Ideas for young family travelling between Stafford and Portsmouth

altyfc

Hi all

This Thursday we will be leaving Stafford in the morning, and driving down to arrive in time for a ferry from Portsmouth in the evening. We have two young boys, aged 4 and 2, and so it's quite a long journey for them (particularly since we'll have left from Cumbria the night before).

I'm looking for ideas for things to do that would give them the opportunity to "stetch their legs" on the journey. We have plenty of time to make the journey so even a stop of 2 or more hours could be easily accommodated.

I don't think the weather forecast is supposed to be fantastic but I guess that could change between now and then...

Also, any suggestions for nice places to have lunch along the way?

Thanks any pointers you can give.

Carmina_Piranha_3

I don't drive and have no sense of geography so I am probably wrong, but looking at the 'days out' map in the tesco brochure (i can't find it online sorry!) it looks as if telford or birmingham could be on your route? stafford is in the middle, where there's a red diamond for shugborough estate.

If the weather is good then telford has a really good adventure play park. birmingham has a sea life centre, may be useful if the weather is poor.

Where in the stafford area will you be starting from? it might be good to give them a bit of exercise before you set off. Shugborough is expensive for a one-off, especially if you don't have hours to spend there. Across the road from shugborough is Milford common, great for a game of cricket or golf or just a walk in the woods. Next to shugborough is a greene king pub called the barley mow and they have a playbarn.

the playbarn has a toddler session in the mornings from 10-12, even in school holidays. it's for the under 5's and costs £2.50 for the first child and 50p for the second child. tea/coffee/squash in included.

Victoria park in the town centre is nice and there's a paddling pool if the weather is nice.

Amerton farm is nice, the playbarn is great. It has bouncy castles, tractors etc. and some stinky piglets outside in the farm area

you probably live in stafford anyway and i'm just waffling :rotfl:

All I can think of for the journey is telford, sorry.

altyfc

Sorry, I should really have said, but we would probably look to get at least 2-3 hours under our belt in the morning, and then have a break... whether that be for lunch or something to see/do. That would take us well south of Birmingham... traffic permitting, of course.

oramgepekoe

Which route are you driving and where do you expect to be around lunchtime?

Carmina_Piranha_3

that's what my husband said. he recommends the rollright stones in oxfordshire as a picnic place.

http://www.rollrightstones.co.uk/

susieb

You could stop at one of the many places in the New forest for a picnic before you get to the ferry