Pennywell Farm

All kids big and small love a farm and there’s plenty to do at Pennywell Farm!

What is there to do?

Kids and adults can take part in lots of farm-based fun including egg collecting at Funky Fowl, goat milking the old-fashioned way, and bottle feeding the lambs and goats.

Have a go at pond dipping and Ferret and Pig racing – Miniature Pigs!!!!

Pets Teatime – Have a snuggle with your favourite pet and give them a treat.

Planting – Plant a seed and take it home as a reminder of Pennywell Farm.

Pennywell Farm

Meet the Animals

Heavy Horses – Meet Fusilier the Shire Horse – See how far you have to look up before you see his head.

Miniature Pigs – These adorable little piggies are definitely worth a visit. Keep an eye out for the piggy racing times and feeding times which are a treat.

Pets – Have cuddles with friendly rabbits, guinea pigs, mice, chicks, and ducklings.

Funky Fowl – Meet the many birds in the international poultry collection.

Goats and Kid Goats – Join the cheeky kid goats in their purpose-built goatarama.

Ponies and Donkeys – Stroke and brush the many ponies and donkeys.

Ewes and Lambs – If you’re lucky you will get the chance to bottle feed a lamb.

Tortoises – Pennywell farm has its very own Tortoise Retirement Village for tortoises whose owners can no longer look after them.

Alpaca – Meet Tommy and Toffee the Alpaca. Who can resist their beautiful eyes.

Rides

If the animals aren’t enough for you, there are rides available.

Red Rocket – Launch around the battlefield. Suitable from age 4.

Tractor and Trailer Ride – All the family can take part in this for a ride across the grounds across to Dartmoor National Park.

Rainbow Railway – Take a ride on this miniature train.

Run Rabbit Go-Karts – Race mum and dad on these fun go-karts. Suitable from age 8.

Facilities

If the weathers great take a picnic. If the weather isn’t great you can still take a picnic as there are both undercover and outdoor picnic tables available.

Or if you fancy treating yourself to lunch there, then choose from a selection of locally sourced food and drinks from Henny Penny’s Cafe.

Microwaves are also available for heating up baby food.

How much does it cost?

Child Under 3 years old – FREE
Child 3 – 16 years – £10.95
Adults – £14.95
Senior – £13.95

There are also lots of upcoming events which include Elfic the Jester, Animal Yoga, and Poco Drom – all of the details can be found on their Events Page.

Have a great day.

Lisa

Pssst – Don’t forget to have a look at the many other suggestions for the School Holidays. Check out our #SchoolHols2017 page for many great days out in the South West.

*images taken from www.pennywellfarm.co.uk

Powderham Castle

We’re lucky being in Exeter that we’re close to many great places to take the kids. Powderham Castle is a stone’s throw away from us and has lots on offer for the kids to do.

Opening Times

11 am – 4.30 pm Sunday – Friday (Not open on Saturdays).

Dogs are allowed on a lead in parts of the grounds. Not in the Deer Park or Walled Garden.

What’s On?

Between 30th July – 4th August the Pocketwatch Theatre Company are going to be there telling magical tales of Knights, Dragon’s, Witches and Wizards. The sessions run for approximately 45 – 60 minutes and are aimed at 5 – 11-year-olds. Tickets are available on the day.

A Guided Tour of the Castle – Take a guided tour inside the castle where you will explore the many beautiful rooms and listen to stories of the Courtenay family and the history of the castle.

The Walled Garden Play Area & Pets Corner – Housed in what was originally a Victorian Walled Garden is now home to many animals and a play area for kids. Here you will find a donkey, pot-bellied pigs, goats, chickens, sheep, guinea pigs, and apparently stick insects. There’s a large picnic area with seating and the Courtenay Fort.

Themed Days – As mentioned above they have a Knights and Dragons event, but listed on the Powderham Castle Website are many more:

Knights & Dragons – Sunday 30 July – Friday 4 August
Faerie Folk – Sunday 6 – Friday 11 August
Robin Hood – Sunday 13 -Friday 18 August
Pirates & Mermaids – Sunday 20 – Saturday 26 August
Wonderland – Sunday 27 August – Friday 1 September

These are all provided by the Pocket Watch Theatre Company and Clive PiG so it’s likely that whenever you visit there will be something a bit special happening.

Birds of Prey – Running from 23rd July – 1st September Devon Bird of Prey will be holding demonstrations twice daily (1pm & 3.30pm) and you may even get a chance to hold one of the birds.

The Potting Shed – I’m not sure if this is a new addition as I haven’t noticed this before, but your kids can have a go at planting something which they can take home with them.

Deer Park Safari – Hands up who has a competition to see who can spot the deer first? My in-laws live in Starcross so we always look out for them when we’re on the train (a better view). If they’re sitting out on the grass it’s a sign of a nice day. Not sure how true it is but they always sit out on the nicer days. Take the Safari Tractor Train ride which takes approximately 35 minutes around the grounds to meet many deer (approximately 600) and other wildlife. There is an additional charge for this of £2.50.

Nature Trails – There are two nature trails which you can follow and daily nature craft activities are on offer in the Nature Nook.

How Much Does it Cost?

Adult tickets start from £8.50
Children (4 – 16) start from £6.50
Family ticket from £23.50

The full-priced ticket price does also allows you to return for free within 7 days if you get it validated on the day.

How to get there

Oh and don’t forget to try some of the many yummy cakes that they always seem to have.

Have you been to Powderham Castle? Share your thoughts below in the comments.

For more inspiration of places to visit in Devon, please take a look at our Devon Days Out page.

The Donkey Sanctuary

01/08/201725/05/2021 Lisa

The Donkey Sanctuary

Have you been to the Donkey Sanctuary? We were there on Sunday for the Family Farm Day but unfortunately, it poured down with rain. We did, however, make a trip round to see the many donkeys and grab an ice cream.

The Donkey Sanctuary was founded in 1969, by Dr. Elisabeth Svendsen where she dedicated her life to rescuing abandoned and mistreated donkeys. You can read more about her amazing story and life’s work on the Donkey Sanctuary Website as well as info on how you can help.

What’s on?

During the School Holidays from 21st July – 3rd September 2017 they are running an Around the World Trail. You can pick up a trail sheet for £3.00 and can collect your ice cream prize at the end.

Entry into the Donkey Sanctuary is FREE as is the car park.

There are loads of donkeys to see along many trails including the giant Poitou Donkeys.

Discover the path to the beach through the Field of Dreams or follow the guided walks.

Take part in the twice-daily donkey grooming and lose yourself in the maze.

They also have a newly built restaurant called The Kitchen serving locally-sourced hot and cold food to suit both adults and children.

All proceeds taken at the Donkey Sanctuary go towards the work that takes place on-site and worldwide.

As well as being family-friendly, the Donkey Sanctuary is pram and wheelchair-friendly. You can also take your four-legged friends with you as long as they are on a lead.

The Donkey Sanctuary makes for a great chilled-out day. Ruffle the heads of a donkey or two and make sure that you stay for feeding time where you will see all the donkeys running and honking towards the food!

They also run events throughout the year so keep an eye on their Facebook Page for upcoming details.

For more great places to visit in Devon, take a look at our Devon Days Out Page for more suggestions.

•Images from www.donkeysanctuary.org.uk

#SchoolHols2017 – Exeter Royal Albert Memorial Museum

31/07/201725/05/2021 Lisa

Exeter Royal Albert Memorial Museum

So far I’ve only posted about out-doorsy type days out but after we got drenched and had to camp out under a tree whilst it poured down I thought it would be a good idea to choose an indoor activity. We make regular trips to the Royal Albert Memorial Museum as they run lots of themed events throughout the year as well as all the great treasures to discover in the Museum.

What is there to do?

Loads.

If you’re visiting with little ones don’t forget to pick up a Bee-Bag which is full of stuff to make the most of your visit to the museum.

For older children (7 – 14 years) you can pick up an explorer bag from the Garden Reception.

There are lots of interactive areas dotted throughout the Museum.

Here are a few of the activities on offer over the Summer Holidays:

2nd – 3rd August – Create a Neon Seascape – Draw an underwater world in neon crayons and fill it with fluorescent fish, sparkling starfish, or luminous lobsters. Suitable from 3 years. This is a drop-in session.
Various dates in August – Little Explorers – A chance for under-fives to take a journey of discovery and take part in art and craft activities inspired by the museum’s collections. Pre-booking for these sessions is advised.
16th – 17th August – Make a Lego Aquarium – Who doesn’t love to play and create with Lego? Add to the display with your own underwater addition. Suitable from 3 years.
23rd – 24th August – Marine Masks and High Tide Hats – Make a hat and decorate it with seaweed and fish or a mask and turn yourself into a seahorse or an anemone. This is a drop-in activity and is suitable from 3 years.
Various dates in August – Lots of underwater activities – Made an under the sea scene on a lightbox, make a badge, use a microscope or magnifying glass. These are drop-in sessions so do pop over to the site for more details.
9th – 10th August – Suspended Sea Creatures and Meet the Curator – Make a realistic or imaginary underwater friend to dangle in a display from our cafe balcony. Take along your own beach finds and chat to Holly the Curator. Suitable from 5 years.

Don’t forget to pop into the cafe for some lovely cake.

Opening Times

Tuesday – Saturday 10.00am – 5.00pm.

Note (mostly to myself) that the Museum is not open on a Monday. Hand’s up how many times you’ve turned up on a Monday!

How much does it cost?

The Museum is FREE but some activities have a suggested donation, and others are bookable paid for activities.

What we think

We love the museum. You can go there for a quick drop-in or take your time and spend the whole afternoon there. As it’s based in the centre of Exeter it can be a pit-stop for the kids after you’ve dragged them around the shops.

If you’re visiting Devon and looking for something to do then please have a look at out other Devon Days Out for some more inspiration.

The Bear Trail

28/07/201725/02/2021 Lisa

The Bear Trail

Have you found the Bear Trail yet? Do you like the outdoors? Do your kids like mud? Do the kids need to burn off some school holiday energy?

If it’s a YES to all of the above then you need to add The Bear Trail to your list of School Holiday activities.

Things to do!

Get Muddy!
Get Wet!
Have Fun!
Get the Kids Muddy!
Get the Adults Muddy!
Climb!
Roll!
Wallow!

There are loads of climbing apparatus, stepping stones, wobbly bridges, rope bridges, hay bales, tyres to squeeze through, a mountain to climb, and more……

Wear your oldest clothes and trainers and go and have some fun!

Either take a picnic or choose from their menu of panini’s, stonebaked pizzas or selection of cakes and drinks.

There is no age range, the idea being that if you feel able to take part then do it.

There is a smaller area for the littles to play but if they are feeling adventurous they can also take part in all of the equipment.

Once the kids have had enough (you can spend as long as you like) there are shower and changing facilities on-site to get you to a respectable cleanliness before heading off home.

How Much Does it Cost?

Under 1 metre £4.50
Over 1 metre £7.50

It’s advisable to pre-book your tickets during the school holidays to guarantee entry.

Opening Times

10.00am – 5.00pm Every day.

Our Thoughts

We loved it! Daddy and Isabelle (6) were straight in whilst I needed a bit of coaxing, but once I got stuck in we were all loving it and got thoroughly muddy. We went on everything and there were no tears just tired happy mud smeared faces by the end of the day! The pizzas are awesome too!

We hope you’re enjoying our #SchoolHols2017 series where we’ve posted some of our fave places to go in the South West. Drop us an email if you can think of any great places that you would recommend.

Lisa x

The Orange Elephant Ice Cream Parlour

27/07/201725/02/2021 Lisa 2 Comments

The Orange Elephant Ice Cream Parlour

It’s a given that we’ll be heading to the Orange Elephant Ice Cream Parlour this school holidays.

We had Isabelle’s 6th Birthday Party there last September. We took a huge picnic, played and then finished off with some scrummy ice cream with a selection of toppings.

If you haven’t already paid a visit to the Orange Elephant then here are a few bits and bobs.

You must have seen the actual Orange Elephant if you’ve driven towards Torquay or Plymouth before you get to Telegraph Hill (we always look out for it).

Info

Opening Times Every day 10 am – 5 pm until September

Entrance is £2 for adults and £1 for kids. Under 3’s are free.

A family pass is £12.

Baby changing facilities are available.

Summer Meadow and Play area – There are animals to see such as cows, pigs, and sheep as well as the Play area which has lots of wooden play apparatus as well as sandpits and open spaces (perfect for a picnic).

The Maize Maze – Find your way around the Maize Maze which is in the shape of an elephant. Split up into teams and see who finds their way around first.

The Ice Cream – The Ice Cream is amazing. There’s a huge selection. Last year we tried a Lemon Sundae and a Chocolate Brownie Sundae. It was total heaven in a glass. For Isabelle’s birthday, we had a little girl who was dairy-free, but she had a choice of several sorbets which was nice.

Is it worth a visit?

Definitely!

We would recommend getting the annual pass so that you can visit any time that you like. You would only have to visit a couple of times before you would have paid for it. You could meet up with friends and spend the day and take a picnic or you could pop along for a coffee and an ice cream treat.

How to get there

This is part of our #SchoolHols2017 series for things to do and places to go in the South West. We’d love to know of any great places you take your family to. Do drop us an email if you have any gems to share.

Lisa x

Paulos Circus – Darts Farm

27/06/201708/04/2021 Lisa 2 Comments

Paulos Circus heads to Darts Farm

There’s something a bit special about going to the circus. Is it the Big Top, the Clowns, all the sparkly costumes or maybe the oodles of sweets and candyfloss that kids are given a free pass to stuff their faces with.

It was exciting to be invited along to watch the show. The last time I took Isabelle to the circus we were chased across a field by a horse and turned up wet and bedraggled only for Isabelle to sleep through the entire show. She was under two at the time so all is forgiven.

We spotted the Big Top and the excitement began. We went in through the Big Top which was quite dark with disco lights all around and loaded up with popcorn, drinks and candyfloss. There was no formal seating plan so you could choose where to sit yourself. We were lucky to get seats at the front in the middle so Isabelle didn’t need to sit on either of our laps which was nice.

The Show

The show which was an hour and ten minutes long was action-packed throughout with acrobatics using swings and ribbons to twirl and whirl through the sky, Mr. N the funny Clown, plate spinning, trampolining, and other shenanigans.

Mr. N the clown was so funny. Mr. N did lots of really silly stuff which the crowd, us included thought was really funny. He popped out between each act and had all the kids and adults enthralled in his funny antics.

When it was time to pick a helper from the audience he picked – ME – to hold a balloon above my head whilst he had a balloon arrow. Using the balloon bow he shot an invisible arrow that popped the balloon.

Later on in the show he picked on us again – Chris this time, was chosen to catch popcorn in his mouth which he missed. Mr N gave him another chance and when he went to throw the popcorn he threw the whole bucket over him.

We watched ariel acrobatics which was pretty amazing and similar on a swing.

At the beginning of the show, there was an act where a man and a woman took it in turns to go inside material tubes and each time they came out they were wearing different clothes. Isabelle’s face was complete and utter astonishment. She thinks that it would be cool for us to get some of the material tubes so it’s quicker to get changed.

The grand finale was called the Ring of Death which was an enormous wheel with two circles which two acrobats climbed inside and outside whilst it was spinning. I think I gasped the first time it whooshed round as I was sat completely in line for first squashing as it was so close. There were lots of open mouthes as it went around at speed with the two of them going around and around.

Our thoughts

The time went really quick and everyone joined in clapping along and laughing. Isabelle loved all of the sparkly costumes that the ladies wore and her face said it all really. Isabelle left with a sticky smile and another memory stored away of a fun family day.

Visiting the Circus

Paulos Circus will be at Darts Farm in Topsham until Sunday 9th July when they will be moving on to Newquay.

Tickets are only £7.00 per person but if you have a look around there are lots of £2.00 off vouchers. This can be applied to all tickets purchased. For more details on where the Circus is visiting next pop over to the website www.pauloscircus.co.uk.

If you do get the chance to go we would definitely recommend it.

Lisa x

*we were gifted tickets to the show but all opinions are our own.

15 May Half Term Events in Devon

25/05/201719/10/2022 Lisa

15 May Half Term Events in Devon

It’s come around again! May Half Term is almost upon us and again it’s up to us Mum’s and Dad’s to make sure our little lovelies have an action packed week whether it’s out and about or at home. Here are 15 May Half Term Events in Devon that will hopefully keep everybody happy.

The weather is slightly odd at the moment, with one day blue skies and sunny and the next day (or even afternoon) it’s pouring down with rain so we’ve found some indoor and outdoor suggestions.

1. Animal Encounters with Chris Johnson – Prickly Ball Farm – Monday 29th May 11am – 1pm

Pop down and meet some creepy crawlies with talks and show and tell. As well as this, take the time to visit the rest of the animals for a child friendly farm experience.

2. Exeter Respect Festival – 3rd – 4th June 11am, Belmont Park Exeter

We’ve been going to this for a few years and it’s always a really good day. There are loads of things to do for all ages, music, local food, stalls, hoola hooping. It’s a lovely laid-back day.

3. Summer Fair – Donkey Sanctuary – 3rd June 10am – 3pm

There’s loads of stuff to do at the Summer Fair. We went last year and had a great day. There are stalls, old fashioned carnival games, welly throwing competitions, food stalls and music. As well as this you can go around and meet lots of lovely donkeys. We took a picnic and the weather was lovely so we sat on the grass.

4. Tozers Charity Family Fun Day – Saturday 3rd June 10am – 3pm

There will be bouncy inflatables, fire engine, police car, food and drinks van. Get your face painted or a glitter tattoo. Buy from the many stalls selling sweets, arts and crafts and enjoy the various entertainers. Exeter City Football Club and Active Devon will be there with a 15ft inflatable target shoot and table tennis!! Guest appearance from Disney princesses, Spiderman and Minions and an opportunity to have your photo taken with your favourite character.

5. The Bear Trail – Open from 10am – 5pm

Get outside for some Muddy fun on the Bear Trail. There are a variety of obstacles to climb, zip wires, tunnels, swinging ropes, tyres and much more. See how much fun we had at The Bear Trail last weekend.

6. Discover Arts Award – RAMM – Wednesday 31st May, Thursday 1st June & Friday 2nd June – 10.30am – 3.30pm

This is a drop-in event so no booking required. Pick up a RAMM Discover Arts Award log booklet in the courtyard and follow Alfie the Sparrow around the museum at your own pace to complete arty activities and challenges in the galleries. I highly recommend the cakes in the cafe for afterwards!

7. Meet Rex the T-Rex – The Big Sheep, Exmouth – Sunday 28th May

Meet Rex the 8 foot animatronic dinosaur with appearances throughout the day. The Big Sheep is a great day out with various rides and attractions as well as Lamb Feeding, Sheep Racing and Pony Rides

8. Paignton Zoo – Paignton

Who doesn’t love a trip to the zoo? We love a day at the zoo. A baby giraffe calf has recently been born which would be a lovely site to see as well. They also do a combo ticket (Zooper Ticket) with Living Coasts which will save you some money for two fab days out.

9. Pirates Bay Adventure Golf Course – Paignton Seafront

This pirate themed crazy golf course is great fun for the family. You don’t have to be any good at golf (I’m not) and everybody can take part.

10. Trago Mills – Newton Abbot

Trago has loads to offer including animal petting, rides, food stalls, a boating lake, Go Karts and lots of outdoor play equipment. They also offer an unlimited ride ticket which is £4.99 for adults and £3.99 for children under 8 making this an affordable day out.

11. Pennywell Farm – Buckfastleigh

27th – 28th May There will be a circus themed weekend with circus skills, workshops and shows including Spangles and the Clown.

To begin the long awaited school holidays there will be a circus themed weekend with circus skills workshops and shows on Saturday 27^th and Sunday 28^th May with Alison Lewis and Spangles and the Clown. On Wednesday 31st children dressed as their favourite Superhero will get in FREE. Take part in bottle feeding, ferret racing, goat milking and pond dipping.

12. Powderham Castle – Powderham, Kenton

This half-term is Pirates and Mermaids week at the castle. Let your kids dress up as a Mermaid or a Pirate and join in the adventures.

13. Dynamic Adventures – Dartington Hall, Totnes

Dynamic Adventures’ range of exciting outdoor activities. There’s archery, rock-climbing, abseiling, high ropes, a 500-foot-long zip line, canoeing and kayaking – all suitable for beginners.

14. Free Fun Day – Princesshay – Exeter, 31st May 10am – 4pm

Join in with lots of free activities throughout the day aimed at getting people active. The activities include yoga, RockFit, dance, athletics, cycling, ping pong and more!

15. Pirate Week – World of Country Life – Exmouth

There are all sorts of piratey activities throughout the week as well as all the usual activities such as bottle feeding, animal handling, goat walking and ferret racing.

If the weather of this week is anything to go by, we’ll have a great time out and about.

What are you up to this week? Pop a comment below if you find any local gems that you think we should share.

Lisa x

#devondaysout – Spellbound Fairy and Goblin Festival

24/05/201718/01/2024 Lisa 2 Comments

Spellbound Fairy & Goblin Festival

On Sunday the sun was shining and we set off down to Plymouth for the Spellbound Fairy and Goblin Festival for a day filled with fairies, storytellers, crafts, music, face painting, and much more…

The Soapbox Theatre

The Soapbox Theatre was created by a husband and wife team, Iain and Jacqueline who are both experienced theatre practitioners and community artists. They took over a semi-derelict World War II mustard gas decontamination unit (hmm I had to google it too) in Devonport Park, Plymouth. Huge efforts have been put into raising funds to develop this site through crowdfunding, grants, and the local authority. The passion and enthusiasm for this going forward is visible on both Iain and Jacqueline’s efforts to make this a festival to remember.

Iain explained the plans for the future which include a roof-top stage and amphitheatre which sounds like an amazing space for children and families to experience both watching shows and taking part in workshops and projects. Workshops and classes are available for all ages and capabilities making this a valuable asset to the local community.

The Festival

The programme for the day was jam-packed full of activities and we wanted to experience as much as possible. We did what we usually do on a day out, and took a wander round to work out what we would like to do first, second, third, and so on.

The whole entire place, which was fenced off for the safety of the children was decked out with colourful lanterns strung from the trees, flags, and windsocks in bright colours. It was the perfect spot for the festival as it was set amongst a fairy village with houses, caravans, and a washing line full of fairy clothes.

There were tents set up all around for us ‘big people’ with various activities. The Big Top had various shows including The Fallen Cedars, Jazz singing, Elfic the Jester and his antics, and an amazingly fun Samba band who marched through the park and led a parade around the site.

First, off we watched a puppet show which including a smelly creature, a man and a walrus. It captured all the kid’s attention, especially with the mention of bird poo and bottom burping.

We saw Isabella Necessity Bicycle Storyteller whilst sat atop tree stumps.

We were amused by Elfic the Jester with his juggling antics.

There were various stalls selling all sorts of fairy paraphernalia. We bought a plant pot fairy house to make at home complete with Tinkerbell.

We tasted gorgeous fruit lollies and sat on the grass and had freshly cooked fire-baked pizzas (Chicken, pesto, and mozzarella).

Isabelle and I made fairy wands and a dream catcher using all kinds of tubing, ribbons, pipe cleaners, shells, string, pom-poms and glue. Whilst we were in the craft tent, Goblins were running amock and threw bits of mud and grass at us. They were dancing around, going through the bins, and generally causing trouble.

Isabelle was ‘Fairy Tested’ to determine if she was a genuine fairy or not with a special wooden dragonfly. She passed the test of course!

We both queued up for face painting but when it was our turn I felt mean taking up the make-up artist’s time whilst there were so many children waiting. I so wanted a glittery eye. Boo!

There were lots of areas for little ones to play including the Petite cafe and a soft play area.

Children and adults all lined up for the ‘Best dressed Fairy’ and ‘Best dressed Goblin’ and prizes were given to all.

We stayed until the end and we’re really pleased that we did. The Crooked Tempo Samba band played through the park and led a parade through the site with much bum shaking taking place.

What we thought

The Festival gets a huge Fairy Wands up from all of us. The day was filled with lots of fun and activities which were all included in the ticket price. The choice of food was extremely reasonable and very tasty. The atmosphere was very relaxed and everything was family-friendly. We even bumped into some family members so we had a bit of a catch-up sat in the sun.

Oh and did I mention that we go to meet the Fairy Queen herself.

Upcoming Events

Whilst the Spellbound Fairy and Goblin Festival has been and gone for this year, there are lots of activities, shows and workshops to take part in with the Soapbox Theatre so do make sure that you pop over to their Facebook Page for more details.

We’re lucky to have lots of lovely places to visit here in Devon. If you’re planning a visit or you’re looking for somewhere new to take the kids then have a look at our Devon Days Out for some inspiration.

*Please note that we were gifted tickets to the event in exchange for a review. All thoughts and opinions are our own.

#devondaysout – The Bear Trail

18/05/201719/10/2022 Lisa 6 Comments

#devondaysout – The Bear Trail.

On Sunday we went to The Bear Trail in Cullompton for the first time.

Isabelle and I had been looking at the pictures on Facebook at all the mud-covered adults and children. She thought it was ‘awesome and I wondered what on earth I should wear!

I opted for gym gear and trainers to make running, jumping, and climbing possible.

At this point, I should mention that the day before we went it absolutely bucketed down so it was definitely going to be an extra muddy day!

I am usually the bag carrier! Daddy is usually the one who does the physical stuff whilst I look after the bags/coats/picnic, but this time I decided that we were all going to take part and have some fun.

Our Visit

The Bear Trail was easy to find and there was ample parking when we arrived.

The carpark overlooked the trail where all the equipment was laid out in a wide-open space with plenty of grass space in the middle, perfect for picnics.

Isabelle was very excited (and Daddy too) and were raring to go. When we arrived there were lots of cars arriving for a birthday party. All nicely dressed. Big mistake!

Inside the Bear Trail.

Aside from the trail itself, there is a barn with inside seating, a kiosk selling hot drinks, sandwiches, cakes as well as freshly made wood-fired pizzas, changing rooms, toilets, and a shower area.

There is also a play area for the littles with a sandpit, but there is no age limit on any of the equipment. The ethos is that if you think you can do it – give it a go. You know your own child’s capability.

Not forgetting in the far corner there is a pen with some alpaca and ponies which when you’re having fun could easily be overlooked, but we went over and gave the ponies a stroke.

The Trail

The trail has a selection of rope climbing frames, swing ropes, bridges, zip slides, tunnels, hay bales, stepping stones, tyres, and more, all with a huge puddle of muddy water either before, after or underneath.

Off we went, and at first, I think most people make some kind of attempt to stay out of the mud, but once you go in – you get stuck in. Isabelle had no hesitation and was a mud slick in minutes. Daddy closely followed whilst I lagged behind shop fresh clean.

After passing a fellow blogger who had got stuck in with her two boys I felt a bit of a wuss and with the help of Isabelle managed to get covered in mud. Squelchy feet and all.

You can go around the trail in order, but there were certain bits that we preferred so we made up our own route.

Some families set up picnics and had blankets and food laid out where the adults congregated and the kids were let loose to play. As it’s all open plan you can give the kids that bit of freedom.

We went around the trail for a good couple of hours before showering off and getting changed before being treated to a lovely lunch of a selection of wood-fired pizzas, cakes, and drinks.

About the Bear Trail

The trail set in Cullompton, Devon is about to celebrate its first birthday and was set in motion by Ben a former Army Man.

The trail is evolving and new obstacles are in the pipeline, as are better-changing facilities. We thought lockers were a good idea to eliminate the trips back to the car.

The trail is kept as basic as can be – no flashing lights, music, or bright colours. It’s all about getting outside and having good old-fashioned fun.

All the obstacles have safety nets but it’s very much up to the individual’s capability. Isabelle is six and was capable of taking part in every part of the trail and made the most of it.

It’s an all-weather day out. If it rains, you get muddier!

Info

The trail is open from 10 – 5pm. There are no time restrictions – you can stay all day.

Tickets are available at the entrance or online. If it’s the school holidays I would recommend booking beforehand to avoid disappointment.

Prices
Over 1 metre – £7.50
Under 1 metre – £4.50

Don’t wear your best clothes – they will get muddy.

Take spare clothes, shoes, towels and a bag to put all the muddy clothes in.

Food is available – the pizzas are awesome, but you can take your own. There are plenty of picnic tables and grassy areas to sit.

The Bear Trail Birthday Party’s – You can host a birthday party at the trail with different priced packages to suit your budget.

All in all we had a great day so The Bear Trail gets the thumbs up from us.

To celebrate their first birthday they are having a Colour Bomb Run where you will be showered with the colours of the rainbow as well as mud – This is taking place on 23rd July and booking is advisable.

For you lovely readers we can offer 5% off the usual ticket price if you book online. Just add the code: BLOG5 at the checkout.

Have fun.

Lisa x