Five active family days out in Somerset

School's out for Summer...so what are we going to do today? Over the past eighteen months we've had lots of fantastic days out in our local area. Somerset is a beautiful county. There's something for everyone, coastal areas, farmland, hill walking and tons of pretty towns and villages. As a family we're happiest when making the most of the great outdoors. So I wanted to put together a list of our top five favourite active days out in Somserset. And the best thing? Most of them are free. You just need to grab your walking boots, a picnic and get out there!

1) Tobogganing at the Mendip Snowsport Centre in Somerset
I spotted on Facebook that a friend had taken her daughter to the Mendip Snowsport Centre to try out the tobogganing slope. It looked like great fun so I promptly went online and booked a session for Magoo. It was only £4 for an hour of tobogganing, which is a real bargain. A perfect way to have some fun in the school holidays.
You can find more information in the the full blog post here

2) Walking on Wavering Down on the Mendips in Somerset
Wavering Down, Crook Peak and King's Wood are a truly special place to spend some time. When I was a child growing up in Somerset, Wavering Down and Crook Peak were places I often walked with my own Mum and Dad. It's not any easy walk, steep in parts, it climbs to one of the highest points of the Mendips. But the views are reward enough for all your hard effort.
More photos and the full blog post here

3)Discovering Steart Marsh wetland nature reserve
Having never visited Steart Marsh...it feels like some sort of hinterland in my mind. I grew up in Somerset, but never visited this part of the county. I have to say, I am a complete convert to this stretch of the coast. It is beautiful and it seems to be a well-kept secret. The WWT and Environment Agency have clearly invested in the area. There are brand new hides dotted around the wetlands, lots of information on birds you may see, a pristine toilet block located in one of the car parks, wide footpaths suitable for buggies, bikes and wheelchairs and stunning views almost everywhere you look. Perhaps I shouldn't even be telling anyone about it? Well, I'll let you in on a secret, it's an amazing place to visit...go and see it!
To see more photos and read the full blog post click here

4) Spring has arrived at Court Farm in Somerset
I wrote this blog post back in Spring when we went to Court Farm Country Park to feed the lambs. But Court Farm is lovely any time of the year. There are always animals to feed, milking displays, a large wooden outdoor play fort, trampolines, zipwire and plenty of places to have a picnic.
You can find more information in the the full blog post here
5) Breathless at Brent Knoll
Brent Knoll is a unique place. Anyone travelling on the M5 to Devon and Cornwall may have spotted it as they pass Weston-super-Mare and travel further into the South West. It looms up out of a landscape which is predominantly flat (well, they aren't called the levels for nothing). It is 449 ft above sea level and once you've got to the top, there are 360 degree views all around you. Jaw-dropping views of the beautiful countryside and coastline at the top make the steep climb more than worthwhile.
To see more photos and find out more, head on over to the full blog post

So that's my list of five active family days out in Somerset. I hope you get to visit some of the places mentioned above in the Summer holidays or at any time of the year. I hope this post shows you some places you haven't heard of before. Entertaining children doesn't have to cost the earth and you don't need to visit glossy theme parks to have fun. Enjoy!
I'm linking up with these lovely blogs who support outdoor adventures with children:
'Let Kids be Kids' over on letkidsbekids.co.uk
'Whatever the Weather' over on www.lifeunexpected.co.uk
'The List' over on youbabymemummy.com
'Country Kids' over on www.coombemill.com

Breathless at Brent Knoll

One of the upsides of moving back to my home town is that I can take my daughter to all the places I enjoyed going to as a child.

One of those places is Brent Knoll on the Somerset Levels. It is quite a unique hill. Anyone travelling on the M5 to Devon and Cornwall may have spotted it as they pass Weston-super-Mare and travel further into the South West. It looms up out of a landscape which is predominantly flat (well, they aren't called the levels for nothing). It is 449 ft above sea level and once you've got to the top, there are 360 degree views all around you.

It's no wonder you find the remains of a hill fort up there, you could see your enemy approaching from all directions. For many years it has been used as a vantage point. Bronze age, Iron age and Roman troops have used Brent Knoll as a safe place to keep an eye on the surrounding land.

These days it is one of the best places to see jaw-dropping views of the beautiful countryside and coastline we're lucky enough to have on our doorstep.

From the top you can see the coast of South Wales, the hills of Exmoor, the edge of the Quantocks, the Mendip hills, Cheddar Gorge and far off in the distance, Glastonbury Tor.

But before you get to see these views, you have to put in some leg work.

I haven't been to Brent Knoll since I was a child and I'd forgotten how steep it was. My heart sank when we got to the foot of the hill. I thought my daughter would complain all the way up. How wrong I was. She stormed on ahead of my husband and I. She was completely caught up in the task of getting to the top.

There's nothing like a climb up a steep hill to make you feel unfit. Whilst my daughter took the climb in her stride, we were puffing and panting up the path behind her. I felt like my heart was going to burst out my chest at one point.

But once you get to the top, you are completely rewarded for your efforts.

My daughter stood at the edge with her arms flung out on either side of her and shouted "this is amazing!"

And who can argue with that?