Here at Bath Mill Lodge Retreat we are excited to welcome our very first guests this August. Join me as I take you on our journey from conception to completion. Over the last 10 months, the Darwin Escapes team and our development partners which include Karl Watson Contracting, Phelans and project manager David Everest have all been hard at work each and every day. With significant investment, the development project has turned the former tenting & touring site, Newton Mill Holiday Park, into a unique lodge location now known as Bath Mill Lodge Retreat

Bath Mill Lodge Retreat is set to be one of the most desirable destinations in Somerset. The retreat will boast luxury lodge accommodation, a stunning “gastropub” restaurant and bar, a health hut styled gym and an efficient check-in area. We aim to offer the perfect alternative to traditional city breaks and overnight stays in Bath and we’re sure our ideal location, only a 10 minute drive from the city centre, paired with our exceptional self-catering accommodation will exceed the expectations of visitors.

So let’s rewind time and start our journey back in April when the ground work at Bath Mill really started to progress, changing the appearance of the retreat each and every day.

August is fast approaching and we are all eager to show off our fantastic retreat to the very first guests. We look forward to seeing you soon.

Have you ever watched a film and thought I recognise that place? Well you might be right, because many famous Hollywood Movies were shot in the stunning region of Cornwall. Offering a plethora of activities many of which are completely free. Whether it is visiting famous film locations or simply taking the children for a day on the beach, the South West has something for you.

Most people do not realise just quite how popular Cornwall is as a location for many top films. Its unique scenery has attracted classic pirate films such as Treasure Island as well as modern day comedies such as Jonny English. The hit comedy was partly filmed on St Michaels Mount, which is just down the coast from Mullion Cove. St Michael’s Mount is a small rocky island featuring a mediaeval church and castle. You can visit the island by boat or, when the tide is out, walk across the rocky causeway. Famous for being a place of prayer, not many will know that it was on this mount that the first beacon was lit in 1588 to warn of the arrival of the Spanish Armada.

Those who appreciate a classic war film will be delighted to hear that Where Eagles Dare had a number of filming locations in Cornwall. The ‘Bell and Dragon’ pub served as the Piers House Hotel with the rest of the town portraying occupied Alderney. Charlestown Harbour has also recently featured in Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland.

Those of you who love the British spy hero franchise James Bond will be thrilled to know that a large portion of Die Another Day was filmed in Holywell Bay and at the Eden Project, which are both just a short drive away from Piran Meadows. The Eden Project hosts our beloved British hero infiltrating Gustav Graves’ (Toby Stephens) high security lair.

His daring abseiling entrance into the centre of the Eden Project emphasises that it is the perfect location for a high-tech villain’s hideout.

Port Isaac hosted Martin Clunes’ film Saving Grace, which set the scene for his later TV series Doc Martin, which is also filmed in Port Isaac and continues to be filmed around Cornwall. The Bay Hotel features heavily in the recent 4th series as Wenn House.

The BBC’s new Drama Poldark is based entirely in Cornwall. Charlestown Harbour is the perfect location for hosting the Tall Ships of Poldark whilst Church Cove Beach on the Lizard Peninsula provided the setting for one of Poldark’s most dramatic scenes. This weather beaten coastline outlines the sheer beauty of Cornwall’s natural wonders.

Somerset, as a region, has a lot things going for it including Cheddar Cheese, Scrumpy Cider, Glastonbury Festival and of course… Hollywood blockbuster films!

The West country is a very popular tourist destination with urban and rural attractions ranging from the depths of Cheddar Gorge to the wide sandy beaches of Western-Super Mare.

Known as one of the country’s most relaxing and peaceful counties, Somerset will surprise you with the blockbusters that have been filmed there.

The popular comedy duo of Nick Frost and Simon Pegg based their highly popular action/comedy Hot Fuzz in the town of Wells, just a stones throw from the honeypot of Cheddar Gorge and Cheddar Woods Resort & Spa. The ‘Sandford Pub’ can be found in the form of The Crown in the Somerset town of Wells. The Market Square of Wells hosted the firefight at the finale of the film, where policemen Pegg and Frost shoot it out with the village villains.

The natural beauty of this area really lends itself to historic films depicting the English countryside as it once was, so the county has also played host to historical award winning films such as Elizabeth the Golden Age. Wells Cathedral hosted Academy Award winners Cate Blanchett and Clive Owen during their depiction of King Philip II’s 1558 attempted armada against England. Elizabeth’s famous address to her troops is filmed at Brean Down headland near Weston-Super-Mare.

The city of Bath was seen as the perfect location to film parts of Tom Hopper’s Les Miserables. Les Miserables, although set in France, was almost entirely shot in England with the Avon Weir in Bath the setting for a very dramatic scene within the film. With many scenes being filmed around the centre of the City, it would be difficult not to recognise the historic architecture lending itself to the 19th Century classic. The famous scene of Javert’s Suicide was filmed at the River Seine in Bath.

The second series of the award winning TV show Broadchurch was mainly filmed in the North Somerset town of Clevedon. The Clevedon pier has also hosted the biggest boy band in the world, One Direction, for their new music video ‘You & I’. The band may be a mystery to you but your children will undoubtedly be able to tell you all about THE Harry Styles! This star struck town is situated just west of Bristol, about a 30-minute drive from Cheddar Woods Holiday Park and Resort.

Are you searching for fun family days out in Cornwall? Well look no further, we’ve got it covered in our top 5 child friendly attractions in Cornwall. Cornwall is a great family location with plenty of activities for both old and young. This is why it is such a popular destination for holidays and holiday home ownership, with there being something different to do every time you visit. In this post, we have chosen a selection of our favorite family days out that between them cater for all weather conditions.

1. Cornish Seal Sanctuary in Gweek

Located in Gweek, which is just a 20-minute drive from Mullion Cove, the Cornish seal sanctuary is set in 42 acres of stunning Cornish scenery around the Helford estuary. Half the world’s population of grey seals live on and around the British coast, and their numbers have doubled since the 1960s.

The Cornish Seal Sanctuary offers visitors the chance to meet the adorable whiskered residents, and hear the touching tales behind their rescues. Visitors are also able to get up close to the other residents, which include comical penguins, mischievous otters, and noisy sea lions. You are also free to explore the remarkable woodland or test your bravery by finding out how it feels to touch starfish, crab and other creatures living in the interactive rock pool.

2. Dairyland Farm World

Located a short 7-minute drive from Piran Meadows, Newquay, Dairyland is a fantastic adventure park to suit all ages. Visitors can experience everything from petting and feeding the farm animals to tractor and pony rides, cow milking, nature trails and much more. Dairyland also offers great activities under cover for when the weather is not so good, including the Bull Pen – a massive indoor play centre, as well as the Milking Parlour and the Farm Museum, where visitors can explore Cornish farm life throughout the ages. There is also a Kitchen Café, which offers a great range of good value food and drink.

3. the Eden Project

Set in a reclaimed Kaolanite pit 5km from St Austell, the Eden project showcases artificial biomes containing a diverse collection of plants that imitate the key biomes around the world. The rainforest biome is especially interesting as it exhibits an extremely rich diverse plant ecosystem, which you can observe from a raised viewing platform. The inflated plastic structures themselves are a stunning architectural feat, and are well worth visiting.

Also for those who are interested in their James Bond trivia, the site was used as a set in the filming of Die Another Day. Overall the Eden Project is a great educational trip for the whole family highlighting the relationship between people and plants. Kids can enjoy specially designed play areas as well as follow exciting trails around the site, with shortcuts, hideaways, steppingstones and sandpits. There are also, at various points during the year, special events for kids to get involved with, including den building in the summer, ice skating in the winter, and rock climbing. It has both indoor and outdoor gardens, so it can cater for visitors whatever the weather. The food there is also good quality, ethically sourced and reasonably priced.

4. Newquay Zoo

Less than 10 minutes from Piran Meadows, Newquay Zoo offers exotic fun for all the family. Kids can get up close to over 130 of the world’s rare and exciting creatures, and they can spectate as some of the most lethal cats on the planet devour their lunch. There is also an opportunity to learn more about conservation, as Newquay Zoo is home to some severely endangered species including the delightful Red Pandas, Owston’s Civets and Black Wildebeest.

Keeper talks and animal feeding sessions occur regularly throughout the day, and offer an educational insight into how all varieties of majestic animals go about their daily lives. On top of this, Newquay Zoo’s Animal Experiences give you the chance to meet and feed some of their most popular residents including both cheeky Lemurs and chummy Penguins. Finally if you still have energy after all that, Newquay Zoo has a variety of activity trails, face painting, a dragon maze as well as a children’s play area to keep the kids occupied!

5. Crealy Adventure Park

Recently awarded the Best Family Attraction in Cornwall by readers of Primary Times for three consecutive years, Crealy Adventure Park is a popular choice for visitors with young ones. Located in 111 acres of Cornish countryside, the Adventure Park is a haven of family-friendly rides, giant play areas as well as a sanctuary for hundreds of cute friendly animals. Boasting a rich variety of crazy rides, novel attractions as well as indoor entertainment for those inevitable days when the sun isn’t shining, Cornwall’s Crealy is highly recommended as a Children’s playground destination. Look out for Swampy and Dina, the park’s resident characters!

Piran Meadows offers the ideal place to base yourself in Cornwall, enjoy your getaway, your way, with your family