6 Fun Family Outings in the Dartmoor Area

We decide to throw caution to the winds and ignore the sat nav’s suggested route via Plymouth, instead opting to drive westwards, right through the moors, so we can enjoy Dartmoor’s natural scenery en route to Woodovis Park in Tavistock.

Located in 14 acres in the tranquil surrounds of the Tamar Valley, Woodovis Park offers luxury holiday homes and camping pods as well as camping pitches. (You can read my full review of Woodovis Park here). The independently owned holiday park has been awarded a TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence for the third year running as well as the David Bellamy Gold for their commitment to conservation for the fifth year running. Onsite family-friendly facilities include an indoor heated pool, children’s play area, outdoor table tennis, games room and a Petanque court. The boys are particularly looking forward to the Sunday morning “water walking” (zorbing) session in the site’s heated pool.

Our home for the next two nights is a three bedroom Super Robin caravan and on arrival our first impression is that it’s immaculate and large. Just look at the size of that sofa! Oh yes, we’ve stayed in some grotty static caravans in the past so we fully appreciate the luxury on offer here.

During our brief stay we realise that as well as getting the basics right there are some lovely little extra touches at Woodovis too. For example, we’re greeted with a welcome pack which features a box of ‘naughty but nice’ West Country clotted cream fudge as well as the usual teas, coffees and milks. Fresh bread and croissants are baked to order. A combination of a warm-just out-of-the-oven batard loaf and the petanque court in the next field make me feel like I might have inadvertently stumbled into a Gallic campsite and let’s face it the French are masters of Le Camping!

As soon as we arrive we realise we’re going to struggle to fit everything here into one afternoon and waste no time heading towards a talk about rope making which is about to start. Well, we thought it was a talk – in fact it’s a demonstration led by a living historian and as ours are the only children in our group they are lucky enough to be allowed to operate the machinery and make a length of rope which our guide gives us to take home. We go on to enjoy a number of other hands on experiences, including attending Victorian school complete with a strict, yet hilarious teacher and making our own giant chocolate lollipop before catching the train which takes us on a tour of a copper mine.

As expected we run out of time that afternoon but the children are so keen to return, we head back the following day to fit in all the things we missed first time round, like taking selfies in period costumes, hammering rocks for copper and a tour of the harbourmaster’s house where the BBCs ‘Edwardian Farm’ documentary was filmed. The husband and I are happy to sit in the sunshine enjoying the hospitality of the Ship Inn Cafe while the children opt for a second dose of lolly making and the six year old endures a caning in front of the class at Victorian school!

For the second part of our stay we’re being hosted by the Moorland Garden Hotel on the western edge of Dartmoor National Park. Here’s our video tour and review of the hotel:-

 

(You can read my full review of Moorland Garden Hotel here).

As a fan of TV’s ‘ Dragon’s Den’, I’m interested to learn that the hotel’s owned by Deborah Meaden’s parents, Brian and Sonia, although this has no actual bearing on our stay!

We turn into the long drive which is an extension of the moors, with sheep and the occasional pony happily roaming free with an apparent lack of concern for passing vehicles. Situated in Yelverton the hotel makes a good base for exploring the untamed splendour of Dartmoor National Park and the Plymouth’s natural harbour. On entering the hotel’s grounds the rugged landscape magically recedes making way for attractively manicured gardens. The boys take a football outside and make use of the extensive lawned area as they’re well aware that I need to take photos of the beautifully presented bedrooms before they’re allowed to get their grubby little hands on them.

Finding holidays to accommodate a family of five can be challenging to say the least. (If you’re a regular reader you’ll know I’ve set up a whole blog about Taking 5 on Holiday) so we’re very pleased to be staying in two of the Moorland Garden’s spacious interconnecting rooms which are ideal for our family.

 

4- NATIONAL MARINE AQUARIUM, PLYMOUTH

On a more serious note we also learn that the Aquarium is a charity dedicated to conserving the marine environment and to getting that message across to others. 

Joe explains that the aquarium is divided into regions. Our tour starts in ‘Plymouth Sound’ at a large tank beneath a window overlooking the harbour, home to all the marine life within that tank. What a great idea it is to put these sea creatures into a local context! As our journey continues, it leads us across the world’s oceans, from the shores of Plymouth to the coral reefs of the tropics and we see everything from seahorses and baby sharks to a splendid lion fish and a partially sighted turtle. Many of the larger creatures have distinct personalities and have been given names.

The whole tour takes us around three hours and we come away with lots of new found knowledge and a determination to avoid eating less sustainable seafood. If you visit you might like to add on a visit the cafe or shop but we find that three hours is just about the right amount of time to spend in the aquarium itself and fits perfectly with the times of the multi-storey carpark just around the corner. If you don’t manage to see it all in one day, there’s currently the option to return free of charge within twelve months (subject to conditions).

5- BIGBURY ON SEA

The husband knows that I find it difficult to spend time by the coast without feeling some sand beneath my feet so we leave Plymouth and he drives us to Bigbury on Sea beach in Kingsbridge. We carefully supervise the boys, who are playing a marvellous game of beach cricket, from the safe distance of the Pilchard Inn’s outdoor seating just above them. The pub is a historical landmark on well-known Burgh Island which is boringly accessible by foot at low tide but offers the exciting prospect of a ride in the unique sea tractor when the tide comes in!

After one more sleep and another hearty breakfast it’s time to say goodbye to the lovely, luxurious Moorland Garden Hotel and set off for our final stop, Cholwell Riding Stables. 

6- CHOLWELL FARM RIDING STABLES

I haven’t been horse riding for years and apart from the odd donkey ride on the beach at Weston-super-Mare, our boys have never ridden at all. The six year old asked to go on a donkey recently, but as soon as his bottom touched the saddle, he begged to be taken off again. Whether he’ll participate today or not is anyone’s guess!

“That’s not a problem. We can lend you long trousers, boots and jackets.”