The North Wales coastline and countryside is magical in all seasons, the culture, adventure and history seeps from the surrounding mountains…

With 4 locations to choose to own your holiday home along the North Wales Coast, Darwin Escapes has something for everyone’s taste. From Talacre Beach Resort, the traditional seaside family location and the nearby secluded owners exclusive Seaview Holiday Home Park, to the family countryside retreat of New Pines Holiday Home Park and finally Aberconwy Resort & Spa that oozes luxury and opulence surrounded by the Snowdonia mountain range, and the sandy Conwy Morfa beach on your doorstep. With so much variety there is no wonder that North Wales has been a popular holiday home ownership location for decades, and these 16 images prove our point…

Did they made you want to visit North Wales? Why not book a park tour or contact our Ownership team on 01745858010 for more information about having all of your getaways to explore this beautiful region…

Happy Adventuring Guys & Dolls!

Spending some time in Cheddar with your loved one and looking for romantic things to do? We’ve got you covered with our top 5 things to do in Cheddar. Set in the magical Mendip Hills, Cheddar Woods Resort & Spa is a beautiful setting for a romantic getaway, with 5 Star luxury accommodation I might add too (hot tubs and everything…) Here at Darwin Escapes HQ, we have come up with the top 5 romantic things to do in Cheddar with your other half…

Walk through Ebbor Gorge

Just a few minutes away from Cheddar Woods in the Mendip Hills, a stones throw away from the Wookey Hole Village lies the untouched and stunning Ebbor Gorge. The perfect place for a couple to disappear into the wilderness on a romantic walk, and maybe even a picnic while getting immersed in meadows, flowers, wildlife and a peaceful atmosphere. A place you wont see another human being for hours, a place to relax and get away from the everyday grind.

Hot Air Ballooning

Okay so this is technically in Bath, not Cheddar, but it’s only about a 30 minute drive away. Pop into the glorious Victoria Park, have a wander around and then go to find Bath Hot Air Balloon rides in the centre of the park. Enjoy a breath taking, birds eye view of the city just the two of you, and add the extra romantic touch with a champagne flight.

Eden Spa Treatment

Indulge in a luxury treatment at Cheddar Woods’ own Eden Spa, a double treatment together will add some romance and relaxation to your stay away, without having to leave the park! Refresh with a full body massage, Aromatherapy Associates massage or a wonderful Jessica Nails mani-pedi. There will be something for the both of you, before strolling back to your lodge style accommodation, all relaxed and refreshed.

Afternoon Tea

The Lion Rock Tea Rooms at the foot of the breath taking Cheddar Gorge has a delicious menu of afternoon tea. Feel all sophisticated and fancy while scoffing some cake with your other half, ring and book the little nook room for some romance and privacy, add the champagne afternoon tea for an extra feeling of fancy shamncy.

Wine & Cheese Tasting

There isn’t a specific place to do this, but there are enough cheese shops that offer delicious, mouth watering cheese and will help you pick the best wine to go with your cheesey choice, I recommend The Cheddar Gorge Cheese Co. who make the only real Cheddar cheese in town. Then head back to your 5 Star accommodation (have I told you it’s 5 Star?) and enjoy your wine & cheese tasting night in front of the fire (or TV). Romantic, food and cheap… perfect night in for me!

Have a lovely romantic break at Cheddar Woods Resort & Spa in the heart of the beautiful Somerset Mendip Hills…

Happy Adventuring Love Birds…

Enjoy a magical family day out at Pili Palas where you can get in touch with nature & friendly resident animals. Pili Palas is a relatively small zoo which is located in North Wales within driving range of our Aberconwy Resort & Spa. It is the perfect destination for a fun family day out.

Visitors will get the opportunity to get hands on with the resident animals at the zoo which includes meerkats, various bugs and also a butterfly enclosure. It is primarily aimed at children, who are also sure to have a great time in the indoor play zone.

Read more to find out what is on offer at this much under hyped local attraction.

meet the animals

One of the main attractions at Pili Palas are the butterflies with the zoo making a significant contribution to butterfly conservation efforts with an ethical butterfly farming policy in place. You van view the various breeds of butterfly in the on-site butterfly house where you will experience tropical breeds flying around you in a magical environment. You’ll also get the chance to meet Elvis when you head into the birdhouse, along with his fellow furry friends Del, Rudolph, Jake and Charlies.

Although these animals are slightly less hands on, you will get the chance to be up close and personal with the animals in the barn which include rabbits, sheep, guinea pigs and goats. There are also a selection of donkeys and pigs in what is the ultimate real life animal farm. Kids will love getting the opportunity to feed the sheep and pet the rabbits. You may even get the chance to catch a glimpse of the nosey meerkats.

Slightly less cute are the animals in the bug-zone where you will see terrifying tarantulas and scorpions as well as seeing ants, cockroaches and much more interacting with one another in their own natural environments.

something for all ages

This is a farm which is primarily aimed at helping you keep the kids entertained for the day, and they are sure to have hours of fun when you head to the indoor play area where you will find various activities for toddlers.

Older children will also be accommodated with the giant bouncy castle and also in the adventure playground which features its own zip-wire.

While the children are busy playing, the adults can head to the on-site café which serves a range of scrumptious home cooked meals and beverages. The tables in the conservatory area are ideally placed to allow you to watch the meerkats at work while you eat.

a magical experience for all

With so much to do and see, Pili Palas is a great place for a family day out particularly for the animal lovers amongst you.

It is located just a 20 minute drive away from Aberconwy Resort & Spa; ideally placed for countless fun family days out if you are a holiday home owners at our five star resort.

Beauty & The Beach. Beach Cove Coastal Retreat is in the heart of Devon overlooking the stunning Hele Bay and is the perfect place to lose yourself in beautiful countryside…

The breathtaking beautiful Hele Bay in Ilfracombe is home to our Beach Cove resort which is located right on the cliff-side. This provides holiday makers with glorious views from our quirky beach hut accommodation units which are second to none. With scenery like this the whole area is an instagramers dream, so take a look at our top 10 images below…

1. beautiful beach huts

A post shared by Lodges With Hot Tubs (@lodgeswithhottubs) on Jul 5, 2017 at 12:56pm PDT

2. stunning storms

A photo posted by Love Ilfracombe (@loveilfracombe) on Feb 8, 2016 at 3:28am PST

3. breathtaking coves

A photo posted by Bec Carter (@beccarter24) on Mar 1, 2016 at 11:38am PST

4. dip-your-toes relaxing

A photo posted by Jessica Harding (@_jessicarose_x_) on Sep 10, 2015 at 2:06pm PDT

5. hot tubs & rubber ducks? bliss

A photo posted by Nick And Donna (@geocaching_with_nickanddonna) on Apr 11, 2016 at 2:28pm PDT

6. outstanding scenery

A photo posted by Glen Lilly (@glen_lilly) on Jun 3, 2015 at 2:39pm PDT

7. rooms with a view

A photo posted by gemmalouisecrew (@gemmalouisecrew) on Oct 18, 2014 at 3:38am PDT

8. fascinating sculptures

A photo posted by Courtney Higgins (@10court) on May 9, 2016 at 4:45am PDT

9. night time beauty

A photo posted by Rick Adams (@get_to_your_ships) on May 9, 2016 at 12:01am PDT

10. even fur-babies love it

A photo posted by Jenna Wilkinson (@charmed_devon) on May 8, 2016 at 8:00am PDT

Happy Adventuring in beautiful Hele Bay, and don’t forget to check in to Beach Cove Coastal Retreat on your Instagram and you could be in our next blog post!

Do you know the Charlie Bear Dance? Get involved by dancing along to the Official Charlie Bear Dance Video!

Learn the moves to the Official Charlie Bear Dance by watching him perform at Talacre Beach Resort in North Wales. Turn up your speakers and let the kids burn off some energy… Have fun! Remember to share your own Charlie Bear Dance videos with us on Facebook and Twitter using the hashtag #CharlieBearDance

family breaks at Talacre Beach Resort

Talacre Beach is the perfect location for fun family holidays on the North Wales Coast. Set beside miles upon miles of Golden Sands, it is an idyllic location for families to spend quality time together in a safe and secure environment. Book your next family break with Darwin Escapes at Talacre Beach.

If you are spending time at Piran Meadows and are searching for family fun activities in and around Newquay look no further…

Piran Meadows Resort & Spa offers an amazing Go Active+ programme, where you can enjoy archery, fencing, water walkerz and body zorbing among many others! But if you are looking to explore the local area for fun family things to do, then here are our top 10 family things to do in and around Newquay…

pirate’s quest

Join in on the swash buckling voyage through Cornwall’s pirates past! (Who knew?!) You will come face to face with smugglers, mermaids and buccaneers as you travel back 300 years and visit The Republic of Pirates. You will escape a shipwreck with the Flying Gang and their Captain Blackbeard, travel through mystical caves and murky 18th Century streets of Cornwall, while looking for new buccaneers to join the gang! The Pirate’s Quest is family fun for everyone!

blue reef aquarium

A place where there are new discoveries everyday, with over 40 naturally themed habitats, you will travel from Cornish waters to exotic seas! Marvel at the fresh water turtles, pulsating jellyfish and mesmerising pufferfish, and at the heart of the Blue Reef Aquarium is the Ocean tank and underwater tunnel, where you can view fascinating sea creatures. The Black Tip Reef Sharks, who grow up to 2 meters long, as well as the completely unique Giant Pacific Octopus who are very intelligent and have 3 hearts, blue blood and a doughnut shaped brain! (wow!) Learn so much at the aquarium and see the masses of colourful fish too.

newquay zoo

With over 1000 of the world’s rarest and endangered animals, Newquay Zoo is surrounded by 13 acres of lush tropical gardens, you can run wild and explore to release your inner animal! See the penguins, lions, tigers and the breathtaking beautiful zebras, and adventure to the topical house if you dare to see the rare and unusual animals there, including a sloth (my favourite animal ever, for obvious reasons. I want to be one, I’m already half way there). There are activity trails, a café, face painting and a loads of education about conservation too, fun for all ages!

jungle jacks

At Jungle Jacks in Newquay you can let the little monkey’s run wild in the 1700 square feet purpose built play frame! Providing a safe places for them to have a blast, burn off some steam and have endless amounts of fun, challenging climbs, a fun rope bridge, astra-glide slide, crafty crawl tubes and cool peekaboo bubble windows. For the adventure seekers there is the super fast racing slide and spiral tube for the brave kids, as well as dedicated baby and toddler play area for the little ones too. There is ample seating, positioned so you can see the whole play area, free Wi-Fi and a well stocked café.

lusty glaze adventure centre

This sheltered beach cove is the perfect place to kick your shoes off and feel the sand between your toes, take a break and breathe in the fresh salt air away from the stresses of everyday life. Take a spade, bucket, ball and a picnic and you have the perfect, free, fun family day out at the beach! There are also plenty of adventure activities taking place at the centre, from abseiling, tightrope walking, a cool surf school, jet ski lessons and a fun banana boat ride! The on-site restaurant has a relaxed and intimate atmosphere with panoramic views, along with mouth watering food on offer too. Relax by the log burner on a colder night, or dine al fresco in the sunshine, Lusty Glaze has something for everyone.

lappa valley steam railway

You can have the ride of your life at Lappa Valley Steam Railway, meet the one of a kind trains and journey through the woodland while sitting back and relaxing. But there is more than just trains here, jump in the canoe and navigate your way around the islands on the canoe lake, have a round of crazy golf, walk the fascinating nature tails and use the outdoor and indoor play areas! There is even a toddlers maze for the little ones to get involved too, the small brick walled maze is a replica of an 1804 locomotive! Don’t forget to enjoy the sand pits, pirate ships and coin operated cars!

crantock beach

Crantock Beach is a 15 minute drive from Newquay town centre and was voted Best British Beach in 2013 by the BBC! Walk over the looming sand dune and marvel at the awe inspiring view on offer, the beautiful expanse of golden sand and glittering blue sea will wash all your stresses away and makes for a great seaside family day out! Drop into the Fern Pit where you can order a cooked lobster that has been freshly caught that morning, and take a walk along the headland overlooking the bay too. And if you have a fur baby with you, dogs are welcome all year round at the beach too!

st eval kart circuit

This is perfect for children aged 7 and above, the St Eval Kart Circuit is a massive outdoor track and one of the UK’s biggest, as well as being the Southwests largest and fastest adult kart circuits too. Its only one of its kind in Devon and Cornwall, so you are rest assured for a fun and unique family day out here! If you aren’t into racing but the little ones are, no worries, you can watch them zoom around the track for free as spectators aren’t charged! It is an all weather track so you can go rain or shine and have the time of your life zipping round the track in the Powermax kart!

skullduggery lazer tag

Skullduggery is Cornwall’s premier lazer tag arena, you can even become a member if you wanted to! With jaw dropping lighting and adrenaline pumping effects you will have the time of your life here, hiding and dodging your family and friends. You can play on your own, so every man for himself, or you can team up and protect your bases, like in Halo (I love that game), sneak around and hide from your opponents in the arena and lazer your way to the leader board!

Those are Darwin Escapes top 10 family fun things to do in Newquay! If you find any hidden treasures or have any ideas to add to our list let us know!

Happy adventuring & family frolicking!

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Don’t worry an animal hasn’t escaped! The Darwin HQ team were spoiled with a day out at Chester Zoo! The Darwin HQ team don’t often leave the office, but when we do we get completely spoiled, and this was no exception! We were treated to a morning out at one of my favourite places on earth, Chester Zoo, to have breakfast with the bears. In celebration of Milli and Toni’s new home at the zoo we went to see them play and munch away in their fancy enclosure!

The two sun bears are the first to live at Chester Zoo since 1976, and with a 40 years gap they have been missed. I adore the bright faces and intellect they show, both bears were rescued separately from the wild, Milli and Toni’s mothers were killed by poachers in Cambodia. They were both found by conservationist team Free the Bears as mistreated pets before being moved to the UK, and now look how happy they are…

And of course, once we were there to see the lovely bears we couldn’t resist a little wander around…

I love Chester Zoo, it is my favourite place to spend the day because as we all know, I’m an animal lover. The next time you are visiting New Pines Holiday Home Park why not pop along the Chester Zoo and visit Milli and Toni in their new home, along with all the other fascinating species!

Happy Adventuring Zoo Goers and keep your eyes peeled for some exciting news regarding Chester Zoo coming up soon.

Did you know that Tilford Woods isn’t just famous for it’s fantastic family of ducks? The massive James Bond hit, Skyfall was filmed just a stone’s throw away!Tilford Woods Lodge Retreat in Surrey is famous for its ducks, a loyal family of quacks who have their very own lodge on the on-site pond. But that isn’t the only thing that Tilford Woods is famous for, because did you know that the the end sequence to the 2013 box office smash hit Skyfall was filmed just a stone’s throw away?

A mere 9 minutes away from our glorious resort, Daniel Craig (a little swoon here at HQ) was shooting with the awesome and beautiful Dame Judi Dench as M, with Surrey playing the role of Scotland, where the childhood home of James Bond was located. Tilford Woods’ park manager Jackie and her husband are avid Bond fans, and decided to pop along and take some fantastic behind the scenes photos from the set! They even caught sight of the (fake) historic Bond home explosion, as well as being able to see the legendary Aston Martin DB5 too…

So the next time you visit Tilford Woods why not jump in the car to visit the site, marvel at the beautiful countryside and pay respects to probably the best boss anyone would want, dear M. As well as standing on the ground that Daniel Craig and Dame Judi Dench were on… (another little swoon)

Happy Adventuring Guys and Dolls!

Easter delights at Bath Mill Lodge Retreat for guests and foodies alike! Bath Mill is steeped in relaxing nature, surrounded by woodland and the beautiful babbling Newton Brook streaming through the retreat, you would never know we are only ten minutes away from the busy, bustling city. Having recently under gone a multi million pound redevelopment, adding a state of the art gym, and renovation the beautiful 350 year old Mill House. Bath Mill is one of the most sought after holiday destinations in Somerset…

The Brook & Bar Bistro has become known as one of the best places to eat and is located on site at Bath Mill. Offering unpretentious fine dining set in a contemporary and cosy décor. If you reserve a table with us this Easter, you will have a personalised Easter egg with the surname booked under as your reservation table card! Beautiful chocolate in a beautiful setting! And don’t forget the fantastic Easter egg hunt on Sunday 27th all around the retreat, great fun for all the family!

Easter delights for our guests and foodie lovers visiting The Brook, a relaxing Easter break in a secluded retreat, just a stone’s throw away from the bustling city centre.

Happy Easter from Bath Mill!

Darwin Escapes has a holiday perfect for everyone, and if you are looking for a relaxing break away with a few indulgent treatments, we have a few stunning locations for you to choose from…

With 16 holiday locations around the UK, and more coming soon, we are sure to have the perfect spa break holiday for you. Whether you are looking for a spa weekend break or some time to yourself on a family holiday, we have a few locations to help you out on your spa holiday break.

Darwin Escapes is lucky to be partners with Aromatherapy Associates, a company with over 30 years worth of experience, and experts in how to relax, rejuvenate and unwind with their treatments. To learn more about Aromatherapy Associates read our blog here. All our locations also offer Jessica Nails treatments, perfect for a quick mani-pedi or a longer nail treatment and hand massage.

Eden spa

Located in our award winning Cheddar Woods Resort & Spa, in the heart of the Somerset countryside and surrounded by the stunning Mendip Hills, the Eden Spa is the perfect relaxing getaway. After a long day walking the Gorge or having fun adventures with the Go Active team you can indulge in a luxury treatment and relax those achy muscles with a full body massage.

Ezina spa

Nestled in the sleepy village of Hawkchurch, but close to the bustling town of Lyme Regis, the Ezina Spa is in the perfect location to escape the day to day stresses of life. Take a dip in the Hydrotherapy pool, specially designed to release muscle tension and increase blood flow, as well as relaxing in the sauna and steam room.

Serenity spa

Surrounded by the understated Cornish countryside, Piran Meadows Resort & Spa is home to the wonderful Serenity Spa, a place where you can unwind from a day of fun activities or just loose yourself in a relaxing treatment.

Aberconwy Spa

This owner’s exclusive location has everything you need, with the stunning Snowdonia Mountain Range as a backdrop and a stone’s throw away from the Conwy Morfa beach, with an award winning restaurant on site, as well as the Langley’s Country Club and even Mali’s Hair Salon. Aberconwy Spa offers rejuvenating treatments in a sumptuous setting, have a splash in the pool or Jacuzzi, or spend some time in the tranquil Relaxation Room between treatments.

Ammara spa

The Ammara Spa is coming soon to the sure-to-be stunning Keswick Reach Lodge Retreat, located in the breath-taking surroundings of Cumbria. Currently undergoing an extensive redevelopment Keswick Reach is sure to be the go-to destination for the Lake District, keep your eyes peeled for the Grand Opening this December!

So keep your eyes open for Keswick Reach, and in the mean time why not pop along to your nearest Darwin Escapes location or book your holiday now and enjoy a relaxing treatment at one of our spa locations!

Happy Spa Day Ladies and Gents!