Showing posts with label walk. Show all posts
Showing posts with label walk. Show all posts

Thursday, 5 October 2023

6 Ideas to Get Creative On a Family Walk

Image Credit: Unsplash

{This is a collaborative post}


Taking family walks is an excellent avenue for fitness, obtaining fresh air, and fostering creativity for all family members. Here are several suggestions to optimize your outdoor experiences, morph your walks into small adventures, and maintain the interest of even the most energetic children as you navigate through the forest, or simply along your local streets. 

Incorporate a Challenge 


If you aim to ramp up your walks' vigor, set a fitness goal for yourself. Consider speed walking or establish a timed target to boost your pace. If kids accompany you, encourage them to hop throughout the street or mimic a horse's gallop for part of the journey. Alternatively, invite them to devise their own fun challenges to add an extra physical activity layer. You can bring a stroller fan from Diono to keep your children cool while exploring.

Alter Your Walking Route 

Your walking routes might be restricted at the moment. However, even reversing your usual direction can offer a different exercise by climbing that hill rather than descending it. If you can, vary the terrain of your walks. A dirt path provides more of a challenge compared to a flat sidewalk. Alternatively, consider driving to an area with more inclines if your regular route is level. 

Go Geocaching 


Geocaching is a delightful outdoor scavenger hunt suitable for all family members. Using specific GPS coordinates, use the Geocaching app to find hidden boxes called 'geocaches'. Typically, these geocaches hold a logbook for noting the date and time of discovery, along with a few mini treasures. If you decide to take a treasure, aim to replace it with something of similar or higher worth for the next player. With over three million geocaches globally, chances are there's one in your vicinity. 

Monday, 28 June 2021

East Sussex Walks: Seaford Head to Cuckmere Haven Beach

Sharing photos from our 4.5 mile walk along the cliffs from Seaford Head to Cuckmere Haven Beach

I absolutely love going for a long walk and exploring new places and to my mind, there is nowhere better to do this than by the sea. I've posted many times about walking the cliffs at Beachy Head, Birling Gap and the Seven Sisters but this was the first time I have walked the cliffs in the opposite direction starting at Seaford Head and walking to the Cuckmere Valley. It really is beautiful and I can't recommend it highly enough.

Drive to Seaford and you can park on the seafront and plenty of it is free for up to 12 hours, so that's great news! Definitely take some time to enjoy walking along the prom and in low season you'll hardly see anyone. They have the classic pastel-coloured beach huts and lots of nice little beach hut cafes as you wander along. We've had coffee at Martello's Coffee before and they have plenty of seating on a deck right on the beach. But my favourite is Frankie's cafe where you can get a slice of homemade cake and a toastie for a very reasonable price. 


Walk down the seafront towards Splash Point. You can fail to notice the enormous white cliff face there, so you'll know you're heading in the right direction. In parts, there is quite an incline to climb up onto the clifftop and I wouldn't say I'm the most proficient hill walker, but I managed fine.  So just make sure you have on good shoes and wear a backpack, rather than a handbag like I did. Turn back to look over Seaford as you head up as it is a really nice view and not too spoilt. You see the gold course at the start of this walk and I can't say I'd fancy golfing on the cliff.

Saturday, 19 January 2019

Visiting the Seven Sisters Country Park, East Sussex

view of the seven sisters cliffs

We've lived in East Sussex for coming on six years now and visited the Seven Sisters cliffs so many times. It is a stunning area and wonderful to walk, but with the massive dips (or seven sisters) it can be a demanding hike and takes a bit of energy and kind weather. Recently we wanted to head out as a family to enjoy a good walk, but not a really demanding one, so we decided to trial the flatter walk from the visitor centre down to the Cuckmere Haven, where the River Cuckmere meets the English channel.

I'm so glad we discovered this area, it was a little further for us to drive than Beachy Head or Birling Gap where we normally go, but it was well worth it. The country park is maintained by East Sussex country council and there are two car parks, one on each side of the road. We found plenty of parking on a mild January day but I'd imagine it would be heaving busy in the summer. It costs £3 for up to 2 hours and £4 for the day. The machine takes coins, credit cards and you can use the Ringo app too.

I was really pleased to see that there are toilets (including an accessible one), a visitors centre (open for limited periods during the year) and a gorgeous cafe serving fabulous coffees, homemade cakes and a super selection of salads.

cafe at seven sisters country park

The easy access trail that we took is 4km down to the beach and back and it is great for pushchairs, wheelchairs, mobility scooters and all sorts of kids fun, like bikes, skates and scooters. My girls preferred to be running all over the place, up the hills, down to the riverside, looking in streams and jumping puddles. It is certainly a fun place to explore.

Monday, 22 October 2018

A Simple Autumnal Walk Around Our Home

When we first moved to East Sussex over five years ago I used to share lots of pictures taken around the grounds of our home but I realise I haven't for quite some time now, So I need to rectify this.

You may know that I'm lucky enough to live within the 220 acre grounds of the Christian Conference Centre that my husband works at. This means we have access to large lawned areas, three lakes, loads of forest, a stream, lake swimming, a low ropes course and so much more. And all of this 365 days a year.

The other weekend Miss E and I took a Sunday afternoon walk together as she wanted to find some conkers. It turned out we were a bit late in the season as there weren't that many about but we did well for sweet chestnuts.

It was a lovely 90 minutes spent with Miss E, isn't it fab to spend one on one time with your kids?


Loving the cloud reflections in the next picture.


Tuesday, 3 November 2015

Chestnuts, Chestnuts Everywhere - Photo Blog

We've had some fabulous weather just recently and the girls and I have been getting out and making the most of it. It is not always necessary to spend lots of money to have a great time together, getting outdoors and foraging for a sweet treat can be really satisfying.

The chestnuts are dropping by the dozen right now and we wanted to get some before all the deers ate them up. We headed out with some friends to go collecting and we didn't have to go far before we found an abundance. Between Friday and Saturday we collected a great haul and the kids got to partake in some of their favourite pass times - tree climbing and mud jumping!

 The golden nectar that we set out to find, they are stunning just to look at, let alone eat!

Sunday, 16 November 2014

Let's find mushrooms mummy (A year in photos)

After Church today I asked Miss E if she fanced a walk around the grounds where we live. JJ wanted a chilled afternoon before a game of football with the volunteers, Miss M was to make Anzac biscuits with Daddy for home learning and that left me and the little cutie,

'Let's find mushrooms mummy' she said excitedly, 'we can take our cameras'.

So that is what we did, a nice walk for a couple of hours enjoying the fact it was not raining but enjoying finding the fruit of all that rain as there was some fabulous fungi to be found! We then finished off the afternoon by inviting the rest of the family to join us for a cup of hot chocolate at the Orangery.

One on one time with my chidren is so special, that it can't be taken for granted, so as we walk I always take time to chat. We talk about the week gone, the week ahead, school, activities, friends, who we can pray for and what is on our hearts. It is very special to have that time to enjoy being together.
 “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.” Proverbs 22:6

Wednesday, 12 February 2014

Come walk with me - Winter

Following on from my other short clips (Summer and Autumn), here is the latest instalment - Winter.

All the photos are taken at my beautiful new home.


It is such a privilege to live her, I hope it continues for quite some time yet.
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Tuesday, 19 November 2013

Come walk with me - Autumn

Back in the summer when I moved to East Sussex I posted about my morning walk and shared lots of photos of the amazing views I get to enjoy every day. Now it is November the views have changed quite considerably, so it is my pleasure to share again. Especially as I have a new star-spangled camera to take these pictures on (However after spending an age creating this little montage of them all I'm not convinced it shows them at their best, so I'll share my 3 favourites below too.

Enjoy -

Never before have I had photos with this kind of detail, can you see the dew on the apple?


The beautiful autumnal colours delight my soul


I adore the reflection in this photo


Friday, 25 October 2013

Wet woodland walk

Last Sunday after Church our family decided we would get out together and take a trip to the beach, nothing fancy just a nice walk together, chatting, catching up on our week, a bit of stone skimming and I expect some shell and stone collecting, Miss E can't seem help herself. Sadly just as we went to leave the house the rain came and boy did it come. Enough so that my boys did not want to go out any more. Not to be deterred by some water, the girls and I decided we would head out for a wet woodland walk round our lake and see what we could find.

The girls are still at that age when jumping in puddles is great fun and who am I to say no?


It really was pouring down and by the time we got home just over an hour later we had to strip to our underwear in the hall as we were truly saturated but we got some exercise and we had fun, that's most important.  The clothes can just be washed and dried!

We had some excellent finds on our trip out - conkers, sweet chestnuts, a marvellous toadstool, a whole load of mushrooms and even the most enormous shell from a freshwater mussel that a Heron must have fished out of the lake.


Take a peek at how happy my girls are collecting their conkers -



I'm really thankful to Mark Warner holidays who have challenged me get out with my family for all of October and be active together. It would have been so easy to have just stayed indoors but we would have missed out on the fun.

Have you had a good week, how have you managed to get active this week?

I'm also linking up this post to Fiona's Country Kids - click on the badge to head over and see what others have got up to in their Country Kids exploits.

 Country Kids from Coombe Mill Family Farm Holidays Cornwall


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If you like what you have read and want to stay up-to-date then subscribe by email for free and receive blog posts directly to your in-box - just click the link Subscribe to Mummy From The Heart... by Email or perhaps you like to keep all your blog reading in one place, if that is the case you can follow me on BlogLovin too!Follow on Bloglovin

Monday, 19 August 2013

Come walk with me...

A couple of weeks back I started a quiet morning walk every day and so far, so good. I am keeping it up each day and really enjoying it.  I'm out the house for about 45-60 minutes and that includes walking and praying.

My Fitbit Flex is on my wrist and monitors how active I am being. I have already seen an improvement in how quick I can walk the lake and also how my aches and pains in my calves are lessening. Each walk round the lake clocks about 3800 steps up and that gives me a great start to the day.

I can honestly say I never in a million years thought I could enjoy exercise but it must have just been that I needed the right place. I have not been enjoying the mossie bites it has to be said!

I thought you might like to come walk with me and see the beautiful views I get to take in each day. I am so looking forward to seeing the landscape change over the year and watching summer turn to autumn and for all the leaves to change and start to fall. I don't think I'll ever get bored....


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If you like what you have read and want to stay up-to-date then subscribe by email for free and receive blog posts directly to your in-box - just click the link Subscribe to Mummy From The Heart... by Email or perhaps you like to keep all your blog reading in one place, if that is the case you can follow me on BlogLovin too!Follow on Bloglovin