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Half Term, Hooray!

By Evie Kennedy | Monday, 09 January 2023

We’ve all been there, the children have just gone back to school and before you know it you’re having to look for activities for every age to fill out each day of the next half term or school holidays. That’s why we’ve rounded up the best ways to entertain your little ones during your stay at our Quince properties. Whether you are booking a seaside trip filled  with stone skimming competitions or a countryside break packed with hiking and twitching, there’s a Quince for everyone.

When it comes to keeping your little ones busy, Dover Castle has quests and adventures just waiting for your little explorer, just a 12 minute drive from our Deal retreat, The Boatman’s Reading Rooms. The castle allows young historians to perch on the royal throne and discover life before the internet and experience the mediaeval castle through interactive games and exhibits. Happy days! Throughout half term, keep them outdoors with quests throughout the English Heritage site where there are fun-filled challenges between 12th and 20th of February.

Room for something sweet? Explore the Kent countryside with a guaranteed treat at the end. Starting from the Solley’s Ice Cream parlour there are many circular walks around  the arable farmland that covers 383 acres in total. Solley’s estate has been known for their dairy produce since the 1930s and today stands as the South East’s largest independent producer of real dairy ice cream.

Make them row, row, row your boat! Oxford has been iconic for many reasons throughout the years. Whether it’s a pilgrimage to the Harry Potter filming locations, or sitting in pubs previously frequented by the likes of C.S.Lewis and J. R. R Tolkien, it is safe to say Oxford is steeped in history. Just 32 minutes away from our Chimney Farm Barns, The Roebuck’s Rose, The Lock Keeper’s Snipe and The Owl Barn is the city of Oxford. Why not see the city in style? You can punt along the River Cherwell with up to 5 crew members and if you don’t fancy putting in the elbow grease, there are plenty of hire shops which offer chauffeur services.

If you’re looking for something a little more…wild, we’ve got you covered. Cotswold Wildlife Park has everything your brood will be desperate to see, from lions, giraffes and the illusive white rhino to the mischievous meerkats and sultry sloths. The wildlife park has plenty of activities for your little ones with daily feeding of the penguins and lemurs and the fun-filled adventure playground, the Skymaze. With interconnecting treehouses and jungle bridges, let your little monkeys swing and slide to their heart’s content.

Feeling peckish? Your little ones can cook up a storm in the Daylesford Farm kitchen this half term with their course for Budding Bakers. On the 16th February this year, Daylesford Farm is offering this fun baking course for your young person to get creative in the kitchen to use a combination of skills and hands-on baking. Let the kids do the cooking for a change and bring back their sweet treats to our Chimney Farm Barns, perfect for your afternoon cup of tea. For children ranging between 5 – 8 years old, this 3 hour course includes lunch, refreshments and all course materials required with an additional 25% discount in their Farmshop for Mummy and Daddy. Book online directly through Daylesford.

Our latest addition to the Quince holiday properties, Penty on the Hoo is located in Aldeburgh, Suffolk, and it won’t be long until you find out why. Aldeburgh has been our little treasure since we first discovered it and we now can’t wait to share this with you. This February half term,
why not discover your own treasure. The Aldeburgh Treasure Trail was created by the trail writed Dave Senior who has created 11 others, just like it throughout Suffolk. Let your explorers search for clues and don’t think you’re getting off lightly, this treasure trail is designed for everyone, whether you’re 4 or 94, figure out the cryptic questions and locate the fictional treasure. Each clue is located against a permanent feature of Aldeburgh and helps you to discover the historic landscape with fresh eyes.

Music to our ears! If you’re thinking of visiting Suffolk this February Half Term, explore the home of Aldeburgh music while staying with Quince. Snape Maltings, located a 10 minute drive from Penty on the Hoo, immerses you in true British culture. With a vast selection of local shops and restaurants, what better way to spend a long and lazy afternoon.