One of England’s iconic seaside towns down on the south coast, Brighton has much to offer the visitor. We took advantage of all the bank holidays this year to have a great family break there over Easter.

Beach life

If, like me, you’ve never been to Brighton, you might be surprised to find there’s almost no sand. Instead there’s a huge pebbly beach, thankfully all smooth so they don’t hurt your feet. It was hot when we arrived so we headed straight out there with the crowds.

Brighton is well used to looking after visitors so there are plenty of facilities and activities. It still has a traditional feel with its long promenade, and down on the beach stacks of coffee shops (top quality most of them!), postcard and bucket & spade sellers.

A tale of two piers

We stayed in the Holiday Inn, just across the road from the burnt out shell of West Pier. Wrecked in a storm and then attacked by arsonists, it’s still a landmark, and a viewing tower is due to be built overlooking it in the next few years. A bit further along, Brighton Pier is still in full swing. It’s lined with little shops and amusement arcades if you fancy it, or you can take a stroll along the boards. We also got some extra excitement when a group of daring young chaps climbed onto the shop roofs, took a running jump and leapt into the sea before the security guards could catch them.

Brighton Pavilion

Weird & wonderful but somehow not out of place, Brighton’s most famous building was the seaside palace of the Prince Regent, later George IV, in the early 19th century. It was sold by Queen Victoria in 1850 who stripped it of everything
including the wallpaper. Luckily, Brighton & Hove Council were enlightened enough to buy it and begin the mammoth task
of restoration. With an Indian themed exterior and Chinese themed interior, it’s no faded museum piece but vibrant, bright & sumptuously royal palace. Cool!

Around town

Brighton is compact enough to walk around comfortably. You’ll find the usual major chains, but also a great mix of all sorts of smaller shops in the winding maze of little old streets known as The Lanes. Buildings are elegant, and fish & chip shops second to none! We dined on fish & chips by the seafront a couple of nights, and for a bit of a change one evening, strolled along to Stekis Greek restaurant which had some of the nicest waiting staff I’ve come across.

Places to go & things to see

There are theatres, galleries, seafront games and many, many cafes & restaurants, but for families, the Sea Life Centre should be on the to do list. You can see stingrays close up, handle of some of the smaller creatures, walk through the glass tunnel with water on three sides and take a trip across the huge tank in a glass bottom boat. The Centre is also the world’s oldest aquarium. For a change of pace (literally), we went to Brighton Racecourse, just a couple of miles up the hill. The Racecourse is very family friendly and seeing horses thundering past at 30mph is much more exciting live than on TV.

Around & about

The South Downs are right on the doorstep - beautiful rolling English countryside, glorious in springtime. We had a few trips out. We found the Jack & Jill windmills (both shut unfortunately) and Michelham Priory, and if we’d had more time
would have got to Drusilla’s Park – a zoo with other attractions & activities for children. Leicester has a lot going for it, but
one thing it definitely lacks is a beach. If you feel like a trip to the seaside a bit further afield than Lincolnshire, then Brighton is an easy & pleasant place to spend a few days. It took us around three hours, with stops, and as we came back on royal wedding day, even the M25 was clear.

By Nichola Pell

Picture postcard pretty, the New Forest is just perfect in springtime. Think of sun-dappled forest paths, natural wild pastureland and grassy village greens. The New Forest is now a national park but dates back to William the Conqueror who created it so he had somewhere to go hunting.

In the densely populated south of England, it remains largely unspoilt with ponies & cattle grazing freely. At just under three hours it’s also a comfortable drive from Glenfield.

On the Hoof

The famous New Forest ponies are not wild although they roam free. You see them everywhere and in the houses and villages where they tend to gather all the houses wisely have cattle-grids and gates to save gardens being chewed up. Spring is the best time to see foals, lots of them and all so cute!

Towns, Villages and Places to Stay

The area is sprinkled with picturesque villages and traditional pubs so there are plenty of places to stay or eat as well as the many visitor attractions nearby. Lyndhurst is a quaint but bustling town where you can set up your break at the New Forest Visitor Centre before grabbing a meal at one of the pubs. There is also a Ferrari and Bugatti dealership where we spent an excited half an hour with noses pressed against the glass looking at the cars! The traffic does create blockages at peak times, but no worse than other places. You can also pop into the Polo Club and watch a game (free) if you fancy. We stayed at the Forest Park Hotel in nearby Brockenhurst, which serves a brilliant full English breakfast. The patio doors to our room opened onto the garden complete with sweeping lawn, tennis court and a heated outdoor pool. A few minutes’ walk takes you into the village. Best of all for us, there are riding stables right next door which cater for riders of all abilities. The hotel looks out onto the forest and heathland so we had some really enjoyable hacks out. If you prefer to stay under canvas, there are some lovely campsites but be sure to book ahead especially at busy times.

Heaps of attractions

Having a car-mad son, Beaulieu National Motor Museum was high on our list of places to visit. It didn’t disappoint, even if you’re not a car fanatic. We visited the Top Gear display with some of their recent contraptions and explored the cars in the main museum which includes Formula 1 vehicles, beautiful classic Rolls Royces and Bluebird, to name a few.

Staying with the motor theme, Sammy Miller’s Motorcycle Museum, has over 300 motorcyles and a courtyard with small shops and café to keep you occupied. Also on the Beaulieu estate, Bucklers Hard, the quaint & untouched village where Nelson’s ships were built, was a nice discovery for us. Paultons Park is a super family theme park with over 60 rides & attractions included in the admission fee. We got soaked on the log flume & blow-dried in what looked like a giant hair-dryer, flung around on the Cobra rollercoaster,
bounced around on the Jumping Bean and then we raced around the track driving go-karts. All great fun.
For something a little different, Eling Tide Mill is worth a visit. You can look around the workings of the mill, chat to the miller and watch the wheel turn when the tide is right.

Further Afield

We had a day in Southampton and visited a Titanic exhibition where the warden told us some fascinating stories from his great-grandfather who was put in charge of one of the lifeboats but there are many other nature parks, historic houses and other attractions nearby.

Planning a Break

There is much to discover in the New Forest, whether by car or bicycle or on foot or horseback! The official visitor site is a good place to start if you want to get a flavour of what’s there and plan the break http://www.thenewforest.co.uk/.

Nichola Pell

FOR OUR THREE week trip around Florida, we chose to stay in Holiday Inns, Staybridge Suites and Crowne Plaza, all part of the InterContinental Hotels Group where we know that service, quality and cost are what we are looking for.

IF YOU’RE LOOKING for a great day out, get along to the National Forest Wood Fair at Beacon Hill Country Park, Leicestershire, on August Bank Holiday Monday (30 August).

Don’t miss the lumberjack displays by the New Forest and South East Axemen. Hear the throttles of the chainsaw carving, as skilled craftsmen buzz and feather massive chunks of timber into works of art, some of which will feature in the charity auction for Tree Aid at the end of the day.

One of the most popular attractions is the horse logging, and this year the team will be joined by Bruno, an Ardennes horse from Warwickshire.

Visitors can also find out how to make a coracle, see willow weaving, woodcarving and pyrography. Kids can have a go at the climbing wall, eco art and other ranger led activities. Goldilocks and the Three Bears will put a new twist on last year’s One Oak project. As before, an oak tree has been taken down in the Forest, as part of essential management works, and the One Oak project is a way of demonstrating the wide range of uses for the timber. Visitors will be able to see the Three Bears’ Cottage take shape, all constructed from one oak tree. A section of the cottage will be constructed using green oak framing, oak cladding and oak floorboards. The domestic scene will be completed as each element is created on site and
added during the day: a mantlepiece, table and chairs, picture frames, the log pile by the fire - and a bowl and spoon. The Three Bears will take their places, having been carved on site, and Goldilocks herself will be available to talk to the visitors.

Sessions in the Talks Tent will entertain visitors with tales of the Forest from the Wild Man of the Woods, the latest research into some of the bugs and pests that can trouble the trees and stories of the Bronze Age hill fort and nature conservation work on Beacon Hill itself.

The National Forest Wood Fair is being held at Beacon Hill Country Park from 10am – 5pm. Entry costs adults £7, concessions £4 and a family ticket £15 (for two adults and three children).

A new Park & Ride service will operate this year, enabling visitors to leave their cars at County Hall, Glenfield, and travel by bus, free of charge to the Fair. The service will run from 9.30am-6pm. For further information see www.leics.gov.uk/woodfair or www.nationalforest.org.