Teenagers on family holidays

What do you do with teenagers over the holidays? If your family doesn't have to make compromises to keep everyone happy then please write a book and give the rest of us the secret!

I was having coffee with another school mum while our teens 'interacted' over a computer game and we discussed how to keep teenage boys interested in family time. She has three boys, I just have the one. They have taken up sailing - making it a family holiday that everyone will enjoy. My friend has fingers crossed that her oldest son might even forsake his girlfriend for a week and turn down travel options with friends to sail with the family this summer. They are lucky enough to have the money for this kind of dream holiday. But even on a lower budget, the theory applies. Find an activity or a destination that will appeal to everyone in the family.

Alton Towers new ride - Wicker Man

So that is where a Alton Towers fits in. Some parents love the rides at Alton Towers more than their kids do, others stand around holding the bags and coats. The bag-holders do this because the promise of a few days at Alton Towers meant that teenagers raised a bit of smile at the prospect of a family trip together. Maybe additional promises of being able to take a friend were added. We love to see our families having a great time.

Perfect family walk

So that is where Barks Cottage fits in. Family time. You lure the kids on holiday with the fun of a day at a theme park and maybe even the extra perk of Alton Towers waterpark. And then on other days, everyone actually spends time together on a family walk, maybe via a local pub, and explore the local attractions.

These are activities that too rarely happen at home because everyone has 'better' things to do, but when you go away everyone's priorities change. And that's the magic. You get to explore, chat, eat together and have fun times.

Summer holidays begin

I have set the auto-response message on my phone to 'Summer Holidays 😊'

I want to make the most of my son's summer hols and don't intent to chain myself to my desk 9 til 5 over the next few weeks. However, the reality is that we will simply be a parent taxi service unless we make an effort. Or worse than that, we will walk past his human form slumped on the sofa with a mobile device obscuring the view of his face. I suggest a walk with the dog or a cycle ride and generally get a negative response. Been there, seen it, done it! I need to book in some family time and plan some activities that we will all enjoy!

Once upon a time a trip to Splash Landings was a brilliant family activity, but now he is a teenager he is more likely to go with a couple of school friends ... and we are the taxi service! But this is only because Splash Landings and Alton Towers are on our doorstep. If we were travelling it would be a suitable family activity.

I've discussed this with some other mums staying at Barks to visit Alton Towers. We reckon the key is to get everyone away from home. Grown ups stop thinking about work and chores, teenagers seem to switch on and engage with the rest of the family and younger ones just love everyone doing something all together.

School holidays take some planning! I hope the smiley face emoji on my auto reply turns out to be the right choice 😕

(at the time of writing we have one mini break left in the school holidays - 3 or 4 nights from 21st August please check availability).

Holiday Cottage football pitch

Playing field, ideal for kicking a ball about.

All the meadows are looking wonderful just now, but soon they will be cut for hay. The playing field behind the cottage is kept mown all year as a play area. As you can see there are some bumps to contend with, but most kids seem to want to do penalty shoot outs. The goal in the picture is just behind the tree on the left.

Dear Mrs Duck, she seems to have been left behind by her two friends, the other Mrs Duck and Mr Duck! Or maybe she just waddled along to see what I was doing and photo bomb my picture!

Accommodation near Alton Towers - self catering August 2013

Barks Holiday Cottage - self catering sleeps family of 5

August short break - self-catering near Alton Towers

short break of 3 nights self catering accommodation for a family of 5. Pets welcome.
16, 17, 18 August three night long weekend break for £395

And two remaining breaks in September
midweek short breaks available - 3 nights £255 or 4 nights for £275
9 - 12 available
16 - 19 available

Please call 01538 703436 or email us for further information or book Barks Holiday Cottage online by completing the booking form. 

Free tickets to Alton towers

Availability:
12,13,14 September mini break £275
29th September onwards - 3 nights £275, week at £395 for accommodation near Alton Towers during Scarefest, half term and Fireworks 

Back in the spring sometime we purchased The Sun newspaper every day for a week just in order to apply for our free Alton Towers tickets.  We hadn't realised the dates would be so restricted and were really pleased that we managed to get tickets in August.  The date was put in our diaries months ahead. Exciting - a jolly day out to our local theme park.

Then the date starts to hit our radar and the week fills up with millions of clashing activities. How strange that even though we had known about this day out to Alton Towers for a long time, by the time the date came around it didn't fit into our schedule all that well.  Add to that my failed intention to find another child to come along too.  It was going to be just me and my 8 year old boy.

Nemesis is too much for us!

In the end we were dropped off at Alton Towers at 3pm on a beautiful sunny day on which the rides were closing at 6pm.  Neither of us has graduated to the likes of Nemesis yet so we headed off to the wet rides and the runaway train.

The mother and daughter who shared our bathtub on the log flume had forked out for the fast track ticket and were faintly smug about the fact they had done two rides in the time we'd taken to queue (staff were being truly incompetent but that is another story).  In contrast to us she had planned her trip to Alton Towers and it had remained a priority in her diary - so for her the fast track upgrade was a really great idea.  As far as we were concerned we had nipped to our next door village for three hours of free entertainment completely accepting the fact we were only going to go on our four favourite rides.

We spent a lovely time together on a sunny day.  Funnily enough the highlight was not one of the rides but squirting water at each other on the pirate ships.  We left Alton Towers soaking wet and within 10 minutes we were home and dry with the kettle on!  Perfect.

Our thanks to The Sun and Alton Towers - we enjoyed ourselves tremendously.

Biddulph Grange Gardens

Did you see Alan Titchmarsh on telly the other night?  Lovely programme exploring Victorian gardens and clever the way it was all referenced back to a great example of garden design - our local Biddulph Grange gardens (National Trust) in Staffordshire.  If you didn't get to see it, you never know, it might be on BBCi.

We had some guests staying back in May 2010 who are keen gardeners and they visited Biddulph Grange and Trentham Gardens.  Not only a keen gardener but also a keen blogger . . . so very handy for me that I can send you off to her blog for lots of lovely pictures and a good review from a first time visitor there.  http://vegplotting.blogspot.com/2010/11/garden-visit-biddulph-grange.html .  Good to note that some people do come here for amusement other than Alton Towers, indeed as I commented on the article, to VegPlotting AT stands for Alan Titchmarsh not Alton Towers.  Love it!

For my part, I visit Biddulph Grange a couple of times each year - rhododendron season and dahlia season - and always enjoy the Chinese area with the huge fish in the pond.  So even if you are a dedicated Alton Towers fan, maybe Biddulph is somewhere to consider for day 3 of your stay.

Alton Towers Waterpark - a great winter mini break idea

Alton Towers used to describe the Waterpark as the beach holiday without the British weather, or something similar anyway.  I took my son there the other day and was reminded of this.  It was in fact a gloriously sunny day so we made the most of the outside areas. I sat in the hot pool with my face turned towards the sun, and we spent many an hour sliding down the outside shoots.  Not sure I would have laid out on a beach towel though.  Needless to say, I have spent many a session there when it has been too horrible to do anything outdoors (and you have to trust me when I say the weather has to be really bad to drive me inside).  So with the approach of winter, Alton Towers Waterpark comes into its own as a family weekend break, staying at Barks self-catering cottage.  When you've had enough of the poolside fun, come back to the holiday cottage warm your toes on the underfloor heating, the radiators and even the open fire!

Now here's a thought for families with pre-school children.  Alton Towers Waterpark has a midweek deal for children aged 6 and under.  It is just £5 for the morning session for you and your toddler.  Two parents, two children: it is £10 for an excellent morning of fun.  I am very familiar with this session and used to take full advantage of it when my son was of qualifying age. 

I remembered these Waterpark 'toddler sessions' very fondly, when I was there last week.  My son is not a natural swimmer and it has taken time and patience to build his water confidence.  We haven't been to formal lessons for a while because he was starting to complain about them, so I stopped them for a while before it became an outright refusal.  So last week I was keen to assess his abilities.  There is no swimming pool as such, just an abundance of water in the form of shallows, slides, landing pools, hot pools, waterfalls, moving rivers.  The actual swimming took place after he landed in a pool off a slides or tunnel.  Big splash, swim to the side and out again to go back to the top.  Adults can just about keep a dry face, but children will get wet all over and strangely they don't really notice.  Fantastic for water confidence.  My son even asked me for a diving lesson - sitting dive from a step.

If you want a midweek change of scene and you have toddlers then please enquire about our midweek winter rates.  Tell the office that you are 'working from home' and hook your laptop onto our WiFi - we won't tell on you! email barks@btconnect.com

(and don't forget the off season spa deals . . . entry to the relaxation rooms for £10 midweek - no kids allowed there though)

Last minute Alton Towers accommodation

AUGUST availability

We have only two self catering mini breaks available during the school summer holidays.  The perfect way for a family of five to enjoy a couple of days at Alton Towers and some lovely Staffordshire countryside.  Tidy rural cottage just a couple of miles to Alton  Towers.

7 - 9 August: Weekend 3 night mini-break: arriving Saturday 7th and departing Tuesday 10th is £295.

10 - 13 August: DISCOUNT OFFER: Mid week 3 night mini-break arriving Tuesday 10th and departing Fri 13th is 15% off - now £240.

For more availability later in the season please check the Availability page.

Last minute August self catering holiday near Alton Towers

My goodness what has happened this week to make everyone pick up the phone and make enquiries?  World cup over, sun went in for moment so people were forced to come inside maybe.  Who know?!  Trouble is that we don't have very much availability left for our self catering cottage in August so it is first come, first served.

7 - 12 August:  We now have 6 nights available for £405 in Barks Holiday Cottage to sleep up to 5 people
Plus the Annex suite is perfect for another couple to join you on your holiday if required for 3 nights at £150 or £225 for all 6 nights.

28 - 31 August Bank Holiday:  £295 for 3 nights plus £50 for extra night.
September is quiet for now, as always.  When the children have gone back to school I expect we will see some exhausted parents recharging their batteries.  I recommend some good country air and scenery, then maybe an evening session in the spa followed by a lovely meal out.  Doesn't that sound relaxing?

Booking a self-catering holiday cottage tip 6: Duration

Barks self-catering holiday accommodation in the Churnet Valley - ideally situated for Alton Towers fun and Peak District countryside. 01538 703436. barks@btconnect.com


Tip 6. Duration

Some holiday cottages have specific days of the week for check in and check out (usually a Saturday) so ensure this fits in with your plans - if you're looking for a 10 day break at a property that only allows 7 or 14 day bookings, you won't be able to do this. The same goes for weekend breaks - during peak holiday periods these may not be permitted unless it's a last minute booking or a cancellation.

At Barks we keep it simple. You book 3 nights, 7 nights or longer according to what suits you and our availability. We have, quite honestly, given up trying to work to a Friday change-over day. Just book the dates you need - first come, first served! Please note: Bookings can only be confirmed on receipt of the paperwork and the deposit. To enquire about availability please email us or give us a call.

Tips on booking a self-catering holiday cottage as provided by Travelsupermarket.

Tour of Britain cycles the moorlands

Barks Holiday Cottage, self-catering accommodation near Alton Towers and Peak District

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Tour of Britain cycles the Moorlands

James made a deliberate visit to King of the Mountain – Wootton Hill and was given a flag to wave encouragingly at these keen cyclists as they powered up the hill to the ‘finish line’ (although there was no finish in the sense of them stopping). Three riders were clearly leading the pack, as announced by a van with loud speaker courtesy of ITV, heavily escorted by motorbikes. A few minutes later the peloton arrived, whizzed through en masse and that was it.

I caught the Tour of Britain inadvertently as I returned from a meeting in Matlock along the A52 between Ashbourne and Stoke. At the highest point of the ridge, with a grand view of most of Staffordshire and Derbyshire, I became stuck in a traffic jam. A traffic jam that is not causally linked to Alton Towers is such a rare occurrence it is almost worth blogging in its own right. I figured out it was the Tour of Britain when the motorbikes, 40 or more, roared past with lights flashing. Meanwhile the A52 in both directions gently filled with quarry lorries, the main traffic on this stretch of road. Then the pack of riders, tightly packed together and seemingly not in a rush to my inexperienced eye, breezed over the ridge and off in the direction of Blackbrook Zoo. The view and zoo would not have registered with the riders who were head down and intent on their mission. Before the quarry lorries and I could resume our journeys, there was the amusing spectacle of the 50 or so support vehicles with the cycles on the top. More cycles were visible on the top of 4x4s than in the peloton.

It’s quiet in these rural parts, can you tell?

Family Holidays

Barks Holiday Cottage: - for booking enquiries please call 01538 703436 or email barks@btconnect.com

3 nights £295

7 nights £450

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We've had a couple of lovely families come to stay at the holiday cottage last week. A family with two young children took in Cariba Creek water park one day and a day at Alton Towers theme park the next. I am pleased that the sun shone on their stay because they had a couple of days exploring the local area after that and took in Blackbrook Zoo (pictured), Trentham Gardens and Waterworld. We enjoyed a lovely game of cricket with them in the garden, which particularly pleased my son. Their children enjoyed feeding the hens and playing with our dogs. The hens mobbed me this morning, clearly disappointed that this family and all their treats had finished their family holiday and returned home to Cardiff.

The next family had teenage children who energetically pumped up the tyres on our old bicycles. I warned them that cycling from the holiday cottage is either freewheeling downhill or pushing uphill, without much pedalling required. They still seemed to have energy for a good day out at Alton Towers followed by a vigorous game of giant frisbee.

It is great that families enjoy their holidays here, but now my son wants a giant frisbee and the hens won't be satisfied with layers pellets.

The Yew Tree, Cauldon

As featured in The Guardian's guide to pubs this weekend, The Yew Tree is one of our locals. I mentioned in another blog about 'interesting' pubs near to our self-catering holiday cottage; it was this establishment to which I referred. Chain pubs try really hard to create character, but The Yew Tree in Cauldon proves that only years of neglect and a passion for collecting really odd stuff can achieve the right feel. Gotta love it!

Winter sun trap

mar

We now have four hens, following a successful bid for a couple more at the farm auction in Leek. Like all chic chicks they like to preen themselves in the sun. The best sun trap? The door and french winders to the holiday cottage. Plus, here they can check their looks in the reflection. Come summer these girls will be donning Raybans and SPF 25 and demanding a skinny latte.

It might only be January, but the air is clear and the sun is bright. The forecast is for snow this week. What will the girls make of that?

lambs on the hillside

The guests who came last weekend walked onto the ridge to show their children the young lambs. They had been misled about the wind conditions, because Barks is sheltered by the ridge and the woods. Last weekend there was an unusually bitter, cold, northeast wind. Up on the ridge, our London guests enjoyed more fresh air than they bargained for. They left on Sunday night thinking that we inhabit the frozen north, but on Monday the sun came out, spring returned and the new lambs danced with joy in the hot sunshine.