Tag Archive: Travelling Corner

September 18, 2019

Travelling corner: Jubilee Swimming Pool in Penzance

When in Penzance and in summer, you have to go to the most-famous open-air swimming pool in Cornwall.  Jubilee Swimming Pool. I had wanted to visit it for a while, so I used the opportunity this summer and travelled there by train from St Erth (it only takes 10 minutes). I have fond memories from Penzance, as I travelled from there to the Isles of Scilly about 2 years ago (highly recommended!) The lido is not far away from the train station, so I walked there and, after arriving, enjoyed some time in their pool café. The ticket prices are reasonable (in my opinion!) and the pool wasn’t over-crowded. My family and I found a place in the shade and we went off swimming. Well, it’s a sea water lido, so the water was freezing cold and it took us a good few minutes to get used to it. But, once we’d acclimatised, we had a truly pleasant and refreshing time in the water, and then a lovely time relaxing by the pool. If you’re an ice-cream lover, a short walk from Penzance, in Newlyn, there is a famous ice-cream shop with the scrumptious one-flavour vanilla ice-cream (what a taste!).

If you want to find out more about the Cornish lido, please follow the link.

What’s your favourite open-air swimming pool? Do let me know in the comments below.

Kinga Macalla

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August 28, 2019

Travelling corner: We found our favourite family-friendly beach!

We went there once and immediately fell in love with everything we saw, so we needed to return the following day… Why!? It’s quiet, just off the coastal path, has soft sand, and it is just the right size (not too crowded/not too deserted). The sea is calm (with moderate waves), the water temperature is tolerable (no, it’s not freezing cold!) and it has a beautiful colour (greenish/blueish). The beach is located about 15-minute’s walk from the National Trust car park and a NT café (with some delicious local ice-cream—just saying 😉 ). And there is a bonus: on the way to the beach, you can meet many friendly cows!

Where is the beach? Barafundle Bay in South Pembrokeshire, Wales, UK.

What’s your favourite family-friendly beach?

Kinga Macalla

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August 21, 2019

Travelling corner: Bristol by bike (part 1)

In my humble opinion, Bristol is not the easiest place to cycle as it’s quite hilly, but the bike trips I want to recommend today are not too challenging – they’re definitely family-friendly 🙂 I usually cycle with my family at weekends and we use a bike trailer for our two daughters who enjoy observing the world from there (or having short naps, why not?!). I planned to include more bike trips in this blog post, but my post-partum stamina is still weak (another blog post with more bike trips is coming this autumn). OK, off we go! 3 bike trips are coming:

Blaise Castle (cycling route no 41)

It’s a fantastic place for the whole family. You can picnic there or have some serious fun on the playgrounds. How to get there by bike? We usually cycle from Shirehampton by cycling route no 41. The cycling route can be found just behind the Nova primary school. Later, you’ll pass the city farm in Lawrence Weston where you can have a short break (if you fancy doing so!). Once you’ve reached the street, turn left and then again left and up. It’s a bit hilly for the last few meters, but then you can race down on your way back!

Lamplighter’s walk

This is a short bike trip. You start by the Lamplighters Pub (there is a small sandpit playground behind it), turn left and cycle by the side of the River Avon. Nice views and a good place to have a picnic (you’ll find a picnic table in the middle of the route).

Portishead (cycling route no 26)

This’s my favourite! It’s long (for me!, cca 1,5 hrs one way), sometimes hilly, with some beautiful and wild nature. You start in Shirehampton at Lower High Street, you go towards Avonmouth and then turn left to go to the M5 motorway. Once off the M5, turn right and follow the cycling route no 26 to Portishead. In Portishead, you can relax in the park, have a walk around the marina or go swimming in the indoor or open-air swimming pools (aka lido).

What are your favourite cycling routes in Bristol? Let me know in the comments below.

Kinga Macalla

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July 31, 2019

Travelling corner: A day in Blackpool

Yes, we made it to Blackpool, the capital of ballroom dancing! The town is also famous for its rollercoasters, clubs and all the glitter, but as we travelled with our 2 daughters (which makes some difference on how much clubbing you can actually do!), we rather enjoyed other attractions of the town. Please see below how we spent our day in Blackpool!

Trams

I think I’m sentimental about trams/tramways, so we had to have a tram ride in Blackpool, especially since they go along the promenade with its beautiful views of the sea (plus it’s practical; you can get a 24-hour ticket and visit more in one day)!

Promenade & beach

The promenade is long, the same as the beach, but as the tide is high, the majority of the beach is under water (the beach actually disappeared in the afternoon when we visited the town), so the promenade gives the opportunity to continue walking (or bike riding) and enjoying the sea views.

The old pier & tower

There are three piers in Blackpool, if I remember correctly, and I think we visited the North Pier. It’s a vintage pier with some French-styled carousels and a unique relaxing and sun-bathing room. There was live music and some good dancing (!). And the view of the tower (which is circa 125 years old!) is breath-taking.

Have you visited Blackpool or other seaside towns in Lancashire? What did you enjoy most?

Kinga Macalla

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July 3, 2019

Travelling corner: Wales with kids

I’m taking you to Wales today! To South Pembrokeshire, to be precise. We visited the exact same location when I was first-trimester pregnant, but back then I only wanted to sleep (and was too tired to explore anything). So we decided to visit Wales again as a family of 4 and today I want to share with you our favourite places/activities to give you some inspiration on what to visit/see/do with kids in South Pembrokeshire:

Beach

I’m a huge sea lover, so a nice beach is a must! It’s more for me 😉 , but I think my family likes it, too (happy!). We visited a few local beaches. Our favourite was Barafundle Bay (there will be a separate blog post on this hidden gem!) as the beach was sandy & clean, the sea was calm & greenish-blue, and it was just off the coast path. A bit further away was Broad Haven, it’s a large beach perfect for walking or playing some games/sports. We also walked to Swanlake Bay, but the beach was too rocky (on this particular day) to picnic. The sea view, however, was beautiful.The closest to our summer home was Freshwater East, it’s a long, sandy beach with a small river (perfect for little swimmers to enjoy) and with moderate sea waves (perfect for more advanced swimmers).

Coast path

How did we walk with kids? We took the younger child (6 months) in the sling and the older is a very good walker (4 years old)! One day, we made an attempt to walk to Swanlake Bay which wasn’t successful as we weren’t prepared for such a long walk and had to return home (yes, preparation is a key, especially when walking with kids). The second attempt was more successful (no, we didn’t give up!). Our other walk was to Barafundle Bay and Broad Haven. The walk is very pleasant and you can take a longer, zigzag route, following the coast, or you can take a more direct route, which is quicker.

Swimming Pool

We wanted to go to the fancy swimming pool (Blue Lagoon Waterpark), but the day we decided to go it was raining, so there were almost no tickets available. Instead, we found a tiny community swimming pool (Swim Narberth) which turned out to be just perfect for the little swimmers. There were many babies and toddlers, so the atmosphere was just right for our family of 4.

Museum

We also wanted to visit Tenby and, on a one rainy day, apart from eating ice-cream in the rain, we fancied treating ourselves to some culture, and the Tenby Museum & Art Gallery was an ideal place to go. The museum turned out to be family-friendly and had many exhibits for kids to explore. It was rather small, but packed with museum pieces and art exhibitions. And the views from the windows…

What do you recommend to visit in South Pembrokeshire, Wales? Please let me know in the comments below.

Kinga Macalla

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June 19, 2019

Travelling corner: Polperro, Lansallos, Barcelona. Where are we?

Can you guess where you can find all those towns located almost next to each other? I’ll help you: in Cornwall, UK! Yes, I was as surprised as you are when I discovered that some Cornish towns sound more Spanish/Italian than English. Today, I’d like to take you to South Cornwall to explore this beautiful region.

Looe

I visited Looe many times during my summer travels, as my camp-site was located very nearby. The town is small and has a beautiful beach (which can be quite crowded with sun-lovers). There are boutiques, bakeries, cafés and a small harbour. From the harbour you can go to the tiny island called Looe Island or St George’s Island, either as a short tour or a day trip (or you can stay on the island and hire a tipi). From the town, you can also go for a very pleasant walk to the next town/beach, Millendreath.

Fowey 

A cute little town with many tiny shops and boutiques, as well as a beautiful marina and beach. You can go by boat to Polruan or take a longer sea tour. You can walk around all the narrow streets to get a flavour of the town, or head to the beach to relax and chill out (Readymoney Cove).

Polperro

An old fishing town. When you walk through the small streets, you can feel some foreign accents in the architecture and building layout (Italian?). It can be quite crowded with tourists, but it’s still worth visiting for its special charm.

Which towns have you visited in South Cornwall? Let me know in the comments below.

Kinga Macalla

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June 12, 2019

Travelling corner: A day in Manchester

What can you do in Manchester, if you a few hours or a whole day to spend (and you’re travelling with kids!)? Well, it’s best to choose one or two places to visit, to have enough time to actually enjoy them. See below our day in Manchester.

Central Library

When we arrived in Manchester, we first went to see… the Central Library. The library is beautifully designed, spacious and modern. We spent most of our time in the kids’ section, but even passing by other rooms, we saw how their design is also functional and user-friendly. It’s a wonderful community space, inspirational and accessible. Now I’m spoilt and wish to have a similar space in Bristol. 😉

Manchester Art Gallery

The art gallery in Manchester is almost opposite the Central Library, you just need to traverse a square with many trams crossing it (I know, how exciting!). The art gallery has a kid-friendly studio which, unfortunately, was closed when we visited it. But, they had a really interesting exhibition on Scandinavian design (with the famous Danish chairs and armchairs). We briefly visited the permanent exhibition which definitely needed more attention and time. Our last stop was the gallery café (with some hypnotising window views) which was a perfect place to end our day in Manchester.

Have you been to Manchester? What’s your favourite place to visit?

Kinga Macalla

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May 22, 2019

Italy: Florence – Pisa – Torre del Lago

My travelling destination in Italy was Tuscany, and while there I visited Florence, Pisa and Torre del Lago. Today, I’d like to share with you my observations of those towns and what impressed me most.

Florence

Architectonically, it’s a true gem, breathtakingly beautiful. You can just wander around the town the whole day long and admire its architecture. I was surprised at how crowded the town centre was, there were many tourists. That also meant that the queues to various places, like the galleries or the main cathedral, were very long. Even though the ticket and entrance system is a bit chaotic, we decided to visit the main gallery, Galleria degli Uffizi, which contains paintings by Botticelli, Leonardo da Vinci and Caravaggio, among many other masterpieces. The building itself, with its painted ceilings, is worth your attention and so are the window views. We also walked around the town to see the many famous squares, but we couldn’t miss a cup of decadent hot chocolate in the Caffè Rivoire or a cup of the creamiest ice-cream in the galetaria Grom.

Pisa

I have always treasured those “first time” moments, such as when I first saw Big Ben and the Eiffel Tower, and this time was the same with the Leaning Tower of Pisa. I was moved when I had my first glimpse of this monumental tower and yes, it’s very, very slanted! Pisa was much less crowded than Florence, but every time we went to Pisa, it always rained, even if it only lasted 5 minutes. We also visited the botanical garden, which dates back to 1543 and was the first European university botanical garden. Our visit to Pisa wouldn’t have been the same without a scoop of the tastiest ice-cream (read my ice-cream post here).

Torre del Lago

This tiny seaside town is mostly famous for the Puccini Opera Festival which is held here in July-August and is the only festival fully dedicated to the composer Giacomo Puccini. Torre del Lago also has a long sandy beach which we enjoyed almost every day. Its long main street is crammed with many small shops, delis, bakeries, groceries and cafes. For me, it was so nice to see so many Italians cycling to work or to the beach (with the kids being placed everywhere on the bike!). I could definitely slow down and relax here, through walking on the beach, tasting the food, reading books or simply by dolce far niente.

What are your impressions of Tuscany and its beautiful towns? Let me know in the comments below.

Kinga Macalla

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April 10, 2019

Travelling Corner: Picture-Perfect Spot in Croatia

It was my first time in Croatia and I fell in love with its people, nature, food and culture. My stay in Croatia was amazing and it surprised me in many ways. Today, I want to share with you my picture-perfect spot in Croatia (I have also written a more general article on Croatia, here).

Town

Where is this perfect spot? It’s Nin, not far away from Zadar and around a 2-hour drive from Split. It’s a small town, partially an island, with an archaeological museum and a salt museum. There are pubs, restaurants, bakeries and shops. You can also hire bikes. If you’re after fresh bread or fruit & veg, I would recommend going even more locally and buying from the stalls by the road. They have fresh products, often from their own gardens and orchards which are definitely cheaper than in supermarkets.

Beach

There are mountains behind the sea, healing mud, a calm sea shore, sand and a beach café. Perfect! The beach is quite long, but narrow. I trust that in July and August it can be quite crowded, but in September it was perfectly comfortable. The sea is warm and shallow (perfect for the children) and I couldn’t stop admiring the view of the mountains. Mud baths are also great fun: you can feel the excitement when you touch and play with the mud (by the way, the mud is apparently beneficial for your body & skin)!

Campsite

The campsite is fantastic, because you have a private route to the beach and beautiful views from the site all day long. The campsite has varying reviews on Google, but we had a very good deal and enjoyed our stay there (so no complaints here!). The campsite is relatively small, simple and clean. It has toilets and shower rooms (please see below my recipe for the quickest shower ever!) and Internet (but only in the reception area). The only thing I thought was lacking were picnic tables, as most campers come in their own cars or a camper-vans so it isn’t necessary to provide them. And we couldn’t get a gas canister to cook our meals, as the majority of travellers bring them in their cars! Apart from that, we enjoyed our stay at Ninska Laguna Camping!

A recipe for the QUICKEST shower ever!

The shower rooms don’t have doors, but a wall on one side, so it makes showering (or rather un-dressing) a bit tricky. You need to pay for hot water. Undress, place everything strategically, your shampoo, towel & clothes. Insert coins and quickly shampoo your hair, wash body and rinse, rinse, rinse! Hot water gone. Now the pleasure (or necessity) of finishing off rinsing with cold water. Dry your hair & body, put clothes on. Done! (I think it took longer to write about than to actually take the shower!)

Weather

The weather surprised us the most. Perhaps because of the mountains, we had a whole range of weather: from beautiful blue-sky to light rain, heavy rain, downpours and storms. Fortunately, most of the extreme weather happened at night, but one day we had to stay in our tent for 6 hours because of the storms. One piece of advice: explore the nearby areas, as sometimes a 20-minute drive away may mean a beautiful and sunny day!

What is your favourite spot in Croatia? Please share your recommendations in the comments below.

Written by Kinga Macalla

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March 27, 2019

Travelling corner: 3 family-friendly beaches in North Cornwall, UK

For our family, when travelling to Cornwall, we need to have plenty of walking options as we like to be outside to enjoy the views, fresh air and some exercise. Since becoming a family of 4, we take our younger daughter in a sling (3 months old) and our older daughter (4 years old) walks by herself (very often with walking sticks). The below three beaches are located close to each other.  Their coast paths have beautiful sea views and are fairly easy, even for younger kids. The photos come from our various trips to this part of Cornwall (including our recent one in February).

Sandymouth Beach

Beautiful long sandy beach: at low tide you can take a beach walk up to Bude. There is National Trust parking and a café with outside sitting and views of the ocean. We really enjoyed walking the coastal path, as the landscape was spectacular.

 

Summerleaze Beach, Bude

Very popular with tourists and locals. Plenty of options: you can go for a beach walk, take a coastal path, swim in the sea pool or have a walk by the river Neet.

Widemouth Beach

Beautiful long beach to walk, surf, swim or explore. Breathtaking views from the coastal path.

What are your favourite family-friendly beaches in Cornwall? Let me know in the comments below.

Kinga Macalla

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