Summer holiday up North? Are you mad?

As a child we only ever holidayed in Dorset or Sussex, I really cannot remember going anywhere else to be honest and that was not a problem for me.  I love the southern coastline.  I chose to live in Bournemouth and Eastbourne for a while and one day I dream of living by the sea again, on the south coast of course.

Until about the age of 21 I had only ever been north of London once and that was to pass straight through the north of England up to Scotland.  I did live for a very short time in Manchester and I missed home awfully and returned after about 3 months there.  I have never visited any coastal towns north of Skegness and it is only since I have lived in Herts that I even ventured onto the Norfolk or Lincoln coastlines, before then it was always strictly south coast and even now we holiday in Bournemouth most years with my parents.

Beach close to Sand Le Mere Holiday Village

This year is going to be different.  At the age of 38 I must have finally grown up and I want to expand my horizons.  So many people tell me that Yorkshire is beautiful and has some wonderful coastlines but I have no idea about this, well not until July anyway.

My family is lucky enough to be staying at the Sand Le Mere holiday village in Tunstall for 4 nights in July for the purpose of reviewing the park, trying out their luxury lodge accommodation and seeing what £4 million buys in new site facilities.  I caught my girls looking through the brochure we had been sent the other day and they can't wait to try out the new pool.

This is the artists impression of the new pool

I must say that I am looking forward to the idea of a real British holiday where someone else will entertain my kids during the day.  The kids club which caters for 5 plus years sounds fab - soft play, games, face-painting, crafts - all perfect to keep my three lively kids busy. Dh and I might even get to enjoy a coffee together without constant interruptions.

We have been to many caravan parks before in our time but not really since the girls have been around.  JJ recalls the joys of kids mini-discos and evening entertainment but the girls only had their first taster with a 2 nighter last October for JJ's birthday and as it was out of season it was very low key.  So this summer holiday break with full entertainment will probably blow their socks off. Enjoyment on holiday for dh and I is all about the kids nowadays and if they are having a ball then so are we.

I am super excited about the luxury lodge that we will get to stay in, it will be nice to have a spot of luxury on the evenings once the children are in bed. To be honest I cannot see the attraction of going abroad with 3 small kids, Sand Le mere looks as if it offers all that we need to have a fabulous holiday and of course there is the added benefit that I will get to see a bit of the North!

I asked a northern friend tonight if she would recommend holidaying up north and she said a flat-out no, the weather is always awful and it is much nicer down south.  I had to chuckle when she learnt we were holidaying in Yorkshire and started to back track about how beautiful it all is.

So if you are a holiday maker who prefers to stay in the UK like we do, let me know where you go...  and if it is up north in this neck of the woods then share with me the best places to visit, because at the moment I am clueless!

Thanks, Mich x


If you like the look of Sand Le Mere Holiday Village and think you might like to visit this summer then check out these fabulous offers -

10% off breaks taken during the school holidays, between 1-9 June, 20 July to 1 September and 26 October to 2 November. To claim the saving, use the offer code EB10.

15% off breaks on all off peak breaks - between 1-31 May, 10 June-19 July and 2 Sept-25 October

To claim this saving, use offer code: EB15

Book on the website www.sand-le-mere.co.uk

Disclaimer:  I have been offered a review holiday this summer at Sand Le Mere.