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!

Beach Cove Coastal Retreat is fast becoming romance capital of the UK

Devon is known for its stunning scenery and fantastic ambiance, and Beach Cove is no exception, being right on the cliff side of Hele Bay with unrivalled views of the beach and sea. The breath taking retreat is also fast becoming the romance capital of the UK, with too many proposals to count at the retreat itself.

And love must be in the air as our very own Tony Giffard recently popped the question to our lovely Emily Scoffield, and she said yes! Tony has been at Beach Cove since the start and Emily joined us a few months later, they started dating a little while after meeting at Beach Cove, and recently went on holiday to New Zealand and that is where Tony proposed.

This is how Emily described Tony’s proposal:
“We were staying at this really remote campsite, next to a massive waterfall, we’d just been on a walk and seen glow worms for the first time. Then we got our pillows and blankets out and lay looking at the stars for a bit, and then he asked me, he was very nervous poor thing!”

Here are the happy couple themselves! (look at those smiles!)

I can only imagine how nervous the poor guy was after going all that way too!
A massive congratulations to Tony and Emily! We hope you have a wonderful wedding and long, happy life enjoying the scenery of stunning Devon!

Love is in the air!

It’s hard having fur-babies, whether you have one, two or five, holiday’s can be a stressful time, but not with Darwin Escapes!

We have a great range of pet friendly holidays, to take your pooch, cat, rabbit, lizard or fish on the break with you and the whole family can enjoy that special time away! I’ve mentioned Hugo and Bella before in my posts, my loveable puppies, but I also have four adorable cats, ranging from 5 years old to 2 years old. So it’s safe to say that I am bit animal crazy.

Now with this many pets I really have to plan any time away, how am I going to transport five animals – four of which have very sharp claws when annoyed, and two that have no interest in behaving. If I can’t take them with me, where are they going to go? Or who am I going to have take care of them? So Darwin Escapes have come up with a great solution, you can take your pet away on your UK holiday. Have a read on about the all pet friendly accommodation we offer, we will have the perfect location for you and your fur-baby!

Cornwall – a coastal adventure

We have 3 outstanding locations in Cornwall, all with pet friendly accommodation, from our traditional Sandymouth Holiday Resort, the relaxing Mullion Cove Coastal Retreat and the ‘Best in Britain’ 2015 award winner Piran Meadows Resort & Spa. With great family fun activities on park, like a two lane bowling alley, golf simulator and indoor heated swimming pools and spa treatments, there is something for every person in the family. There are plenty of coastal walks surrounding the parks for the little fur-baby in your life, marvel at the lovely cliffs, beaches and hidden woods around the areas. Many of the luxurious holiday homes come with up to date tech, like DVD players, all for a great night in with your dog, cat, lizard, rabbit or fish you love! Some lodges even come with hot tubs for the mummies and daddies of the party! Cornwall is a stunning part of the country to visit, so take a look at what’s on offer at our pet friendly holiday parks in Cornwall.

Sommerset – the best of both worlds…

Cheddar Woods Resort & Spa

We have two glorious resorts in Somerset, ‘Best in Britain’ 2014 winner Cheddar Woods Resort & Spa and the brand new for 2015 Bath Mill Lodge Retreat. Both offer something different for you pet friendly escape, Cheddar Woods is set in the beautiful Mendip Hills and is surrounded by woods for some great walks! The Cheddar Gorge is also very close and has a great 3 mile walking path to the Lookout Tower, what a way to spend a day (or two for me, I’ll take my camping gear…) all lodges are fitted with the great mod cons for a fantastic night in with your fur-family, cuddle on the sofa and relax.

Bath Mill Lodge Retreat

Bath Mill Lodge Retreat is just that, a retreat, two miles away from a city centre. You would never believe you were so close to the city while there, sitting on your private decking all you will hear is the Newton Brook meandering through the resort. Surrounded by trees you will feel totally secluded and safe in this sanctuary of a city break holiday, your dog can run around and enjoy the brook and take the walk through the woods and fields in the surrounding area. (I have a white dog, imagine what colour he would be coming back in?!) What a perfect escape with your fur-baby, and all the mod cons in the lodges will be a great treat to snuggle up at the end of the day on the comfy sofa and take in the lovely surroundings.

Surrey – explore the countryside

Tilford Woods Lodge Retreat is perfectly placed in the Surrey countryside for peace and tranquillity. (if I take Hugo it would no longer be peaceful…) There are plenty of nature walks for your bouncing puppy to explore, you can drop into the market town of Farnham, where there are gift shops and some lovely restaurants to try, and a few even allow dogs in to dine too! Take a walk around the historic Waverly Abbey, marvel at the once magnificent structure and have a wander around the River Wey (another river for the puppy to make a mess in!) Many of our pet friendly accommodations have their own hot tubs for that extra feeling of luxury, and a few even have their own saunas! And with DVD players and our own rental facility at reception, you can enjoy a lovely, cosy night in cuddled on the sofa with your little one. If you have a clever little cat along in tow, there is glorious scenery to marvel at out of the window too! A great country escape with the little fur ones!

Isle of Wight – a whole island to explore

Woodside Coastal Retreat is perfectly placed on the Isle of Wight within easy reach of a plethora of visitor attractions on this beautiful island that has everything you could ever need. Woodside has a stunning shingle beach just a stones throw away, a perfect place to let the dog run loose along the shore, and maybe a quick swim in the sea! Along with great local attractions to visit, like Carisbroke Castle, where dogs are welcome to run around and marvel at the history, along with their mummies and daddies! Visit the plethora of restaurants and café’s on offer on the island, a few of which are dog friendly and have a ready warm rug in front of the fire place for a cold day! There is so much to see here that you really do need to visit and find it all, a wonderful escape to explore with your fur-family, away from the stresses of everyday life.

Take a look at our dog friendly holidays in the Isle of Wight.

Lake District – nature at its best…

Thanet Well Lodge Retreat

Our Thanet Well Lodge Retreat is one of the most perfect places to escape to with a dog in tow, with a huge range of lodges that are pet friendly, some with hot tubs and all with brilliant mod cons for cosy nights in. The surrounding area is breath taking and worth spending every minute of your stay enjoying walks out, placed on the edge of the Greystoke Forest, this secluded location is the perfect escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Walk out the door on to the private decking and marvel at the nature surrounding you, grab a lead and off you go for fun and frolicking! There are some great restaurants, pubs and cafes that are dog friendly to have a lovely meal out too, or if you fancy a night in, grab a DVD and cuddle up on the sofa in the hauntingly beautiful scenery surrounding you. You can enjoy nature at its best here in Thanet Well and your fur-baby will be in their element too!

Keswick Reach Lodge Retreat

Keswick Reach Lodge Retreat is one of Darwin Escapes’ brand new destinations. Located in the heart of the Lake District and surrounded by an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, this luxurious retreat offers stunning views of the surrounding countryside, with the beautiful Bewaldeth Beck running through the park and a picturesque pond, complete with duck lodge, for you to marvel at. Your fur-baby will adore the brand new, luxurious lodges to settle down after a long walk in the surrounding mountains and fields.

perfect pet escape

So if you are struggling to find the perfect pet friendly holiday, or just can’t bear leaving you little one behind (like me, I hate it), why not just have a look at what Darwin Escapes has to offer? There is no better treat than seeing your fur-baby running around and exploring!

We’re proud to announce that our website has been shortlisted for 2015 Web Development Project of the Year at the prestigious Digital Entrepreneur Awards. For the last 10 years The Digital Entrepreneur Awards have been recognising Britain’s finest online talent and it is a great achievement for the Darwin Escapes team to be nominated.

successful launch

Working alongside the fantastic team at Clicky Media, who designed and developed darwinescapes.co.uk, we were able to create an industry leading website that truly reflects our diverse portfolio of holiday parks, retreats and resorts throughout the United Kingdom.

The launch of Darwin Escapes was a mammoth task, but with dedicated agency support and a fully committed internal team, we were able to achieve all of our initial business objectives within the projected timeframe. Six months on and the results have been fantastic. By adopting a user-centric approach, we now have an online presence which works seamlessly across multiple devices, ensuring the best experience for our customers wherever they might be when browsing for their next holiday break.

nomination

We’re completely humbled by the nomination and can’t wait for the DEAs ceremony, which takes place on the 11th of November 2015 at The Palace Hotel, Manchester. The Web Project of the Year category boasts some strong competition so we will keep you posted with how we get on. (Fingers and toes crossed).

We are still developing our beautiful Hawkchurch Resort & Spa but we were so excited by this news we couldn’t hold back.

Our amazing Ezina Spa has released its all new treatments menu!

You can relax, de-stress and revive with the luxurious treatments in a palace of peace and tranquillity. Hawkchurch Resort & Spa are proud partners with Aromatherapy Associates. Their passion for essential oils and plant extracts helps them understand that their power can transform your physical and mental wellbeing. Spoil yourself or your better half with a sumptuous and romantic spa day gift, in the perfect setting to relax and indulge.

luxurious treatments

Escape the noise of the outside world with our highly trained therapists and indulge in a relaxing and invigorating experience. We offer a wide range of treatments, with everything from the Ezina Spa Indulgence, which is a wonderful neck and scalp massage to set you off in the right mindset. Or try our Ultimate Aromatherapy Experience, our hero treatment will save your day like Batman! (I’m really sorry, I couldn’t resist that). Our talented therapist will use carefully applied pressures to stimulate the nerve system and relieve muscle tension which all encourages healthy circulation for a deep relaxation. We have a treatment to cover you from your head down to your toes! Our indulgence includes your hands and feet as well! We provide manicures and pedicures, for men and women, using the very best Jessica Nail products. We’re experts at revealing the natural beauty of your nails, enjoy the ultimate in nail nutrition.

wellness and love

All to create the perfect spa experience for you, you can spoil the other half with a treatment day and earn some brownie points. Or you can book some treatments together with our couples treatments for some great quality, relaxing and revitalising time together, all in a wonderful romantic setting. Take care of your own mindfulness and wellbeing, love your self with our relaxing treatments, romance yourself and spoil yourself with our wide range of treatments on offer. Any mums-to-be are more than welcome to come and enjoy the tranquility, put your feet up with our pregnancy treatment, the perfect way to relax those aching muscles.

So whether you are looking for a treatment to leave your skin radiant and smooth, or something to leave you feeling relaxed and deeply recharged we will have a treatment for you. All our treatments are designed to nourish, rejuvenate and protect, we can’t wait for Hawkchurch Resort & Spa to open so you can relax in our amazing Ezina Spa.

Monday the 13th of July 2015 was a big day for tourism in Chester as Chester Zoo opened its brand new attraction- The Islands. At Darwin Escapes we didn’t need an excuse to visit but wanting to check out this newest attraction was too good an opportunity to miss, so this week off we went. It was a beautiful day and after a short journey we arrived, parked with no problems and purchased our ticket. If you are considering visiting Chester Zoo while you are on holiday please find listed a few tips, lots of information and a review.

animals

Chester Zoo houses a huge number of animals, there are currently over 12,000, from the traditional favourites of elephants and giraffes, to white jaguars and black rhinoceros.
Enclosures include the Realm of the Red Ape and the Spirit of Jaguar, there is also an amazing penguin pool with underwater viewing, it is lots of fun to see the penguins diving and playing, Don’t forget to wave to Percy!

children at chester zoo

The great thing about Chester Zoo is that there are very wide walkways, plenty of places to have a picnic and some amazing play facilities, we found 3 with something for all ages at each site. Rather sensibly they have placed dining or refreshment facilities right next to the play areas which is a great excuse to recharge your batteries and have a coffee.

Another great facility is the little touring pushchairs that are available to hire, you see much more of the park if you have a pre-schooler as they enjoyed sitting in the little cars and driving around the zoo.

food

There are some great options for eating at Chester Zoo, from the Bembe food hall which is right by the entrance to June’s Pavilion*, be careful though the pavilion is right next to the Lions enclosure watch they don’t try to eat your dinner, those hungry lions! *June’s Pavilion is named after the daughter of Zoo founder George Mottershead.
We ate in the Bembe food hall and was impressed by the size of the children’s portion, we had pizza and chips and a very tasty chicken curry and you can choose to eat indoors or outside.

the islands

We were one of the first to visit this brand new attraction as it only opened to the public for the first time on 13th July, the Islands are essentially a step into the amazing Indonesian landscape and includes endangered animals and species that originate in these far flung islands, such as the cassowary and warty pig.

Currently only phase one is open and the other islands have a planned opening date of late August or September. Phase one consists of the Islands of Panay, Papua and Sulawesi.
One of our favourite facilities in the Islands was the boat trip, it takes you on a guided tour of the entire area, very relaxing and informative.

You can see from the pictures that a huge amount of time and effort has gone into creating these immense habitats and it is certainly a joy to visit.

a few tips to help you get the most from your visit:

1. Book in advance to beat the queues.
2. If you arrive early head straight to the Islands Boat Tour for reduced waiting times.
3. There is an all-weather picnic facility for a rainy day picnic near the Realm of the Red Ape.
4. It is possible to pre-book picnic boxes.