AD - Press Trip | I had such a great weekend at @p AD - Press Trip | I had such a great weekend at @pottersresortsfivelakes with @slwilson84. It was an action packed three nights with a full activity and entertainment programme, great food, lovely drinks and beautiful surroundings. 

The staff go above and beyond to make everyone feel at home and they ensure that everyone has the best time possible. I don’t think I stopped smiling all weekend.

The best thing about Potters holidays is that everything is included in the price you pay. Four meals a day, all your drinks - including wine, Prosecco, most spirits and soft drinks - great accommodation and so many activities. 

I’ll write a full review soon but for now here’s a little Reel of our weekend
I always have a lot of questions about accommodati I always have a lot of questions about accommodation when we stay anywhere as a family so I thought I’d share this little tour of our room at @windjammerlanding which was a pretty perfect place to stay.

It’s the ‘Ocean View Two Bedroom’ which was like a little house, with an upstairs and downstairs, built into the hillside. Both rooms had outdoor space and their own shower rooms. Such a great option for a family.
A little photo dump from our holiday in St Lucia. A little photo dump from our holiday in St Lucia. We’ve been back a few days now but still miss the heat, the food, the pool, the constant sounds of wildlife and the lovely people. It was such a great holiday and I’m sure we’ll be back one day.
And just like that, Athena is 12! What a joy it is And just like that, Athena is 12! What a joy it is watching her grow and what a wonderful young woman she is becoming. We could not be more proud. Love you Pickle, have a great birthday.
We’ve just got back from two glorious weeks in S We’ve just got back from two glorious weeks in St Lucia staying at @windjammerlanding and it was just the holiday we needed. Two weeks of sunshine and relaxation in what must be one of the most beautiful islands in the world. 

We can’t wait to go back again in the future. Here’s just a little snippet of our trip.
AD - Press Tickets | We had such a nice day at @na AD - Press Tickets | We had such a nice day at @national_motor_museum despite the rain! The children loved the Little Beaulieu play area and we loved exploring the National Motor Museum and Top Gear exhibit before having a ride on the monorail! We went on an old open topped bus, explored the Beaulieu Manor House and loved the gardens. 
Beaulieu is always a great day out - whatever the weather. This summer they have a whole ‘Summer of Fun’ planned, with activities most days - parades, bird shows and hundreds of sculptures within the grounds too. If you’re looking for a day out this summer definitely think about heading to Beaulieu.
AD - Press Tickets | Tonight we took the kids to t AD - Press Tickets | Tonight we took the kids to their first concert - but it was so much more than just a concert! @abbavoyage is incredible. With CGI ABBA and a live band, it’s like being at an ABBA concert 40 years ago but with modern lighting, effects and sound. ABBA look and sound real, it’s a mind blowing experience.
The set includes all the songs you know and love as well as a few less familiar ones.
You can’t take photos during the show which actually made a refreshing change. A whole arena focused purely on the show and soaking up the moment. It’s definitely something the four of us will always remember.
Now, I’m off to sing Dancing Queen all the way home.
AD - Press Trip | We had such a great day at @phdo AD - Press Trip | We had such a great day at @phdockyard today. They have a fantastic Ultimate Explorer ticket that lets you visit all the attractions as many times as you like for 12 months - and after a day at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard we can see that you need more than one day to really do everything!

We explored HMS Warrior, HMS Victory and the Mary Rose Exhibition - which is incredible! We also saw where ships are built and restored and spent time in Action Stations where the kids climbed and did an assault course.

Portsmouth Historic Dockyard is such a fun, educational day out with something for all ages - we can’t wait to go on their harbour tours next time we visit!
AD | WIN!! Would you love to win a holiday? To cel AD | WIN!! Would you love to win a holiday? To celebrate #100YearOfARoads National Highways have launched their #ARoadsToSummer competition! It's all about celebrating summer holiday moments, time together, fun in the sun, days out and more.

So why not be in it to win it? To enter, all you have to do is send @nationalhways a DM on here with a photo or video of your favourite holiday moments. You can also comment on their Facebook or Twitter #ARoadsToSummer posts with your holiday photos. I've shared a few of our favourite photos to give you some inspiration.

The best six entries will each win a £500 @nationaltrust holidays voucher! SO what are you waiting for? Dig out your favourite holiday photos or take some new ones to share!

The #ARoadsToSummer competition runs from 24 July to 10 September 2023. Winners will be announced in September 2023.

Good luck!
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Days Out, Days Out and Attractions/Events, Reviews · February 7, 2019

Wookey Hole, Somerset Review

Wookey Hole caves is somewhere both Dave and I visited when we were children and so we were keen to take the family there when we visited the area during October half term.

If you don’t know much about Wookey Hole, it’s an ancient series of underground caves in Somerset that have been turned into one of the area’s best loved tourist attractions. It’s been around for generations and we were excited to visit to see if it lived up to the fond memories we had of Wookey Hole.

When we pulled up to the car park we were met by a parking attendant who directed us towards nearby spaces a short walk from the ticket booths and toilet facilities. It’s worth checking out prices online and buying tickets before you arrive as it works out quite a bit cheaper.

As it was October half term, there was an extra spooky Halloween theme throughout the site with people dressed up as vampires, mummies and all manner of ghoulishly themed characters. The Wookey Witch was also said to have taken up residence inside the caverns and we had the chance to meet her.

Wookey Hole, Somerset Review

At the ticket booth we booked our spaces on the guided tour of the caves – a must-do when you arrive. You can choose a time slot that suits your plan for the day and as we were eager to see the main attraction, we booked the next available tour and made our way across the road towards the old paper mill.

Wookey Hole, Somerset Review

There were plenty of signs pointing us in the right direction and we found ourselves on a gantry where we joined a small queue of people. From our vantage point, we had a great view of the paper Mill and the outside attractions – Dinosaur Valley, the Mystic fairy Garden and even a giant King Kong statue. The children were excited enough before we even entered the caves.

Wookey Hole, Somerset Review

What are the Wookey Hole caves like?

We were soon at the entrance where we were counted in by staff and introduced to our tour guide. The group was of about 25 people so there was plenty of room once inside the caves to appreciate the tour.

We learned all about the legend of the Wookey Witch and how she was turned to stone as she was scaring the villagers. This was not too scary at all for the children but held their attention and drew them into exploring the caverns.

Wookey Hole, Somerset Review

We followed the tour guide around and the significance of each cave was explained to us. We were in awe of the sheer size of the spaces, and the age of them – millions of years old.

Wookey Hole, Somerset Review

The caverns were all respectfully lit with different coloured lights that enhanced the beautiful stalactites and stalagmites on show. There is also an underground river with a row boat that is part of the Wild Wookey experience – adventure rock climbing and similar high adrenaline activities. The caves at Wookey Hole are fantastic and definitely a great alternative to the local Cheddar Gorge caves.

Wookey Hole, Somerset Review

Each cavern had its own unique story and was brought to life by the knowledgeable tour guide. Areas where early explorers had used flames to light the way and left soot on the high ceilings were pointed out, with spotlights lighting up specific formations that had the appearance of familiar sights – St Paul’s Cathedral in London being one of them. There is also an area where cave aged cheese is produced, with the opportunity to buy some at the gift shop back at the Paper Mill.

Wookey Hole, Somerset Review

The tour lasted about an hour before we were directed down a long passage to meet with the Witch of Wookey. This was unfortunately one of the least organised aspects of the cavern tour and one that quite a few people had obviously come for, what with it being half term. We queued in a tunnel that was well lit, with none of the atmosphere of the previous caverns.

There was litter on the floor and people didn’t seem to know what was going on. After about 25 minutes, we were closer to the front, on a wooden platform in an amazing cavern where we could see the witch’s den at the end.

The encounter was somewhat spoiled by members of staff coming and going with radios blaring, declaring that the witch was due to have a lunch break of at least half an hour, no-one seeming to know where the queue should be stopped and people were still being told to join it.

People in front of us were literally told to say hello to her then select a gift before she would pose for a photo with them. We were very fortunate to be the second to last to see her for the session. When we met her, the Witch of Wookey was lovely and totally in character, but not too scary!

The children were given the choice of a chocolate egg or a cuddly toy as a gift. LP and Little Man fed their obsession with soft toys by choosing one each. It was quite dark but they were able to choose different ones. We then made our way back out of the caves and a few seconds behind us, the Witch came marching out for her lunch! I wouldn’t have wanted to be stuck in the queue at this point, as it was very long, all the way back to where we were directed to go meet her.

Wookey Hole, Somerset Review

What other attractions are at Wookey Hole?

Once out of the caves and into the sunshine, we made our way through what can only be described as an eclectic mix of outside attractions and picnic areas. These attractions consisted mainly of models, small carvings and things to look at. They caught the children’s eye, especially the Dinosaurs, some of which were animatronic and growling at us!

Wookey Hole, Somerset Review
Wookey Hole, Somerset Review
Wookey Hole, Somerset Review
Wookey Hole, Somerset Review
Wookey Hole, Somerset Review

After checking out showtimes for the Ice-Age 4D, we decided to head for the restaurant to get lunch as we were all hungry. The restaurant was at the start of the Paper Mill and we had trouble finding it.

We had to go through the Mill, passing all of the indoor attractions along the way. It was difficult to find the way through narrow corridors with little signage, but we eventually found the restaurant. The food was nice and on a par price-wise with similar tourist attractions.

After we ate, we made our way back through the Mill to the 4D Cinema, again joining a queue. We didn’t appear to be too deep into it when a member of staff came out of the building and declared that not everyone would be able to see the next show due to numbers. He didn’t count the people in the queue and still let people join it declaring that they might not get the next viewing.

There was no definitive cut off despite him knowing how many seats were inside. Again we just made it in and there was a strange introduction inside the Witches Hut that had been turned upside down! It made the children laugh before we made our way into the 4D Cinema for a showing of ‘Ice-Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs’. It was great with light and water effects along with the 3D glasses.

Once the show was over, we finally got to spend some time in the Paper Mill and look at the eccentric collection of attractions that was on offer. There was  a small soft play area – which was really busy, the Pirate Zap Zone – shooting soft foam balls out of cannons – and an old penny arcade.

What we didn’t realise was that the machines are playable but you need to swap your regular money for old coins in order to play them. Being pretty much an electronic payment kind of person and with no cash in our pockets we couldn’t play on them but they were fun to watch.

There is also a hand made paper making demonstration too at certain times of day. We caught the tail end of one such demo, but it was another 2 hours for the next one so we moved on. The Magical Mirror Maze was a favourite of mine when I visited as a kid and is still as I remember it with a seat by a mirror outside it, making it look like it goes on forever!

Wookey Hole, Somerset Review

Wookey Hole also boasts an indoor circus big top, but the circus show times clashed with our plans and again, was hard to find amongst the random collection of artefacts and antiquities as well as odd show times through the day. We sadly didn’t have time to stick around for the next one.

There is even a pirate themed crazy golf course outside the main paper mill which we only noticed once we were on our way back towards the car park and judging by the size of the queue it was quite popular despite being an additional cost.

I felt like Wookey Hole is a place that doesn’t really know what it wants to be. I remember aspects of it from when I was young that are still there next to newer attractions but most remains unchanged from when I visited Wookey Hole as a child.

The layout inside the paper mill is all haphazard and doesn’t seem to make sense, it doesn’t flow naturally at all. The sign posting is poor at the best of times, with random things next to each other with no real connection to the mill or the caverns.

Don’t get me wrong, Wookey Hole is a great place to visit and we all really enjoyed it, but it just appeared to be the caverns and then an assortment of things that were being used to fill up an old beautiful Paper Mill just as something to be there.

It needs to decide whether its going to be all olde fashioned or more modern with things that would appeal to children of today to make them want to go back in 25 years with their children as we did.

The children had a great time at Wookey Hole but I left feeling just confused by it. There were the parts I’d loved as a child and it has a real nostalgic charm. But, it’s not somewhere we would visit more than once. Wookey Hole is a great day trip for children and I know so many families go time and time again but, really, we won’t be going back.

You can find out more about Wookey Hole over on their website and it’s also home to the Wookey Hole Hotel too. For reference, the address is: Wookey Hole Caves, The Mill, High St, Wookey Hole, Wells, Somerset BA5 1BA

Wookey Hole, Somerset Review

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