Raisingkids’ member Marcel takes a long-overdue family holiday with his wife and children at Kelling Heath holiday park on the North Norfolk coast.

Having been with my wife for 12 years, married for five, and with two children (Jennifer, 8 and Harvey, 2) fast growing up, it was about time we had our very first family holiday. So when a chance arose to stay for a week in Norfolk this July, we jumped at it.

Kelling Heath is a 250 acre holiday park, situated amongst woodland and heather just off the North Norfolk coast, in Weybourne. You can stay in their holiday homes or timber lodges or bring your own tents and caravans. We stayed in a Luxury Holiday Home, with lots of mod cons, making our stay here almost a home from home. It was very cosy, spacious, and modern - just the right size for our family of four.

After getting settled and unpacked (and making our first well-earned cup of tea), a quick recce of the complex was needed. We were close to the centre of the site, which is home to the Reception, shop, two bars, gym, outdoor pool, and our first stop, the pizza restaurant.

Our first night was a little strange. Being a city-bred family, we were used to the orange glow of light pollution and the hum of our local motorway. Here? Nothing. The kids fell asleep almost instantly, and when we turned the light out, it was eerily pitch black and almost silent. The only sound was the rhythmic drumming of rain bouncing off the roof.

Catching Crabs
The next morning, armed with a big handful of 'Things to do in Norfolk' leaflets recently liberated from Reception we jumped in the car and set off for the short drive to the coastal town I used to visit as a child: Cromer.

Parking up near the seafront, we enjoyed a lovely walk along the beach, stopping to get an ice cream, and letting the children play on the little funfair near the pier, while we all soaked up the lovely sunshine. We even had a go at crab fishing off the pier. The kids were quick to learn, bringing in loads of crabs, all dangling on for dear life, but every single crab that day had the sense to let go of the bait before we reeled it in.

Water Babies
Back at Kelling, our favourite afternoon activity turned out to be the on-site indoor swimming pool. Given the weather, the outdoor pool was often closed, but we had a pass to the indoor pool, so we spent many of our afternoons in there. There was also a sauna, jacuzzi and steam room – all great ways to unwind.

We did find the tariff of the Leisure centre restrictive, as the indoor pool was only available if you paid to use the whole centre, gym included, which made it quite expensive for a family of four, especially if the outdoor pool was closed. As a family, we were only likely to use the pool and jacuzzi, so it would have been nice to see those on a separate tariff, especially as children are only allowed in the indoor pool up to 6pm.

Kelling Heath does provide evening activities such as a Bat Walk and a star gazing activity called Star Walks. However, we spent our evenings either in nearby coastal towns Sheringham or Cromer, enjoying some good, old fashioned fish and chips or recharging our batteries back at the holiday home.

Seal Watching
Our final day saw us take a 20 minute drive along the coast to Morston Quay, to enjoy a boat trip to Blakeney Point. After a fun ride with around 30 other people, bobbing up and down on the waves, and getting soaked as we sat at the front, we were given a narrated tour around the point, where we saw many Common and Grey seals either basking in the glorious sunshine, or swimming curiously by our boat. We then docked near the point (on the Nature Reserve), where we were allowed to explore to our hearts' content before being picked up in an hour.

We finished the holiday with a trip to the on-site shop, which sold pretty much everything you could need, from food, drink and treats, to camping items, toys and souvenirs. Our children bought their gifts for friends and family, we handed our keys in and said our goodbyes.

We had an absolutely wonderful week, and despite the varying weather (from glorious sunshine to downpours), we weren't left bored. More importantly, the children thoroughly enjoyed themselves and came home with tales of rainbows, crabs, beaches, seals, and a lost shoe in the rocks! (Our two-year-old is still telling everyone he dropped his shoe in the sea).

I would recommend Kelling Heath for anyone with children, but I would advise planning for some indoor and backup entertainment should the weather prove troublesome, because when the storms come, a lot of Kelling Heath's unique and fun features take shelter, along with the wildlife!

Information
Short breaks (3/4 days) at Kelling in the summer holidays start from £230 for a Luxury Family home.
For more information go to www.kellingheath.co.uk

Marcel's Blakeney Seal Trip from Morston Quay was with Beans Boat Trips. Adults £7.50, children £4. Advance booking is strongly advised – click here for their website.

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