Dorset Self Catering

[bea]

any recs please for summer hols... close to beach and lots to do for 2 - 5 yr olds...
Ta!

[fortyplus]

We once stayed on a caravan park called 'Sandhills' just on the outskirts of Christchurch. I was very anti the mobile home idea but it was great - a small site with a kids' club and outdoor pools. Everyone there either had young kids or was an old retired person, all of whom seemed to love having children about. They have a website - they're part of a very small group of about 5 parks I think.
The park fronts the sea one way you go to a sand & shingle beach, the other down to Mudeford Quay where there is a pub (not child friendly but you can sit at tables outside). You can catch a little ferry across to Mudeford Sandbank - sandy beach. There is a 'Noddy train' to take you through the sandbanks and nature reserve to Hengistbury Head.
A short drive away is Moors Valley Country Park - kids' paradise with steam train, excellent sandy play area and play trail in the woods with really imaginative wooden play equipment. There's also a 'tree top trail' where you go along a walkway through the tree canopy (perfectly safe & solid but you'd have to carry your push chair if you still use one)

[bea]

thanks fortyplus...

c'mon.. there must be more of you who holiday in the dorset area!!!???

[amynnixmum]

There's a place called Rockley Park in Poole that is supposed to be good. I'm sure they'll have a website. Newlands Holiday Park in Charmouth is good. Its too busy for our tastes in the summer but then we like the quiet sites. It has an indoor and outdoor pool plus a big bar area, restuarant and take away and nightly entertainment and kids clubs in the summer.

[fortyplus]

Have also been to Rockley Park - didn't like it at all! It's ENORMOUS - must be about 1500 mobile homes there. We paid about £600 for 4 nights and the caravan was right up against the fence of a boatyard with crashing about all the time. Also no direct beach access. Sandhills 100x better. Did once rent a cottage in a little hamlet (I think West Bexington?) which had its own pool which the owners heated up to 87 degrees for an extra £20. Swanage is great for kids - Punch & Judy on the beach (or at least there was up till a few years ago). Lots of holiday flats available - just ring their tourist info.
Best beach is Studland Bay but it gets very busy in the summer. About 12 noon the Seacat ferry comes past on its way into Poole harbour and a 2' high wave goes up the beach. It arrives a few mins after you first see the ferry so the kids have plent of time to grab their body boards and 'surf' in on the wave.

[bea]

amynnixmum and fortyplus... thanks for your ideas!

there seems to be loads of haven sites in dorset... but i fear they would be too busy.. and too butlinsy... not really a fan of all those holiday clubs etc.. although location wise they seem to be good... shorefield looked nice a haven place... has anyone been there? is it very holiday campy... just worry about being on top of otehr holiday makers... i quite like the seclusion...

what would be ideal is a nice pine lodge site... where there is lots of space between the lodges... close to a beach and not too busy... or is this asking too much???

still basically looking for a self catering cottage though...

more ideas and sugegstions much appreciated!

[fortyplus]

I think there's a site in Dorset that has lodges - just up the road from Lulworth Cove if I remember rightly. Not been there though. Think it's called Warmwell?
We did go to several Haven sites when the kids were small - I'm not a big fan but they loved it. It's better than you think - because most people have young children it's usually quiet after about 10pm. The one at Bideford Bay in North Devon has lodges.
Personally my fave UK sandy beach destination is Woolacombe in N.Devon - lots to do for little ones. As well as the big sandy beach (3 miles long) there are 2 others, one of which has loads of rock pools and is famous for shells - they get washed up on currents from the Carribbean. When the tide goes out there are lovely still pools of water to paddle or swim in. Make sure you're within walking distance of the beach, though - lots of the holiday properties are about a mile away up a really steep hill. Just up the coast is Saunton sands, which has fab rock pools.
This year we went to a truly brilliant place for kids on the west coast of France. 10 English owned mobile homes arranged facing inwards in a circle on an otherwise very French site. Backing on to sand dunes on an almost deserted sandy beach, but only just along the road from hustle & bustle of St Jean de Monts. The company was called Vendee Loisirs Vacances.
Have fun!

[sophiewd]

It is Warmwell and a good 25 minutes from beaches. My mum does holiday cottages and there is also Durdle Dorr Caravan park with a nice walk down to durdle door on the right or Man O'War on the left which is great for kids. Safe swimming. Try www.lulworth.com