Hadrian’s Wall - that fine piece of Roman heritage – but how to inspire the children was my dilemma?
Having trawled through the net for many an hour, I was none the wiser as the best course of action. Luckily I was put in contact with a retired teacher who had recently walked the entire length of Hardrian’s Wall for the insider scoop. ‘Housesteads‘ he acclaimed without hesitation, so off we headed to this English Heritage site at Bardon Mill, Northumberland.
Housesteads is the only stretch of Hadrian’s Wall & Roman Fort that you are allowed to walk upon and a fantastic area for children to interact & understand the historical significance of their surroundings. Explore the Romans’s central heating system by weaving between the underfloor pillars or walk underneath the Roman latrines if you dare!
This site is free of charge for English Heritage or National Trust members and well worth a visit!
Time for a visit to Alton Towers on the way through?
Liz
Alton Towers is running a 2 for 1 voucher for facebook fans that is valid until 31 August. Just print off and present to the ticket office at Alton Towers on the day of your visit. For further details, go to discounted tickets for Alton Towers. The small print states only one voucher per transaction so make sure you split up into small parties!
For more deals, discounts an top tips to beat the queues, go to topdogday’s Insider Guide to Alton Towers.
Edinburgh from a height
Edinburgh is a popular visitor destination but you don’t have to spend a fortune to check out the sights in this capital city. Here’s a few handy tips to get you started;
Sightseeing bus tours: instead of forking out for open topped sightseeing buses that will put you back £12 adult ticket, check out an all day ticket on the local buses for just £3. Lothian buses cover the city attractions and are just as convenient at a fraction of the price!
Scottish Parliment: offers free entry as well as free guided tours around the Parliment. These tours provide access to many private areas including the main debating chamber as well as offering a wealth of information around its construction. Pre-booking is required and further information is available at The Scottish Parliment; free guided tours.
Princes Street Gardens: adjacent to Princes Street are the beautifully kept gardens that allows you to get away from the hustle and bustle of a busy city. Enjoy a picnic in the park, (M & S is centrally located within Princes Street), or the play park that will keep the kids amused for an hour.
Carlisle next!
Edinburgh Castle
Edinburgh Castle is the largest visitor attraction for this capital city with 1.2 million visitors each year. Edinburgh Castle dominates the city skyline and certainly worth a visit from a cultural and historic perspective. For cheap tickets to Edinburgh Castle, an Explorer Pass not only offers discounted entry to the castle but offers you a fastrack access that by-passes the long entrance queues.
The Explorer Pass combines flexibility with a discounted price on the vast majority of Scotland’s historic visitor attractions. The Explorer Pass offers ‘free’ entry to over 78 historic/heritage visitor attractions within Scotland over a 5 or 14 day period, (for which your pass is valid on 3 or 7 days respectively.). So if you wish to combine Edinburgh Castle with Stirling Castle, Glasgow Cathedral or Urquhart Castle, it’s worth checking out the Explorer Pass.
One top tip for Edinburgh Castle to pass on – do the dungeons last as the exit takes you away from the castle grounds. Keep an eye out for the dog’s cemetary and 1000 year old throne too.
Liz
The CairnGorm Mountain is the sixth highest mountain in the UK and we felt it was time for a climb whatever the weather! The CairGorm was an obvious choice with a funicular railway to start you on your way combined with the recently introduced walk to the top guided tours.
We were lucky enough to be one of the first to experience this guided tour to the top of the CairGorms and one that I can thoroughly recommend. Previously, the trip in the CairnGorm funicular railway meant you were unable to the leave the indoor holding station. These guided tours offer you the opportunity to explore the mountain to its summit with an experienced guider to assist and inform on your ascent/descent. The tours, @the top, are running as part of a pilot scheme over the summer months but must be booked in advance either online or on the day if space is available.
For a deal on CairnGorm funicular railway, pick up the visitscotland discount brochure called ‘ A Perfect Day from tourist offices.’ Within you will find deals and offers for visitor attractions around Scotland including a Buy One Funicular Railway one day ticket and get the second half price.
Off to Edinburgh next!
Liz
Planning a budget break to Alton Towers this summer, then consider a local camp site to keep costs down. Being local also has the added bonus of ensuring you will be at the front of the queues as the park opens or even better taking advantage of Early Ride Time.
Check out two of the very best close to Alton Towers:
Quarry Walk Campsite; set within secluded woodlands, fun for all the family. There are even lodges to rent with their own hot tubs if camping is not your style!
Star Camping & Caravan Park; just one mile from Alton Towers, catering for families & ‘mature-minded’ couples with facilities to match.
Looking for deals, discounts and tips to beat the queues, have a read of our Insider Guide to Alton Towers including the low down on Early Ride Time!
Liz
Looking for cheap tickets to Thorpe Park for July or August? Check out these current deals for Thorpe Park:
Ginsters Pies; are offering 2 for 1 on Thorpe Park tickets on special promotional packs. Although the promotional packs finish on 2 August, the vouchers are valid through the summer.
Persil washing powder; also offering 2 for 1 vouchers for Thorpe Park on promotional packs..got to wash the clothes anyway!
Burger King; continue to offer 50% discount vouchers for Thorpe Park with every Burger King meal, (ideal if there is an odd number in your party)
Group deals; Thorpe Park are keen to offer discounts to groups of more than 7, (you don’t need to be in the Scouts, a group of mates will do!) Check out Thorpe Park’s current group deals to see how much you can save.
Remember our Insider Guide to Thorpe Park for the low down on all the deals, discounts and tips to beat the queues.
Alton Towers have plenty of deals running during the school holidays, check these vouchers out:
Ginster’s pies and pasties; 2 for 1 vouchers for Alton Tower enclosed within the product. Whilst promotion ends on 2 August, the vouchers are valid through the summer.
Persil washing products; running 2 for 1 vouchers for Alton Towers with purchase of special packs of Persil.
Burger King; receive a 50% off voucher for Alton Towers with every purchase of a Burger King meal. These are particularly useful when you have an odd number in your party.
Moneysupermarket.com; offering a 2 for 1 voucher for Alton Towers for use up to 31 July if you are planning a trip soon!
For more offers, discounts and deals for Alton Towers as well as tips to beat the queues, check out our Insider Guide to Alton Towers.
Liz
Urquhart Castle on Loch Ness
Loch Ness for day two of our tour from John O’Groats to Lands End in search of the Loch Ness Monster! So off we headed to Drumnadrochit to locate Nessie in the deep waters of Loch Ness. To our disappointment the five star Loch Ness Centre exhibition does its utmost to dissuade you of the legend that brings folks to the area, (although the gift shop you exit through is jammed packed of Nessie souvenirs much to our annoyance.)
However back on the Nessie search, a boat tour organised by the adjoining hotel, was well worth taking. Combining breathtaking scenery, with information about the Loch whilst remaining vigilant for that elusive monster..there is something for everyone on this tour.
In terms of deals for Scotland, it’s well worth investing in an Explorer Pass that combines flexibility with a discounted price on the vast majority of Scotland’s historic visitor attractions. The Explorer Pass offers ‘free’ entry to over 78 historic/heritage visitor attractions within Scotland over a 5 or 14 day period, (for which your pass is valid on 3 or 7 days respectively.) So if you are considering Edinburgh Castle, Stirling Castle or Glasgow Cathedral to name but few, it’s worth checking out the Explorer Pass to bag a bargain on the way.
We opted for Urquhart Castle today that stands on Loch Ness and offers spectacular views and fun for all the family rolled into one. With areas to explore, hidden walkways and narrow spiral staircases into dungeons and ascending to aerial platforms, it’s not dissimilar to a Go Ape course within castle grounds!
Off to the Cairngorms next!
Off to John O’Groats we went in recognition that more people than ever are opting for a domestic break away. Filling up at both Tesco & BP on route, even the journey helped us to build up those cruical clubcard & Nectar points!
It’s always worth stopping off at services stations along the way – not just to top up on coffee but to check out the tourist offices for promotional leaflets that often include those valuable discount vouchers! The staff at the Carlisle tourist office were very helpful and, once aware of our itenerary, were able to produce offers and discounts vouchers that will prove very useful along the way.
So after a twelve hours of travelling we arrived at John O’Groats – too late for the official photograph by the classic signpost, (which incidentally the photographer kindly takes with him at the end of his day), we made use of the many free John O’Groats signs and sent a couple of postcodes that will pick up the world famous postmark. After cheering on the guys undertaking the charity John O’Groats to Lands End cycle ride, off to Wick we went.
Liz
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