Help me plan a 'Beano'

[simon the viking]

For the last couple of years, Me and Little-un have gone a way for a few nights 'On a Beano' as we call it leaving Mrs V to fend for herself.... This came about by me working at Christmas (retail) and Mrs V not (office) therefore I always have a week or so extra holiday to use up and normally use it cut down on Child care costs during holidays.. and me being the only designated driver in the house... it doesn't impact Mrs V if I take the car....

The first year we went to nearby Penkridge and visited RAF Cosford and Cannock Chase, Last year we went to Wiltshire to visit Lacock Abbey (used in a Harry Potter film and the pioneer photographer Fox-Talbot's house he wanted to go after seeing a programme about him on CBBC) and Stonehenge

This year I was thinking The Lakes (but we did that as a family last year) or the Forest of Dean

Criteria is within 2 - 3 hours of Midlands (Burton on Trent to be precise) shorter time the better and must be close to interesting science type and or interactive working museums type places preferably National Trust

was thinking Forest of Dean to visit this Welsh Goldmine NT place....

https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/dolaucothi-gold-mines

that's the sort of place I want to take him quirky and interesting (he will be 10 and knows it all )

So any other ideas? I am totally open to any direction of travel.... and if you have personal experience of a campsite there even better.... Oh and no cycling tours (yet..... thinking about those mid teens )

 

[Racing roadkill]

For the last couple of years, Me and Little-un have gone a way for a few nights 'On a Beano' as we call it leaving Mrs V to fend for herself.... This came about by me working at Christmas (retail) and Mrs V not (office) therefore I always have a week or so extra holiday to use up and normally use it cut down on Child care costs during holidays.. and me being the only designated driver in the house... it doesn't impact Mrs V if I take the car....

The first year we went to nearby Penkridge and visited RAF Cosford and Cannock Chase, Last year we went to Wiltshire to visit Lacock Abbey (used in a Harry Potter film and the pioneer photographer Fox-Talbot's house he wanted to go after seeing a programme about him on CBBC) and Stonehenge

This year I was thinking The Lakes (but we did that as a family last year) or the Forest of Dean

Criteria is within 2 - 3 hours of Midlands (Burton on Trent to be precise) shorter time the better and must be close to interesting science type and or interactive working museums type places preferably National Trust

was thinking Forest of Dean to visit this Welsh Goldmine NT place....

https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/dolaucothi-gold-mines

that's the sort of place I want to take him quirky and interesting (he will be 10 and knows it all )

So any other ideas? I am totally open to any direction of travel.... and if you have personal experience of a campsite there even better.... Oh and no cycling tours (yet..... thinking about those mid teens )

http://www.bluejohn-cavern.co.uk/
Check this out, it sounds like the sort of thing you'd like.

 

[Pedalabitslower]

Ironbridge? Not too far to go and loads to do.

 

[simon the viking]

Might do the peak district have thought about that... think the in laws have took him to blue john mines...

Ironbridge could be an idea as you get a free pass to go again (or used to) and we could do it over two days

thanks so far for suggestions... looking at going August time so camping to keep accommodation costs down

 

[NorthernDave]

Come to Yorkshire - you could visit Magna near Sheffield, the National Coal Mining Museum near Wakefield, the National Railway Museum at York and Eureka at Halifax.

https://www.visitmagna.co.uk
https://www.ncm.org.uk
http://www.nrm.org.uk
https://www.eureka.org.uk

All should be just the thing to keep you both entertained and you should be able to find a suitable campsite somewhere in the middle of the three.

Or simply base yourself near York and you've got the Railway Museum, Jorvik, the Yorkshire Air Museum at Elvington and Eden Camp at Malton.

 

[Julia9054]

We are planning a trip to Bletchley Park this Easter hols. Is this the sort of thing he would enjoy?

 

[TVC]

If you are in the North Peaks then there is the National mining museum and Yorkshire sculpture park near Barnsley. Just up the road is the Royal Armouries in Leeds. Then there's Ladybower with all the Dambusters links and great mountain bike trails. There must be plenty of NT places found there too.

Edit: overlap with @NorthernDave

 

[NorthernDave]

If you are in the North Peaks then there is the National mining museum and Yorkshire sculpture park near Barnsley. Just up the road is the Royal Armouries in Leeds. Then there's Ladybower with all the Dambusters links and great mountain bike trails. There must be plenty of NT places found there too.

Edit: overlap with @NorthernDave

D'oh! I'd forgotten about the Royal Armouries - and there is Armley Mills Industrial Museum as well, also in Leeds.

 

[simon the viking]

Thanks just a few random musings in no particular order

Yorkshire does have quite a few attractions... we went to York a few years ago as a family but only saw a quarter of it.. so would like to visit again but don't think I'll get away with going without Mrs V

I do want to visit Bletchley park... he watched a programme about Alan Turing so he'd enjoy that

Blue john and ladybower could be combined together....

Thinking Ironbridge could be a possible as quite close

 

[snorri]

Criteria is within 2 - 3 hours of Midlands (Burton on Trent to be precise) shorter time the better and must be close to interesting science type and or interactive working museums type places

You might consider Liverpool, there is a fine maritime Museum there, and usually some ships to be seen on the river, or take a ferry cruise over the Mersey. There is a old coal fired steam tug that does trips too, details on the website http://www.thedanny.co.uk/. Also there various outdoor attractions, old steam engines etc. in the vicinity of the Albert Dock.
Try to avoid a day when there is a big football match on, that puts pressure on accommodation.

 

[Dave 123]

Come to Cambs.
An hour or so in the car.
Wimpole-house, garden, rare breeds farm
Cambridge- Japanese tourists and hoity toity students, nice buildings will compensate, a sh1tload of museums....

 

[nickyboy]

http://www.bluejohn-cavern.co.uk/
Check this out, it sounds like the sort of thing you'd like.

Good call

You can tie it in with this too

http://speedwellcavern.co.uk/journey-by-boat/

which is really quite an atmospheric experience

 

[vickster]

Good call

You can tie it in with this too

http://speedwellcavern.co.uk/journey-by-boat/

which is really quite an atmospheric experience

That's great. The guide who took us was mad as a very large box of frogs!!!

 

[simon the viking]

Thanks for all the replies.... I'll have a think and let you all know where I decide to take him.... but keep any more suggestions coming as its camping nothing needs to be booked just yet

 

[wheresthetorch]

National Space Centre in Leicester?

http://spacecentre.co.uk/?gclid=CIiO-vO1-7ECFYcNfAodTT0AKg