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The Smaller Explorer

family travel and adventure

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Category:

Beach

Great beaches for the family to discover and explore, plus adventurous activities you can enjoy on the beach.

30 Days Wild day 2: Crabbing in Walberswick
BeachEnvironmentSuffolkUK

30 Days Wild day 2: Crabbing in Walberswick

Another activity I’ve not yet tried with my kids is crabbing, and Walberswick estuary in Suffolk is one of the best places to do it, so off we went for day 2 of our 30 Days Wild challenge. Walberswick is the capital of crabs – the British Open Crabbing Champs are held here every year, so it’s a serious pastime for some.

Walberswick is an idyllic village at the end of a dead end road off the A12. It’s a celebrity haven too with Richard Curtis and Emma Freud having a home here as well as Keira Knightley (I think, don’t quote me – I’m no pap!) and you can see why. It’s picture perfect, and feels like a safe haven away from the rest of the world. The village is pretty buzzy, with two great pubs right by the coast, a shop, deli, two cafes and sweet playground set on the village green. The beach is shingly golden sand, set behind shallow dunes and by a line of black beach huts, and the estuary is filled with folk looking for crabs. You can even hop on a rowing boat ferry for a two minute journey across to the popular seaside town of Southwold if you want more shops.

Crabbing in Walberswick, boys look at crab in bucket

Our first catch!

Crabbing in Walberswick, crab in a bucket

The huge crab we found

To go crabbing you need bait (usually bacon rind) attached to a weighted line, a net, bucket half filled with seawater,  bit of seaweed and stones; and some patience. Pick a spot and throw your bait and line in then wait for the crabs to find it. Slowly pull up your line, catch your crab in your net then plop into the bucket to inspect. If you are brave you can pick them up safely with thumb and fingers either side of their body (we weren’t!). Return crabs slowly into the water once you’ve taken a look. Don’t leave the crabs in for too long, don’t overcrowd your bucket and don’t leave them in the heat, and you’ll have some happy crabs.

Crabbing was so popular with my boys that we had to return not twice but three times to try our luck again. We caught a couple of small crabs on our first and third day and a whopper on our second. It only took a couple of minutes for them to come searching for food, but it can take longer so be prepared. Someone also told me that it can help to move the bait slowly across the floor.

Whitstable is another place in the southeast where you can go crabbing (though we were not successful there – I think we chose the wrong spot).

Crabbing in Walberswick

June 3, 2019 2 comments
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Fun things to do in Northumberland with kids
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Fun things to do in Northumberland with kids

We spent the week of October half term in Northumberland. I’ve always wanted to visit this stunning part of the country. I had visions of windswept moors, deserted beaches and castles at every turn, and it didn’t disappoint. We visited as a family of three generations so it was important we did things that catered for all ages. Here’s a round-up of fun things to do in Northumberland with kids.

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November 26, 2018 1 comment
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The most beautiful UK beaches for families
BeachEnvironmentUK

The most beautiful UK beaches for families

What an amazingly hot summer we’ve had this year, and a fab opportunity to enjoy our best family beaches in the UK. And there’s still the promise of a glorious autumn to make the most of our spectacular coastline. In fact, these beaches are so lovely they are perfect to visit any time of the year. I actually really love going in the depths of winter, when you’re likely to have to whole place to yourself. I’ve chosen these beaches as the best family beaches in the UK because they tick both adults and kids boxes – family-friendly, with good access, possible refreshments or activities and shallow waters or weak currents, but also just so beautiful with gorgeous surroundings and, hopefully, fairly peaceful too.

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September 5, 2018 4 comments
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Family day trip to France itinerary: where to go, what not to miss
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Family day trip to France itinerary: where to go, what not to miss

We had so much fun on our first family day trip to France. Here’s our itinerary and what we got up to. I’d thoroughly recommend staying overnight (camping!) if you can as there is so much to see and do, but a day is still plenty of time to enjoy what the Northern French coast has to offer. 

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August 29, 2018 8 comments
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Dorset with kids: family beach guide
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Dorset with kids: family beach guide

Dorset with kids is a must-do holiday. Dorset has always appealed to me as a fantastic UK holiday destination, particularly now with kids (it’s not called the Jurassic Coast for nothing). Plus who needs to fly abroad in summer with this gorgeous weather in England?!  Here’s my itinerary for families who want to enjoy the best of coastal Dorset with kids. 

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July 16, 2018 1 comment
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Mauritius: Heritage Le Telfair Resort and Spa review
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Mauritius: Heritage Le Telfair Resort and Spa review

The five-star Heritage Le Telfair Resort and Spa had a refurbishment in 2017. The suites have been upgraded, and there is now a baby club on offer – one of the few resorts in Mauritius that offers this service. We took our four year old and one year old there to try it out. Was it worth the trip? Here’s our Heritage Le Telfair review.

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June 22, 2018 1 comment
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The secret Isle of Wight campsite you’ll want to visit
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The secret Isle of Wight campsite you’ll want to visit

What a weekend. I feel like I’ve just come back from a week abroad. We took a spontaneous trip over to the Isle of Wight on Bank Holiday Saturday as the weather was so perfect. We found the perfect Isle of Wight campsite, went orienteering (aka ‘mountain climbing’ according to my son), splashed at the beach, ate ice cream, and went for a bike ride in the New Forest on the way home. I am now completely in love with the Isle of Wight. Why haven’t I been before?

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May 14, 2018 8 comments
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Adventure after parenthood: Catherine Edsell
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Adventure after parenthood: Catherine Edsell

Part of why I set up The Smaller Explorer was to connect with like-minded families. There’s nothing like chatting with others who have managed to do something amazing after having children. It’s so inspiring, and also gives me loads of ideas of what I could do in the future too, and how to do it.

This series hopes to inspire other families who want to get back out there after parenthood, but don’t quite know where to start, or if it’s possible. There was only one lady I could start with – Catherine Edsell.  Catherine is an adventurer, expedition leader, PADI divemaster, Reef Check trainer, yoga teacher, FRGS, TED talker, podcaster and mother of two daughters. Phew.

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May 9, 2018 1 comment
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Family winter sun in Dubai
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Family winter sun in Dubai

Dubai’s the winter destination of choice for families desperate for a glimpse of sunlight to warm their weary bodies and minds. It’s safe, warm and convenient but does this actually translate into boring, artificial and sterile? We took our very young children there in early November to see what we thought. 

‘It’s not the first place on my bucket list’, admitted my husband. ‘But then watching Mr Tumble never used to be my TV programme of choice either.’ Life changes when you become parents, and somewhat lacking in sleep and gaining in dark circles under the eyes, we just wanted a holiday break that was straightforward and gave us a bit of sunshine. Our expectations were low. We thought Dubai would be, whisper it, a little classless and brash, but we needed some respite, and fast. So, like nearly 15 million other tourists, we chose Dubai.

Dubai’s fortunes have grown quickly, and exponentially. In 1966 oil was discovered, which set the path for rapid commercial growth. 12 lane roads sit adjacent to sky-high mega buildings. Billboard adverts litter the sidewalks. Impossibly glamorous Arabian and ex pat women exchange credit cards for glossy carrier bags filled with expensive goods. Everywhere shouts materialism. Dubai is obsessed with style and product and is not ashamed to shout about it from the rooftop. Building construction has been somewhat uncontrollable. Dubai does not do small. It has the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa, and the world’s largest shopping mall, naturally.

We took a taxi (cheap compared to how much other things cost in Dubai) from the Palm, where we were based, to downtown Dubai to visit the Burj Khalifa and Dubai Mall. Every day from 6pm until 11pm a fountain display (world’s largest of course) can be seen in front of the Khalifa. Our children were enthralled by this five minute display. They also loved just absorbing the sights in the Mall. Like the U.K, but bigger, and better. Shinier. Cleaner. Friendlier. Noses pressed flat on the glass wall entrance of the Aquarium watching the sand tiger sharks and stingrays (also, one of the largest in the world and housed in the Mall). For older children, there’s plenty more to keep them entertained. An Olympic-size ice rink, a 22-screen cinema. Theme parks, waterparks, Legoland, Kidzania.

Yet, Dubai is not all fashion and themeparks. If you are feeling active Kite Beach is a great spot for both children and adults. Skating, trampolines, playgrounds and unsurprisingly kite surfing are on offer here. There’s also the option to escape the glitz and glamour and head out into the desert to rough it under the stars in the Hajar mountains, ride camels and sandboard down orange-gold dunes.

Satisfied we had seen the main tourist attraction, we retreated to our resort for the rest of our holiday, and made the most of the weather, the surroundings and the outstanding service. Dubai knows how to do resorts. Our resort was Asian in style and architecture, with a sublime spa and a choice of accommodation from cosy whitewashed poolside cabins to 2-bedroom suites with spectacular views of the Dubai skyline.

We had a range of quality restaurants with different world cuisines from Mediterranean to Chinese to choose from, though we stuck to the all-you-can eat buffet. The kids could choose what they wanted, they could get up and down numerous times without impatient sighs coming from other tables, and best of all, there was a kid’s club on site. It meant my husband and I could relax and look forward to eating great food without rushing or worrying that our children were causing havoc. That alone was worth paying for. Service was brilliant, with waiters refreshing our drinks regularly, and clearing up endless piles of mess made by children.

Young children are easily amused, and so lazy days were spent by the huge lagoon-shaped poolside (shallow with sand brought in and palm trees to create shade) or in the kid’s club. My children adored the staff and activities here. The staff were amazing with children and genuinely seemed enthusiastic about their jobs. Under 4s have to be accompanied by an adult but once they reach four you can leave them with staff for a few hours, which I would definitely be happy to do, given the quality of care given. Come sunset, we would all meander a few metres to the beach, order a cocktail and watch the red liquid sun set under the calm waters of the Arabian gulf.

Dubai is one massive theme park/shopping mall with a sprinkling of beach. It’s materialistic, upfront and artificial and there is no escaping this. Yet, this is also what makes it a rather fascinating place to visit as there is nowhere else like it. We were surprisingly charmed by Dubai’s unabashed need to do everything on a large scale and we had a fantastic time because of the level of care we received and the genuine friendliness we felt from people we met. In fact the biggest thing really about Dubai is its heart. If you embrace the country for what it is you can expect a warm welcome from your Dubai hosts.

When to go

November to March is considered the best time to go as the weather is warm but not uncomfortably so.

Where to stay

Take your pick from budget to luxury. We stayed on The Palm at the child-friendly Anantara Resort, from £225pn.

Essential details

Flight time from London airports takes between 7-8 hours, which just about manageable for young children, particularly if they have the treat of on flight entertainment.

Dubai is 4 hours ahead of GMT, which means some jet lag is inevitable but not excessive.

Currency is the Dirham. Rates are 4.82AED to 1GBP (November 2017). A pint of beer typically costs 40AED.

Dais Like These
February 5, 2018 6 comments
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Is Littlehampton the best sandy beach on the south coast?
BeachExplore

Is Littlehampton the best sandy beach on the south coast?

So long summer! You left so soon, like an affronted guest forced to sit next to boring uncle Albert at the wedding party.

But while you partied, we joined in. Though we nearly forgot. This trip down to the beach, and our first and only, took place a couple of weeks ago, just as we realised your swan song was near.

Littlehampton appears to be one of the nearest sandy beaches to where I live, hence the visit there. Freddie has not been to a sandy beach before. He took a while to warm up, unsure of what on earth seaweed was, and what this strange yellowy squishy stuff was beneath his feet. But then he loved it. He became more adventurous in the water too, going deeper into the waves then rushing back as the water came in – lovely to watch.

Unfortunately Littlehampton doesn’t have much else going for it other than it’s beautiful beach. An air of provincial despair seems to hang around the town, and even blows down to the seafront at times.

A small motor railway trundles up and down the seafront carrying miserable-looking grandparents and toddlers. I was probably that miserable-looking mother that they talked about when they got home and bitched about their day.

I lie. One other saviour of Littlehampton is the East Beach Cafe, a piece of architectural delight. Freddie and I sat outside with a plate of chips fending off seagulls and watching the sea. East Beach Cafe was designed and built locally. All the food is local. However it feels like a beached whale here – it should be happier somewhere like Cape Cod or Newquay. Sorry Littlehampton.

Summers are for the beach, but next year we’ll be partying at some other seaside.

February 5, 2018 0 comment
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About

About

for families who like to explore

The Smaller Explorer is a blog for adventurous families. I search out the best of what's out there that's fun for kids AND adults (and maybe a bit of a break from the norm), plus provide lots of achievable ideas for exploring and having adventures in the UK and overseas.

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the smaller explorer is an online magazine for adventurous parents. We search out the best of what's out there that's fun for kids AND adults, plus provide lots of achievable ideas for exploring and having adventures in the UK and overseas.

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