November 1, 2025 • 26 mins
In this episode of the Family Holiday Destinations podcast, we’re talking about active family holidays - the kind that get everyone outdoors, exploring, and having fun together.
We start with some exciting travel news, including Japan’s new Pokémon theme park, Dinosaur Valley at Scenic World in the Blue Mountains, and the upcoming world’s tallest hotel in Dubai.
Then host Jessica Palmer chats with Will Cairns, founder of Active England Tours, about what makes an active holiday truly family-friendly - from the best destinations in the UK for walking and cycling to balancing adventure with kids on your family holiday.
In the tip segment, Jessica shares practical advice on managing younger kids on an active family holiday.
IMPORTANT LINKS:
This is Our England video by Active England Tours
Thanks for tuning in to the Family Holiday Destinations podcast! For more travel tips, destination guides, and family-friendly inspiration, visit our website at familyholidaydestinations.com. Until next time, happy travels and safe adventures!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:05):
Welcome to the Family Holiday Destinations podcast,
where we explore your nextfamily adventure.
I'm Jessica Palmer, mother oftwo and founder of Family
Holiday Destinations.
And today we're chatting aboutsomething that's close to my
heart (00:20):
active family travel.
From gentle walks to multi-daycycling tours to pounding the
pavement at theme parks tosnorkeling adventures.
Traveling actively is one ofthe best ways to really
experience a destination.
And of course, get the kids offtheir screens for a while.
(00:41):
Later in the episode, I'll bejoined by Will from Active
England Tours, who specialise increating active,
family-friendly itinerariesthrough some of the UK's most
beautiful landscapes, includingthe Cotswolds and the Lake
District.
But first, let's take a look atwhat's making headlines in
family travel this month.
(01:08):
First up, Pokemon fans.
This one's for you.
Japan has announced its veryfirst Poke Park Kanto theme
park, coming to the GreaterTokyo area in early 2026.
Expect life-size Pokemonencounters, themed rides, and
even a Pokemon village.
It's set to become the ultimatebucketless destination for
(01:32):
families travelling to Japan.
Closer to home, the BlueMountains in New South Wales has
welcomed back a familyfavourite experience, Dinosaur
Valley at Scenic World.
Except this time it has a newaddition with the all-new Dino
Aquarium.
Kids can wander amonglife-sized dinosaurs, meet
(01:52):
rangers, and even take a ride onthis famous scenic railway
while spotting prehistoricgiants hidden in the rainforest.
And for something a little moreluxurious, Dubai is set to open
the world's tallest hotel thisNovember, the Ciel Dubai Marina.
Towering 82 floors high, itfeatures the highest infinity
(02:17):
pool on the planet and panoramicviews of Palm Jumira.
It's not your average familystay, but for those chasing
once-in-a-lifetime views, thisone is worth keeping an eye on.
Now, let's get on to today'smain topic: active holidays for
(02:42):
families.
When you think of the UK, it'seasy to picture rainy weather in
old castles.
But Will from Active EnglandTours wants to change that
perception and has created ashort little film, under two
minutes, showing us a moreappealing side of the UK.
From charming village walks inthe Cotswolds to cycling through
(03:03):
the lake district, there's alot for families to discover
beyond London.
I recently sat down with Willfor a chat about their new video
and how Active England Toursmakes exploring the countryside
accessible and fun for families,even those with young kids.
Take a listen to thatconversation here.
(03:25):
So thank you so much for takingthe time to chat with me.
I really do appreciate it.
So tell me about Active Englandand how it all started.
Speaker 2 (03:35):
So we were um, I was actually in the in the Loire
Valley with my kids, and we sawpeople on bikes going chateau to
chateau.
And I thought, I live inOxford, and we're on the edge of
the Cotswolds, and we've gotOxford, Glenn Palace, um,
(03:56):
Stratford upon Aden foreverything, Shakespeare, Bath,
Stonehenge, and then in at thattime, Downton Abbey, and it was
all in a circle.
Yeah.
And basically, I biked it oneweekend and I thought, actually,
I could run a trip.
So I built a website and usedmy kids' kids as models and um
took some photos, did somevideo, and that was it.
Speaker 1 (04:18):
Oh, nice.
So were they young at the time?
Speaker 2 (04:22):
They were quite they were quite young at the time,
yeah.
Speaker 1 (04:24):
Okay, so family-friendly biking, that's
good to hear.
Speaker 2 (04:27):
Exactly.
Yeah, 100%.
Speaker 1 (04:29):
So, what inspired the video?
This is our England, and how doyou want it to change people's
perception of England?
Speaker 2 (04:38):
I I think England is known for many things, and we
wanted to dispel, you know, umsome of the myths that you have
to go to London, that you haveto go to um capsules and you
(04:58):
know, big iconic places, andthat it's always raining.
And that's a big one for us,yeah.
And and that it's and it andit's dark and a bit dingy.
So you can see by the videothat that that is not the case.
Interestingly, if you look atthe number of rain days, and I
didn't believe it when I firstheard this, but it's true.
(05:20):
London has less rain days thanNew York in any given year.
Um, and uh we judge it based onthe amount of days when you
can't do any activity in aseason.
So our seasons kind of go fromMarch through to October, and
there's normally about three orfour days only where you can't
do anything.
Speaker 1 (05:41):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (05:42):
Um, so the weather is a lot better than people think.
Uh, there's loads to see andloads to do.
You've just got to get outthere, embrace it.
If it does rain a little bit,don't worry about it because
it'll be sunny in a minute.
That's kind of the way that welook at things.
Speaker 1 (05:58):
Yeah, absolutely.
We we work like that here inQueensland too.
Speaker 2 (06:03):
It's it comes in in the afternoon and then it goes
away.
Yeah, exactly.
I mean, that's what we tend tothink is it very, very rarely
rains all day.
Traveling with kids is is is agreat thing to do, it expands
their knowledge andunderstanding.
They always remember whetherthey actually remember it or
not, they always think theyremember it.
(06:24):
Yes, and I I tend to look attravel with kids in in sort of
two distinct age brackets.
One, and for the Aussies, it'squite interesting, maybe for the
Aussies, because the way I doit is I I think about can they
swim well or not?
Yeah, those are the twobrackets.
Speaker 1 (06:45):
It's a safety thing, yes.
Speaker 2 (06:47):
Yeah, it's a safety thing because once once kids can
swim, it opens up so many moreinteresting and fun things for
them to do, whether it's surfingin Devon and Cornwall, coast
steering in Devon and Cornwall,whether it's just messing around
in the water or swimming in acold lake in a lake district, as
soon as you've got your kidsswimming, it opens up a lot more
(07:08):
activities that they can do.
Speaker 1 (07:10):
Yeah.
I feel like when they're atthat age where they can swim,
they're also at that age whereyou're not having to hold their
hand every second as well.
Speaker 2 (07:19):
Exactly.
And they're more curious aswell.
So my gut feel is the best timeto travel with kids is probably
when they're seven or eightplus.
That's my that's my gut view.
Uh and we certainly see thatborne out on our trips because
you know, fit and active seven,eight-year-olds can do as much
(07:41):
as the adults.
Speaker 1 (07:42):
Yeah, they can.
Speaker 2 (07:44):
They can climb mountains, they can climb
mountains, they can bike,they've got an engine that goes
all day.
And then if they've done awhole host of activity, they're
gonna sleep in the eveningsreally, really easily.
So that prior to you know, theages you know, seven and below,
you just have to do thingsslightly differently.
You you you kind of have to putat all times the kids first.
(08:06):
You have to think about how tobalance the activities you want
to do with what's right for thekids.
So it tends to be shorteractive days.
Yeah.
Um, although we do get some, wedo get some families who who
who will chuck the kids in abackpack and and and they're
off.
Speaker 1 (08:22):
Yeah, I was gonna say that sometimes when they're
really young, like babies, it'sactually easier because they're
in a backpack and they fallasleep, but then they get to an
age where they've got their ownopinions and and they you know
they get tired and cranky andthey need a nap, and then it's
and then it's quite hard.
Speaker 2 (08:39):
And I think I think whatever age they are, it's
balancing the activities.
So if you if if you are inLondon, you know, some of the
places that I would always getpeople to go to, I would always
go to London Zoo.
You know, every time I go toSydney, I always go to the zoo
in Sydney because it's I do you?
Speaker 1 (08:57):
Nice.
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (08:58):
Oh yeah, I love it.
I absolutely love it.
Um, so you know, go to LondonZoo, go to go go outside
Buckingham Palace.
If they're a bit older, go toHarry Potter World, which is
literally just outside London.
Go to the Natural HistoryMuseum.
There are so many places thatyou can do which are fun and
engaging for the kids.
So if I think about places togo and how to balance this on a
(09:21):
family trip, it would be do youwant to go to London?
That's the first question.
The answer's probably yes.
Speaker 1 (09:28):
Well, you yeah, you've got to fly in anyway.
Speaker 2 (09:30):
You've got to fly in, you're there anyway.
You know, it's 20 minutes.
There's a there's a great um,you can either get in by taxi or
Uber or whatever, or you cango, there's a great train called
the Heathrow Express, and itgets you directly into um
Paddington station in 20minutes.
So we tend to say to ourguests, if you if you get in um
(09:53):
to Heathrow, get into London,maybe stay in that Paddington
area, yeah.
Um, and then Paddington is agreat place to go out if you're
then going out from London aftera couple of days.
So we tend to say, come toLondon, um do two, three days or
whatever you need to do inLondon, and then get out into
(10:13):
the countryside.
Speaker 1 (10:14):
Yeah.
So you've talked in the pastabout Cotswolds and the lake
district being ideal for familyholidays.
Why is that?
Speaker 2 (10:23):
I I think that Cotswolds to start with, the the
Cotswolds is what I callchocolate box in England.
Um, and it's there are someamazing places in and around the
Cotswolds which you can visitwith the family.
So Oxford, Bar, Stonehenge.
(10:45):
Um, there's a place calledAvebury, which is a bit like
Stonehenge, but better, andnobody goes there.
It's it's a it's a villagecompletely surrounded by these
huge, great big Stonehenge likestones.
So they go on for about a mileall the way around.
Yeah, and if you're going therewith the kids, kids you can go
up and touch the stones and allsorts of other stuff.
It's much more than a couple ofthings.
(11:06):
Yeah, because Stonehenge is youcan't touch Stonehenge, can
you?
You can't get close, you can'tget close.
So there's loads to do for foradults and kids.
I would all I the lake districtis great for walking, but
obviously with kids, they needto be able to walk.
Mum and dad, etc., or extendedfamily need to be able to walk a
(11:27):
reasonable distance to get uphigh in the lake district.
You know, I've done it with mykids back in the pint in the
day, and by the time they'reseven or eight, all they want to
do is get to the top of themountains.
You know, you'd have you haveyour lunch on top of the
mountain, you come back down, umyou go and have a pint in a
pub, uh, and the kids, you know,the kids love that sort of
(11:47):
stuff.
I would also add in Devon andCornwall down the west of the
country because that's where Imentioned swimming earlier,
that's where um there's so manywater sports that the kids can
get involved in.
You know, the water is not aswarm as it is in Sydney.
Speaker 1 (12:04):
I was gonna say, how cold are we talking?
Speaker 2 (12:06):
Yeah, or northern Queensland.
Um, but you know, it's it's17-18 degrees centigrade in the
summer, which is fine for a dip,fine for swim without a
wetsuit.
Um and so the summer months aregreat for that.
Um, there's you know surfing,there's co-steering, there's
(12:29):
just messing about in the water,there's you know the bucket and
spade on the beach, there'sCornish cream teas or Devon
Cream teas, there's ice creams,there's great pubs to go to for
mum and dad.
Devon and Cornwall is is is areally cool place to go to with
kids, and it's only two, threehours from London.
And the best way I I alwaysthink with a family to get
(12:49):
around on um is by a train.
Speaker 1 (12:52):
Oh yes.
Speaker 2 (12:53):
The train, you know, the cheap tickets for the kids,
um, jump on the train, there'sno hassle with driving, you can
look out the window, you cankeep the kids occupied, and it's
just a much more relaxing,rewarding way to travel than
either going by coach or or orhiring a car or something like
that.
Speaker 1 (13:11):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (13:12):
And you can get really good deals for especially
for especially for the kids.
So so you know, my advice wouldbe wherever possible, um,
travel by train, even if you'regoing up to Edinburgh or
Scotland, you know.
Yeah, um London to Edinburgh bytrain is four hours thirty,
something like that.
And you get straight into themiddle of Edinburgh, it's by far
the quickest way um to get toScotland.
(13:32):
And it's great to look out thewindow and see what's going on.
Speaker 1 (13:35):
Do you have tours through Scotland as well?
Speaker 2 (13:38):
Yes, we cover um the whole of the UK.
Um, although our name is ActiveEngland, we we're we we do a
huge amount of Scotland.
We're actually building a newbrand to incorporate incorporate
Scotland into the East.
Speaker 1 (13:49):
Excellent, yeah.
So families with toddlers havedifferent needs than those
traveling with teenagers.
How do you tailor your toursfor the different age groups?
Speaker 2 (14:00):
What we do, it's really important that what we do
is we set expectations with theparents.
We want to make sure that thatthe parents are aligned on on
what can work.
And whilst we're not ababysitting service, we we want
to make sure that the mum anddad are getting some time off as
well.
Speaker 1 (14:16):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (14:16):
So on our trips, we'll always have um fully
qualified guides who arequalified to deal with kids of
of all ages.
It's crucial that we have allthose right qualifications.
They're qualified to drive thevehicles that we use and to make
sure that we are looking afterour guests, be they two or 102.
(14:37):
You know, it's it's crucialthat everybody gets their
holiday.
So we encourage parents if theywant to go off and do some
stuff on their own or do stuffdifferently.
We'll help them do that, youknow.
So we'll babysit for the kidsif they want to go out for
dinner, you know.
We'll we'll we'll take mum ordad out for a bike ride or for a
swim or for a walk or for a runor whatever they want to do,
(14:57):
because it's important that theparents get a break as well.
But obviously, the focus isgoing to be a lot on the kids,
especially if they're if they'reif they're toddlers, etc.
So uh I I think backpacks aregreat.
If if we can get the kids inthe backpack, that means you you
can you can integrate moreactive active pursuits during
the day.
I mean, obviously you're notgonna ride a bike with a kid on
(15:20):
the back, but there are tagalongbikes that you can use
off-road, etc.
Um, and so yeah, it's it'sreally making sure that uh mum
and dad get a break as as wellas looking after the kids.
It's making sure that we setexpectations about what's
possible and what's notpossible, what's not possible,
and making sure that we shortenthe days uh in terms of activity
(15:44):
because obviously the kids aregonna need to sleep, they're not
need to eat, and yada yadayada, get back early, etc.
etc.
So we just have to be verysensitive to the needs of both
the parents and the kids.
Speaker 1 (15:55):
Yeah.
So what aboutmulti-generational travel?
Do you have do you see a lot ofgrandparents and then parents
and then grandchildren travelingtogether?
And then how do you b balancethat with the additional
accessibility needs?
Speaker 2 (16:13):
Normally, I say I say normally, um, the the multi-gen
families tend to be pretty fitand active.
Speaker 1 (16:20):
Pretty active, yeah.
Speaker 2 (16:22):
Yeah, so there aren't really that that many access
issues.
We just have to bear in mindthat if people have mobility
issues that they cater for inthe hotels and and the
activities that we do, that'sthat's no problem at all.
I think the one thing that'sreally important to me on on for
multi-generational families isto ensure that everybody knows
what they're getting themselvesinto.
(16:43):
So we always encourage callswith the group in advance to
make sure that the mum or dad,um, the sons and daughters they
know exactly what's beingplanned because we you know
occasionally we've had it, we'vehad situations whereby the lead
booker has booked the trip buthasn't necessarily informed
(17:06):
everybody about what's beingplanned, and so it's a holiday
for all the family, not just thelead booker.
So we all we we always say thatwe pretty much have to have a
call to elicit what's what'sgonna make a magical trip for
all members of the family.
Um, and then we have additionalcalls to meet their guides in
(17:29):
advance of them traveling sothey get comfortable with the
guides, they understand that theguides are gonna look after
everybody in the group, but no,more communication the better,
more understanding of what'sgonna make a really magical
holiday is really important tous.
Speaker 1 (17:44):
So, with some of your bike tours, I'm assuming that's
quite hilly.
You have e-bikes as well.
Speaker 2 (17:50):
Yeah, we'd have we have e-bikes.
E-bikes are great, and theythey certainly level up the the
playing field.
We don't let kids under 16 one-bikes for fairly obvious
reasons, but you know, e-bikee-bikes are a huge benefit to
what we do.
It's not depends where you go,it's actually not as hilly as
people think, to be honest.
We like to say that a lot ofthe the the UK is what we call
(18:12):
gently rolling, so it's up anddown.
Yes.
So you get so you go up, youget and then and then you go
down, you go up, then you godown.
Um, and e-bikes, as I said,certainly levels of playing
field, but you know, we we haveyou know five, six hundred bikes
here, vehicles, trailers,everything that we need to make
sure that we can cater for whatpeople like or want to do across
(18:32):
the whole of the UK.
Speaker 1 (18:34):
So there's a growing interest in slow and sustainable
travel.
Does Active England build thatinto its experiences?
Speaker 2 (18:42):
100%.
I think inherently what we dois pretty green, to be honest,
because we're getting people outof tour buses, we're traveling
where we can by train or in ourelectric vehicles.
Um, we are making sure thatpeople are biking and walking
and and and doing everythingthat they can outdoors wherever
(19:03):
possible.
So inherently, we're we'rewe're pretty green.
Um, we try and work with hotelgroups who do you know, farm to
fork, 20-mile menus, that sortof thing.
Um, that's becomingincreasingly important.
So, you know, I I think atevery step we're trying to be
green, and inherently activetravel is pretty green.
Speaker 1 (19:25):
It is, yes.
So, how do you support localcommunities or help reduce the
overtourism in the peak kind ofdestinations?
Speaker 2 (19:33):
Yeah, we tend to advise it.
There are many issues inrelation to this.
There's dates to start with, sothere are certain times of year
when we advise people not totravel to certain areas, and
basically it's the six weeks inthe summer, so it's from late
August all the late July, sorry,all the way through August,
(19:53):
whereby the Brits are generallyon holiday.
A lot of them go down to Devonand Cornwall.
So we tend not to do so much inDevon and Cornwall in that late
July, August period.
Yeah, the rest of it, to behonest, is fair game.
Um, I think you can travel atany time to pretty much any
place.
Ah, the one other place Iwouldn't go to unless you're
(20:14):
going to the Edinburgh Fringe isAugust in Edinburgh with the
Edinburgh Fringe and theEdinburgh Festival.
Unless you've got tickets,you're gonna pay through through
the roof.
In terms of over over tourism,we tend to try and avoid the
crowds.
So we don't spend that muchtime in London.
We try to get out of Londonwherever possible.
(20:34):
Yeah, you know, we recognisepeople will want to go to
London, but we think let's getpeople out of London.
That's that's the first point.
The second point is istravelling and doing activities
at different times of the day.
You've seen by that video thatwe do a lot of early morning,
late afternoon stuff, because wewant to avoid the crowds when
people are you know busy millingaround at certain at certain
(20:56):
places, and then obviously wetry to go to places which are
off the beaten track.
Now everybody says that, but wewe we live here, we live and
bring to the UK, we know whereto go, we know what's
interesting to our guests, andwhat we tend to find when people
come to the UK, they kind ofknow what they're gonna get from
Stonehenge.
You know what Stonehenge lookslike.
You kind of know what you'regonna get from Oxford or Bath or
(21:20):
Stratford, but what peopledon't under what people possibly
underestimate is is the thesights, the smells, the
countryside, the the atmosphereabout being in rural England,
which is completely differentfrom any other country in the
world.
It's the weird and wonderfulpeople you meet in the cafes and
the pubs, it's the whole kindof package which is bigger than
(21:43):
the places that you see.
So getting off the beatentrack, seeing different things,
that's the recipe for success.
Speaker 1 (21:50):
Absolutely.
So, what's your personalfavorite region in England that
families often overlook?
Speaker 2 (21:56):
I'd say Northumberland.
We don't get many Aussies or orNorth Americans travelling to
Northumberland.
So it is on the northeast coastof England, it's right up by
Hadrian's Wall.
Um, there are some of the bestcastles in the UK there, really
easy to get to.
Um, Newcastle is kind of thehub of the region and it's a
(22:19):
superb, superb city with thefriendliest people in the UK.
It's it's just really, reallyunderrated.
But go there quick because it'sstarting to get found.
Oh, people are noticing.
Maybe I won't notice.
Speaker 1 (22:32):
So, last question.
If a family had, say, two weeksin England, what would you
personally recommend?
Speaker 2 (22:40):
I'm gonna assume that they're an active family.
Yes, yes, is that okay?
So I I would say um fly intoLondon, spend a couple of days
in London.
I would then head out and Iwould do an either or to the
Cotswolds or Devon and Cornwalland then shoot up north to the
Lake District, maybe inNorthumberland, and then into
(23:02):
Scotland, and spend probably twoor three days in three or four
different locations.
That's how I would.
Speaker 1 (23:10):
So, what is what are we looking at for travel time
between those destinations?
Speaker 2 (23:14):
Yeah, so good question.
So um London out to Devon andCornwall is roughly it's three
hours.
Yeah, three hours to Devon,four hours to Cornwall.
The Cotswolds is an hour and ahalf from London.
Um yeah, it's not far at all.
So you just you you headthrough Oxford.
Oxford is an hour from London,and the Cotswolds is half an
hour the other side, and then umLondon to Edinburgh on the
(23:39):
train is only four and a halfhours.
Speaker 1 (23:41):
Oh, so you're not gonna lose like a whole day
traveling.
Speaker 2 (23:44):
No, so no, so you can you can do a whole lot of
activity in London in themorning, get the train in the
afternoon, and then you're inEdinburgh for dinner.
Oh, the traveling distancesaren't as bad as people think,
but I I highly recommend thetrain because it gets you in and
out of the centre of theseplaces really quickly and really
easily.
Speaker 1 (24:02):
Um you normally get the good scenery too, don't you?
Speaker 2 (24:05):
And you get the good scenery.
Yeah, there are certain tripswhere you need to sit on the
left or the right-hand sidebecause the scenery is better,
but we advise our guests as towhat to do there.
Speaker 1 (24:14):
Absolutely.
Well, thank you so much foryour time.
Will, I really do appreciateit.
I know it's probably a bit ofan early morning for you to be
able to do that.
Speaker 2 (24:24):
We're up early, we're up early today.
Yeah, and Jesse and thank youso much for you know, it's been
really nice chatting to you.
Speaker 1 (24:32):
If today's chat has inspired you to try a more
active holiday with your family,here are a couple of quick tips
to make it smoother with kidsand a lot more fun.
Tip one, the mini explorer tip.
If you're out and about withyoung kids, give each child a
responsibility during youradventure.
One can be the map reader,another the snap captain, or
(24:55):
even the wildlife spotter.
This has worked well for mewhen my kids were younger.
And by turning it into a game,it's helped keep them engaged
and also, more importantly, gavethem something to do other than
annoying each other.
Tip two, the pack smart walkfar tip.
If you're planning a walking orcycling holiday, they can
(25:18):
absolutely be their own packmeal.
Get them to pack a small daypack each with their own water,
snacks, and a light jacket.
I've found that letting thekids pack their own bag and
letting them choose their snacksteaches independence and also
lightens your load.
So that wraps up our chat aboutactive family adventures.
(25:40):
I'm sure there are many othergreat experiences out there to
be had, and we'd love to hearsome of yours.
Thanks for joining me on thisjourney.
I hope it's inspired you tolace up your walking shoes and
explore the great outdoorstogether as a family.
For more tips and detailedguides, head on over to
FamilyHolidaydestinations.com,where you'll find destination
(26:03):
ideas, travel deals, andinspiration for your next trip.
And until next time, happyafternoon.
Welcome to the Family Holiday Destinations podcast,
where we explore your nextfamily adventure.
I'm Jessica Palmer, mother oftwo and founder of Family
Holiday Destinations.
And today we're chatting aboutsomething that's close to my
heart (00:20):
active family travel.
From gentle walks to multi-daycycling tours to pounding the
pavement at theme parks tosnorkeling adventures.
Traveling actively is one ofthe best ways to really
experience a destination.
And of course, get the kids offtheir screens for a while.
(00:41):
Later in the episode, I'll bejoined by Will from Active
England Tours, who specialise increating active,
family-friendly itinerariesthrough some of the UK's most
beautiful landscapes, includingthe Cotswolds and the Lake
District.
But first, let's take a look atwhat's making headlines in
family travel this month.
(01:08):
First up, Pokemon fans.
This one's for you.
Japan has announced its veryfirst Poke Park Kanto theme
park, coming to the GreaterTokyo area in early 2026.
Expect life-size Pokemonencounters, themed rides, and
even a Pokemon village.
It's set to become the ultimatebucketless destination for
(01:32):
families travelling to Japan.
Closer to home, the BlueMountains in New South Wales has
welcomed back a familyfavourite experience, Dinosaur
Valley at Scenic World.
Except this time it has a newaddition with the all-new Dino
Aquarium.
Kids can wander amonglife-sized dinosaurs, meet
(01:52):
rangers, and even take a ride onthis famous scenic railway
while spotting prehistoricgiants hidden in the rainforest.
And for something a little moreluxurious, Dubai is set to open
the world's tallest hotel thisNovember, the Ciel Dubai Marina.
Towering 82 floors high, itfeatures the highest infinity
(02:17):
pool on the planet and panoramicviews of Palm Jumira.
It's not your average familystay, but for those chasing
once-in-a-lifetime views, thisone is worth keeping an eye on.
Now, let's get on to today'smain topic: active holidays for
(02:42):
families.
When you think of the UK, it'seasy to picture rainy weather in
old castles.
But Will from Active EnglandTours wants to change that
perception and has created ashort little film, under two
minutes, showing us a moreappealing side of the UK.
From charming village walks inthe Cotswolds to cycling through
(03:03):
the lake district, there's alot for families to discover
beyond London.
I recently sat down with Willfor a chat about their new video
and how Active England Toursmakes exploring the countryside
accessible and fun for families,even those with young kids.
Take a listen to thatconversation here.
(03:25):
So thank you so much for takingthe time to chat with me.
I really do appreciate it.
So tell me about Active Englandand how it all started.
Speaker 2 (03:35):
So we were um, I was actually in the in the Loire
Valley with my kids, and we sawpeople on bikes going chateau to
chateau.
And I thought, I live inOxford, and we're on the edge of
the Cotswolds, and we've gotOxford, Glenn Palace, um,
(03:56):
Stratford upon Aden foreverything, Shakespeare, Bath,
Stonehenge, and then in at thattime, Downton Abbey, and it was
all in a circle.
Yeah.
And basically, I biked it oneweekend and I thought, actually,
I could run a trip.
So I built a website and usedmy kids' kids as models and um
took some photos, did somevideo, and that was it.
Speaker 1 (04:18):
Oh, nice.
So were they young at the time?
Speaker 2 (04:22):
They were quite they were quite young at the time,
yeah.
Speaker 1 (04:24):
Okay, so family-friendly biking, that's
good to hear.
Speaker 2 (04:27):
Exactly.
Yeah, 100%.
Speaker 1 (04:29):
So, what inspired the video?
This is our England, and how doyou want it to change people's
perception of England?
Speaker 2 (04:38):
I I think England is known for many things, and we
wanted to dispel, you know, umsome of the myths that you have
to go to London, that you haveto go to um capsules and you
(04:58):
know, big iconic places, andthat it's always raining.
And that's a big one for us,yeah.
And and that it's and it andit's dark and a bit dingy.
So you can see by the videothat that that is not the case.
Interestingly, if you look atthe number of rain days, and I
didn't believe it when I firstheard this, but it's true.
(05:20):
London has less rain days thanNew York in any given year.
Um, and uh we judge it based onthe amount of days when you
can't do any activity in aseason.
So our seasons kind of go fromMarch through to October, and
there's normally about three orfour days only where you can't
do anything.
Speaker 1 (05:41):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (05:42):
Um, so the weather is a lot better than people think.
Uh, there's loads to see andloads to do.
You've just got to get outthere, embrace it.
If it does rain a little bit,don't worry about it because
it'll be sunny in a minute.
That's kind of the way that welook at things.
Speaker 1 (05:58):
Yeah, absolutely.
We we work like that here inQueensland too.
Speaker 2 (06:03):
It's it comes in in the afternoon and then it goes
away.
Yeah, exactly.
I mean, that's what we tend tothink is it very, very rarely
rains all day.
Traveling with kids is is is agreat thing to do, it expands
their knowledge andunderstanding.
They always remember whetherthey actually remember it or
not, they always think theyremember it.
(06:24):
Yes, and I I tend to look attravel with kids in in sort of
two distinct age brackets.
One, and for the Aussies, it'squite interesting, maybe for the
Aussies, because the way I doit is I I think about can they
swim well or not?
Yeah, those are the twobrackets.
Speaker 1 (06:45):
It's a safety thing, yes.
Speaker 2 (06:47):
Yeah, it's a safety thing because once once kids can
swim, it opens up so many moreinteresting and fun things for
them to do, whether it's surfingin Devon and Cornwall, coast
steering in Devon and Cornwall,whether it's just messing around
in the water or swimming in acold lake in a lake district, as
soon as you've got your kidsswimming, it opens up a lot more
(07:08):
activities that they can do.
Speaker 1 (07:10):
Yeah.
I feel like when they're atthat age where they can swim,
they're also at that age whereyou're not having to hold their
hand every second as well.
Speaker 2 (07:19):
Exactly.
And they're more curious aswell.
So my gut feel is the best timeto travel with kids is probably
when they're seven or eightplus.
That's my that's my gut view.
Uh and we certainly see thatborne out on our trips because
you know, fit and active seven,eight-year-olds can do as much
(07:41):
as the adults.
Speaker 1 (07:42):
Yeah, they can.
Speaker 2 (07:44):
They can climb mountains, they can climb
mountains, they can bike,they've got an engine that goes
all day.
And then if they've done awhole host of activity, they're
gonna sleep in the eveningsreally, really easily.
So that prior to you know, theages you know, seven and below,
you just have to do thingsslightly differently.
You you you kind of have to putat all times the kids first.
(08:06):
You have to think about how tobalance the activities you want
to do with what's right for thekids.
So it tends to be shorteractive days.
Yeah.
Um, although we do get some, wedo get some families who who
who will chuck the kids in abackpack and and and they're
off.
Speaker 1 (08:22):
Yeah, I was gonna say that sometimes when they're
really young, like babies, it'sactually easier because they're
in a backpack and they fallasleep, but then they get to an
age where they've got their ownopinions and and they you know
they get tired and cranky andthey need a nap, and then it's
and then it's quite hard.
Speaker 2 (08:39):
And I think I think whatever age they are, it's
balancing the activities.
So if you if if you are inLondon, you know, some of the
places that I would always getpeople to go to, I would always
go to London Zoo.
You know, every time I go toSydney, I always go to the zoo
in Sydney because it's I do you?
Speaker 1 (08:57):
Nice.
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (08:58):
Oh yeah, I love it.
I absolutely love it.
Um, so you know, go to LondonZoo, go to go go outside
Buckingham Palace.
If they're a bit older, go toHarry Potter World, which is
literally just outside London.
Go to the Natural HistoryMuseum.
There are so many places thatyou can do which are fun and
engaging for the kids.
So if I think about places togo and how to balance this on a
(09:21):
family trip, it would be do youwant to go to London?
That's the first question.
The answer's probably yes.
Speaker 1 (09:28):
Well, you yeah, you've got to fly in anyway.
Speaker 2 (09:30):
You've got to fly in, you're there anyway.
You know, it's 20 minutes.
There's a there's a great um,you can either get in by taxi or
Uber or whatever, or you cango, there's a great train called
the Heathrow Express, and itgets you directly into um
Paddington station in 20minutes.
So we tend to say to ourguests, if you if you get in um
(09:53):
to Heathrow, get into London,maybe stay in that Paddington
area, yeah.
Um, and then Paddington is agreat place to go out if you're
then going out from London aftera couple of days.
So we tend to say, come toLondon, um do two, three days or
whatever you need to do inLondon, and then get out into
(10:13):
the countryside.
Speaker 1 (10:14):
Yeah.
So you've talked in the pastabout Cotswolds and the lake
district being ideal for familyholidays.
Why is that?
Speaker 2 (10:23):
I I think that Cotswolds to start with, the the
Cotswolds is what I callchocolate box in England.
Um, and it's there are someamazing places in and around the
Cotswolds which you can visitwith the family.
So Oxford, Bar, Stonehenge.
(10:45):
Um, there's a place calledAvebury, which is a bit like
Stonehenge, but better, andnobody goes there.
It's it's a it's a villagecompletely surrounded by these
huge, great big Stonehenge likestones.
So they go on for about a mileall the way around.
Yeah, and if you're going therewith the kids, kids you can go
up and touch the stones and allsorts of other stuff.
It's much more than a couple ofthings.
(11:06):
Yeah, because Stonehenge is youcan't touch Stonehenge, can
you?
You can't get close, you can'tget close.
So there's loads to do for foradults and kids.
I would all I the lake districtis great for walking, but
obviously with kids, they needto be able to walk.
Mum and dad, etc., or extendedfamily need to be able to walk a
(11:27):
reasonable distance to get uphigh in the lake district.
You know, I've done it with mykids back in the pint in the
day, and by the time they'reseven or eight, all they want to
do is get to the top of themountains.
You know, you'd have you haveyour lunch on top of the
mountain, you come back down, umyou go and have a pint in a
pub, uh, and the kids, you know,the kids love that sort of
(11:47):
stuff.
I would also add in Devon andCornwall down the west of the
country because that's where Imentioned swimming earlier,
that's where um there's so manywater sports that the kids can
get involved in.
You know, the water is not aswarm as it is in Sydney.
Speaker 1 (12:04):
I was gonna say, how cold are we talking?
Speaker 2 (12:06):
Yeah, or northern Queensland.
Um, but you know, it's it's17-18 degrees centigrade in the
summer, which is fine for a dip,fine for swim without a
wetsuit.
Um and so the summer months aregreat for that.
Um, there's you know surfing,there's co-steering, there's
(12:29):
just messing about in the water,there's you know the bucket and
spade on the beach, there'sCornish cream teas or Devon
Cream teas, there's ice creams,there's great pubs to go to for
mum and dad.
Devon and Cornwall is is is areally cool place to go to with
kids, and it's only two, threehours from London.
And the best way I I alwaysthink with a family to get
(12:49):
around on um is by a train.
Speaker 1 (12:52):
Oh yes.
Speaker 2 (12:53):
The train, you know, the cheap tickets for the kids,
um, jump on the train, there'sno hassle with driving, you can
look out the window, you cankeep the kids occupied, and it's
just a much more relaxing,rewarding way to travel than
either going by coach or or orhiring a car or something like
that.
Speaker 1 (13:11):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (13:12):
And you can get really good deals for especially
for especially for the kids.
So so you know, my advice wouldbe wherever possible, um,
travel by train, even if you'regoing up to Edinburgh or
Scotland, you know.
Yeah, um London to Edinburgh bytrain is four hours thirty,
something like that.
And you get straight into themiddle of Edinburgh, it's by far
the quickest way um to get toScotland.
(13:32):
And it's great to look out thewindow and see what's going on.
Speaker 1 (13:35):
Do you have tours through Scotland as well?
Speaker 2 (13:38):
Yes, we cover um the whole of the UK.
Um, although our name is ActiveEngland, we we're we we do a
huge amount of Scotland.
We're actually building a newbrand to incorporate incorporate
Scotland into the East.
Speaker 1 (13:49):
Excellent, yeah.
So families with toddlers havedifferent needs than those
traveling with teenagers.
How do you tailor your toursfor the different age groups?
Speaker 2 (14:00):
What we do, it's really important that what we do
is we set expectations with theparents.
We want to make sure that thatthe parents are aligned on on
what can work.
And whilst we're not ababysitting service, we we want
to make sure that the mum anddad are getting some time off as
well.
Speaker 1 (14:16):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (14:16):
So on our trips, we'll always have um fully
qualified guides who arequalified to deal with kids of
of all ages.
It's crucial that we have allthose right qualifications.
They're qualified to drive thevehicles that we use and to make
sure that we are looking afterour guests, be they two or 102.
(14:37):
You know, it's it's crucialthat everybody gets their
holiday.
So we encourage parents if theywant to go off and do some
stuff on their own or do stuffdifferently.
We'll help them do that, youknow.
So we'll babysit for the kidsif they want to go out for
dinner, you know.
We'll we'll we'll take mum ordad out for a bike ride or for a
swim or for a walk or for a runor whatever they want to do,
(14:57):
because it's important that theparents get a break as well.
But obviously, the focus isgoing to be a lot on the kids,
especially if they're if they'reif they're toddlers, etc.
So uh I I think backpacks aregreat.
If if we can get the kids inthe backpack, that means you you
can you can integrate moreactive active pursuits during
the day.
I mean, obviously you're notgonna ride a bike with a kid on
(15:20):
the back, but there are tagalongbikes that you can use
off-road, etc.
Um, and so yeah, it's it'sreally making sure that uh mum
and dad get a break as as wellas looking after the kids.
It's making sure that we setexpectations about what's
possible and what's notpossible, what's not possible,
and making sure that we shortenthe days uh in terms of activity
(15:44):
because obviously the kids aregonna need to sleep, they're not
need to eat, and yada yadayada, get back early, etc.
etc.
So we just have to be verysensitive to the needs of both
the parents and the kids.
Speaker 1 (15:55):
Yeah.
So what aboutmulti-generational travel?
Do you have do you see a lot ofgrandparents and then parents
and then grandchildren travelingtogether?
And then how do you b balancethat with the additional
accessibility needs?
Speaker 2 (16:13):
Normally, I say I say normally, um, the the multi-gen
families tend to be pretty fitand active.
Speaker 1 (16:20):
Pretty active, yeah.
Speaker 2 (16:22):
Yeah, so there aren't really that that many access
issues.
We just have to bear in mindthat if people have mobility
issues that they cater for inthe hotels and and the
activities that we do, that'sthat's no problem at all.
I think the one thing that'sreally important to me on on for
multi-generational families isto ensure that everybody knows
what they're getting themselvesinto.
(16:43):
So we always encourage callswith the group in advance to
make sure that the mum or dad,um, the sons and daughters they
know exactly what's beingplanned because we you know
occasionally we've had it, we'vehad situations whereby the lead
booker has booked the trip buthasn't necessarily informed
(17:06):
everybody about what's beingplanned, and so it's a holiday
for all the family, not just thelead booker.
So we all we we always say thatwe pretty much have to have a
call to elicit what's what'sgonna make a magical trip for
all members of the family.
Um, and then we have additionalcalls to meet their guides in
(17:29):
advance of them traveling sothey get comfortable with the
guides, they understand that theguides are gonna look after
everybody in the group, but no,more communication the better,
more understanding of what'sgonna make a really magical
holiday is really important tous.
Speaker 1 (17:44):
So, with some of your bike tours, I'm assuming that's
quite hilly.
You have e-bikes as well.
Speaker 2 (17:50):
Yeah, we'd have we have e-bikes.
E-bikes are great, and theythey certainly level up the the
playing field.
We don't let kids under 16 one-bikes for fairly obvious
reasons, but you know, e-bikee-bikes are a huge benefit to
what we do.
It's not depends where you go,it's actually not as hilly as
people think, to be honest.
We like to say that a lot ofthe the the UK is what we call
(18:12):
gently rolling, so it's up anddown.
Yes.
So you get so you go up, youget and then and then you go
down, you go up, then you godown.
Um, and e-bikes, as I said,certainly levels of playing
field, but you know, we we haveyou know five, six hundred bikes
here, vehicles, trailers,everything that we need to make
sure that we can cater for whatpeople like or want to do across
(18:32):
the whole of the UK.
Speaker 1 (18:34):
So there's a growing interest in slow and sustainable
travel.
Does Active England build thatinto its experiences?
Speaker 2 (18:42):
100%.
I think inherently what we dois pretty green, to be honest,
because we're getting people outof tour buses, we're traveling
where we can by train or in ourelectric vehicles.
Um, we are making sure thatpeople are biking and walking
and and and doing everythingthat they can outdoors wherever
(19:03):
possible.
So inherently, we're we'rewe're pretty green.
Um, we try and work with hotelgroups who do you know, farm to
fork, 20-mile menus, that sortof thing.
Um, that's becomingincreasingly important.
So, you know, I I think atevery step we're trying to be
green, and inherently activetravel is pretty green.
Speaker 1 (19:25):
It is, yes.
So, how do you support localcommunities or help reduce the
overtourism in the peak kind ofdestinations?
Speaker 2 (19:33):
Yeah, we tend to advise it.
There are many issues inrelation to this.
There's dates to start with, sothere are certain times of year
when we advise people not totravel to certain areas, and
basically it's the six weeks inthe summer, so it's from late
August all the late July, sorry,all the way through August,
(19:53):
whereby the Brits are generallyon holiday.
A lot of them go down to Devonand Cornwall.
So we tend not to do so much inDevon and Cornwall in that late
July, August period.
Yeah, the rest of it, to behonest, is fair game.
Um, I think you can travel atany time to pretty much any
place.
Ah, the one other place Iwouldn't go to unless you're
(20:14):
going to the Edinburgh Fringe isAugust in Edinburgh with the
Edinburgh Fringe and theEdinburgh Festival.
Unless you've got tickets,you're gonna pay through through
the roof.
In terms of over over tourism,we tend to try and avoid the
crowds.
So we don't spend that muchtime in London.
We try to get out of Londonwherever possible.
(20:34):
Yeah, you know, we recognisepeople will want to go to
London, but we think let's getpeople out of London.
That's that's the first point.
The second point is istravelling and doing activities
at different times of the day.
You've seen by that video thatwe do a lot of early morning,
late afternoon stuff, because wewant to avoid the crowds when
people are you know busy millingaround at certain at certain
(20:56):
places, and then obviously wetry to go to places which are
off the beaten track.
Now everybody says that, but wewe we live here, we live and
bring to the UK, we know whereto go, we know what's
interesting to our guests, andwhat we tend to find when people
come to the UK, they kind ofknow what they're gonna get from
Stonehenge.
You know what Stonehenge lookslike.
You kind of know what you'regonna get from Oxford or Bath or
(21:20):
Stratford, but what peopledon't under what people possibly
underestimate is is the thesights, the smells, the
countryside, the the atmosphereabout being in rural England,
which is completely differentfrom any other country in the
world.
It's the weird and wonderfulpeople you meet in the cafes and
the pubs, it's the whole kindof package which is bigger than
(21:43):
the places that you see.
So getting off the beatentrack, seeing different things,
that's the recipe for success.
Speaker 1 (21:50):
Absolutely.
So, what's your personalfavorite region in England that
families often overlook?
Speaker 2 (21:56):
I'd say Northumberland.
We don't get many Aussies or orNorth Americans travelling to
Northumberland.
So it is on the northeast coastof England, it's right up by
Hadrian's Wall.
Um, there are some of the bestcastles in the UK there, really
easy to get to.
Um, Newcastle is kind of thehub of the region and it's a
(22:19):
superb, superb city with thefriendliest people in the UK.
It's it's just really, reallyunderrated.
But go there quick because it'sstarting to get found.
Oh, people are noticing.
Maybe I won't notice.
Speaker 1 (22:32):
So, last question.
If a family had, say, two weeksin England, what would you
personally recommend?
Speaker 2 (22:40):
I'm gonna assume that they're an active family.
Yes, yes, is that okay?
So I I would say um fly intoLondon, spend a couple of days
in London.
I would then head out and Iwould do an either or to the
Cotswolds or Devon and Cornwalland then shoot up north to the
Lake District, maybe inNorthumberland, and then into
(23:02):
Scotland, and spend probably twoor three days in three or four
different locations.
That's how I would.
Speaker 1 (23:10):
So, what is what are we looking at for travel time
between those destinations?
Speaker 2 (23:14):
Yeah, so good question.
So um London out to Devon andCornwall is roughly it's three
hours.
Yeah, three hours to Devon,four hours to Cornwall.
The Cotswolds is an hour and ahalf from London.
Um yeah, it's not far at all.
So you just you you headthrough Oxford.
Oxford is an hour from London,and the Cotswolds is half an
hour the other side, and then umLondon to Edinburgh on the
(23:39):
train is only four and a halfhours.
Speaker 1 (23:41):
Oh, so you're not gonna lose like a whole day
traveling.
Speaker 2 (23:44):
No, so no, so you can you can do a whole lot of
activity in London in themorning, get the train in the
afternoon, and then you're inEdinburgh for dinner.
Oh, the traveling distancesaren't as bad as people think,
but I I highly recommend thetrain because it gets you in and
out of the centre of theseplaces really quickly and really
easily.
Speaker 1 (24:02):
Um you normally get the good scenery too, don't you?
Speaker 2 (24:05):
And you get the good scenery.
Yeah, there are certain tripswhere you need to sit on the
left or the right-hand sidebecause the scenery is better,
but we advise our guests as towhat to do there.
Speaker 1 (24:14):
Absolutely.
Well, thank you so much foryour time.
Will, I really do appreciateit.
I know it's probably a bit ofan early morning for you to be
able to do that.
Speaker 2 (24:24):
We're up early, we're up early today.
Yeah, and Jesse and thank youso much for you know, it's been
really nice chatting to you.
Speaker 1 (24:32):
If today's chat has inspired you to try a more
active holiday with your family,here are a couple of quick tips
to make it smoother with kidsand a lot more fun.
Tip one, the mini explorer tip.
If you're out and about withyoung kids, give each child a
responsibility during youradventure.
One can be the map reader,another the snap captain, or
(24:55):
even the wildlife spotter.
This has worked well for mewhen my kids were younger.
And by turning it into a game,it's helped keep them engaged
and also, more importantly, gavethem something to do other than
annoying each other.
Tip two, the pack smart walkfar tip.
If you're planning a walking orcycling holiday, they can
(25:18):
absolutely be their own packmeal.
Get them to pack a small daypack each with their own water,
snacks, and a light jacket.
I've found that letting thekids pack their own bag and
letting them choose their snacksteaches independence and also
lightens your load.
So that wraps up our chat aboutactive family adventures.
(25:40):
I'm sure there are many othergreat experiences out there to
be had, and we'd love to hearsome of yours.
Thanks for joining me on thisjourney.
I hope it's inspired you tolace up your walking shoes and
explore the great outdoorstogether as a family.
For more tips and detailedguides, head on over to
FamilyHolidaydestinations.com,where you'll find destination
(26:03):
ideas, travel deals, andinspiration for your next trip.
And until next time, happyafternoon.
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For more than 30 years The River Cafe in London, has been the home-from-home of artists, architects, designers, actors, collectors, writers, activists, and politicians. Michael Caine, Glenn Close, JJ Abrams, Steve McQueen, Victoria and David Beckham, and Lily Allen, are just some of the people who love to call The River Cafe home. On River Cafe Table 4, Rogers sits down with her customers—who have become friends—to talk about food memories. Table 4 explores how food impacts every aspect of our lives. “Foods is politics, food is cultural, food is how you express love, food is about your heritage, it defines who you and who you want to be,” says Rogers. Each week, Rogers invites her guest to reminisce about family suppers and first dates, what they cook, how they eat when performing, the restaurants they choose, and what food they seek when they need comfort. And to punctuate each episode of Table 4, guests such as Ralph Fiennes, Emily Blunt, and Alfonso Cuarón, read their favourite recipe from one of the best-selling River Cafe cookbooks. Table 4 itself, is situated near The River Cafe’s open kitchen, close to the bright pink wood-fired oven and next to the glossy yellow pass, where Ruthie oversees the restaurant. You are invited to take a seat at this intimate table and join the conversation. For more information, recipes, and ingredients, go to https://shoptherivercafe.co.uk/ Web: https://rivercafe.co.uk/ Instagram: www.instagram.com/therivercafelondon/ Facebook: https://en-gb.facebook.com/therivercafelondon/ For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iheartradio app, apple podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com
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