Yorkshire
A globetrotting couple decide to keep it local now they have kids in tow... and it pays off
My husband and I have never had a staycation. Shocking, I know. We’re sun, sea and sangria/ouzo/grappa people. But now Paul and I have two kids – Flo, five, and Emmie, two – it’s much easier to just avoid airports.
So off we went to East Yorkshire and Haven’s Thornwick Bay Holiday Village on the Flamborough coast.
When we arrived at our Platinum caravan, we were amazed by the size of our home for the week. There’s ample space in our little Tardis, particularly in the living area, which leads out on to decking where we could enjoy the sea view in the sunshine.
We weren’t just here to sample the huge array of activities in the park (although shout-outs to the pool, which the girls loved, and the jousting display, complete with a Sir William whose luscious head of bouncy curls meant he looked exactly like a medieval knight).
Instead we’re here to check out the myriad things you can do in the area.
First up was coasteering with Bay Watersports. I’d never heard of it before, so I had to look it up: turns out it’s exploring rocky coastline by Rebecca, James, Flo & Emmie climbing, jumping and swimming. Then I realised the sea involved was the very cold North one, so I decided to let my more adventurous husband experience this on his own.
And he had a whale of a time. We met leader James at the Thornwick Bay Café car park with the rest of those taking part and Paul got (wet) suited up, then off they went down to the beach.
The fact there were nine-year-olds doing it didn’t make me feel like a, er, wimp at all!
The whole trip took two-and-a-half hours, and Paul said once you’d got used to the sea temperature (a toasty 120C) it was so much fun. Swimming in and out of smugglers’ caves, jumping 23ft off cliffs into the sea, navigating rock ledges and tunnels – he loved it. Our watery fun didn’t end there. The next day we took a 40-minute drive to Bay Watersports’ main base, a lake just outside Scarborough, where the whole family had a go at paddleboarding. I’d seen photos of Jennifer Aniston looking so glamorous while doing it... although the California sunshine may have helped… James and his colleague Great pool at Haven’s Thornwick Bay Platinum caravan at Haven park Callum took the whole family out across the lake to a quiet area out of the wind to get us standing up on the boards. The fact my five-year-old was standing up confidently before I was even on my knees says it all!
The water is clean and much warmer than the sea (Paul can vouch for this – he fell in twice!).
Soon we were all paddling around, and what struck me was how quiet and peaceful it is. Even the ducks weren’t bothered.
If balancing on a paddle board (and trying not to fall in) sounds too much like hard work, then sitting in a kayak or pootling about in an electric boat could be for you.
The activities on offer in Flamborough aren’t all water based. The holiday park is in the wild countryside near RSPB Bempton Cliffs, so I jumped at the chance of a spot of bird watching with park ranger Elliot. Even the girls got a backpack each, which included binoculars and a bird identification book.
We saw dunlins, ringed plovers and a pied crow – as well as two roe deer. There are also some lovely beaches along this coast. Thornwick Bay is pretty wild and stoney bay, and sandy Filey is only a 20-minute drive away.
We also went to Flamborough Head Lighthouse and Selwicks Bay, a small beach where we saw seals.
After a lovely week, we’ve come back from Thornwick Bay official staycation converts.
from €22pp. baywatersports.co.uk
If you’re driving to Robin Hood’s Bay (near Whitby, simply stunning), park in the car park at the top of the hill and walk down – because driving down the singletrack road to the bay itself is not only super steep, but heaven help you if you meet traffic coming the other way, like we did...
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