Posted on March 17th, 2017 - Fiona
Welcome to Country Kids from Coombe Mill
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 100 things to do before you are 11¾ along with all other ideas for family fun outside.
Rediscover the garden this Spring.
The weather is finally warming up and we have had the lawn mower out for the first time this week. It’s a great time to rediscover areas of the garden, the local parks and garden toys. Here on the farm the children are enjoying the outdoor play areas again. Our mud kitchen is always a draw where culinary delights are created. I hope you have enjoyed some garden or park time this week and felt the sun on your face. Please come and share 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.
- By joining in with Country Kids you’re giving me permission to email you weekly as a reminder.
- 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.
My top commenters from 11th March:
- Sonia from Mamma’s School who commented on 19 posts.
- Helen from The Princess and the Pickle who commented on 17 posts.
- Louise from Little Hearts Big Love who commented on 13 posts.
Again we had no one guilty of link dumping, so thank you to everyone joining in last week.
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 : Sonia from Mammas School
I’ve always fancied a visit to Cheddar Gorge, Digital Motherhood makes it look like my geography books come to life
A Mum’s blind love reminds me that just getting out into the park or garden in spring can be a great use of outdoor time.
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.
Follow Coombe Mill Family Farm Holidays’s board Country Kids from Coombe Mill on Pinterest.
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 2200 posts this community is flourishing with outdoors photos.
My favourite photos from the week came from @_i3eckie @larabeeuk @claire_nowmynameismummy @susiehawes. Please do check out these lovely folk on Instagram if you are not already following
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Posted on March 17th, 2017 - Fiona
Down on the south coast and commanding a great position overlooking the sea and town, Fort Newhaven is a must visit for anyone with an interest in our war time history. Built originally through fear of French Invasion in Napoleonic times, the Fort has undergone a number of war roles and is now listed as part of our English heritage.
We arrived on a cloudy and cold February day, despite this the views from the car park were rather impressive. We took in the surroundings, read the information boards and made our way to the entrance. I thought £25 for 6 of us to go in was very fair.
No sooner had we entered into the fort than the children were given quiz sheets to work though and met by a local volunteer with a table full of war memorabilia for the children to examine.
The poor volunteer looked rather taken back that Guy knew just how to operate the air rifle, I felt obliged to explain that we lived on a farm in Cornwall.
We joined one of the cinema viewings of the history of the Fort which was excellent and kept the kids enthralled.
There are a number of rooms leading off the main square each kitted out with different war time functions. The children are all enjoying history at school and studying world war one so the visit felt like perfect timing.
Interesting as the history was, it didn’t take the kids long to spot the playground. This was new since we came with our older children a few years ago and a welcome break from the educational aspect of the day and a perfect way to warm us up too.
No visit to Fort Newhaven can be complete without a visit to the big guns. There are a number of paths, steps and tunnels that all interlink to the top. The kids took great pleasure in running up and down them, jumping in and out of the bunkers and around the guns.
Despite the murky day, the views from the top stretched for miles out to sea and inland.
The sea looked a long way down. Yet there was a secret passage with more steps than I care to count to take you right down to the beach. Exploring down here was one of the highlights as the children were sure if they looked around hard enough they would find a door or window without padlocks where they could climb out onto the beach.
The secret entrance eluded them but they did discover a great spy game I may have to try and replicate at Coombe Mill. Coloured string was criss-crossed in a tunnel to represent electric wire and the challenge was to pass over and under the string without rattling the bells attached at either end. Fluorescent lighting added to the fun and kept them entertained for quite some time.
For 3 almost teens who were quite indifferent to the prospect of a fort as a day out, they all reluctantly admitted that it was actually really rather fun and worthy of abandoning snap chat for a few hours!
Tips for visiting Fort Newhaven
- Fort Newhaven is well signed on brown tourist signs as you enter the town
- There is a height restriction to the car park, but our 9 seater mini bus just snuck under.
- Family tickets work out best value and OAP rates are available too. I thought £25 for 6 of us was very fair.
- It is worth checking the official website for any special event days.
- There are toilets and a very adequate if not modern or glamorous cafe.
- The steps make it unsuitable for wheelchairs and difficult with a buggy, though there are ramped alternatives to many of the key areas.
- It is windy and exposed on the cliff top so dress accordingly even in summer.
- I would say the Fort is most appreciated from age 8 upwards.
- It is an educational day out but highly visual and a fun way to a little about our past.
Posted on March 10th, 2017 - Fiona
Welcome to Country Kids from Coombe Mill
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 100 things to do before you are 11¾ along with all other ideas for family fun outside.
The chickens are back on the lay
It must be spring, the chickens have notices the longer days and milder temperatures and are laying enough eggs for all the children staying. That said our outdoor fun as been very much with raincoats and wellies this past week. Not that this has stopped our little helpers who have been so brave turning up for the tractor rides each day despite the rain. I hope it has been a little drier where you are and that you have some adventures to share 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.
- By joining in with Country Kids you’re giving me permission to email you weekly as a reminder.
- 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.
My top commenters from 4th March:
- Helen from The Princess and The Pickle who commented on 29 posts.
- Karen from Stopping at Two who commented on 28 posts.
- Sonia from Mamma’s School who commented on 27 posts.
We have no guilty bloggers linking up this week, I’m so glad we’re back to everybody sharing some blog love.
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 : Helen from The Princess and the Pickle who turned their day out into a whole heap of Muddy Fun at Mottisfont Abbey.
If you are a Daniel Craig / James Bond fan, the countryside in post from Are We Nearly There Yet will have you reliving scenes from Skyfall
The snowdrops have been beautiful around the countryside this spring. Little Hearts Big Love went on an adventure to find some
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.
Follow Coombe Mill Family Farm Holidays’s board Country Kids from Coombe Mill on Pinterest.
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 2080 posts this community is flourishing with outdoors photos.
My favourite photos from the week came from
@miltonkeyneskids @otisandus.blog @mudpiefridays &
@organisedjo. Please do check out these lovely folk on Instagram if you are not already following.
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Posted on March 10th, 2017 - Fiona
For February Half Term we try to fit in a few family days away between changeover days on the farm. Traditionally we spend this between catching up with friends and cousins in London and days by the sea on the south coast seeing Farmer Nick’s Mum. One of the kids favourite day trips is into Brighton. There is so much to do in this coastal city that the children are always keen to visit. On this occasion it was Brighton pier and the marina that were our focus.
Brighton Pier
My children have been drawn to Brighton pier since they were little. The colours, sights and smells are all so different to the Cornish seaside. Jed had taken his scooter with him which was perfect along the promenade but less than perfect along the wooden planks of the pier. More than once Farmer Nick was left holding onto it!
Half way down the pier there are some lovely views back across Brighton and I always feel hungry as the aroma from the fish and chip stalls and doughnut stands drifts past.
One of my least favourite aspects of the pier is the arcade. However on a biting cold day it does provide a little warmth and the kids and Nick settled into a few games of horse racing until the 10p supply ran out! Not exactly like the point to point at Wadebridge, but a fun 10 minutes.
However the real thrill is at the end of the pier. The children have never let us forget letting them go on a couple of rides a year or so ago, only to discover they were not tall enough. Fast forward to now where they are only just shorter than me and it was payback time! They had been given some holiday money from their Yia Yia and aunt and uncle and treated themselves to a sensible dodgems inter family challenge with Farmer Nick
Guy and Clio then decided to go for the biggest scariest ride there. Jed held back with me deciding he didn’t have the stomach for it and I couldn’t blame him. I was envious of their sky high view of Brighton, but not the subsequent upside town tumble!
I would have felt quite ill climbing down but they grinned from ear to ear and it totally made their day. After fleecing us for fast food lunch and a fortune in “needed” clothes and shoes in town we headed down to the Marina.
Brighton Marina
We admired the giant yacht in the harbour village only to discover the triplets had hopped over the rope barrier ad jumped on board for a closer look. They have some nerve and I shouted them back.
Guy and Nick checked out the boat prices in the window and decided a boat would have to wait for another year. None the less we crossed the road to the main marina and admired the waterside flats and boots moored up whilst the kids took it in terns to scoot up and down.
We didn’t manage the beach this time or a visit to the lanes but it will still be remembered as a fun day trip and one I know they will want to do next time we visit family.
Have you visited Brighton Pier or Marina?
Posted on March 3rd, 2017 - Fiona
Welcome to Country Kids from Coombe Mill
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 100 things to do before you are 11¾ along with all other ideas for family fun outside.
Hello March!
So March has arrived with howling winds in Cornwall but also a few bright sunny days, I’m hoping it will be a case of in like a lion and out like a lamb. Speaking of which we are now officially on lamb watch here on the farm eagerly awaiting our first of the season. Our holiday visitor numbers are up and someone is going to benefit from being here when the first are born. Getting outdoors is more appealing with the prospect of spring. I hope you’ll have some adventures to share 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.
- By joining in with Country Kids you’re giving me permission to email you weekly as a reminder.
- 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.
My top commenters from 18th February:
- Sonia from Mamma’s School who commented on 30 posts.
- Lauren from The Helpful Hiker who commented on 28 posts.
- Helena from The Queen of Collage who commented on 22 posts.
We have 4 guilty bloggers linking up again and not commenting on any posts (as of Thursday pm when counted). Come on you know who you are please go back to be fair to others.
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.
My February Winner of the Rockfish Wellies:
Congratulations to Sonia from Mummy Constant who was one of Februaries top commenters, consistently comments on lots of your posts and linked up a delightful day at BeWILDerwood that captured my heart. Sonia take a look at the amazing Rockfish designs and email me your choice. |  |
Favourite posts from last week added to the shortlist for winning the March Rockfish Wellies:
Top Commenter : Sonia from Mamma’s School.
The Helpful Hiker found a beautiful countryside walk with an old tower to explore
Tin box traveller discovered the joy of family cycling at Alice Holt Forest
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.
Follow Coombe Mill Family Farm Holidays’s board Country Kids from Coombe Mill on Pinterest.
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 1900 posts this community is flourishing with outdoors photos.
My favourite photos from the week came from
@emmysmummy1 @franhigham @victoriajenkinsx @mumturnedmom. Please do check out these lovely folk on Instagram if you are not already following.
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