Dartmoor’s Daughter, Wildwise, and others have been invited to create a weekend of inspiring, fun and interesting activities for children joining ‘TAKE KIDS OUTDOORS’ summer family retreat.
BOOK TODAY using the link here: https://www.meetup.com/Takekidsoutdoors/events/249566121/
Here’s more information - Join us!
Is it possible to have a luxurious yet wild, adventurous yet safe, engaging and relaxing time away with your families, at an affordable price, during school summer holidays? That's exactly what Take Kids Outdoors has curated for our first weekend gateway in Dartmoor, by bringing the best of the sites, attractions and local experts together.
Dartmoor National Park is recognised as one of the UK's finest landscapes, the largest open moor in southern England and a place of remoteness and tranquillity. It has inspired many writers, poets and painters over the centuries, including Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Hound of the Baskervilles which is set against Dartmoor’s dark and brooding landscape. More recently Steven Spielberg set his film War Horse in the vast and spectacular Dartmoor landscape.
Accomodation and Board Basis
- 3 nights stay in luxurious large yurts on sharing basis. The yurts are big enough to accommodate upto 5 adults and an extra cot bed for toddlers. For smaller families, who may not want to share, we also have the option of choosing smaller private yurts that can accommodate 2 people and an extra cot. Prices vary based on number of people sharing, as detailed in the Cost and Payment section.
- Freshly cooked breakfast on 3 mornings
- Two packed lunches
The yurt camp we have chosen offers the ultimate living under the canvas, surrounded by nature without giving quality and comfort. Not surprising that it is often chosen as wedding venue with a difference. The yurts are fully equipped with everything you may require for your stay. They come with full size beds, king size in the large yurts, with warm duvets and pillows. The large yurts also have partitions to create some privacy.
For cooking you have a camping gas stove, and all the pots, pans, crockery and cutlery you require. A cool box with ice packs is provided and the packs can be refreshed from our supply in a deep freeze set aside for that purpose. Tables, chairs, safe candle holders and solar lights/lanterns to light up the dark nights, and a log burner to keep you warm on chilly nights are all provided.
A short walk from our yurts is the toilet and shower block with separate male, female and disabled facilities including toilets, hot showers, hairdryers and mirrors, and plenty of hot water.
Few modern campsites allow fires but here at our chosen campsite loves the crackling of a campfire and the smell of wood smoke in the air. We feel it’s an essential part of your holiday experience and positively encourage you to make a fire in your fire pit and enjoy the primal satisfaction it offers. Many a tale is told and memories made around the campfire.
Very few can resist the lure of cooking dinner on the fire, hence we have consciously chosen not to include dinners in the package. However, in case, you are not feeling up to it on one of the nights, on-site cafe can come in very handy. The proximity to a train station and highway means that you can also explore restaurants and pubs in the nearby villages.
An brief outline of itinerary is as follows. Note that this is suggestive and details will be altered based on the day, weather, group size and age.
Day 1 : Thursday 26th July 2018
Arrive at the accomodation in the afternoon. Check-in. Free time to explore the camp site and surrounding area. There is table tennis, swings and see-saws, a sand pit, a zip wire and a full size woodland assault course for children and adults. There is also a large field on which impromptu games of football and cricket can be played.
If you plan to arrive early, you could also venture a bit further , as there are a lot of family attractions in the vicinity. Such as :
- Pennywell Farm Park (https://www.pennywellfarm.co.uk/) : Approx 9 miles from the campsite
- The Miniature Pony Centre (http://www.miniatureponycentre.com/) : approx 13 miles from the campsite
Day 2 and 3 : Friday 27th July 2018 and Saturday 28th July 2018
We have lined up an array of guided activities for the group. The exact number of activities on the day will vary based on the group size, age, weather etc. But the below examples of activities should give you enough to salivate on :
▪Hikes and walks in the beautiful, wild and historical Dartmoor, with our local expert, rich with references to flora/fauna/wildlife/archeology/myths and legends
▪Treasure hunt, letterboxing/geocaching, Scavenger hunts
▪Woodcraft
▪Making traditional weapons
▪Shelter-building & Den-making
▪Wildlife watching, bat-detecting and bug hunting at night,
▪Wild-fire making
▪Foraging - wild food gathering
▪Bushcarft & Forest Skills
▪Fieldcaft & Nature awareness
▪Storytelling
▪Stargazing
Day 4 : Sunday 29th July 2018
Check out in the morning after breakfast and Visit to Becky Falls Park. Depart for home.
Becky falls park is said to be one of the most beautiful place in Devon - 50 acres of stunning woodlands park and the star attraction, the 70ft high waterfall sitting in a boulder strewn valley with range of family activities.
With such reputation, we had to include a visit as part of the itinerary.
Cost & Payments
Full payment is due a week before the meetup. A deposit of £100pp is due at RSVP.
Based on 5 people sharing a yurt : £170 pp
Based on 4 sharing a yurt : £190 pp
Based on 3 sharing a yurt : £220 pp
Based on 2 people sharing in a small yurt : £230
Children under 2 can share the same yurt, with a small cot can be added in both large and small yurts. No charge for children under 2.
Large yurt - one double bed , 3 single beds, Max capacity - 5 people + 1 infant/toddler in cot
Small yurt - One double bed, Max capacity - 2 people + 1 infant/toddler in cot
What's included in the cost
▪Yurt accommodation
▪Bed Linen
▪Parking at the Yurt camp
▪Sumptuous Breakfast every morning
▪Packed lunch in the afternoon
▪Guided activities on Friday and Saturday as per itinerary.
▪Entrance charges for Becky falls
What's NOT included in the cost
▪Transport to and from the location
▪Transport during the stay
▪Dinner and any other food and groceries not mentioned above.
▪Drinks
▪Any activities/items, attractions, parking not mentioned above
Booking Link: https://www.meetup.com/Takekidsoutdoors/events/249566121/
What to bring
Essential
Comfortable walking clothes & footwear for yourself and your child. This includes
▪Waterproof jacket and trousers in case of rain
▪Warm layers, gloves, hat. Avoid a single thick jacket, as it could get very warm, after walking and running around outdoors.
▪Suitable waterproof footwear is a must. Waterproof hiking shoes or Wellies. No sneakers or trainers will be allowed. Beware that the paths around the river and woodlands can get very muddy.
▪Towels and tea towels
▪Groceries
▪ Matches and firelighters
▪Torches with extra batteries
▪Sunblock, hats and hot weather gear
▪Medicines and personal medication
▪ Paper/plastic bag for rubbish
Optional
▪A telescope for star gazing
▪Folding chairs
▪Books, paints, pens, musical instruments, toys and games
Important to know
If you have signed up to the event you acknowledge the Take kids outdoors Terms and Conditions. ( https://www.meetup.com/Takekidsoutdoors/pages/Terms_and_conditions )
We take safety seriously. Please refer to our safeguarding guide for more information about safeguarding ( https://www.meetup.com/Takekidsoutdoors/pages/Safeguarding_guide_for_group_members )