Family farm holidays in Cornwall magical for children, toddlers and babies.
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Coombe Mill Blog
"Tales from the farmers wife" shares the funny and interesting happenings on our lovely holiday farm with Farmer Nick and our 6 children. A behind the scenes look on balancing family, farming, the holiday business and cooking for all.
The Bear, the Piano, the Dog and the Fiddle
The Bear, the Piano, the Dog and the Fiddle by David Litchfield published by Quarto Books is a charming tale for children of friendship that... Read More
Creating Illusion and exploring perspective at the beach
Building a rock stack at the beach and creating the illusion of climbing it using perspective and distance in photography.... Read More
Creative Nature Boards in Stick Frames
Creative nature boards in stick frames. Something kids will love. Easy to make from nature for ages 4 - 12. Educational Fun outdoors.... Read More
Piglets for September on the farm
Piglets for autumn. Sally our sow has given birth to 7 healthy piglets who are ready to meet out holiday makers. Come and stay this autumn a... Read More
Evening Fun at the Secret Beach
The secret beach of north Cornwall is our local delight. A National Trust beach requiring a coastal walk and cliff decent. It is worth the e... Read More
Port Isaac is a traditional Cornish fishing village just 25 minutes drive from Coombe Mill. It is picturesque and surrounded by countryside in an area of outstanding natural beauty on the North Coast of Cornwall, almost directly out to sea from Coombe Mill. The village is characterised by its steep narrow lanes, old whitewashed granite cottages and slate fronted Cornish houses leading down to the old harbour. It is a notable tourist attraction not least as the setting for famous TV series like Doc Martin. However while tourism is the big employer today, fishing was once a significant industry and a few fishing boats still use the port today. If you dig back further in time cargo ships came and went from Port Isaac carrying coal, stone and more from this Middle Ages until well into the 19th Century. While I was tied up at Coombe Mill waiting for guests to arrive, my niece and her family went off to explore the quaint little village armed with my camera. It is their photo adventure I’m sharing.
You can’t park down by the harbour but there are car parks up on the headland with stunning coastal views.
It’s a steep walk down but not too long or busy
Once at the bottom it is clear why you can’t park there, there isn’t even room to turn the car but it is very pretty to walk though.
All roads lead to the sea
Whichever way you walk down you will find yourself in the little harbour front. At low tide there is enough beach for a little play and it is easily accessed via the boat slipway. Space and freedom was just what was needed for these little ones and an eager puppy. Wet paws and wet wellies were inevitable but worth every minute.
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The handy slipway wall is a good chance to sort out soggy wellies, sandy hands and catch your breath.
If you are after a bite to eat or a drink there are a handful of shops, pubs and cafe’s to revive you.
After which a wonder through the town brings plenty of excitement for little ones from cottage railings to the old water pump.
A last look out to sea through the harbour walls is a must before the long trek back to the car park. A heavy trek for some and a cosy carry for others!
Apparently the car engine was hardly turning before this was the scene in the back seats.
Half an hour from drive from Port Isaac is just enough time for a power nap before the evening Coombe Mill train ride!
Tips for visiting Port Isaac
Park at the car park at the entrance to the village before driving down into the village where you can’t park or stop.
Wear sensible footwear for walking.
Have some cash for a local tipple and a treat in the town or pack some snacks and drinks in a ruck sack.
Take advantage of a play on the beach at low tide.
In summer and weekends the local fish shop sells excellent fish and seafood from the local fishing boats.
Country Kids is the original outdoor family fun linky designed to:
“Encourage family fun outdoors, in an age where technology and screens are such a draw to a sedentary indoor life”
Welcome back if you are a regular to Country Kids and if you are new please join in. You will find plenty of inspiration for enjoying outdoor space and please do share your own adventures. We support the National Trust #50 things along with all other ideas for family fun outside.
Plunged back into Winter
Well Spring is certainly keeping itself hidden this week. We have had plenty of fun with the ‘Mini Beast from the East and yet another snow day in Cornwall but Spring still alludes us. That said we saw a new lamb born and our first baby goat of the season on the farm. There is no stopping what nature has already put in place for spring, even if the weather isn’t cooperating! I hope you have been able to get outdoors for some family fun despite the cold. As always please join me on the link up below.
Guidelines for Joining in:
Post must be predominantly outdoors such as in the garden, the park, the woods or the beach with crafting, learning, exploring or playing.
Despite the title, both countryside and urban outdoor adventures are welcome.
Unheated covered areas like a barn or tent count as outdoors.
Please comment on my host post and a minimum of 3 others of your choice.
If you use #CountryKids when commenting the post owner will know where your found them and hopefully come back to visit your post.
Please take my badge, without it you won’t be considered for winning the lovely Rockfish Wellies.
Linked posts should be written and made live within the last 2 months.
I understand sometimes you need to do catch up posts and write about something from a couple of months ago but the publish date should be within 2 months.
There is no restriction on the number of posts that can be linked up, however please be sensible, if you have more than 3 consider linking over a few weeks.
Thanks to all of you who joined in last week and for the comments you took time to leave, we had a week with no link dumpers so a pat on the back to you all!
Rockfish kindly sponsor Country Kids
Win a pair of wellies from Rockfish Monthly
I am delighted to have Rockfish as the sponsor for Country Kids. Rockfish are a local Cornish company specializing in stylish quality wellingtons for all the family. We have been offering their country wellies in our borrow room here on the farm for over a year and they are always popular for their style, comfort and durability.
Each week my favourite #CountryKids posts, which include my badge or a link back here, will be considered for a free pair of Rockfish Wellies at the end of the month; the perfect way to enjoy the outdoors whatever the weather throws your way. Keep your posts coming, it could be you winning next!
For more more information on the Rockfish Wellies on offer with us and terms and conditions to win see here.
Favourite posts from last week added to the shortlist for winning the March Rockfish Wellies:
Top Commenter: Louise from Little Hearts Big Love and Emma from Crazy with Twins.
Are We Nearly There Yet packed a lot of exciting places into their second day exploring Lisbon.
Discover the beauty set in Wämöparken, Karlskrona with Mamma’s School.
Country Kids Communities
I’d love you to join me:
Pin on the Pinterest Board Just ask for an invite to pin and include Country Kids on your pins for me to stop by on your boards too.
Join the growing Country Kids Instagram Community with #CountryKidsFun.
I'll like and comment on all and share my favourites from the week with a tag on a Friday on Instagram and Twitter. With over 8600 posts this community is flourishing with outdoors photos.
We have 13 deer at Coombe Mill, 10 are native to Coombe Mill and 3 came from a city zoo in London a few years back. The Londoners as they became known have always been brave with the guests, almost too much so for wild animals, but our timid native deer remain as shy as ever. When the tractor and trailer arrives with the children each morning on the feed run the Londoners come down in anticipation of breakfast while the locals hide up in the trees, only daring to venture out when we have left and the food already eaten! I was determined to find a way round this during the cold bleak winter period. I began leaving their food in the usual place inside the field, then walking up into the trees towards the shy herd. This flushed them out and sent them running down towards the food where they would stop and feed. Thrilled with my invention I persuaded Farmer Nick to try it with the children over half term; the result was as I hoped for the deer with an added play bonus of a deer field adventure for the children.
A trek for little legs
To me it is no distance up the field, but for little legs it can be quite an expedition and it was a struggle to get everyone up before the confident Londoners ate all the grain!
The ice age brought to life
Once up in the trees it is like a scene from just after the ice age. Huge moss covered granite boulders are left where the glaciers retreated and melted, old oak trees provide a natural canopy sheltering the floor below from sun in summer and rain in winter. This is a part of the world that looks quite untouched by mankind and a perfect hiding place for the deer. It is where they will cub in summer and where they retreat from the open fields when they feel unsure. With us up in the trees the deer duly came down to feed.
Nature’s Playground
The children watched, captivated for a time, then the beauty of their surroundings took over. A deer field adventure began with boulders to climb and jump from, trees to peep through, tag to be played.
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To top it all a little rabbit sat waiting to be stroked. It one from our wildlife trail, but one of the Dad’s told the children he was a real one frozen there from the ice age, it was a freezing morning after all and it’s stone structure made this seem quite believable!
The deer had long since eaten all the grain we had put down and had snuck up past us into the top field where they watched the children at play from afar in their favourite part of the field.
Eventually we persuaded them to move on and they raced down at twice the speed they climbed up still wielding sticks scavenged from the top.
Sometimes I wonder how feeding the animals in the morning can possibly take close to two hours, then I look back on my photos and moments like this and it is easy to see where half an hour disappears on a child led feed run!
This week has felt like a week in transition, a week on the cusp of spring. We have experienced rainy days and puddles to jump in, then sunny days with temperatures climbing to 15 degrees. The snowdrops and daffodils have bounced back from their snowbound state and the animals are darting into their shelters when the cold hail comes and then sunbathing in the afternoon sun. Spring feels so close, yet at the same time still so far. I know one warm week and the grass will start to grow and the trees come into bud and the farm will start to look very different. However for now it is still hats and coats on the farm most days, not that our little helpers are bothered. With a lovely group of children ranging from just 18 months to 8 years we have had a wonderful week. Lambs have been tagged and moved, the Ram and alpaca moved and it is just the chickens waiting for the corner to turn on spring and the ground to dry out to be let into their summer field with the ducks. Even our crafts this week have featured spring flowers. Summer we are ready for you!
When egg production reaches double figures in the morning you know we are on the cusp of spring.
Never too young to learn about farm life
The lambs are a sure sign of spring
Plucking up the courage to help drive the tractor is a holiday highlight
Hopefully the deer have had their hay feeder filled for the last time this season. New spring grass will soon see them through to winter again.
Do you feel on the cusp of spring too; have you had those tempting sunny days that make you feel summer is close, only to see the cold and rain follow quickly after?
Country Kids is the original outdoor family fun linky designed to:
“Encourage family fun outdoors, in an age where technology and screens are such a draw to a sedentary indoor life”
Welcome back if you are a regular to Country Kids and if you are new please join in. You will find plenty of inspiration for enjoying outdoor space and please do share your own adventures. We support the National Trust #50 things along with all other ideas for family fun outside.
Come on spring where are you?
The days are drawing out with plenty of time to be outdoors after school, but somehow the sunshine and temperatures still aren’t shouting spring yet. Looking back to photos from last year we had bluebells coming through and Iris by now. We have moved many of the animals into their summer fields this week, perhaps that will inspire the warmer weather to do more than wave and disappear?
My post this week is looking back at our mother’s day crafts, a day where we did the the sun and some warmth. As ever the link up is below for you to add your outdoor fun and please do sign up to the email going forward.
Guidelines for Joining in:
Post must be predominantly outdoors such as in the garden, the park, the woods or the beach with crafting, learning, exploring or playing.
Despite the title, both countryside and urban outdoor adventures are welcome.
Unheated covered areas like a barn or tent count as outdoors.
Please comment on my host post and a minimum of 3 others of your choice.
If you use #CountryKids when commenting the post owner will know where your found them and hopefully come back to visit your post.
Please take my badge, without it you won’t be considered for winning the lovely Rockfish Wellies.
Linked posts should be written and made live within the last 2 months.
I understand sometimes you need to do catch up posts and write about something from a couple of months ago but the publish date should be within 2 months.
There is no restriction on the number of posts that can be linked up, however please be sensible, if you have more than 3 consider linking over a few weeks.
Thanks to all of you who joined in last week and for the comments you took time to leave, we had a week with no link dumpers so a pat on the back to you all!
Rockfish kindly sponsor Country Kids
Win a pair of wellies from Rockfish Monthly
I am delighted to have Rockfish as the sponsor for Country Kids. Rockfish are a local Cornish company specializing in stylish quality wellingtons for all the family. We have been offering their country wellies in our borrow room here on the farm for over a year and they are always popular for their style, comfort and durability.
Each week my favourite #CountryKids posts, which include my badge or a link back here, will be considered for a free pair of Rockfish Wellies at the end of the month; the perfect way to enjoy the outdoors whatever the weather throws your way. Keep your posts coming, it could be you winning next!
For more more information on the Rockfish Wellies on offer with us and terms and conditions to win see here.
Favourite posts from last week added to the shortlist for winning the March Rockfish Wellies:
Top Commenter: Malin from Sensational Learning with Penguin and Mary from Over 40 and a Mum to One.
Raisie Bay took a step into history at Bletchley Park
The snow came to Cornwall and it wasn’t just my family out enjoying it Mother’s Little Steps did too
Country Kids Communities
I’d love you to join me:
Pin on the Pinterest Board Just ask for an invite to pin and include Country Kids on your pins for me to stop by on your boards too.
Join the growing Country Kids Instagram Community with #CountryKidsFun.
I'll like and comment on all and share my favourites from the week with a tag on a Friday on Instagram and Twitter. With over 8600 posts this community is flourishing with outdoors photos.
“Tales from the farmers wife” shares the funny and interesting happenings on our lovely holiday farm with Farmer Nick and our 6 children. A behind the scenes look on balancing family, farming, the holiday business and cooking for all.
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