer and my daughter gets a chance to be a ‘kid’ running feral with all the other children on the site.

We are fairly well kitted out for camping and have most things. Anyone who is in to camping knows it’s all about the gear. In some ways, mostly financial, it’s a good thing we are limited on space in our car. I’ve been quite skilled at ‘Car Boot Tetris’ which is similar to ‘Fridge Tetris’ which I play at Christmas.

However, if you’re thinking on embarking on a Family Camping Trip there are a few essential items you should put on your check-list, that will make it more enjoyable.

10 Things You Need to Take Camping

Corkscrew Bottle Opener – it’s now acceptable to buy wine with a screw top but if you get caught out, it’s not impossible to get one with a cork open without a corkscrew, if you have a tree and a tea towel, but it does make it a lot easier. You can also get a beer bottle open with a cigarette lighter or if you’re my Auntie she can do it with her teeth, but again, it’s easier with a small bottle opener and costs less at the dentist.

Can Opener – I really wish I could find my Swiss Army Knife then getting into a tin would be a doddle. However, if you think a bit ahead and try to buy tins with a ring pull you won’t face this conundrum. I also try to buy pre-sliced buns etc.

Bungee Cords – I swear the people that manufacture tents and sleeping bags have seriously warped senses of humour. Stuff sacks! You are kidding me. Apparently, we have an over-sized tent bag, if over-sized bag means it just fits without the zipper bursting open then they would be correct. We carry a couple of spare bungee cords which allows us to cinch the tent a bit tighter so we can get it back in the bag with minimal arguments. Plus, they are great for make shift clothes lines etc.

Insulated Coffee Mugs – Beer o’clock is a moveable feast when camping but until then it’s coffee for me. Boiling a kettle on a camp stove can take ages, especially if you watch it, the Insulated Coffee Cups, first reduce the chance of spilling and lets you enjoy the coffee before it’s turns into an Iced Cappuccino. These ones have a narrower base so they fit in the cups holder in the car. And when you are all coffeed out you can sneak a beer into it, no one will be the wiser, and it stays cooler longer.

Rock Pegs – when you first buy a new tent, check out the pegs if they are the thin ones with the hook at the top, throw them straight in the bin, they are completely useless and after a couple of whacks with a mallet (see below) they bend and are rendered completely useless. This is one of my biggest pet peeves. Rock pegs can penetrate the hardest and rockiest terrains. However, they can be a bit tricky to get out but you don’t have to worry about your tent or gazebo taking flight.

Mallet – we are now the proud owner of three mallets; a wooden one, rubber one and a plastic one. When I first opened the plastic one, I really thought it would shatter after trying to hammer in the first rock peg, but I was pleasantly surprised at how strong this Tent Peg Mallet was. The best bit about it is the other end can be used to pull out the stubborn rock pegs with a bit of persuasion and on occasion levering.

Bin Liners – take a whole roll if you can, they are great for dirty laundry, make shift rain ponchos, covering wet chairs, wrapping up wet boots and of course for rubbish/recycling.

Dry Shampoo – Face it! Showers don’t tend to be brilliant at campsites and on occasion you may have to queue for one. So, if you miss a day or three, a blast of dry shampoo can fool you into thinking you are slightly less filthy.

Walkie Talkies – prior to this camping trip we bought a set of Walkie Talkies for our daughter, thinking we could keep one with us and track her down if need be. However, I found another use for them…. scaring the h*ll out of other kids on the camp-site, you can scan for their frequency, then the fun begins. No, I did not say things like ‘I’m watching you’. Hours of fun!

Solar Powered Fairy Lights – there are no real reasons to cover your tent and gazebo in Twinkly Lights but they’re soooooo pretty and if you have a few too many beers, you can always find your way back from the loos in the dark. Not bad for highlighting evil tripping Guy Wires (or is is Guide Wires?) in the dark.

I’m sure there is a few things I have left off the list. What are your must have camping essentials?

What to take camping for your dog?

We’ve just returned home from 2 weeks of camping in the UK, we tried out 4 different sites which I will write about soon. In October last year we got a dog, so we find camping perfect for us as a family. I can sit in a field and drink beer, my daughter can run feral with other kids and our dog gets to spend loads of time with the family and outdoors.

A lot of campsites will allow well-behaved dogs, we did find that some do charge a bit extra, but it’s a lot cheaper than putting them in kennels while you’re away. However, the majority of sites will require you to have them on a lead at all times, which is understandable as they can get into all sorts of mischief. This is our dog on the naughty step after nicking Prosecco from another site.

We did find a couple of sites that had areas (paddocks) to run your dog and a few dog friendly beaches. You might also want to check that certain breads are not banned from sites as we did see this as well.

We’ve taken our dog camping a few times now and these are a few things that we recommend that you take with you.

13 Things to Take Camping for your Dog

Folding Crate and Bedding: We have a folding canvas crate that he sleeps in at home, it folds down flat so easily slips in on top of our camping gear in the car. The crate is not only a safe and familiar place for them but can also keep them secured at night. We also found that he used it during the day to get some rest but do be careful if you are blessed with good weather as tents, like cars can get incredibly hot. Also take their bedding as temperatures can drop at night.

Ground Peg, Flexible Lead and a Karabiner: As they will be on the lead a lot of the time I would recommend getting a ground peg and a flexible lead, this gives them a bit more freedom. We find the easiest way to attach them is using a large Karibiner, which will also come in handy when you get home. We use ours a lot in pubs and parks.

Dog Shampoo: After two weeks our dog started to get a bit smelly, but to be fair so did we, in hindsight we wish we would have brought his dog shampoo with us. He also went into the sea a few times, a local farmer claimed the sea water is good for parasites etc, but I can’t imagine it would feel nice.

Food and Water: This one is fairly obvious but do take enough food for the time you will be away, especially if they tend to have a brand that is not readily available in all stores and store in a water proof tub to avoid soggy food and other animals getting into it.

Travel Water Bottle: As mentioned before we do take food and water for him, depending where you are a lot of places will have water bowls for dogs but not always. We tend to keep a travel water bottle in the boot of the car at all times.

Towel: Definitely take a towel that is dedicated for the dog, unless you fancy sharing yours with your pooch.

Poo Bags: Take a plethora of poo bags with you, you can never have enough. Plus, they also come in handy for other things.

Tennis Ball and Ball Thrower: These don’t tend to take up a lot of space and are an excellent way of running your cooped up dog when you get a chance.

Warning!

The only downside of taking an adorable dog camping is that you will have every other kid at the camp-site at your pitch from morning till night, but it was a great way for our daughter to meet other kids.

Did I miss anything? If so, please do leave me a comment.

Win a Trip of a Lifetime by Geocaching #mwgeotrail

I’m all up for an opportunity to win a FREE trip courtesy of Mountain Warehouse. I love travelling and my daughter is turning into quite the intrepid traveller. I have no idea where we would go if we won. Anyhow, the task was simple really and involved one of our favourite activities Geocaching. We had the Shaun the Sheep Trackable, and all we had to do was find a cache, take a photo, instagram it and leave the trackable for the next person. I checked our Geocaching app and there were 3 in close vicinity to our house. So we got kitted up and headed out.

Kids Walking Gear Courtesy of Mountain Warehouse

We absolutely love geocaching and hopefully this doesn’t put you off. Part of the fun is that you are not always successful and it can be challenging.

The first one was only about 8oo meters from our house, we read the notes and it mentioned we would need a long pole to grab the cache so we took an umbrella, we closed in on it quickly with a bit of bush whacking involved, my daughter shouted ‘I found it’ and then proceeded to come out of the bushes with this.

As you can imagine, I nearly had a heart attack. It’s paraphernalia for taking Heroin – needles, swabs and citric acid. Thankfully it had not been used and the needles were not open. I rang the non-emergency police number and they had no one to come and collect it and our local police station was shut on the weekend so I couldn’t drop it off. They gave me very bad advice and suggested I stick it in the closest bin, I did question the safety of the Bin Man. Anyhow, for future reference pharmacies tend to have places to dispose of needles safely.

If at first you don’t succeed……

Anyhow that didn’t put us off so we headed for the next one which was only a few hundred meters away. We had to climb over the railing on the wooden walk way, we hunted high and low, even crawling under the bridge, we even resorted to reading the notes but no clues, I did then check previous logs and it looks like this one may have gone on a walk about as others were not able to find it either. We weren’t doing so well today.

Try and try again!

We decided to have one last ditch attempt, there was another one within 500m and our dog needed a walk anyhow so we toddled off along the river. When we popped out the other side, we knew it wasn’t going to be our lucky day, the site of the geo-cache had been completely dug up and was fenced off so we wouldn’t be able to get to it even if it was still there.

We still have Shaun the Sheep so will try again soon.