What to do in Greenwich (by Robert - and Sarah)

[caption id="attachment_1696" align="alignnone" width="940"] View of Greenwich from the Royal Observatory[/caption]

Robert and I had a brilliant time exploring Greenwich last week and we couldn’t believe we were still in London! It really is such a beautiful place and much calmer than the centre of town. We loved the views and all the many things we got up to.  In fact we could have stayed for longer.

This is all written by Robert, aged 10:

Royal Observatory

Wouldn’t it be cool if you could stand in two time zones, if you could time travel just by walking a few steps forward? Well you can do all that and loads more at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich. As well as finding out the history of clocks, watches and sun dials and even seeing the first ever time telling machine you get to stand on the Meridian Line.

[caption id="attachment_1704" align="alignnone" width="940"] Standing across the Meridian Line at Greenwich[/caption]

If you didn’t already know about GMT, Greenwich is the home of time in the world so it’s a very important place. The meridian line goes all the way from the North to the South Pole and splits the world into eastern and western Hemispheres, so if you are standing on the line you are in two different times at once. It is very cool.

After going to the Observatory, we went on to see a show in the only Planetarium in London (the Peter Harrison Planetarium), and played some interactive space games. We also touched a meteorite that dates back billions of years which was very cool. And after all that, we had a rest at the top of the hill and gazed at the wonderful views.

We also went to the National Maritime Museum which was excellent and which I have written about here. You must go here if you come to Greenwich.

Need to know: The Royal Observatory (which includes the courtyard and also Flamsteed House which teaches you all about time) costs £9.50 for adults and £5 for children. You can also pay £18.50 for adults and £8.50 for children and get a joint ticket for the Observatory and the Cutty Sark (see below...)

Entry to the Planetarium is free, but we paid £5.50 for Robert to see a show there. 

Emirates Air Line and Aviation Experience

[caption id="attachment_1706" align="alignnone" width="940"] View of the O2 and Thames from the cable car[/caption]

If you wanted to see London’s Landmarks in a different way why not go on the Emirates airline, the only urban cable car in the UK? Travelling all around Britain’s capital city, 90 metres above the Thames isn’t something you do very often. We were put in a pod with four other people and then for the next 20 minutes we took loads of pictures and admired the scenery.

[caption id="attachment_1705" align="alignnone" width="940"] Trying out the Emirates Aviation Experience[/caption]

The Emirates Aviation Experience is epic as you get to fly a plane (not really though!) The simulation allows you to take off, fly or land a plane in different weathers and countries. In your 30 minute experience you first learn how to use all the different buttons, pedals and levers each one vital to prevent the plane that you are flying from crashing. Then you picked one of the sixteen countries, a time of day and weather, before zooming off the runway and into the air. Steering and accelerating are quite tricky at first but after a few minutes you get the hang of it. You can take a planned path across your chosen city or if you aren’t very good at that, like me, you can just fly around. When landing, you have an easier and harder option so you can do them both if you like. Remember that you can change the country so you don’t have to stay doing the same thing all the time. I really liked the experience even though I didn’t get that good a score.

We took the Thames Clipper from Greenwich to the O2 (North Greenwich). It’s a very quick ride, but such fun to take a bus on the water! You also get the most magnificent views as you drive by.

Need to know: The Emirates Air line (cable car) costs £9 per adult and £4.50 per child (return), with a reduction for Oyster card users. It costs £45 to try out the Emirates Aviation Experience and fly a plane - up to four people can be involved in that session.
Thames Clippers depart every 20 minutes and prices vary, with reductions for Oyster card holders. 

The Cutty Sark

One thing better than seeing the fastest and greatest ship of its time, is going on the fastest and greatest ship of its time and that’s exactly what you can do in Greenwich. Inside the Cutty Sark, one of the most famous ships in the world, you can learn all about life on a boat, importing and exporting goods and even have a go at being the sailors.

[caption id="attachment_1702" align="alignnone" width="940"] Trying out a sailor's bed on the Cutty Sark[/caption]

It was so interesting to find out about men’s lives on the Cutty Sark as it was so different to the sea voyages nowadays. You got to touch, see and smell things of the past, play games and even go in various rooms of the ship. It was brilliant and even the cafe was cool - it was underneath the Cutty Sark.

Need to know: The Cutty Sark costs £7 for children and £13.50 for adults.

Discover Greenwich

If you arrive in Greenwich by boat, you get off right in front of Discover Greenwich. It is like a small museum which tells you about the area. It was interactive and interesting and I liked trying on a jousting helmet which was the size of one which Henry VIII would have worn. It was extremely heavy.

[caption id="attachment_1700" align="alignnone" width="768"] The painted hall at the Old Royal Naval College was very impressive[/caption]

Right nearby is the Old Royal Naval College, which was designed by Sir Christopher Wren (who also designed St Paul’s Cathedral). Mum thought this was very beautiful. We went to see the Painted Hall which is probably the largest painting in Europe. It was very impressive, full of things like animals and signs of the zodiac and with King William and Queen Mary painted in the middle. I enjoyed doing my own animal drawing too (you can do this throughout August).

If you come to London you should definitely see Greenwich. The scenery and artwork are beautiful and there are so many things to do. London isn’t all about being busy, noise and crowds; there’s also Greenwich.”

Need to know: The Old Royal Naval College and Discover Greenwich are both free (although they do ask for donations, which we gave). 

Sarah adds:

[caption id="attachment_1699" align="alignnone" width="940"] We took a City Cruise from Westminster Pier to Greenwich[/caption]

Getting to Greenwich:

We got to Greenwich via the River of course! We caught the boat via City Cruises, from Westminster Pier and had a lovely trip down the River Thames, past the many famous sights, including the London Eye, Tower of London, Globe Theatre and more. It is a great way to travel, and takes about an hour. However, you can also go via the train and also the DLR (Docklands Light Railway). We took the DLR back from Greenwich station and it’s good fun too – taking you through the city of London (which looks like New York with all its huge financial buildings). We went on the DLR back to Bank and then the tube from there, but it goes to a number of stations. You can also take the train (for example, from London Bridge station, and it’s only an eight minute ride to Greenwich). Anyway, back to the wonderful sights...

Need to know: City Cruises cost £8 for children and £16 for adults for a return to Greenwich, from Westminster.

Eating:

While we were in Greenwich we noticed that there were loads of restaurants and cafes, plus stalls in the market. We really enjoyed a delicious meal at the Rivington Grill, where the staff could not have been more helpful or the food nicer! Robert loved his fish and chips and mocktail, while I was extremely happy with all my food (a chilled tomato and basil soup was perfect), and in particular (ahem) my two desserts....

[caption id="attachment_1707" align="alignnone" width="940"] Robert loved his special mocktail at the Rivington Grill[/caption]

We also found a lovely little cafe right next to Greenwich market. Reddoor cafe even had vegan cake which Robert could eat (and yes, it was good.....)

Staying:

[caption id="attachment_1698" align="alignnone" width="940"] Robert liked relaxing in this chair at our hotel![/caption]

We think Greenwich is a wonderful place to stay when you’re in London as it’s not hectic but easy to get around. There are lots of B&Bs and hotels in the area and we stayed in the Mercure Hotel, which is around 15 minutes walk from the centre. We walked a lot on our short stay and, if you had very small children, you might want to be nearer the centre. However, the hotel is nicely set up for travellers, and is lovely and quiet with very friendly staff. We were also extremely impressed by the breakfast offerings (if you have poached eggs and waffles on the menu, then you’re a winner in my book). Rooms cost from £82 a night.

[caption id="attachment_1697" align="alignnone" width="940"] Delicious waffle with strawberries - (part of) my breakfast[/caption]

Disclosure: we were lucky enough to have our stay organised in conjunction with Visit Greenwich who covered the cost of our accommodation and the attractions listed in this piece. All our opinions, as always, are our own and Visit Greenwich had no input into this blog post.

Seeing London Upside Down - Carsten Höller's "Decision" on the Southbank

Over the course of the past few weeks, our family has visited Carsten Höller's "Decision" - an art exhibition on the Southbank, London. Mum and I visited first, and Robert and dad visited about a week later, as we thought they would really enjoy it. "Decision" is a major art exhibition intended to made the visitor think about decisions and perception, and is full of interactive exhibits to really involve the visitor.

 

[caption id="attachment_1712" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Höller's Isometric Slides spiralling down the Southbank Centre[/caption]

As soon as we put our coats away, mum and I had an immediate choice to make - should we enter via door A or door B? Mum and I chose door A, and entered into a metal tunnel, which started out light but gradually got very dark. Holding hands, mum and I navigated the tunnel by feeling around for walls in front of us, and eventually made it out into a much brighter room. The tunnel had made us disoriented, and we had no idea where we were in the building.

The first room we entered was completely filled by a mushroom-shaped mobile, where the mushrooms were vertically cut in half, and stuck back together upside down. Mum cautiously pushed the mobile, making it turn around the room. The mushrooms bobbed up and down and it was cool to push and pull it in different directions, but it wasn't very interesting.

[caption id="attachment_1723" align="alignnone" width="1200"] The mushroom mobile[/caption]

I liked the next exhibit much better - the pill clock is a giant mound of pills, and one drops from the ceiling every three seconds. This was impressive, but mum and I were quite freaked out when the security guard went up to us and said that we could eat one! This was a difficult decision to make, and eventually decided to give it a go, as long as the guard ate one along with us. The pills were filled with flour, and I liked being able to interact with the "clock".

[caption id="attachment_1713" align="alignnone" width="1200"] The giant mound of pills formed by the pill clock[/caption]

The exhibition was full of lots of unique and interesting things to see and do. I was especially excited to see "The Forests" - a dual screen video watched using a VR headset. I had never used a VR headset before, so I was really looking forward to doing so. You slip it over your head and put the headphones on, and the image changes when you turn your head; just like in real life.

The film starts with you going through a forest full of trees and snow, but soon enough, it starts changing. One eye starts travelling down one path, while another goes down a different one. Höller is "trying to break that hierarchy, or even dictatorship if you want to call it that, of the single image." This was a strange experience, and it was really weird to see two different films at once. Although it was exciting to wear the headset, I felt that it was a bit slow and boring, and the images were quite grainy.

[caption id="attachment_1714" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Wearing the VR headsets[/caption]

Upstairs, there was a lot to see and do. There were large dice for children to climb into, games to play and mirrors all around the walls. We found the source of the pill clock - a large glass box full of the pills, and enjoyed looking at "Twins". This was a hallway with seven pairs of identical twins on television screens, who were saying seemingly contradictory sentences to each other. At first, mum and I thought that they were the same person, but eventually figured out the small differences between them! The exhibition booklet describes this as a "complex listening puzzle", and I thought it was really interesting.

[caption id="attachment_1717" align="alignnone" width="1200"] There were large dice for the children to climb into![/caption]

The exhibit I took part in next was one that I had been looking forward to most - the Flying Machines! It was a relatively quiet day when we went, but the queue was still an hour long. Mum and I decided to wait, but about forty minutes in, it started to rain! This meant that the queue was moved inside and the machines stopped working. After encountering a particularly rude member of staff who didn't listen to us and started arguing with mum, it was finally time to go back outside and get strapped up.

[caption id="attachment_1718" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Flying![/caption]

I stepped into a blue full body harness, which had loops attached to my feet and various areas on my back. I climbed onto the steps, and a man slipped metal rings into the loops on the harness. I was apprehensive when he asked me to "just push off", but felt very secure when I did so. It was exhilarating to be suspended above London and I did feel like I was flying, except for the slow speed! My go went on for about three minutes, and I really liked spinning above the busy road and the rest of the queue.

Funnily enough, it was quite relaxing! There is a video below of me "flying" on the machine:

[kad_youtube url="https://youtu.be/QG0MaGoVGok?list=PL21MnxVphOzI2A8wn1ejWBYSXpgwMIkGw" width=200 height=100 ]

Next, we tried on Upside Down Goggles, which were my favourite part of the visit. This was a strange headset with a mirror, which makes everything look as though it is upside down. This was hilarious - mum and I really struggled to walk properly, and we had to guide each other in the right direction! It was really cool to see the London Eye and other elements of the skyline upside down, and it was so weird to walk and look around.

[caption id="attachment_1720" align="alignnone" width="1200"] London looked crazy upside down![/caption]

The Isometric Slides was the last part of the trip. These two metal slides wrap around the building, and juxtapose with the brutalist architecture. Although I was too much of a wimp to go down the slides, Robert loved it. He said that it was fun because it was fast, and he loved sliding all the way down the building. Höller says that a slide is both "a sculpture you can travel inside" and a "device for experiencing a unique condition between delight and madness". I thought that it was interesting that such a novel form of entertainment could be considered art.

[caption id="attachment_1711" align="alignnone" width="675"] Robert loved hurtling down the Isometric Slides![/caption]

Overall, we had such a great time at Carsten Höller's "Decision exhibition. I loved going on the flying machines and walking around while seeing everything upside down. Although one man was really rude, everyone else was really helpful and friendly. We talked to someone afterwards who was extremely nice to us and even treated us to a hot chocolate! She didn't even know that we were going to write about the exhibition afterwards...

Even though I walked out of the exhibition confused about how Höller's works were art, they did cause me to consider the decisions that we have to make every day, and the line between art and performance. Perhaps the meaning of art is to provoke interesting thoughts about the world around you, while enjoying it at the same time? If this is so, Höller has certainly achieved it.

We think Decision, by Carsten Höller is an exhibition which the whole family will enjoy. It is on at the Hayward Gallery in the Southbank Centre until the 6th of September. Tickets are £15, concessions are £11 and seniors are £13. Tickets can be booked here. The minimum height for the Isometric Slides is 120cm, and the minimum age for the Flying Machines is 14. 

Höller is also the man picked to turn the ArcelorMittal Orbit, the giant sculpture at the Olympic Park, into a slide!

More by us:

The National Maritime Museum in Greenwich (by Robert)

Playing Games at The National Video Game Arcade!

What to do in and around Nottingham (by all of us!)

Jess (who's 13) writes: This Summer, our family spent a fantastic four days exploring Nottinghamshire. We visited some fantastic places, ate mouth-watering food and created amazing memories. There are some true gems to be found in and around Nottingham, and here are our favourite places to learn, eat and have fun...

We have created a video that sums up our stay, which you can watch below:

[kad_youtube url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpjwAr3hyGw&feature=em-upload_owner" width=300 height=150 ]

We stayed in a Woodland Rustic cabin at The Sherwood Hideaway, a small group of luxury lodges in the middle of Sherwood Forest. There were only around twenty lodges in the Hideaway, meaning that it was quiet and peaceful. Our cabin was much larger than expected, and had a TV, a few sofas, big beds, lots of space and a hot tub! This was fantastic, and we had loads of fun sitting and talking while the jets roared.

[caption id="attachment_1635" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Jess and Robert in the hot tub![/caption]

Robert and I loved playing badminton in the grass with free racquets provided from the main cabin, and ran around in the trees. There were rabbits and cows nearby, which was quite cool. The Hideaway is self-catering, so we made sure to bring food. There was a Tesco about a 10 minute drive one way, and a Co-Operative the other way. Mum loved the Molton Brown bath and shower products, and I liked the biscuits on our pillows!

[caption id="attachment_1648" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Our cabin from the outside[/caption]

Day one:

Zip wires, segways and cycling...

Robert (aged 10) says: One of my highlights of the trip to Nottingham was doing Go ape as it's not every day you get to go tree climbing in the centre of Sherwood Forest. The whole course took about 2-3 hours and was 909 metres long.

After putting on our suits and having had our safety briefing about how to use all the metal hooks and thingymebobs (it was all very confusing) we climbed up a ladder and started tree climbing. There were six stages in all, each getting harder and higher. Each section had an assortment of tunnels, wobbly bridges and ladders and they all ended with a zip wire, the longest of which was around 140 metres. At some points you could pick between the easier or harder option but if you were under-eighteen you had to stick with your supervisor (that was dad) at all times. Some of my favourite tasks were where you get across by placing your feet in small swinging metal circles, where you jump off a platform and land in a giant net before climbing back up, and going across an extremely hard wobbly bridge. A funny story is when I got stuck climbing up a ladder (one of the easiest obstacles)! I loved Go ape so much and I could do it again, I don't think dad could though!



Robert enjoying the Go Ape! zip-wires...

Sarah writes: While Brian and Robert were enjoying (well, Robert was enjoying!) Go Ape!, Jess and I hired segways to drive through the forest. This was brilliant fun and a really different way to get around.

We had never used segways before and so we were given a safety demonstration first. I wasn't entirely sure I'd remember everything I'd been told, but it wasn't too complicated and, after a short practice, we were off into the forest. I loved travelling on the segway, especially when we were allowed to go a little faster. The only thing I didn't like was when our instructor decided to take us on a very windy path. The segways are quite wide, so I didn't find this at all easy and could feel myself getting stressed...

[caption id="attachment_1636" align="alignnone" width="1200"] We loved going through the forest on segways![/caption]

We had an hour on the segways, which can go up to a maximum of 13 mph. Afterwards we ate in the cafe where we were impressed by the choice of food on offer, and especially the delicious Snickers cake!

Jess says: After lunch, we all hired bikes from a shop right next to Go Ape, called Sherwood Pines Cycles. There were three routes - green, blue and red. The green route was the easiest, but we took it as we were quite tired from the Go Ape and the segways. The route was around forty minutes long, and went through the picturesque forest. The trees were beautiful, and it was easy to see where we were going. The only annoying thing was that the gears on my bike weren't working properly, so I had to push really hard to go uphill. However, the rest of the family really loved it!

[caption id="attachment_1638" align="alignnone" width="1200"] It was beautiful to cycle through the forest.[/caption]

Go Ape costs £25 for a child aged 10-15 and £31 for an adult. The Segway Tour costs £35, while hiring bikes cost £9 for an hour for an adult and £8 for a child, or £15 for an adult for two hours and £12 for a child.

Day two:

Remembering the past: The Holocaust Museum, Oliver Cromwell and a very old castle

Jess says: Day two of our trip started by going to The National Holocaust Centre and Museum, which we have written about here. The museum was shocking, informative and unbelievable - I think that the things in there are facts that everyone should learn about.

[caption id="attachment_1582" align="alignnone" width="900"] Memorial at the National Holocaust Centre near Newark, Nottinghamshire[/caption]

Sarah writes: We were really excited about visiting the brand new National Civil War Centre as we love history and know this is a very important part of the British story. It is based in Newark, which is about 20 miles outside Nottingham and which also boasts the most gorgeous ruins of a castle which was where King John died and which was partly destroyed in 1646 at the end of the English Civil War. It's well worth a look, and it's also lovely to walk along the river, which runs beside a park.

The Civil War exhibit is mainly in one room, with a cinema at the end. It has obviously had a great deal of its budget spent on interactive and digital aspects, and there are computer games to play, as well as a tour to follow in the town itself (you can download the app onto your phone to do this). It was fun to try on costumes and there was certainly a great deal of artefacts to see.

[caption id="attachment_1641" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Robert dressing up as a soldier at the National Civil War Centre[/caption]

However, my impression was that it wasn't so much a national Civil War Centre as a local one. Most of the exhibits and information are about Newark's role in the war, and if you are not local, they are a bit confusing. We definitely felt that there needed to be more context about the war, its causes and even chronology.

All the staff were lovely and very open to the suggestion that it needed some kind of introduction to put it all into context - I don't think we were the first people to suggest this!

We did really enjoy some of the other local history on display in the other rooms, including an incredible gold iron age torc. It was absolutely beautiful.

Jess says: I think that I enjoyed the museum more than the rest of the family as I had just finished studying the civil war and Cromwell at school! Therefore, I knew the basics and found it really interesting to see things that tied in with my class' learning. However, I too got slightly lost at points.

[caption id="attachment_1639" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Scrumptious quiche and salad from Gannets cafe in Newark[/caption]

There are lots of lovely places to eat just a short walk from the centre. We had a delicious lunch at Gannets Cafe in Newark, which was really close to the city's incredible castle. I had a tomato rissole with mint yoghurt, mum and dad both had quiches and Robert indulged on toast and jam! The cafe also served mouth-watering salads with every meal, and there were loads of cakes and desserts. I had a fantastic elderflower and lemon cake, and dad had a sticky toffee pudding.

A visit to The Civil War Centre costs £7 for adults and £3 for 5-16 year olds. 

Day three:

Robin Hood, Mario Karts and 30 different veggie burgers...

Sarah writes: This was our Nottingham day and our first visit to the city. We had a great time and only wished we had longer to spend there - the Galleries of Justice looked particularly good fun - and Robert would have loved the chance to play in the summer beach in the centre of town, but we only had time to look!

We started our day with a Robin Hood walking tour, courtesy of Robin himself, the very charismatic Ezekial Bone (or Ade Andrews as he may well be known in real life). Robin is an actor, and hugely knowledgeable, which is a perfect combination for a guided tour. You can see him in our video too.

[caption id="attachment_1659" align="alignnone" width="1200"] We were shown around Nottingham by Robin Hood![/caption]

We all learnt so much on this tour, from the original name of Nottingham (the rather less appealing Snottingham!) about the city's hosiery and lace industry, its Nottingham's caves and how you can just rub sand off Nottingham castle. We learnt about a man called Boot who set up a very successful chain of chemists (and saw the original flagship store), and admired the architecture around us. And of course we also learnt about Robin himself - or the men said to be Robin, and how the myth developed. It seems the idea that he was a nobleman (Robin Of Loxley) it has much to do with Walter Scott and Ivanhoe, rather than any basis in truth. We would actually have liked even more Robin Hood input and stories.

[caption id="attachment_1655" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Ye Olde Trip To Jerusalem - the oldest pub in the UK.[/caption]

This was a great way to see Nottingham as it took us around the city. We even visited the oldest pub in the UK!

(Tickets cost £12 for adults and £7 for under 14s).

Jess says: We all loved our brilliant lunch at The Alley Cafe in the city centre. It is a restaurant with loads of vegetarian or vegan food, meaning that Robert (who has lots of allergies) could eat something other than chips! Thee were vegan pizzas, soups, sandwiches and much more, as well as vegan cheesecakes, ice-creams and tiffin. They had special fruity drinks and everything I had was fantastic. Although the service was pretty slow, there was a large range of food and everything was really good.

[caption id="attachment_1658" align="alignnone" width="1200"] A Sinclair Spectrum computer seen at the National Videogame Arcade[/caption]

Robert writes:  I loved the National Video Game arcade as we don't have any games like this at home. There were so many different games to play from an old fashioned Donkey Kong to brilliant new racing game. There were games using guitars, games that involved shooting birds with a gun and even one that involved destroying monsters with a table tennis bat and ball. I liked some simple ones as well just with one button. There were quite a few of these in the brilliant temporary exhibition jump (those rooms change every few months) I liked playing Mario Cart where you actually had to pedal on a bike to make your cart go faster. I also enjoyed a game where you drove a car around and had to shoot other vehicles but if you put an object on the screen that would stop the cars from getting through. Another car game I liked was one where you were playing football. There were some games there that were amazing and I loved playing them. Jess has written about it here.

[caption id="attachment_1599" align="alignnone" width="1200"] In front of the National Video Game Arcade...[/caption]

Jess says: My favourite meal of the entire holiday had to be at Annie's Burger Shack, also in the city centre. The menu is composed of loads of starters, drinks, and thirty different burger options! Some of them sounded really strange (The Vermonter is "a burger topped with two pancakes, crispy strips of bacon and lashings of authentic American maple syrup"), but others sounded incredible. I eventually decided on The Caribbean - a jerk spiced burger topped with Caribbean Jerk sauce, onions, peppers and a pineapple ring. Each burger came with a side of chips, and you could choose from four different options.

[caption id="attachment_1647" align="alignnone" width="1200"] We ate incredible burgers and hot dogs from Annie's Burger Shack...[/caption]

What was so special about Annie's was that every burger can be made vegetarian or vegan, so we were all able to eat the burgers. They made a special effort with Robert and his allergies, and made him a hot dog that he could eat. This was fantastic, and mum and dad really appreciated it. All of our burgers was utterly delicious, and I was stuffed by the end of the meal. After an incredible cheesecake for me and a vegan apple cake for Robert, it was time to go back to our cabin. I would happily go back for another meal...

Day Four:

A Victorian workhouse, a very old tree and lots and lots of ice cream...

Brian writes: We loved our stay at The Sherwood Hideaway, and we even got the chance to see The Major Oak, the tree which according to folklore was used as a hideout by Robin Hood and his Merry Men.

We drove to the Sherwood Forest Visitor Centre, near the village of Edwinstowe, and then walked about twenty minutes through the beautiful woods (on a surfaced path) before reaching the huge tree which is thought to be between 800 and 1,000 years old.

The tree is fenced off but you can get quite close. It is oddly shaped and it looks as though several trees have fused together. Some of its limbs are propped up by wooden poles.

[caption id="attachment_1649" align="alignnone" width="1200"] The Major Oak - an ancient tree which was crowned England's tree of the year![/caption]

There are various information boards near the tree, which told us that the tree was not named after its size, but that Major Hayman Rooke included the tree in his popular 1790 book about the ancient oaks of Sherwood. It then became known as The Major‘s Oak, and later simply The Major Oak.

It was also interesting to read that the Major Oak would have only been an acorn when Robin Hood was meant to have been gallivanting around Sherwood Forest!

I would highly recommend a detour to see the tree if you are already in Sherwood Forest. There is also a small Robin Hood exhibition in the Visitor Centre, which was free to enter, and is well worth a visit too.

[caption id="attachment_1652" align="alignnone" width="1200"] The Victorian Workhouse in Southwell was the base for workhouses all across the country![/caption]

Jess says: I didn't know anything about Victorian workhouses, which is why I found it so interesting to take an audio tour around the Victorian Workhouse in Southwell. The workhouse, which was built in 1824, could house up to 160 destitute people seeking refuge from life on the streets and was the base for the other workhouses all around the country. I was amazed by how tough and pointless some of the work was (by the paint peeling off the upstairs walls, people can tell that the workers had to paint and repaint walls constantly, just to have something to do). We were also shocked by how segregated the inmates were - children, the elderly and the able bodied men and women were all separated, and could rarely see each other.

[caption id="attachment_1650" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Taking an audio tour around the rooms[/caption]

We took an audio tour of the workhouse, which was really interesting and engaging as it told a story. We walked through the yards and saw scratchings on the walls, saw the bare rooms where the inmates slept, went through the cellars, looked at the schools and so much more. It was fascinating to find everything out, and I really enjoyed the audio tour. We must have been in the workhouse for about an hour and a half, and we spent a while looking at the small exhibition at the end. I would definitely recommend it.

Tickets for the workhouse cost: £7.70 per adult and £3.85 per child. A family ticket is £19.25.

Robert writes: We had lunch at the Newfield Dairy and Ice Cream Parlour and it was great. On top of lovely food and friendly staff their ice creams were fantastic. Instead of boring flavours like vanilla and chocolate there was Turkish Delight, fudge and so many more weird but delicious flavours. As I can’t have milk it was great that they had sorbets, not mentioning the toppings plus a flake or wafer. I ordered sprinkles and my sorbet was covered in them. As well as the sixteen flavours, sundaes were also on the menu, including a jelly bean sundae. Yum. Every week they change the flavours so there is always something new on offer. And they make it all on site!

[caption id="attachment_1656" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Robert enjoyed his sprinkle-covered ice cream![/caption]

Jess says: Overall, the whole family had such a good time in and around Nottingham. There was so much to do, for every member of the family. We did a lot, ate some incredible food and had a lot of fun, and also got to relax in our own hot tub. My only thing to mention is that it was slightly difficult to find all the places we were going, so bring a sat nav!

Disclosure: we were lucky that our holiday was organised in conjunction with Experience Nottinghamshire, while our stay in the Sherwood Hideaway was complimentary. However, all our views and comments are made honestly and we were not given any suggestions for what to write.

The Sherwood Hideaway offers luxury lodges in the heart of Sherwood Forest. A three-night weekend getaway at the Sherwood Hideaway from 18 September starts from £555 for a two bedroom lodge sleeping up to four people. For more information and to book go to Sherwood Hideaway or call 01623 824594.

More by us:

Visiting The National Holocaust Museum in Nottinghamshire

Cakes, a Castle and Cathedral – What to do in Lincoln

We've linked up with #CountryKids this week. Pop over there to see more great posts about fun in the outdoors!

The National Maritime Museum in Greenwich (by Robert)

Robert, who's 10, writes:

"When you think of London you think of a loud city full of crowded streets, expensive souvenirs and giant queues but there's another side to England's Capital with breathtaking views, beautiful scenery and amazing buildings and artwork that date back centuries. This is Greenwich and this section of south east London has so many things to see and do but my favourite has got be the National Maritime Museum

[caption id="attachment_1626" align="alignnone" width="940"] This was the coat worn by Admiral Nelson when he was shot. You can actually see the hole on the shoulder.[/caption]

In the National Maritime Museum you learn about the British Navy and experiences on boats. There was something for every age there ranging from simulators to exhibitions. Personally I extremely enjoyed learning about Admiral Nelson, it was cool seeing the clothing he actually wore when he was shot. I also enjoyed other sections like joining the navy or learning about the slave trade.

[caption id="attachment_1624" align="alignnone" width="940"] Trying out the Great Map with an iPad[/caption]

The Great Map was a fun thing for the kids as it was a gigantic map of the earth. Once you picked up an iPad, you then got to build your own ship and sail around the world. If you pointed the Ipad at a country it would appear on the screen of the tablet and you would be able to collect special objects from that place. You need to be patient though with the iPads as the app is quite glitchy.

While your parents are reading something boring, you can go to a  special place for 6-12 year olds called All Aboard. Here you can learn morse code, shoot cannons, become a sailor and have lots of fun.

The museum also has a temporary show on until the end of August. It was made by the company PunchDrunk and is brilliant. The show is called Against Captain's Orders and it is unique as you are inside it. After being split into four groups  - Salvage, Navigator, Watchman and Midshipman - you go downstairs. Then, what starts off as a boring lesson turns into an adventure as you are running, treasure hunting and shouting. I cannot say too much about it or it wouldn't be a surprise but I know you will love it whoever you are. The adults are involved as much as the children and you should definitely go.

Once you are finished with the museum you can have a lovely lunch in the cafe. It sells a variety of foods, not just sandwiches and crisps. You can also have a picnic on the grass if it is a nice day. The scenery there is wonderful.

I loved every moment and I would thoroughly recommend it."

The National Maritime Museum is free to visitors and is open from 10am to 6pm every day. It sometimes has special events on, so you should check the website. Against Captain's Orders is on until the end of August. It costs £15 per ticket and is recommended for 6-12 year olds. 

Read our post on what to do in Greenwich with kids - including a cable car ride across the Thames!

Playing Games at The National Video Game Arcade!

Jess, who's 13, writes: Mum, dad, Robert and I were all really excited to visit the National Video Game Arcade in central Nottingham (about two and half to three hours away from London). It contains the biggest collection of video games in the United Kingdom, and is full of classic arcade games, games in development, new and famous games and exhibitions. We couldn't wait to get started!

We spent four days in and around Nottingham, and created a video about the best bits (including the arcade). Please take a look below...

[kad_youtube url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpjwAr3hyGw&feature=em-upload_owner" width=300 height=150 ]

 

Before you go into the arcade, there is lots to do. Mum and dad headed to the blue-screen photo booth, Robert ran over to a table tennis table and I tried out a game where you had to flick rubber discs around a track. However, we had to go inside to see what else was on offer, so we headed upstairs.

[caption id="attachment_1598" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] Me and dad playing Dash and Bash - my favourite game![/caption]

Once we got up there, our family all ran to different games. Mum and dad ran over to some classic arcade games with joysticks and strange buttons, Robert ran to an XBox table tennis game and I eyed up a fun looking multiplayer game named Dash & Bash. Soon enough, our family was having a heated competition! The objective of the game was simple - you had to find your card and press it before anyone else. I found that I was surprisingly good at it, and the game quickly became very competitive indeed! It was my favourite game out of the whole arcade.

Next door was a game which took up an entire room - Mission Control. Here, there were two players, and they both wanted to collect as many power-ups as possible. What made this so special was that you were able to change special characteristics about the object you were playing as, such as what you looked like or how often you spawned. It was really cool to see your changes happening on screen just after you'd changed them on the control panel.

[caption id="attachment_1592" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] There were arduinos by the exhibition to show how it was powered[/caption]

We met Iain, the manager of the arcade, who told us that it aimed to be full of games that you can't play at home. True, there is Minecraft, but there are also lots of other unique things to have a go at which we really enjoyed. It was fun to play things that we had never seen before.

Iain also said that the centre wanted to be really transparent and are keen for everyone to see how things work, so games often have information next to them explaining this. One example is in the "Jump" exhibition, where you can see circuit boards next to the screen showing how it works. There are also wires going down the middle of the stairwells showing how the TVs are powered.

Mum and Robert loved a game where you used table tennis bats to hit monsters on a screen. The monsters were falling down the screen and you had to to stop them from touching the bottom by bouncing a table tennis ball off them. While I am terrible at table tennis and only managed a game for about a minute, Robert and mum were able to go for much longer.

[caption id="attachment_1595" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] Robert and mum really enjoyed the table tennis game.[/caption]

The building is several stories high, and is full of lots of different games to have a go at. Our whole family played a driving game where you could place objects onto the floor. The virtual cars were obstructed by the objects, letting us create tracks and paths to drive around. I had fun playing the game that Minecraft was based on, and had a go at a strange early Nintendo game where you placed things onto a screen, thereby creating music.



We all played each other at Guitar Hero (I was terrible, and only somehow managed to beat Robert), and played Mario Kart on an exercise bike! I spent ages trying to play Tetris with a really strange controller, and enjoyed trying out Super Mario on a really old Nintendo device. I loved spending time at the arcade as we don't have video games at home.

[caption id="attachment_1597" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] Mum was surprisingly good at playing Guitar Hero...[/caption]

Upstairs, there were different exhibitions to visit. One was all about jumping in video games, and was full of demonstrations and things to play. We walked through an interactive corridor where you could see how different video game characters jumped, and then entered a room filled with loads of games.  I particularly liked one where you got to change different aspects of the game, such as the colour of your character, the angle at which they jump and the amount of gravity there was.

[caption id="attachment_1593" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] Robert and I enjoyed experimenting with the Jump-O-Tron[/caption]

I changed my character so that I was coloured green, blue and purple and made it so there was almost no gravity at all. As soon as I jumped onto the mat, I shot upwards, reaching 100m in just less than four seconds. I was given a receipt with the details of my jump, and went over to the rest of the exhibition. There were loads of games centred on jumping, and we enjoyed competing with each other to see who could get the highest scores. I know that Mum also enjoyed seeing some of the older exhibits and got nostalgic when playing a game on a Sinclair Spectrum computer!

[caption id="attachment_1599" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] We were sad to say goodbye...[/caption]

Overall, there is something for everyone at the National Video Game Arcade. We spent ages having fun, messing around, and ultimately playing loads and loads of games. I especially enjoyed seeing how the exhibitions were powered by looking at the circuit boards, and competing against the rest of the family at Dash & Bash. We spent the majority of the afternoon here, and all had a brilliant time. As there is a mixture of old and new games, I recommend it to everyone of every age. If you have a free afternoon in Nottingham, this is a must!

Disclosure: The National Video Game Arcade is open Friday to Sunday during term times, and from Tuesdays to Sundays in the holidays. Full-day tickets are £8.50, concessions are £6.50, and under 5s go free. You can go upstairs to the cafe (and play Dash & Bash!) for free. Full pricing information can be found here and there are also regular camps and different exhibitions. We were given free tickets to the arcade through Experience Nottinghamshire, but they had no involvement in this piece and all views are my own.

More by me:

Becoming Reporters, Recyclers and Radio Presenters at Kidzania London

Keeping Cool in the Summer – Sledging and Skiing at The Snow Centre

We've joined up with Monday Escapes - pop over to find more travel inspiration! We've also linked up with City Tripping!