On your bike - Family Cycle Routes - Forest of Dean

Designed with small legs in mind, the cycle trail in the Forest of Dean is perfect for the whole family.  The signposted route follows purpose-built paths and railway lines dotted with plenty of picnic sites to stop at along the way.

It starts in the Cannop Valley from Pedalabikeaway and takes you along the old Severn and Wye railway line passing former stations at Drybrook Road, Cannop Wharf and Speech House. 

Remnants of former coal mines can be seen at Foxes Bridge, Lightmoor and New fancy.  It is mostly level with some short climbs making it suitable for all ages and abilities.

and if you don't have your own bikes, you can rent them from Pedalabikeaway, Dean Forest Cycles or Forest Bikes. 

Distance : 11-mile (18 km) 

Difficulty : Easy

www.forestry.gov.uk/forestofdean

Day trips - All at Sea with Poole Sea Safari

If you fancy a little adventure, what better than a high speed ride on a rib around Dorset's Jurassic Coast?

There are loads of these types of trips on offer but this one from Poole Sea Safari is great value in our opinion.

Where else can you cover 185 million years in 90 minutes?  Whereas a lot of other trips seem to be just about the thrill of the ride, Poole Sea Safari appears to cover more mileage and give you a bit more about what you're seeing too.  

All images (c) Poole Sea Safari

Cruising out of Poole Harbour, you'll pass Brownsea Island and Sandbanks before picking up speed as you fly past Old Harry Rocks and on towards Swanage Bay.

And back on dry land, you'll feel you've earned yourself an ice-cream or bag of chips!

Days Out - Bluebell woods

It may be a little early but this is the time of year when bluebells should be carpeting woods with their ultraviolet colours.

Having lived in Marlborough for several years I was spoilt by the local West Woods and enjoyed many early morning walks, midday picnics and evening strolls amongst these flowers contrasting beautifully with the vibrant green beech leaves.

The Woodland Trust have a great website with suggestions of woods around the country and list their top ten.

Ashridge Estate in Buckingham;         Calke Abbey, Derbyshire;

Garston Woods, Dorset;                    Heartwood Forest, Hertfordshire;

Burroughs Wood, Leicestershire;       The Lodge, Sandy, Bedfordshire;

Hardcastle Crags W Yorkshire;           Glen Finglas, Trossachs National Park;

Coed Cefn, Powys;                          Carnmoney Hill, County Antrim.

And for other suggestions try the National Trust, Woodland Trust or RSPB.

Days Out - Laugharne, Wales

I've managed to sneak a weekend off.  Having explored many parts of Wales, I've never been to Laugharne, home of Dylan Thomas and the village on which he based his poem Under Milkwood, calling the place Llareggub (read it backwards!

The boathouse where he lived for the last four years of his life with wife Caitlin and children is now open during the summer months and has been reinstated to look as it did when he was alive.

A little further along the path is the writing shed where he did his work and again this has been left as it would have looked when he worked there.

And Laugharne itself is pretty too.  You can walk around the foot of one of the many castles in Wales and enjoy the view of the estuary.

 

And if you're going to make a weekend of it, why not try The Cors for dinner.  The old rectory has been transformed into a restaurant, with local specialities such as salt-marsh lamb served in a herb crust on the menu.

Days Out - Hengistbury Head, Dorset

© www.quarrart.com 

As wonderful as the Jurassic Coast is, my favourite beach in Dorset has always been Hengistbury Head, near Bournemouth.  Less popular with sunbathers, probably due to the pebble beach, it's loved by dogwalkers and anyone wanting to breathe in the sea air.

© www.geograph.org.uk 

We like to walk along the beach towards the Isle of Wight and skirt round the Head to Mudeford Spit, with its pretty beach huts.  Rarely up for sale, they can exchange hands for silly sums of money, but with lovely views of Christchurch harbour it's easy to see why they are so popular.

© www.redbubble.com

Continuing the circular walk along side the Site of Special Scientific Interest twitchers may be rewarded with sightings of some of over 300 species of bird.  I've also seen adder, natterjack toads and the land's diversity within such a small area is quite amazing - woodland, heathland, coast, saltmarsh, scrub, ponds and watermeadows.

© www.paulhaynesphotography.co.uk

As I've been visiting since childhood, I remember when the Beach House Bistro was just a cafe and though many will probably love it's more contemporary design, I now prefer to wait until the end of the walk when I return to the car park and reward myself with coffee or bit to eat at the Hiker Cafe.

Getaways - Pobbles Beach, Gower

As a child, I spent every summer in my grandad's caravan on the Gower Peninsula.  Although Slade was our local beach we explored many of the others, but it was only recently that I discovered this one.

Pobbles is a popular but secluded bay, situated next to the better known Three Cliffs Bay. At high water the bay is a tiny cove with limestone pebbles whilst at low water there is vast stretch of sand and you can walk across to Three Cliffs Bay.     Like many of the beaches in the Gower you can walk dogs all year round. 

Backed by steep dunes the beach is more sheltered than its famous neighbour. There are lots of rock pools and caves to explore keeping the children entertained whilst you relax. A lovely walk takes you across the cliff tops to Southgate where there is a welcoming cafe open all year round.

You can reach Pobbles from Southgate on foot, either from the village past the golf links or across Pennard Cliffs, a one and a half mile walk with spectacular views west along the coast.

Self Indulgence - Driving through Tree Avenue, Kingston Lacy, Dorset

© Graham Hobbs 

Although I don't miss commuting to work everyday, I did use to enjoy the most amazing short journey to work.

The ever changing scenery of the tree lined road running alongside Badbury Rings, near Kingston Lacy never  fails to impress.

The stunning light in the early morning

© Peter Hulance

The brilliant green heralding spring

© Graham Hobbs

The low sun casting long golden shadows on the journey home

© ntprints.com

And the ethereal blanket of snow in the winter.

© Blake Photography

PlayDays - Pythouse Walled Garden, Tisbury

A great way to pass the time of day when the weather’s nice is Pythouse Walled Garden, Tisbury.  As well as the gardens and nursery, they have a lovely farm shop and cafe, which is the perfect spot to sit and enjoy your cuppa in peace while the kids run amok in the garden.   

    

The range of cakes changes daily, so we're always spoiled for choice.  Sometimes it's coffee and walnut cake and other times it's chocolate and orange polenta cakes.  The kids love their apricot and ginger flabjacks too.  And of course, you can't go wrong with a cream tea.

   

When in season the kids can also pick the raspberries and, as a bit of a gardener myself, I love looking around the garden and nursery, where I often can't resist picking up another plant that I'm sure will find a home in my own garden.

Playdays and Daytrips - Lulworth Cove

My favourite day out is to Lulworth Cove.  

It may look arduous but  do take the short walk along the South West Coastal Path to the top of Maidens Breast Hill because you'll be rewarded by amazing views of the Jurassic Coast.  The fields immediately transport you to Thomas Hardy's world and the seascape is dramatic at any time of year.

Keep heading West and take the gentle descent to the van where you can treat yourself to  a well earned ice-cream if it's there.  Walk on a little further and you'll soon find the stunning archway at Durdle Door.  Although the walk itself can be relatively busy in the summer, not many people seem to want to spend the day on a beach that doesn't have cafes close by so there's plenty of room to spread a family picnic on the pebbles  if you fancy spending the day there.

We like to walk back along Man of War Beach to Lulworth and catch our breath in one of the many cafes or bars that cluster along the entrance to this near perfect circular bay.  And if you fancy sea food, there's a plentiful selection of freshly caught fish, crabs and other delights in a little hut near the shore line.

www.origindesigns.co.uk