Surviving the summer holidays – part two!

Is it starting to be a pain to find ways to keep the kids entertained this school summer holidays, why not check out what's happening in your surrounding area?

Here are some suggestions for fun places to go to in Buckinghamshire…

In lovely, rural Buckinghamshire, you will find lively attractions and a welcoming countryside, together with family-friendly activities, providing entertainment for everyone - indoors and out. Go biking or bird-watching; brave the deep and spooky “hellfire” caves or climb inside a giant peach. Crack some codes at Station X; learn to write your own stories; drive a train; become a dinosaur detective; picnic in style on panoramic hilltops or stride like a giant through an amazing miniature world.

The Great Outdoors
Take a picnic or a kite and hit the heights of the Chiltern Hills at Coombe Hill and Ivinghoe Beacon (both on The Ridgeway National Trail). Follow the Chiltern Sculpture Trail near Chinnor or roam around Dorney Lake near Eton, Britain’s 2012 Olympic Rowing Venue. Why not hire a rowing boat at Marlow’s Higginson Park, or test your skills at orienteering in Black Park at Wexham, one of Buckinghamshire’s three country parks. Explore the testing trails of Wendover Woods on bike or for the less adventurous, try out the level and scenic Phoenix Trail, from Princes Risborough to Thame or meet the famous concrete cows on a Milton Keynes Heritage Cycle Trail.

Waddesdon Manor is an impressive Woodland Playground where you can have fun swinging and climbing. Alternatively, you can dig for fossils at The Dinosaur and Farm Park, the hands-on discovery experience for young children, newly opened Gulliver’s Land theme park in Milton Keynes. For those giant’s-eye views - visit Bekonscot Model Village at Beaconsfield; this captivating presentation of 1930's England is the oldest model village in the world.

Animals work magic! Try out the the Horse Trust at Lacey Green, the Bucks Goat Centre at Stoke Mandeville, Odds Farm Park at Woburn Common, Mead Open Farm at Billington and Tiggywinkles at Haddenham - the world’s busiest wildlife hospital. For a face-to-face with scarier species, Woburn Abbey Safari Park in Buckinghamshire is just the place to be.

Undercover Activities
Historic houses are a plenty in Buckinghamshire and are sure to interest young minds. Sure to see amongst others: the inspiring Roald Dahl Museum & Story Centre at Dahl’s home town of Great Missenden and Aylesbury’s Roald Dahl Gallery, always a winner with younger children.

Hughenden Manor, home of former Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli, and Claydon House with its memorabilia of Florence Nightingale, are some of the other historic houses in Buckinghamshire. Top-secret Bletchley Park, the pioneering, code-cracking centre of WWII is a great day to be had indoors too. With something with a bit more of a touch of adventure, head to Hellfire Caves at West Wycombe, where winding passages delve deep beneath the Chiltern Hills.

Awesome exhibits can be seen at the Bucks Railway Centre at Quainton Road and vintage train rides on the Chinnor to Princes Risborough Railway. Real-snow skiing, snowboarding, rock-climbing and skydiving at SNO!zone and the Xscape complex, Milton Keynes are all not to be missed too whilst in Buckinghamshire.

All the above attractions are ideally located near The Bull Hotel making it the perfect base for your travels around Buckinghamshire and the perfect retreat after a busy day of activities. We offer some great rates over the summer, so you really can enjoy the summer holidays without it costing you a fortune.

Submitted by Rebecca Laing, Business Development Manager at The Bull