Rides and more Dreamland: Margate (by Robert)

[caption id="attachment_2206" align="alignnone" width="1200"] We couldn't go to Dreamland and not buy any candy floss![/caption]

Robert, who's 10, writes about our trip to Dreamland, a vintage theme park in Margate, Kent. We went in December 2015 (you can watch our video below) and we all really enjoyed it.

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"Dreamland was fantastic, I loved going through this 1950 retro theme park with fake snow drifting over my head and I had a great time on all the superb rides in the Frosted Fairground. There were amusements, things to eat, an arcade and even a roller-skate rink making it a unique, fun experience with so much to do.

The park was split into two sections, all the arcade games and pinball machines were inside, while all the rides were outside.

We started off in the frosted fairground and the first thing we went on was a proper carousel called The Gallopers. This was great fun as it went quite fast although I thought it got a bit boring at the end.

We also tried out Montopia where you were seated in a spaceship high above the ground and had to pedal your way through the course. I loved this although it might be a bit tiring for smaller kids.

Then we went on a big colourful slide named Born Slippy, but unfortunately when Jess and I tried it we kept stopping during our trip down as we were so big. Anyway, it was still fun.

The attraction Mum and Dad really liked was the Dodgems, they were easy to control, went really fast and it was such fun to bump into other people. Mum and Dad said they were the best dodgems they’d ever been on.

One of our favourite rides was the wooden rollercoaster called Scenic Railway which is actually the oldest rollercoaster in the UK. This was great as it had some large drops and was very exciting but there was a long queue for it, so be warned.

There were plenty of quick classics like the Helter Skelter, Mirror Maze and Ghost Train plus some small calm rides for the youngsters for example The Teacups or the two floor merry go round Double Decker. I especially loved all the quick rides where you spin around and go backwards like The Kiss Me Quick ride (a “ride of love”) and the fast paced Cyclone Twist.

[caption id="attachment_2209" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Jess riding on the Hurricane jets![/caption]

On the Hurricane Jets you were in charge of your rocket and could move it up and down, this was so cool as you could go so high then drop down to the bottom. I had never been on something like this before.

You could also go on the Big Wheel, a relaxing ride that gives you a great view of the whole park, or the smaller rollercoaster that we didn’t go on called the Counter Culture Caterpillar Coaster.

[caption id="attachment_2210" align="alignnone" width="1200"] The view from the big wheel[/caption]

Finally I must let you know about the Jumping Tower which I went on five times! At this attraction you go up then drop down a number of times which I have always loved the feeling of.

There are a few that I haven’t mentioned which we didn’t have time for but I’m sure they’re amazing just like all the ones we did go on.

[caption id="attachment_2211" align="alignnone" width="900"] This was Robert's favourite ride![/caption]

Inside was just as good as it had loads of cheap arcade games to play (mostly using 2p or 10p pieces), more places to eat, the roller rink and other extras as well. There’s not much to say about the arcade apart from there are lots of games and they’re really good. My personal favourite was one where you had to hit monsters with balls and win tickets. On many games you collect tickets at the end depending on how well you’ve done then swap them for a prize. I came away with a Minion Pencil case for 300 tickets. Yay.

Overall it was fantastic; I went on brilliant rides, played fantastic games and stuffed my face with delicious blue candyfloss! We also had pancakes and toasties for lunch."

Dreamland is considered to be the oldest-surviving amusement park in Great Britain, dating back to the 1860s. It closed in 2003, but opened again after a full refurbishment last June. The whole family thought it was great for a trip, although it is now closed for the winter. However, it's open for various events (including a Valentine's Disco) and on 19th-20th March and 25th March to 11th April. From then onwards, it's open  weekends and bank holidays until the end of May. After that it's open every day for the summer.

Find out about the upcoming events here.

It costs: £14.95 for adults and £12.95 for children (this includes the rides), although it was slightly different when we went at Christmas, when it was free entry, but you paid per ride (between £1 and £5 depending what it was).

Read about what else we got up to in Margate here, and also read about our trip to beautiful Broadstairs in Kent too.

Disclosure: We were given free entry and free rides in order to write about our experience for this blog. However, all our thoughts are our own.

We've teamed up with Country Kids this week - pop over to the Coombe Mill website and be inspired by some more country adventures!

1066 and more: a trip to Battle

With two children at school, it isn't always easy to zip away on wonderful long-haul holidays, even if we'd like to. We're stuck with taking trips during school vacations (along with everyone else) which is limiting in terms of price and timing. But that doesn't stop us exploring and having fun! We know we are extremely lucky to be able to travel within the UK and find some fabulous places to visit (watch the video below for our latest!).

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One of these - an absolute gem - was Battle, in East Sussex. It sounds a strange name doesn't it? But actually, it explains exactly what it is. Because Battle is where one of the most famous battles ever took place - one which changed the course of English history. It's the last time this country was successfully invaded and it gave a certain Norman Duke, William, a new title (not just King, but "the Conqueror" as he beat King Harold and marked the end of Anglo-Saxon England). This all happened 950 years ago this year.

We began our trip at the Battle Museum of Local History (this is currently closed until March, but will open again then with a special 1066 exhibition). It is a really lovely place, run by volunteers. Adrian and Sarah, who showed us around were wonderful company, willing to tell us everything we wanted to know, and excited about the new exhibitions celebrating the anniversary later this year.

[caption id="attachment_2181" align="alignnone" width="1200"] The small museum was well worth visiting[/caption]

Going to the museum first was a great way of beginning our visit, as it gave us proper background on the area. For example, we had no idea that there was a Roman connection to Battle, nor thought about dinosaurs roaming the area.

The Museum had a number of items which piqued our interest, from a cabinet on the World Wars (Hitler targetted the Abbey, and dropped bombs which, fortunately, didn't do much damage), to old stamps and coins, local suffragists and what is said to be the oldest ever Guy Fawkes effigy (from the mid 1600s). It was also amazing to see the only axe head recovered from the battlefield. Talk about historic!

[caption id="attachment_2182" align="alignnone" width="1200"] This is said to be the oldest Guy Fawkes effigy in existence[/caption]

After looking around, we went outside to admire the Almonry gardens and the well.

Battle is a really picturesque market town, even in January (!) and one of those places which is easily walkable, so we meandered down from the museum (which is at one end of the High Street) to the Abbey (at the other), past lots of lovely shops, tea-rooms and restaurants. Here we made sure we got our audio guides and entered.

It had been raining heavily (hey, that's England for you) which meant we knew in advance that we wouldn't actually be able to walk on the field itself. At first we were very disappointed by this, but actually you can walk above it on a terraced walkway and that was great in itself.

A trip to Battle Abbey and the battlefield starts with a introductory exhibition inside a visitor centre. This is extremely nicely done, with a clear explanatory video voiced by David Starkey and Samuel West, explaining the context of the time. There are interactive displays to try out (we did surprisingly badly on the one which asked you to pick Norman names and English names!) and chain metal and even weapons to try.

After the visitor centre (which also has its own cafe by the way) we went outside. We really loved this part of our trip. We held our audio guides close by (Robert had the children's one, which he really enjoyed), and we walked along, finding out about the Battle Of Hastings (so-called because that was the nearest major town back then) and marvelling about the fact that 7,000 men had been killed here, right where we were standing, on October 14th, 1066.

[caption id="attachment_2184" align="alignnone" width="1200"] The famous battlefield[/caption]

The history was fascinating, not least the tactics used by William when he pretended to flee during the battle, making Harold's troops break ranks, to disastrous effect.

We also found that the monks initially didn't want to build the Benedictine abbey on the northern part of the site, not least because it was on top of a hill. But William told them they had to, and they did - he had been ordered to do so by the Pope, as penance, due to the huge loss of life during the conflict.

It must have been absolutely enormous - even the ruins are pretty big - and it become one of the riches monastic houses in England, until the dissolution of the monasteries under Henry VIII (it later became a country estate). And, of course, having such a huge abbey in the area then led to a town growing up behind it...

We also saw the stone which marked where it is believed King Harold died.

We were at the battlefield for well over two hours, enjoying the information and then looking around the ruins of the Abbey itself. The gatehouse museum, where you can also find out about the life of a medieval monk , was closed, but we didn't feel we missed out (we were happy to admire this marvellous 14th century entrance to the abbey from the outside). However, it would be great to go back, as the roof of the gatehouse is to be opened up later this year as part of the celebrations, so you can have a birds-eye view of the landscape of the battlefield.

We then spent some time looking around the shop, which was extremely well stocked with everything from mead to children's toys.

We thought this was a wonderful, informative place to come and just perfect for a day or two's visit. It's only 20 minutes or so drive from Hastings (where people think the battle took place and often get a shock when they turn up expecting to see the battlefield) and you could easily combine it with other trips in the area, including Herstmonceaux Castle or Bexhill on Sea. In recent years it's also become well known due to the pop group Keane - and you can actually follow a Keane trail around town too!

Need to know...

Where to stay: We travelled to Battle by car, and it took less than two hours from our home in London, which was a pleasant surprise. We stayed at an absolutely gorgeous small country hotel, called Claverton Country House, which is just outside Battle and a real treat to visit. The children stayed in a room together and so did we, in an airy, very light, large double room with a great bathroom and a view outside which revealed large numbers of rabbits hopping around outside in the dusk. It was quiet and beautiful and extremely relaxing (plus, we have to say that the breakfast the next day was one of the best we have ever had, especially the perfect poached eggs and totally mouthwatering warm chocolate croissants).

[caption id="attachment_2190" align="alignnone" width="1200"] We had the most delicious hot chocolate croissants for breakfast![/caption]

Our rooms cost: £89 for ours and £79 for the children's (which was a compact room), including breakfast. There are other places to stay in the area and you can see them here.

Cost: Battle Museum of Local History is free to enter. Battle Abbey and the Battlefield costs

Where to eat: We travelled into Battle for an evening meal and found some delicious food at Noble's. The chef was terrific at rustling up something for Robert, despite his allergies, but the service was extremely slow, which was a shame (it even meant we didn't have dessert, even though the food we did have was really delicious).

We also saw a number of other restaurants, including Simply Italian, the Bull Inn and the Chequers Inn.

[caption id="attachment_2185" align="alignnone" width="900"] Jess enjoyed a delicious cream tea![/caption]

We ate lunch at Bluebells Cafe which was extremely busy, but which had delicious food. We all had something quite simple (Welsh rarebit, tuna sandwiches and a cream tea for Jess) but it was all utterly yummy. We would highly recommend it if you are in the area and it is not too expensive either (we paid £48 for the four of us, including drinks and cakes afterwards!).

We also had a trip to the sweet shop, Spoilt Rotten, which had masses of old fashioned sweets, as well as lots of American ones too. We thought it was extremely good value and the young woman serving us was extremely patient as the children made their choices.

Where to park: There is a public car park at the top of Battle, as you drive in towards Hastings. It cost us £5 to park there for the whole day.

Battle Abbey is run by English Heritage and is free for members. It costs £8.30 per adults and £5 for children aged 5-15. A family ticket (two adults and up to three children) costs £21.60. At the moment it's only open on weekends, although it's open every day during half-term, and later in the year will be open daily.

Battle is situated 105km from London - trains run from Charing Cross every half hour and there are also regular coaches.

If you travel to Battle later this year, you can see a re-enactment of the famous Battle! Find out more about upcoming events here and through Visit England here.

Disclosure: We travelled to Battle to contribute to a travel ebook being created by RAC Breakdown Cover on some great British staycations... 

More great historical places to visit in the UK:

What to do in beautiful Lincoln

Skeletons, skulls and Richard III

A day in beautiful Broadstairs, Kent

[caption id="attachment_2160" align="alignnone" width="1200"] We thought the chalk stacks were amazing![/caption]

I had heard great things about Broadstairs in Kent, but wasn't sure what to expect when we had a day to spend there over Christmas. Our eventual destination was Margate (and you can read about that in this post), but we decided to spend our first night in Broadstairs, a place we had never been.

For those who don't know the area at all, Kent (often described as The Garden of England) is on the southeast corner of England and full of beautiful scenery, castles and of course, gardens. It's also easy to get to, by train or rail, and it took us less than two hours to get there from our part of London.

[caption id="attachment_2161" align="alignnone" width="1200"] We couldn't resist some ice-creams from Morelli's[/caption]

We arrived in the middle of the afternoon and parked our car in the middle of the town (not something you can do quite so easily in our home town of London!). We decided an ice-cream was a must (how could we not, when were right next to Morelli's, a 1950s styled ice cream parlour?) and then we dropped into the Old Curiosity Shop Cafe where we all enjoyed a hot drink too.

We loved this small cafe with its own well - said to be used by smugglers in the past to store their wares, and which has a real skeleton at the bottom of it (fortunately it's no longer used to pull up water). Broadstairs was known to be a haven for smugglers in the 18th century and there are said to be a maze of tunnels and caves still in existence which were once used regularly. There are also a number of Titanic themed items on show at the cafe.

Once we had some energy, we decided to go for a walk. We were right next to the horse-shoe shaped Viking Bay which was really lovely and right next to the harbour, and had a wonderful, brisk walk along the shore, picking up seashells, and just enjoying the tranquility of it all (along with the fresh air of course).  The whole Thanet area (Broadstairs, Margate and Ramsgate) boasts a grand total of 15 spectacular sandy beaches, and also has more Blue Flag beaches than any other district in England.

[caption id="attachment_2163" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Robert at Viking Bay[/caption]

Viking Bay was huge - we couldn't believe the size of the beach - and it must be perfect for families in the summer, when I think there are lots of things going on such as rides and surfing. It was even lovely in winter - and Robert just had to dip his feet in to try the (very) cold sea!

After our seaside wander, we decided to have a look around the town which was really charming with its narrow streets and lovely array of shops, restaurants and pubs. There was also a fabulous looking tiny cinema (we were really sorry this was closed).

[caption id="attachment_2164" align="alignnone" width="1200"] The scenery along Viking Bay was incredible[/caption]

We then got back in our car and drove to the Botany Bay hotel, which was a real find and in the most glorious location, right on top of the bay (the views from our room were lovely). We stayed in a lovely family suite which was huge and which we thought was pretty good value (£135 including a great breakfast). The kids had single beds and there was a huge TV too, plus more than enough space to play some games.

As we only had a day in Broadstairs, we did not have time to visit the Bleak House museum (Charles Dickens used to live and work in the area, as you might have been able to tell from the Dickens references in the piece), or the Crampton Tower Museum (we'll just have to come back). But the next morning we did have the most glorious walk along Botany Bay which was so beautiful that we'd recommend you go there as soon as you can!

What was really fantastic was the chalk. I know that sounds odd, but this whole area (like Dover, which is not far away) is edged by remarkable chalk cliffs and you can see the most wonderful chalk stones on the shores (see the picture from Viking Bay above for an example). At Botany Bay, we were also amazed by see towering chalk stacks. They were absolutely beautiful, and looked like something quite otherworldly.

[caption id="attachment_2165" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Us at Botany Bay, Broadstairs, Kent[/caption]

We walked for a long time, enjoying the unseasonably good weather, the views, and at one point a flock of birds flying together over the water. It was a joy.

I can quite understand why Broadstairs was a popular Victorian seaside resort - and also why it would still appeal today. It's all very walkable, with gorgeous scenery, clean beaches and enough to do to keep all members of the family interested (including mini golf). If you walk along to Kingsgate Bay, you can seven see Kingsgate Castle, which we came on quite by chance. It's that kind of a place.

Find out more about this area from the Visit Kent website, and don't miss our post on our trip to Margate (and watch our video!)

 

 

What to do in Margate, Kent

Jess, aged 13, says: Over the holidays, our family visited two places on the Kent coast - Margate and Broadstairs. We had a lovely time visiting the beaches, exploring shops, and visiting local attractions, and we would have loved to stay for longer and visit Ramsgate and Whitstable nearby. Please watch the video below of our favourite things to do in Margate...

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Robert, aged 10, writes: The Walpole Bay Hotel was a quirky old fashioned establishment where we stayed our last two nights of our holiday to Kent. This brilliant hotel, built in 1914, was bought by the Bishop Family who have kept nearly everything the same from when they purchased it, even the exceptionally old 1927 lift (which we all loved to go in). On top of being a hotel, the second floor was a museum displaying an assortment of old objects from typewriters to vacuum cleaners plus the walls of the first and third floors were covered in paintings like a gallery.

[caption id="attachment_2127" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Our favourite parts of the hotel: the quirky museum, artwork by Tracey Emin, and the amazing 1927 lift[/caption]

The rooms were extremely comfortable and spacious and the food that we tried was really nice. The WIFI didn’t really work in our room but apart from that it was a fantastic place to stay.

Jess writes: The reason we visited Margate in the first place was to go to Dreamland, an old-fashioned amusement park full of rides and retro arcade games. We spent over half a day there, and loved all of the activities. As it was Christmas time, the park was called the "Frosted Fairground", and was full of lovely little additions. We loved it when some fake carollers came up to Robert and started singing songs, and the member of staff leading them told him to shut the door in their faces!

[caption id="attachment_2119" align="alignnone" width="1200"] It was funny when fake carol singers came up to Robert, and he was told to shut the door in their faces![/caption]

I enjoyed the fact that not all of the rides were for thrill seekers, which meant that the whole family could go on them together (although mum decided to sit out for the wooden roller coaster!). I loved the ferris wheel, the large slides, and the bumper cars, which mum says were the best she's been on. However, my favourite rides were (obviously) the really fast ones, such as the UK's oldest roller coaster and "Kiss Me Quick" (although I felt uncomfortable to be sitting next to my brother on that one)...

[caption id="attachment_2129" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Some of our favourite parts of Dreamland - we loved the retro rides, arcade games, and food[/caption]

There is also a roller skating rink and lots of arcade games, which ended in Robert winning quite a good prize with his 300 tickets - a minions pencil case! There was a lot of choice for food, which was all pretty good value, and I especially enjoyed my Nutella crepe for lunch. As there is too much to talk about here, Robert has written a separate post all about it.

[caption id="attachment_2131" align="alignnone" width="1200"] We watched a video about balloons and washing hands at the Turner Contemporary![/caption]

We all absolutely loved the Turner Contemporary, which is full of contemporary and historic art. Our family doesn't often visit art museums as we sometimes find it boring to look at pictures and paintings, but this was different. Lots of the art on display was either interactive or political, which really interested me and mum. The theme of the main exhibition was called "Risk", and we saw everything from videos of people jumping into tornadoes, to performance art starring Yoko Ono. We tried to find our way out of a maze, watched a video about a prison social experiment, saw a see-through trampoline, and watched a soporific video about balloons and washing hands while sitting in an inflatable dinghy! The exhibition is on until January 17.

[caption id="attachment_2132" align="alignnone" width="1200"] We loved going round and round on the spinny chairs![/caption]

It really was an insightful, fascinating and exciting afternoon, and I definitely recommend a visit. It is also great for children, as there is an interactive area where you are inspired to make crazy pieces of art (Robert and mum had a go), and really cool chairs which spun round (I probably stayed on these for far too long)...These were created by Thomas Heatherwick who was the man behind the Olympic cauldron.

It is also free!

Sarah says: The old town in Margate was full of quirky shops (many of them vintage or retro), tearooms and narrow streets which were full of history.

[caption id="attachment_2125" align="alignnone" width="1200"] We stumbled upon a house from Tudor times while having a walk![/caption]

We really enjoyed walking around, though we were sorry that the gorgeous looking Tudor House was closed (it was funny to see this historic building randomly situated on a street!). We may have to come back another time for more sweets, scones or just a mooch about.

Jess writes: We loved all the beautiful beaches near Margate. The Kent Coast is full of gorgeous bays and shores, and we adored Botany Bay in Broadstairs and the Margate Main Sands (we also had a lovely walk near our hotel, which was right on the beach in Cliftonville).

The sea was absolutely stunning, and Robert and I collected lots of fascinating shells. The chalk cliffs are exquisite and imposing, and we discovered that Turner remarked that“…the skies over Thanet are the loveliest in all Europe”. The unique quality of light in this part of Kent drew Turner back time and again.

[caption id="attachment_2123" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Margate Main Sands was beautiful, and the light was stunning[/caption]

In the summer, the beaches are full of swings and deck chairs, but it was lovely to run around the beaches without any disturbance as it was so picturesque and tranquil.

Robert says: The pantomime adaptation of Aladdin we saw at the Theatre Royal was great (oh yes it was!). It had everything from funny jokes, crazy versions of well known songs and a man dressed as a woman. I loved watching the show as it had a great story to it and all the actors were great. Some of the puns they used were hilarious and the cast interacted with the audience a lot which I liked. It was great fun - and the theatre puts on shows throughout the year, so do check what's coming up. 

Jess writes: Overall, we had a wonderful time visiting Margate - the beaches were lovely, the atmosphere was charming, and it felt as if we had been whisked back in time. We loved visiting the sweet shops and seeing crazy tea rooms, and thought that Dreamland and the Turner Contemporary were brilliant. It is perfect for families, and we had a really enjoyable and relaxing time.

Disclaimer: Visit Kent helped to organise our trip and made suggestions for where to go. We stayed two nights at the Walpole Bay hotel in interconnecting rooms (a family suite) on a discounted media rate. The room rate for the suite is £115 a night including breakfast, and you can find out about the prices here.

READ ROBERT'S POST ON DREAMLAND - RIDES AND MORE!

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