fun on the beach at Charmouth

Fun on the beach at Charmouth #CountryKids

Another summer of fun post for you today.  Back in August Daddy P took some time off work and we decided to go on a road trip down to Devon.  The original plan had been to stay overnight to break up the journey, but my car had broken down the previous week and the money I’d saved for the hotel went to the garage instead!  Never mind, I was determined that Monkey would get to the Jurassic Coast.  I asked ChelseaMamma and Charlie Moos for some suggestions as I really wanted to take Monkey rock pooling. Charmouth came the reply – you want to have fun on the beach at Charmouth.

We got up bright and early, packed our bucket and spade and headed off to Charmouth. After road closures, diversions and a Daddy P who didn’t like to listen to the Sat Nav we finally arrived at Charmouth.  We parked in the large pay and display car park close to the Heritage Coast Centre and the toilets, and we were off.

Fun on the beach at Charmouth

Of course the weather forecast was for a lovely sunny day, but someone forgot to tell the clouds that!

Fun on the beach at Charmouth

But we weren’t going to let the weather stopping us from having fun on the beach at Charmouth.  Although we might not have been dressed for slightly chillier weather, Monkey got straight down to digging.  Mummy, you go rock pooling and find me a crab, I’m digging!

Fun on the beach at Charmouth

The tide was coming in fast and rock pooling activities would definitely have been better if we’d arrived earlier in the morning.  But we now own a fishing net – so we are prepared for future adventures.

Fun on the beach at Charmouth Fun on the beach at Charmouth

Never mind, it was nice to be somewhere new and I had an idea for something to interest Monkey later in the day.  But to be honest, Monkey was just happy to be on a beach, digging holes with Daddy P.  He was having fun on the beach at Charmouth, and that’s all that really mattered.

After we’d had a picnic lunch and spent more time digging and building sand castles we were all getting a little chilly. We’d been watching some fossil hunters chipping pebbles and I decided it was time to explore the Charmouth Heritage Coast Centre.  I had a feeling that Monkey might like what they had on display.

fun on the beach at Charmouth fun on the beach at Charmouth fun on the beach at Charmouth

My dinosaur mad son was excited to see the exhibits and he even got a chance to uncover some fossils!

Fun on the beach at Charmouth

There had been a number of activities running during the day, in hindsight we should have gone to the Centre first to see the timings and plan our day that way.

But we did get the chance to buy and shine an ammonite for £1.50. We picked our fossil and the had to sand it down to smooth out where it had been chiselled.  Then it was glazed for us.

Fun on the beach at Charmouth

The Heritage Centre is free to enter and definitely worthwhile planning in to any visit to Charmouth.

No trip to the beach would be complete without an ice cream now would it?  Mr Whippy’s all round please Daddy P.

fun on the beach at Charmouth

I always bring a pebble back from a beach trip and I’d spotted one on the beach that looked rather interesting. Could I have found some fossils without actually looking for them?  Well yes!  I put this photo up on my Facebook page in August after our trip and a paleontologist confirmed I’d found two ammonites 🙂

fun on the beach at Charmouth

It was time to make the long journey home.  We stopped in Weymouth for a fish supper and the heavens opened.  We’d certainly had the best of the day.  It was lovely to explore somewhere that none of us had visited before and we’d certainly like to return in the future, perhaps not on a day trip though!

Country Kids from Coombe Mill Family Farm Holidays Cornwall

 

26 thoughts on “Fun on the beach at Charmouth #CountryKids

  1. A long day trip but packed with fun. Awesome sandcastles and I’m really impressed with the free Heritage Centre, a great way to learn about the coastline and take a little time out from beach fun. I do hope you make it back again one day and make a short break of it too. Thank you for sharing your beach day on Country Kids

  2. We were down there this weekend. Isn’t it a great beach? Always find so many interesting things. Once found a nice lump of fool’s gold, but dropped it. Still looking for it. One day! #CountryKids

  3. Charmouth sounds like a great place with lots to do for junior palaeontologists. We popped into Lyme Regis earlier this year (only for a couple of hours whilst we were passing) but I’m now wishing we’d gone to Charmouth instead!

  4. That’s quite a journey for a day trip! Looks like a lovely spot to explore though. My husband and I are always thinking of visiting Devon as some friends of ours are big fans. It would definitely involve staying over night though-way too far for us 🙂

  5. Love Charmouth – it’s not far from us. Looks like you packed heaps into your day out – a classic, family beach trip – you can’t beat them! #CountryKids

  6. Wow would love to visit the Heritage Centre then look for some of our own fossils. How cool that you found one too!

  7. I’ve just read Cheryl’s post from the same beach! It really does look beautiful there, and the Heritage Centre looks very interesting. Love the photos of all the digging and sandcastle building. #CountryKids

  8. Love Charmouth! We went there a couple of years ago and absolutely loved it. Love your photos too, so much fun! 🙂 #countrykids.

  9. What a lovely time on the beach. Rock pools are such great fun. well done for finding a fossil #CountryKids

  10. Kids respond so well to beaches. It looks like you had a great time and some fine mementos. The allure of the beach does wear off. I took my three kids for a day trip in August and no.1 son (13) refused to get out of the car. We were too embarrassing to be with. #CountryKids

  11. I love the jurassic coast because the cliffs are so dramatic and the colours gorgeous. We stay in nearby Bridport and West Bay every year but have never tried to look for fossils; I think it’ll definitely be on the agenda for our next stay.

    NIpping over from Country Kids.

  12. That looks like a fantastic day out. Beautiful beach (despite the cold) – and clearly a LOT of fun to be had there. I am SO impressed you found fossils without even trying! Brilliant! #travelwithkids

  13. That looks like so much fun! I loved rock pooling when I was young and so really must introduce my two to this and Charmouth looks like a great place to do so. Although I think my youngest would be more interested in digging in the sand! #travelwithkids

  14. I keep telling myself I need to visit the Jurassic coast – have always wanted to go. How brilliant you should pick up a pebble and find two fossils!
    #MondayEscapes

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