Visit one of the most traditional attractions in the Isle of Wight, a charming and very realistic model village! Godshill Model Village is located on the picturesque Isle of Wight and is not far from our brand new redevelopment Woodside Bay Lodge Retreat! One of the best things about the island is that everything is within around a 20 minute drive away, making Woodside Bay the perfect base for your Isle of Wight adventures!

a family business

Godshill Model Village is family run business, purchased in the late 1960’s by Robin Thwaites it was in desperate need of some TLC and repair. Robin’s vision and keen eye for detail has set the standard and his daughter Penny, along with Stuart are both just as passionate! Surrounding themselves with a fantastic team they aim to give every customer a wonderful nostalgic experience.

models galore

The model village is set in the grounds of the old vicarage and when you walk in you will see a perfect scale replica of Godshill village. The models are a 1/10th scale version of real buildings in Godshill, as well as Shanklin Old Village and Chine, two of the oldest tourist towns on the island, you will find all the houses, cottages, shops and pubs in real life as you wander around the village. You’ll see the model of All Saints Church proudly overlooking the cottages, just like the real one on top of the hill, and if you stand in exactly the right spot you can see the real church and the model church below it. All the models are made with sand and cement so they weather with age, and they are even thatched like the real buildings using authentic materials and methods. With attention to detail at the heart of the model village, it comes as no surprise they have one of the most detailed landscaped gardens, with over 3,000 ornamental shrubs and many of the trees being coarse bonsai trees, treated to maintain their scale (coarse bonsai means they aren’t planted in pots, who knew?). You’ll need to visit to truly see how amazing it all is!

Drop into the shop that has a great range of products, a helpful and friendly team as well as toys, party bag ideas, nautical themed and unusual gifts. And if you find yourself a little peckish grab a bite to eat, and a cup of tea in the café!

The Isle of Wight has plenty to offer this half term, breathtaking scenery, fascinating wildlife, a singing cowboy and delicious food! Woodside Coastal Retreat is a beautiful retreat on the coast of the solent, with stunning scenery, outstanding accommodation and perfectly placed to reach all the areas of the island easily. The Isle of Wight is always teeming with events and half term is no different, here are a few to look at…

mottistone manor house open day

Where: Mottistone Manor & Gardens
When: 29th May

This is a very rare opportunity to see the inside of the family home, it is actually only open to the public two days a year! This historic home has many secrets waiting to be discovered, either on a guided tour in the morning or by making your own way around later on. Don’t forget to take a stroll around the Mottistone Gardens while you are there, it has unrivalled beauty with a huge variety of colourful flowers and plants.

half term cowboy showdown

Where: Blackgang Chine
When: 28th May – 5th June

Make sure to visit and see some real wild west shenanigans and make sure to watch out for outlaws Rattlesnake Jake and his gang! They will be running from Sheriff Roscoe, roaming around the town and interacting with visitors and causing lots of trouble! There will be live performances every day, including shoot outs, explosions and even a bank robbery, so make sure to take cover! Join in on the Cowboy training school to improve your skills and learn how to ‘quick draw’ like a pro! With a BBQ serving real cowboy food and even a singing Deputy, you are sure to have a rootin’ tootin’ time!

half term squawks olympics

Where: Robin Hill Country Park
When: 28th May – 5th June

Robin Hill Country Park will have all the fun rides and attractions it normally does, but over half term join the cheeky squawks, Bonita and Diaz, as they host the Squawks Olympics! With fun team games including the Squawk Splash Attack, with organised water bomb battles and water balloon challenges! Then pick a team, either Bonita or Diaz, and bounce your way through the fun Squawks Hopper Challenge, tackling the giant inflatables knockout course! And with falconry displays and a tasty BBQ there is something for everyone!

Have a fun filled half term and happy adventuring!

Our most southerly park has stunning scenery, beautiful accommodation and the area has plenty to offer this half term…

Mullion Cove Coastal Retreat is surrounded by magical meadows in the South Cornwall area, just a short drive away from the breathtaking Lizard Lighthouse, the most southerly point in mainland UK, and the outstanding beauty of the Helston harbour.

Using Mullin Cove as your base you can explore all that South Cornwall has to offer this half term and here are a few ideas to help you along…

don’t wake the fish

Where: The Gurnard’s Head
When: 27th – 29th May

Enjoy a chilled atmosphere in a weekend of arts, music, food and real ales! This family friendly festival has amazing live music from The Odd Folk who are firm favourites here, also from Kathryn Joesph, who won Album of the Year Scotland 2015, and with DJ Noah keeping the party going into the early hours. Taking the little’uns? Drop into the Little Urchins tent and learn all about the Cornish wildlife and enjoy some fantastic performance art. With hat and mask making, as well as yoga and soft play areas for toddlers too. A true family friendly festival!

half term explorations

Where: The Cotehele
When: 29th May – 4th June

Outdoor family fun for half term! There will be something different on everyday at Cotehele, from crafts, creating wild art, having a dip in the pond to even making paper from scratch! (how cool is that?!)

geekfest

Where: Heartlands
When: 4th & 5th June

Heartlands seems to be the Geek capital of Cornwall! A while weekend of activities and events perfect for anyone who loves TV, movies, comics, gamers and amazing cosplay! With the Scooby Doo Mystery Machine and Ghostbusters cars on hand for a selfie this is a perfect family day out. A fantastic Jedi Fight Academy will be taking place and is hosted by a stunt double from Star Wars: The Phantom Menace. With loads of goodies to buy from the stalls, toys, comics, bags, t-shirts and mugs (that zombie mug is mine…) So all you LARPERS unite, don your best cosplay outfit and enter the competition!

Have a blast this half term and happy adventuring!

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2016 is Wales’ Year of Adventure, a country that is incredibly diverse in it’s offering and has adventure right on your doorstep! Aberconwy Resort & Spa is located in the heart of the Conwy Valley, with the beautiful Conwy Morfa beach just a stones throw away and the spectacular Snowdonia Mountain Range as a backdrop. It perfectly presents some of the best adventures you can have along the Welsh coastline.

mountain walking

Wales has endless mountains to scale, including the famous Mount Snowdonia. But for a determined walker who isn’t looking for a huge challenge, the Great Orme in Llandudno is the perfect place to start. Beautiful views of the coastline and town at the summit you won’t regret your choice! (You can even get the tram back down)

Surf Snowdonia

One of the worlds first surfing lagoons Surf Snowdonia offers lessons for all ages and abilities from their expert tutors. As well as the hugely fun Crash and Splash, jump on to the crash mat and splash straight into the lagoon! With the Wavegarden seating and café after you’ve had your epic water adventure grab a bite and spectate!

King Arthur’s Labyrinth

An underground adventure beneath the mountains in Southern Snowdonia. Join a mysterious hooded boatman and enter a new world through a magical waterfall, all underground! Learn all about the Dark Ages, ,myths and magic at this magical story telling adventure.

Beacon climbing Centre

An awesome indoor climbing centre that caters to all ages and abilities! Fancy a spot of mountain climbing but the weather isn’t on your side? No problem, drop into the Beacon Climbing Centre and get your fix! Try out their one of a kind CrazyClimb experience, with 12 different challenges its climbing as you’ve never experienced it before!

Bounce Below

One of the first of its kind, this vast slate cavern is covered with giant trampolines and nets across it for the ultimate adventure! With an underground zip line, net tunnels, slides and walkways you will have endless fun here!

Porth Eirias

Located along the promenade at Colwyn Bay, Porth Eirias is the epicentre for water sports on the North Wales coast. With a vibrant community the centre offers lessons in surfing, sailing and wind surfing, as well as power boating and even canoe and kayak hiring available! There will be something for everyone here; including enjoying the stunning beach and surrounding scenery.

Zip World

Gaining international acclaim for Zip World Velocity, which includes a pair of zip lines 500ft off the ground and can reach up to 100mph! They also opened the first 4 person zip line in Europe calling it Zip World Titan! Zip World has made North Wales the zip-line capital of the world! High velocity fun that will give all thrill seekers a high flying adventure!

RibRide Adventure Boat Trips

The fast and fun guide to the natural history of Anglesey, offering an unbeatable adventure you can chose either the RibRide adventure along the Menai Strait, or the exciting Bear Grylls adventure tour to the islands and high cliffs around Anglesey. Visit the seal and puffin island and experience a new view of Beaumaris Castle.

Zip World Forest

Located in the beautiful oak woodland of Betws-y-Coed this amazing and adventurous forest is perfect for both children and adults! Playing 9 meters high in the tree tops you can try the zip rides, including zip safari, the plummet or even the skyride, are you brave enough? With giant trampolines, walkways, slides and tunnels all made of netting, and surrounded by 3 meter high netting walls, there is no need for harnesses. You will feel Tarzarn in this woodland tree top adventure!

Paintball Wales

The ultimate paintball and laser tag experience near the picturesque town of Llanberis, and just at the foot of the magical Mount Snowdonia. Centrally located in Warrior Woods you will have the paintball adventure of a lifetime, navigating the trees and assault courses for the best thrill!

Go Below underground adventures

A completely different underground experience at Go Below, you will navigate the huge caverns through zip wires, ladders, bridges, waterfalls and magical underground boat rides on forgotten lakes. Sure to excite the thrill seeker in you and suitable for everyone, with no squeezing through small spaces you will have one of the best days of your life here!

So there are just a handful (11 to be exact) of amazing adventures you can get up to here in North Wales! There is so much on offer here you are sure to find your epic in the breath taking Welsh countryside!

Go find your epic & happy adventuring!

A taste of the good life at Langley’s Country Club in Darwin Escapes’ Aberconwy Resort & Spa. You could enjoy access to a first class gym and even get your own personal trainers when you take advantage of the newly renovated facilities at the stunning Aberconwy Resort & Spa.

Our 5 star gym in Conwy is the talk of the town and available exclusively to holiday home owners at Aberconwy as well as our much valued gym members. Here you will gain access to our standard gym alongside the state of the art contours gym, our breathtaking new pool as well as tranquil hot tub facilities so that you can chill out after a workout.

Personal trainers Jonathan and Ross have created a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere at Langleys, a place where total beginners to the fitness world, as well as experienced gym buddies, will feel at home and comfortable. Watch the video above to learn more about the Country Club, as well as the two very lovely trainers Jonathan and Ross:

join the club

For information on memberships at the most exclusive health club in North Wales please don’t hesitate to get in touch. Alternatively you can book a no obligation tour by chatting to a friendly member of our team on 01492 572032.

Spending your half term in the Cornish seaside? Newquay is teeming with family friendly events…

Piran Meadows has lots on this half term with a jam packed Go Active programme, splash zone and fun play areas all on site! But if you wanted to venture out to the local area, Newquay is only a short drive away and is an epicentre for family fun!

Here are a few top choice events on over the half term holidays

way out west

When: 1st – 5th June

Traditional wild west festival, wonderful live music and perfect family fun! With some of the UK’s most sought after bands, including the lovely Laura Graham, a rising star, and the Texas Tornados, who were nominated Band of the Year at the BCMA’s! There will be tons of competitions to chance your luck, raffles and auctions, as well as a really fun dog show, so the fur-baby can get involved too! Family fun with western music and a super fun open mic night!

hero’s week

Where: Crealy Adventure Theme Park
When: 28th May – 5th June

Crealy Adventure Theme Park is one of Cornwall’s top attractions, and for one week only it’s hosting its own Hero’s Week! With all the usual attractions on to entertain and you may even catch a glimpse of special guests, including Wonder Woman, Batman and even Superman! You’ll get the chance to create your very own hero with the ‘Design a Hero’ competition running all week, and a children’s annual membership up for grabs! Great family fun in Newquay at Crealy’s!

tunes in the dunes

Where: Perranpath Beach
Where: 27th – 29th May

Back by popular demand, Tunes in the Dunes is in its second year, taking place on the golden sands of Perranporth Beach with the breathtaking backdrop of scenic cliffs! A one of a kind event, the two day festival gives you the chance to enjoy an ice cold beverage a stone’s throw away from the ocean, while dancing to the fantastic live music. In association with the British Longboard Championships, you’ll get the chance to see the UK’s best longboarders battle it out in the surf for the crown! Headliners at the Tunes in the Dunes include James Morrison and Dizzie Rascal!

Have an amazing half term and happy adventuring!

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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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Take trip down maritime memory lane with the The Shipwreck Centre and Maritime Museum in the Isle of Wight, a fun family day out! There is something for everyone at this thriving exhibition of maritime history; The Shipwreck Centre is located in the Isle of Wight at the wonderful Arreton Barns Craft Village so there really is something for everyone there! With gold treasures, antique equipment and thousands of exciting relics to feast your eyes on!

pirates, gold & a merman?

The Shipwreck Centre’s collection is one of the largest in the UK and is bursting with treasures of the deep sea! Marvel at the Spanish gold and silver from the hidden depths and shipwrecks from around the coastline, take a trip to the past and see the antique diving equipment that would still work today! Feast your eyes on the thousands of relics in the museum, from the exciting Pirates famous ‘Pieces of Eight’ to the strange, wonderful and life-questioning discovery of the ‘Merman’. There are also fun games for the children at the museum, (just in case a Merman isn’t enough…) the free activities include the treasure hunt and pirate trail worksheets, as well as crack the code and knotting activities, as a bonus for them all activities come with a free prizes at the end!

The collection was created by owner Martin Woodward who has been a professional diver since the 1960’s, and with decades of experience he has literally dived on hundreds of shipwrecks. Diving in and around the Isle of Wight, as well as other locations worldwide, scouring the coastlines and shipwrecks for their hidden secrets and treasures to share with us all in his wonderfully fascinating museum. He first put his collection on display in 1978 and has been adding more relics over the decades, and after 28 years in Bembridge the museum was moved to the Craft Village in 2006, surrounding itself in good company on this thriving complex.

lifeboats too!

Check out the adjoin Lifeboat Museum and see the original rescue service boats from the Bembridge Lifeboat Station, you can learn the history of the station which dates back to 1867. You can even see the famously historic Queen Victoria RNLI lifeboat from 1887, she has featured in numerous re-enactments and events worldwide since her loving restoration in 1998.

So the next time you are visiting us at Woodside Coastal Retreat, pop along and visit Martin at The Shipwreck Centre and relive the golden age of shipwrecks, pirates and treasure diving (it’s really nothing like that Paul Walker movie ‘Blue Crush’). You will learn about the many sad and tragic stories of shipwrecks, as well as about the magical and mysterious wonders of the deep blue sea.

This family run zoo has a rags to riches tale, and is now one of the most important and knowledgeable zoos that specialise in tigers and lemurs. The Isle of Wight Zoo, known originally as Sandown Zoo for the beach it is located on, came into existence in the 1950’s and was originally very popular. However by the 1970’s the zoo had fallen into disrepair with The Sunday Times calling it “the slum zoo of Britain”, it was on the verge of closure, but this national panning was ultimately its lifeline.

Drawing the attention for a very successful businessman, who took over the zoo in 1976, and still owns it to this day, the zoo under his stewardship has gone from strength to strength, regenerating and innovating new facilities for both guests and animals, it has firmly established itself as a centre for wild animal management and conservation!

care, conservation & education

Built within the ruins of an old Victorian Fort, the zoo faces one of the islands most beautiful beaches and back in the day the zoo was locally famous for walking its tiger cubs along the beach front. Nowadays, however, they are more focused on taking care of older tigers and giving them a happy retirement, with their fundamental values being care, conservation and education.

Every single person who works or volunteers at the zoo makes a contribution to the animal’s welfare, from maintenance and horticultural staff who take care of the enclosures, to the vets who look after them and the keepers who specialise in that animal and take the time to get to really know them, and what makes them tick. The Isle of Wight Zoo funds projects in India and Madagascar, as well as participating in the European Endangered Species Breeding programme for some of the Madagascan animals, all helping the global conservation efforts. As well as taking trips out to local classrooms, hosting school trips and guided tours all helping to educated people about conservation and making the experience a fantastic interactive one for everyone!

meet the animals

On your visit go and meet Casper, (not the ghost), the strikingly beautiful pale lion! Casper is a rare white lion who was born snow white, and as he has aged he is now a beautiful pale blond colour, he is in his prime and likes to tell everyone with is very impressive roar. His half sister Frosty will also be around, and lovely lady Nahla too.

Specialising in tigers the zoo is home to 5 of them, with 2 having backgrounds in the circus. Lola was rescued from a French circus along with her brother Sultan who sadly passed away a couple of years ago. The other tiger rescued from a circus in German was Simi who arrived at the zoo relatively recently in January 2016.

The zoo doesn’t currently breed from the tigers as they don’t know about the bloodlines, they are also a little bit too old and breeding white tigers is not ethical practice due to inbreeding and genetic health problems. However the tigers are very well cared for and the keepers know all their own individual quirks and personalities. For example Aysha is small in stature but big in personality, she greets her favourite keepers and then never leaves them alone, she gives lots of affection and endless purring!  Zena and sister Zia are polar opposites, Zena is a tomboy who shows no regard for her beautiful rare white coat, often jumping in muddy puddles and bouncing on her hind legs to ‘bite’ a jet of water from the hosepipe!

Zia is often seen relaxing and looking down ready to pose for all pictures, never hair out of place on her pale coat, although she isn’t as bouncy as her sister, she is still a loveable character, on her terms. Zena is a great spokescat for tigers, who creates the most impact, she is a sharp contrast in personality, between the loveable, overgrown kitten and the cat who could literally obliterate your existence in seconds if she chooses – lucky she’s fond of her keepers! Zena has actually lost an eye to glaucoma, a genetic problem caused by inbreeding, but it does nothing to take away from her beauty and stunning markings.

bank holiday weekend

This Bank Holiday weekend (1st May 2016) the zoo has partnered with the National Poo Musuem, and together they are hosting a ‘Really Wild About Poo’ event with BBC Springwatch host Chris Packham.

It is widely known that Chris has a fairly extensive collection of animal excrement, with his most precious being his giant tortoise poo! Chris has said he is “greatly looking forward to sharing my poo passion” and will even have a fun ‘Really Wild About Poo’ quiz ready for you to join in too! Pop along this Bank Holiday to the Isle of Wight Zoo and learn all about the Sloth’s infamous poo dance (once a week!) and many other fascinating facts!

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.