Saturday 30 July 2011

Lyme Regis and Charmouth - Family Friendly?

Lyme Regis is a very family orientated 'resort'. There are toilets with changing facilities on every corner, all the pubs (I think) accept children and the beach is full of families just like ours. Children of every age group and lots of toddlers for Jamie to run after. Phoebe and Isabel were two of the little girls Jamie chased after on the beach!! This may have been because we chose the week before the schools broke up. Perhaps the age groups may be totally different during the school holidays, but it was great to see so many toddlers running around together. It was great we were able to hire deck chairs at £2 a day (50p deposit) and a parasol or windbreak if we had wanted.

Prams are everywhere on the beach and we did contemplate abandoning ours a few times as it is nearly on its last legs, but it was great for transporting all the 'stuff' you need to take to the beach with a toddler! The 3-wheelers seem to cope best with the sand. A few of the mums and dads brought little tents; some of who had got the hang of putting them up better than others. These seemed mainly for use by babies to shelter from the sun and a place to keep away from the seagulls who seemed to constantly be swooping down and pinching sandwiches from peoples hands!

There is a nicely sized amusement arcade with slots and 2 penny games, as well as a few more child-friendly games. Jamie however, got very scared of a 'Sooty' amusement; where for £1 Sooty and his band played a tune and then you got a prize. Not sure why it frightened him so much but he loves the teddy he got and calls him Sooty Bear!

10 years ago we would have truly hated Lyme Regis!!

Charmouth is less family friendly; mostly being populated by fossil hunters. The children that are on the beach usually seem a bit bored unless young Indiana Jones' types just getting into the dinosaur bug. Jamie loves the "Dinosaur" connection but that's Peppa Pig - or rather George Pig - excitement induced!

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