Days out in Devon // Haldon Forest

When we were looking for days out in Devon, Haldon Forest popped out at us as it had all the wildlife and woodlands of a forest with the amenities of toilets, a cafe and a playground so we loaded up the car and headed there in the morning.  Entry is free but you pay for the carpark which was about £7 for the whole day and less for a shorter time, quite reasonable for a day out.  In non-Covid times there is a Julia Donaldson trail and we were a bit upset that it was closed during our visit as the children would have loved it.  The office was closed too but there was a map of the trails on the wall and a sign encouraging you to take a photo on your phone to use instead.

Everything was well sign posted and the queues for food and the toilets were socially distancing well/  We decided to do the mid length walk as the children have a tendency to go off path exploring regularly and so any walk takes us a long time.  There were separate trails for cycling and running, everything colour marked along the way and some paths were available for either.

Our path led us through the woodlands and there was so much to explore as we went.  The forest was full of man made dens of varying sizes and we loved discovering them as we walked through.  You could go quite far off the tracks but there were boundaries in place to make sure you didn't get completely lost.  Along the way we found plenty to play with including a huge wooden xylophone which the boys couldn't get enough of.  The day we chose was overcast and misty with light rain at times but it didn't bother them one bit.

At one point we found signs explaining everything in front of us including a beautiful white tower but the fog was so low we couldn't see any of it!  I imagine the views are beautiful on a clear day though!  There was plenty of insects to observe along the way and spots of colourful flowers amongst the trees.  In the main area all the dogs were on leads but as we went into the forest we realised that dogs were allowed to roam free which did cause a few issues for us as some super friendly dogs bounded over and two of the boys are very afraid. I would say the forest isn't the best place for dog-fearing children as the most friendly dogs usually didn't have an owner in sight.  For most of our walk this wasn't a problem as despite the main area being quite busy, the walks were not, possibly due to the number of choices.

The forest is really well looked after and some areas were cordoned off as the new trees are growing and need to be protected from humans and animals.  There was also lots of information about how sustainable the forest was and how much timber is produced which was fascinating.  

Haldon Forest is a beautiful and well looked after area with plenty of trails for walking, running and cycling. The kids loved exploring the dens and getting off the track and I would love to visit the Gruffalo trail when it is back up and running although I think two of the boys need to stick to places with dogs on lead policies for now.  You can find out more about visiting Haldon Forest here. 

Read more ⇨

Days out in Kent - Bearsted Woods

This summer has seen us discovering more of the county we live in and one of the places we have visited recently and enjoyed is Bearsted Woods near Maidstone.  Also known as the People's wood, the area is a good size for exploring with small people as the walks are all a shorter length and there is a lovely play area too.  We took a picnic and found a great choice of tables to sit at and during the hours we spent there, I think we only saw one other family!

We crossed over a lake and saw a field of friendly goats and there were signs around the area telling us about insects and nature we could spot on the trails.  We found a maze mown into the ground and although it wasn't tall enough to get lost in, the kids loved finding their way through it.  One of their favourite features was a line of painted rocks that extended for many metres and we wished we had brought one with us to add to the snake of them along the side of the path.  The paths were wide and well maintained and the kids loved going off route to explore their own short cuts (which were usually much longer).

We planned our day so that the playground was at the end of our walk.  All through the woods there are 'trim trails' which are stations with instructions for specific exercises, like the monkey bars, balance beams and spots to do star jumps.  The main playground was great though and there was something for all ages.  If you live locally, it is a lovely place to spend an afternoon but there are no amenities in the woods so you do need to bring enough water and use the toilet before you arrive.  There is a small shop not far from the playground if you need to stock up on anything (we went on a very hot day and ran out of drinks before the end of it).  For any Pokemon Go enthusiasts, there are also lots of Pokestops and two gyms within the woods!

Read more ⇨

[AD] Into the Woods with Kleenex® Water Fresh™ Wipes

Advertisement feature with Kleenex®

For us, getting outdoors every day is essential. We love getting immersed in the
nature of our local woods. We recently went for a day out and spent hours exploring everything nature has to offer! We packed our bags with picnic food, bottles of water and our trusty Kleenex® Water Fresh™ Wipes, grabbed some waterproof jackets (just in case) and set off on our latest adventure.

It didn’t take long before Finn fell over in a puddle and despite me thinking I was sensible
putting them all in black trousers and wellies, I clearly wasn’t sensible enough choosing a
yellow t-shirt! It seems the children are just drawn to the mud, it’s as if every puddle had clearly been put in front of them as an opportunity.

After all that excitement and knowing that I had some yummy food in my bag immediately made everyone feel hungry, so it wasn’t long before we made a lunch stop. The children had been climbing trees and hunting out the best sticks, so all fingers needed a good clean, and the Kleenex® Water Fresh™ Wipes we had brought with us were so easy to use! They come in a handy travel sized packet which I had in my pocket meaning everyone was cleaned up ready for food in no time! The little wonders are as gentle as they are strong, making them perfect for cleaning everything from hands to faces.

After lunch, we carried on our walk, with the children playing camouflage, hiding in the leaves and using them to cover their faces. I didn’t want to be the one to tell them that I could still see their bright t-shirts poking out! They had brought a magnifying glass with them, so we looked closely at all the bugs, the giant ants and the beetles as well as talking about how we can tell the age of trees. We found the best woodland playground with a swing and plenty of things to climb on- they could have spent all day there.

We spotted a few dens already set up and decided to add sticks to those rather than
create our own. By this point there were some very grubby fingernails and some beautiful
smiles. I think getting muddy is such an important part of childhood, connecting them to nature and opening conversations and I always wonder why we don’t spend more time in the   forest.

Of course, no picnic is complete without strawberries and we used the Kleenex® Water Fresh™ Wipes Gentle Wipes on everyone’s faces to get rid of the sticky redness! The wipes come lotion-infused for a perfect pre-snack cleanse! It is amazing how quickly a punnet of fruit can disappear when there are four children!

There was so much running and climbing, jumping and balancing, collecting and
discovering, building and snacking and we must have walked miles before we climbed back
into the car. The big two had to climb into the very back and only two children made it home awake – I can’t blame them as I was ready for bed by the time we got in too! The Kleenex® Water Fresh™ Wipes really were handy for any eventuality, as my children love mud and mess! They easily reseal making them perfect from woodland walk to car journey, and  everything in between!

 Grab a pack of Kleenex® Water Fresh™ Wipes for your next adventure or find out more over at http://bit.ly/2VoleIr!

Read more ⇨