Chatsworth park or ferry meadows

[Jo-AnneFairway5402010]

hi help me choose between the two for a few days at the end of aug/sept before they go back to school. a familty of 4 reece is 15 lucas is a small 7. we have a dog aswell. we love picturese places.

thanks

jo-anne

ps its not for me book lol

 

[Soozeeg]

Hi Jo-anne

We love Ferry Meadows and have been loads of times. Last year we went over August bank hol (wouldn't normally go in school hols, but had family and kids with us) - never again! The site was packed to bursting, with scores of kids on bikes racing around everywhere, including round the toilet block, with no parental supervision and causing a danger to themselves and others. One child on a bike nearly sent me flying when I came out of the toilet block, and I saw another child on a bike very nearly knocked over by a car as he (the child) zoomed across the access road on his bike without looking. I should add that fortunately the car driver was going very slowly.

The toilets and showers really suffered with the amount of people that were there, and the fact that it rained a lot. I was absolutely disgusted one morning to find a pile of excrement in one of the showers - I just could not believe my eyes. And several toilets were blocked with vast amounts of toilet paper piled into them simply for the hell of it - by kids, presumably. Toilet paper and general rubbish was scattered over the floors too. I didn't envy the wardens having to clean up all the mess.

It won't put us off going to Ferry Meadows again, but we certainly wouldn't go during school holidays any more.

 

[Heethers]

Joanne Chatsworth if you can get in, great walking, Baslow, Bakewell and Castleton all within a few min drive, try going down the Blue John mines in Castleton.

NigelH

 

[linda_5129225]

I would go to the one with a space, they are both so popular that you will be lucky to get into either. My first choice with a young child would be ferry meadows, take the bikes and enjoy. There is also a steam railway running by the site which should interest the children of all ages. You can cycle safely into the city centre, we did when our children were young and also around the lovely country park. There are several geocaches in this area which should interest the older child, indeed the whole family.

 

[Jo-AnneFairway5402010]

hiya, is there a play area or anything at ferry meadows? whats in the country park?.

jo

 

[Soozeeg]

There's quite a big play area on the grass side of the site (the site's in two parts) and a smaller one on the hardstanding side. The country park is massive, has a small steam train running through it, cafe, nature reserve, several lakes, some of which have watersports.

Incidentally, it's the grass side of the site which is the busiest and has the most families and children, therefore the most problems with children and bikes and messy toilets.

 

[Dustydog]

Jo-anne

Why do you keep putting yourself through the mincer?

These two sites are the focal point of the december bun fight. No spaces left for us mortals. Find a good CL and enjoy yourself.

Cheers

Dustydog

 

[Jo-AnneFairway5402010]

booked ferry meadows because i could book a week but also there seems to be more for the kids to do. when im older and have no kids I will be using the CL's lol.

jo