A Natural Retreat

My toddler and me travelled by train to St Austell and did the whole trip without a car, with both the beach and the Eden Project easily accessible by taxi (only a tenner each way). There was a heat wave in London, but the temperature in this part of Cornwall was 18 degrees. We warmed ourselves in the mediterranean climate inside the biome of the Eden Project, complete with Greek style white stone walls and rustic cafe.

A charming Harvest Festival was taking place and my little boy loved the Butter Thieves, an acoustic band that sang about potatoes and other local produce in an education and entertaining way. At the shop we stocked up on local wine, juice and cheese, although we needn't have bothered as at Natural Retreats we discovered a hamper groaning with all our favourite things: there was wine for mummy, fresh eggs for my husband and apple juice for our little one. There was even a high chair and a cot, supplied without request. 

Paul, the concierge acted way and beyond the call of duty. Although at 8pm he should have gone home long before, he happily drove us to our spacious, well-appointed villa and even took us back to reception for us to pick up some DVDs. We were just a mile and a half from St Austell, yet a world away from the town in a real retreat: Paul told us we could hear two kinds of owls at night.

The next morning we took a walk to the Cornwall Hotel and Spa where we sipped on a very good Bloody Mary as helicopters landed in spectacular style next to the well equipped play area. Although a very good Sunday lunch is served at the hotel, we plumped for the White Hart in town that offers an excellent value carvery at 8.95. We lunched on roast beef with carrots, leeks, swede and cauliflower cheese as we listened to smooth live jazz and even had a dessert (cheesecake with clotted cream) for just another two pounds.

Back at the Natural Retreats at an historic site in Trewhiddle we appreciated the location that is perfect for exploring the local sites. The attention to detail here is impressive: along with kids crockery we were given a list of take aways that deliver as well as the details of the conveniently placed Asda. The directory also lists ten car-free days out in the area, which as well as the famed Eden Project (which is free for kids if you go by car) includes the Lost Gardens of Heligan.

www.naturalretreats.com

The Ickworth: A Remarkable Luxury Family Hotel

I set off from our East London home to the Ickworth Hotel in Suffolk with little idea of what was awaiting my toddler and me. I had a fairly good idea it was going to be something special: this hotel is part of the Luxury Family Hotels, which boasts a fairy tale castle and an English manor house among its properties.

We arrive at the East Wing of the National Trust property, feeling very special. It soon becomes clear that children are not tolerated here: they are welcomed with open arms. ‘We are hands on hoteliers here, Dave the manager tells me, ‘We don't sit behind our  desks.’

Dave shows us to our beautiful room which overlooks the 1,800 acres of National Trust parkland. My little boy lept on the extensive selection of DVDs available, and I was delighted to see that the bathroom, complete with armchair and sofa, was so huge that it could double as an office, while my toddler slept in the huge, comfortable bed.

There appears to be little compromise here. Couples get their fill of romance: a view of the sun setting over the rotunda, a huge glass of good wine in hand, with the prospect of a large bath tub to sink into. Yet, at the same time, kids get to enjoy nightly cinema showings, an Ofsted-registered crèche that only closes only Christmas day, as well as an onsite adventure playground and swimming pool. And who wouldn’t love free jelly at supper?

In the sunshine-filled conservatory, my boy and me met two discerning bankers with their baby over breakfast who proclaimed: ‘The Ickworth is much better than the Four Seasons’. They loved the food, comfortable lounges where little ones are welcome and that their one-year-old was allowed to take toys and books from the play area to their room. 

This last feature is a godsend to parents struggling to squeeze everything into their suitcases, but is just one example of how the Ickworth offers something special to families. The staff happily washed our clothes which had got muddy on our outings, I saw one of them make a date to clean the pool with a five year old and older guests with dogs happily hanging out with resident teenagers.

We made use of the Tesco Express just down the road to stock up with nappies and juice, but had just a couple of gripes: there’s no fridge, or child locks on the windows. 

We made a date to go swimming with a woman with three kids under five – the fact that she looked so relaxed, despite the youngest being just two months old was testament to the special atmosphere that prevails at this place. We took a lovely cycle ride through the grounds and, picnicking in a shelter near the lake, my son eagerly announced that he wanted to spend all his holidays here. With its pool room, cinema showings and Wii, I could easily see it easily entertaining him for the next ten years.

The website reads: ‘The East Wing at Ickworth in Suffolk was home to the Hervey family for almost 200 years. It has now been transformed into one of the most remarkable luxury family-friendly hotels the UK has ever seen’. My boy and me would have to agree.

www.ickworthhotel.co.uk

www.luxuryfamilyhotels.co.uk

Mr Buckley’s

www.mrbuckleys.com

Maybe it’s the name, maybe it’s the neighbourhood vibe that’s typical of an upscale Brooklyn eatery, but punters tend to assume Mr Buckley’s dishes up modern American cuisine.

The charming owner, Philip assures me he only went to the states for the first time a couple of weeks ago and that what he very deliberately set out to do was offer world food on small plates, tapas style. ‘I like food to be shared’, he tells me with real passion.

I settle down to a very fine Gin Fizz (the cocktails here are superb) and some sharing plates, all recommended to me by the smiling waitress. The popular lobster mac, blue cheese polenta with wild mushrooms and truffle oil and warm beetroot and kale salad were stand outs. Two weeks after my meal, I am still reminiscing about the superb combo of flavours.

In the restaurant, the lighting is low, the brickwork exposed and the clientele mostly young and local. I stroll in from the cold, hunting for a socket for my phone, expecting to leave it charging, dangling in the corridor, but Philip shows me a socket right next to my table and even offers me a charger. I am impressed: restauranteurs and bar owners take note – such a simple detail can make such a difference.

Philip was very hands on with the restaurant re-design, even hammering away at some of the word work. The toilets were so utilitarian in look that I waltzed right into the men’s, but I imagine these kind of details will be ironed out pretty quickly. It is easy to forget that Mr Buckley’s has only been open a couple of months. ‘The atmosphere in which my staff work is crucial’, he explains. His attention to detail in all aspects of the business has clearly paid off.

So, what’s with the name? It turns out that the original premises were a very popular East End drinking den. One day at the beginning of the last century, a pub landlord from across the road turned up to gate crash a ball with 200 people. On being refused entry, Mr Buckley simply set fire to the place.

‘Two weeks before I opened I didn’t know what to call the place’, confides Philip smiling, as he shows me a framed newspaper cutting about the Mr Buckley incident on the wall. That he should name his new venture after an arsonist somehow sums up the free spirited nature of the place: there will even be a flaming dessert on the menu named in honour of the man.

This lovely new restaurant sits on the highly unprepossessing Hackney Road. ‘Who wants to be in Shoreditch now?’ Philip, who set up Jaguar Shoes there in the early days, asks very reasonably. When I press Philip for recommendations of what to eat, he immediately answers: ‘Everything,’ ‘I like everything on this menu. It’s all good’. I have to agree.

Spotty Otter

'Good', 'Nice', 'Warm', my three-year-old proclaimed when I asked him what he thought of his new suit from Spotty Otter. I would add 'Stylish', 'Practical', 'Cool'.

When I was my son's age I lived in Minnesota with winters so cold I had to have an all in one suit complete with hat and face guard to stop my little body icing up on the way to school.

Our winters in the UK may not be quite so harsh, but the weather can get pretty chilly – and wet – and these things are fully waterproof: I have tested them. So I can see him wearing his all in one Patrol Splashsuit all the way until next April and possibly beyond.

My boy has one in fire engine red, but they also come in warm pink and bright blue and he now has his eye on the gloves, boots and trapper hat to match. Spotty Otter (www.spottyotter.co.uk) make them for six month olds up to 13 plus. Sadly, they don't make them big enough for me...

A Classic Character and A Hotel for All Ages

Jane Egginton and her son are on the trail of Peter Rabbit in the Lake District

It’s a 110 years ago since Beatrix Potter penned her tales, including the one about the most famous naughty rabbit in the world, and the stories are still as popular as ever with all generations. I took my not so naughty little boy on a very special pilgrimage to the Lake District to mark this important anniversary, introduce him to one of my favourite characters from my childhood and discover a very special hotel.

Emma Thompson’s new book, The Further Tales of Peter Rabbit, based on the famous character created by Beatrix Potter, has just been published.  And to mark it, the Lakeside Hotel and Spa has launched a special Beatrix Potter themed package.

The package offers families the opportunity to visit some of the places that inspired Beatrix Potter to write her books, including Hill Top House – the former home of the famous author, Beatrix Potter Gallery –  a local gallery in the town of Hawkshead and Wray Castle – opened this summer to the public for the first time in years.

The Lakeside Hotel & Spa has this year been awarded ‘Large Hotel of the Year’ in Cumbria Tourism’s annual awards ceremony.  The award recognises excellence in service, quality and facilities within the Lake District’s top hotels. My two year old and me began our trip to the Lake District on the superb Virgin service, which whisked us from Euston to Oxenholme in just three hours.

The charming Tom from the Lakeside Hotel picked us up from the station and was so welcoming that my son spent the rest of the two days asking where he was. In fact, all the staff at the Lakeside were delightful – from heavily pregnant Beverley who greeted us with a huge smile at breakfast and talked so gently with my son, to the smiling pianist who entertained all the children every evening before supper and the wonderful, unflappable manager Jonathan who oversees it all.

It all made for a very relaxed atmosphere, which is perhaps why the Lakeside attracts guests of all ages, from babies to octogenarians. On the terrace overlooking the lovely calm waters of the lake, teenagers fiddled with their phones, while their parents read their kindles and elder visitors perused their paperbacks. All generations sat and had tea together and gathered for the 11am feeding of the ducks – a lovely tradition that had all the younger visitors entranced.

We welcomed too the relaxed – and very unusual – attitude to children in the pool (none of those annoying restrictions as to when they were allowed to use it). I and other parents I spoke to would have preferred the evening meal starting earlier, perhaps at 5.30pm, rather than 6.15pm, but that is a small quibble. Everyone went out of their way to make my small boy feel at home and when he announced ‘it’s disgusting’ as I tried to fob him off with some long life milk for his bedtime drink, one of the waiters happily delivered a cup of warm fresh milk to our room.

The spa at the Lakeside is one that I can highly recommend – this is the only one in the country that uses the sublime Aveda products and people understandably travel for miles to visit it. I have to say that I really challenged Louise in the spa, although not deliberately. She was understandably surprised when I announced that my two year old would be coming into the treatment room while I had my facial. Louise handled it beautifully, chatting to him and treating him with utter respect.

The fact that Lakeside Hotel is on the quieter side of popular Lake Windermere is a real advantage, yet it is only a short trip to Bowness by boat (with the Beatrix Potter attraction, World of Beatrix Potter), and a steam train ride starting nearby. Of course, it does often rain in Lake Windermere, which makes the nearby aquarium and onsite spa and pool very useful if you are looking for entertainment for almost any age group.

I would recommend a ground floor lake room for easy access to the grounds and also that you book ahead – the Lakeside is deservedly popular and is often full to capacity. The free water, tea and coffee in the rooms are a lovely touch and all bathrooms come complete with a Lakeside Hotel rubber duck with a label round its neck reminding you of the daily feeding of the ducks on the lake, which is a very sweet addition.

Kids at dinner get given a dedicated menu from which they can create their own dishes – an inspired concept that I have not seen elsewhere. My little one came up with a rather unusual combination of cheese, prawns and pasta, but thoroughly enjoyed it. I had a stand out pea veloute and crab salad but in general our food was not the finest aspect of the hotel, a little on the pricey side at £22 for fish and chips (grey peas) and £2.95 for an apple juice, with the atmosphere in the restaurant a little formal for me.

The breakfast was extraordinary: endless fresh orange juice, an excellent choice of cereals and yoghurts, delicate pastries, fresh fish (my son had kippers every morning) and a superb English breakfast. The décor, table linen and service in the room where it was served was faultless and the expansive view of the lake the icing on the cake.

It was only at the end of my stay that I discovered there was a no laptop rule in the public areas – a rule that I welcome (unlike those that restrict children using the facilities). And I must give a special mention to the man on reception who dealt so patiently with me when I became stressed about the baby monitor not working (because I couldn’t hear my child breathing) and speedily replaced my room phone when I drenched it in juice.

The unique hotel has a rich history – it began life as a 17th century coaching inn – yet has all modern comforts so it is no surprise that the Lakeside won the Lake District hotel of the year award this year. It is now certainly my favourite hotel in the beautiful lakes area ¬and perfectly located; right on the shores of the spectacular Lake Windermere yet just far enough away from the hustle and bustle of its popular attractions.

The Lakeside Hotel manages to be both luxurious and homely – no mean feat and something that is particularly valued when you are travelling with a toddler. Although we only stayed for two days, we felt as if we had been gone for at least a week, and returned to London more relaxed, rested and altogether happier, with fond memories of this very special place.

I travelled courtesy of Virgin Trains – an amazing service that gets you from London to the Lake District in three hours. First class is highly recommended, providing just about all you can eat (hot food as well as cold) and drink (including alcoholic drinks) and served seemingly throughout the journey. It was with huge disappointment that while I was in the Lake District it was announced that Virgin had lost the franchise for this service. I do hope the government makes the right decision and reverses this.

If you think, as I used to, that you need a car to visit the Lake District, think again. On arrival, we travelled by boat and train, both accessible within metres of the hotel, and the highly recommended Mountain Goat company (www.mountain-goat.com) offer guided tours and exclusive private hire throughout the lakes area.

Lakeside Hotel and Spa
Newby Bridge
Cumbria
LA12 8AT
015395 30001

www.lakesidehotel.co.uk

This article appeared in aboutmygeneration.com

A New Way to Travel

Camping and Caravanning needn't be about cups of tea and staying in staid caravan parks (particularly if you have a van from Wicked Campers wickedcampers.co.uk). My neighbour's father – in his '60s – who regularly travels by camper van revealed a valuable app. No, not from the Camping and Caravanning Club, but the Good Pub Guide. He tells me that he just checks out the nearest decent boozer, gives them a ring and gets permission to park overnight in their car park. That way he can have a good drink and doesn't have to worry about driving. Apparently he hasn't been refused – or charged – yet. I love the idea, but with a small child in tow, it wasn't for me, but this way of travelling is certainly on my to do list.

Wicked Camping

Our van from Wicked Campers (www.wickedcampers.co.uk) would be a good choice for an extended family as it includes a two-man tent and sleeps three inside. For 730 pounds for ten days, it is pretty good value, especially when you consider it includes your accommodation (although do factor in the cost of a campsite if you decide to use one - typically 20 pounds or so for the night) and bear in mind these vehicles are pretty heavy on petrol.


The truth is almost anywhere in the UK is easily reachable and while the tradition may be to travel in such a way in the big open spaces of Australia and Canada, our little island is perfectly suited to this kind of trip. We are loving pulling into a layby and brewing our own cup of tea, but you could even pull into a pub car park (many will let you park overnight for free) and tucking into some pub grub and even a real ale before bedding down for the night. (The Good Pub Guide app is invaluable for this).