Let’s get going…
My husband was off to Wales this weekend with a bunch of mates for a spot of white-water rafting. Rather than being left at home to tackle the washing and the homey-y stuff, I very-cleverly decided to take my two children (and the pooch) for a weekend away instead.
I can’t say our journey was as silky-smooth as I’d hoped. We kicked-off our travels in a courtesy car (a bit of a run-down Renault, if you’re wondering). It was very small (there’s four of us and a pup, remember) with a broken boot, so it’s safe to say we we’re a little squished with our over-packed bags in the back seat. Not ideal, and may have contributed to my daughter’s subsequent car sickness – oops. Singing to Christmas songs (who cares it’s only July?) with the windows wide open seemed to be the remedy – so that’s what we did.
We stuck to the backroads, taking in the wow-inducing sights of the West Sussex and Surrey Hills beauty-spots along the way. It really was beautiful – especially as the sun had his hat on! My 11yr old son rode up front (my husband’s usual spot) and we chatted away. Normally I just get pre-teen grunts. This was a good idea, I told myself.
The pit-stop
Stopping en-route to stretch our legs was a good shout. We parked up at Milbrook car park in Guildford, then set about for a stomp along the River Wey for a good 30mins of fabulously-fresh air (stopping for a rest on some impossibly steep steps mid-way). Minus those steps, it was pretty idyllic – we saw mallards, swans, dragonflies and butterflies.
The kids were happy, but hungry – so we headed back and popped into The Weyside (a gorgeous pub on the riverside) for some restorative chips and fizzy drinks. As we sat and waiting with hungry bellies, the team gave us some duck food. We gleefully fed the swan (named Simon, apparently) although he got overzealous and nipped a finger, so that put paid to that. Ho hum. Well fed and watered, we squeezed ourselves back into our meagre little motor and hit the road again…
We’ve arrived, Worplesdon
Just 15-mins later we pulled up to the glorious grounds of Worplesdon Place (a little early for check-in) and the lovely Natasha luckily told us our room was ready. The kids and I excitedly headed to our family-friendly (and dog-friendly) room up on the first floor.
I was speechless. Emerald green armchairs, antique brass fixtures, parquet flooring and a huge bed awaited us. It’s been recently renovated to such a high standard (special shout out to the fancy pillows with very touchable fringe). It was very plush – I truly loved it. The children (perhaps not so speechless) proceeded to bicker over which one of them would have the Z-bed and which unlucky soul would endure my snoring and share the king-sized bed with me. A coin-toss decided the outcome (the only reasonable way to settle a row) and we began to unpack.
A mum-mellowing half an hour of putting our feet up, stretching out with a book (and a cuppa for me) was bliss. The dog had even taken herself off to have a kip in the lovely dog bed. We had clearly already begun to feel so at home here.
Settling in
First order of business was to explore the grounds. The flower-full gardens at Worplesdon Place are expansive, with plenty of space for the kids to run around, perform handstands, play beachball and generally be free, without bothering anybody else. It really really feels like a resort in its own right. Outside space – check. Great drinks – check. Comfy seating (indoors and out) – check.
We felt no need to venture too far on that first day, instead choosing to get comfy on a sun lounger for a spot of R&R in the sunshine. I was determined that we’d have screen-free, wholesome and (most importantly) super-chilled time this weekend. Hence, I’d packed a veritable library of fiction, activity and colouring books. So, we all found a suitable comfy spot (I ordered myself a pint of BeaverTown Neck Oil IPA via the Young’s On Tap app) and we settled in for some much-needed relaxing.
Food, glorious food
Holiday mealtimes are an occasion, so we popped upstairs to freshen up before being seated in a lovely room adjacent to the now-bustling bar. Although veg-dodgers, my children love olives, so I ordered us a portion (plus a wee wedge of Godminster Cheddar and figs) as a little nibble before we moved onto the main meal. This went down a treat.
The kids enjoyed a mac & cheese and a burger for their dinner, whilst I tucked into one of the catch-of-the-day fresh fish specials from the blackboard. I had a beautiful, big piece of Monkfish on the bone paired with broccoli, potatoes, and a gorgeously garlicky cream sauce. Topped off with an icy cold glass (large, if you please) of French Viognier. Sublime. We shot for the stars and ordered an impossibly generous portion of Eton Mess for pud, but were ultimately beaten. After a last lap of the gardens, we headed off to bed… to sleep off all the fantastic food.
Wakey, wakey…
Apparently, my son had been dreaming of Eggs Benedict all night and woke me at 5:45am, ready for breakfast. Brekkie is served from 8am on Sundays (not an unreasonable time for normal humans to have their first meal of the day) so we made some in-room hot chocolates and climbed into bed to wait for first orders.
A little while later, we slung on some clothes and went outside for some fresh air. The sun was shining and we looked up places nearby for a spot of walkies later (unanimously choosing Standinghill Wood). Eggs Benedict (and much coffee) consumed; we set off on an adventure.
A speedy 5-mins drive brought us to the location of our pooch-mooch. The sun-dappled woods were a picture-perfect place for fresh air, peace and quiet, plus plenty of outdoors-y (and most importantly, screen-free) family time together. Joyfully meandering between the trees – getting gloriously lost, may I say – we felt as though we were in the middle of nowhere. When (in reality) we were less than an hour from London.
Having spent bucket-loads of time exploring the Surrey countryside, we’d managed to work ourselves up a hunger again. Swerving Google Maps, we decided to play a game of ‘left-right-left.’ This is a fun game where the kids take turns randomly hollering directions at me. This wholesome family activity (somewhat inevitably) took us in circles, and we ended up in Pirbright.
I highly recommend a visit to nearby Pirbright Village Green. It’s a super-cute spot with a lovely playground, pond (complete with hungry ducks) and a couple of pubs. Like a mirage in the middle of the green is the most alluring coffee and waffle wagon too. We figured it’d be rude to come all this way and not sample the foods. Go for the oreo waffle – it’s a dream.’
Where next?
Our family weekend getaway was wonderful. A spot of bravery and an overnight bag (plus a deck of playing cards) was all we really needed to spend some quality time together – in the most beautiful pub – with the most beautiful grounds. I’ll definitely be whisking the not-so little ones away for another adventure soon – maybe somewhere like The Bridge, Chertsey. Chessington would be on the doorstep (for a little theme-park action) or Spread Eagle, Wandsworth, for a spot of London sightseeing. Who knows.
Maybe we’ll get the train next time, though, eh?