This morning at Coombe Mill started early. Esther was too excited to sleep and so she came in for a cuddle with us until she remembered the toddler play den and took herself off in there while Mummy, Daddy and William all enjoyed a little lie in.
We made it to the tractor just in time for the Feed Run with Farmer Kim.
After William’s wonderful driving adventure on our first day Esther was quite upset when no one drove the tractor with Farmer Kim.
In fact, she just cried.
Esther and William are both full of cold at the moment and when Esther is poorly she is very emotional.
The Feed Run was never going to go well for us this morning and with Esther and William’s two new favourite people not present it was just all too much.
Both Esther and William bottle fed a lamb, Esther found an egg and then they were done.
William decided that the best way to spend his time this morning was to try and pull the sword from the stone …
… before leading his own imaginary Feed Run in the big blue play tractor.
Mummy and Daddy watched whilst playing an energetic game of swingball!
Coombe Mill has thought of everything!
Swingball!
Anyway …
After going for a sneaky ride on the Coombe Mill Railway …
… we went for a real railway fest at Lappa Valley.
Lappa Valley is a world created for train mad toddlers like mine.
You arrive at a beautiful steam railway station in a valley near Newquay.
There is a train play area as you arrive and then you board the train.
It travels through the woodland to a magical world of transport and trains for toddlers and young children.
A place with families at the heart.
Food is cheap.
Drinks are cheap.
Toilets are clean.
There are baby change facilities.
There are three different trains to ride on.
There are canoes to paddle around on the boating lake.
There are pedal cars for toddlers and electric cars for older children.
There is a dumper truck slide which I think is a genius idea.
Lappa Valley is small, it is quaint, it is old fashioned in a wonderful way.
David and I loved it there and agreed if it were a little warmer and Esther and William were just a little older it would have been a perfect day.
It was the thing that made me confirm our booking at Coombe Mill for Tilda’s birthday next year.
Coombe Mill provides the perfect base for a family holiday.
It is set in a stunning valley and provides everything a toddler needs for a simple life of outdoor play and animal encounters.
The running water, the breeze in the trees, the winding lanes and walkways.
This is a place begging to be explored and rediscovered for years and years to come.
There is no better way to tell you about our day at Lappa Valley than through the photos that we took there.
It is a day that Esther and William are going to remember for a long long time to come.
Steam Train
Train Mad Toddler Boy x
Lunch on a Play Train
Diggers, Dumpers, Sand and Trains
Eric the Diesel Engine
Coupling Trucks
Woodland Railway
Boating Lake
Back on the Steam Train
And so another wonderful day on our Coombe Mill holiday.
It is such a beautiful place to be.
Esther and William are having a wonderful time.
We are making memories to treasure forever.
But the sadness in my face when I think no one is looking
Reminds me of the real reason we are here
Grieving Mummy
Love you and miss you Matilda Mae x
Lovely photos, your children are beautiful. I’m glad you are managing to give the twins such a wonderful holiday, despite your own sadness. You and David are wonderful parents xx
You clearly like Lappa Valley for all the same reasons we did. It has been a family favourite of ours for years, infact I think it was only last year we stopped going! I hope this week will tip the balance with more happy moments than sad ones for you all on this special and difficult week.
It sounds and looks wonderful! Worth the 2 day journey for us I think. We’re definitely considering it based on your fabulous posts 🙂 Keep going ny lovely, you’re amazing
xxx
Lappa valley seems like a lovely place! We are looking at Coombe Mill for next year it looks like the ideal holiday base. Xxx
Oh Jennie, this all sounds so amazing and it’s filled my heart with such happiness to see Esther and William so happy. Sending you many virtual hugs. Just off to catch up on your other posts I’ve missed xx
Glorious photos of the twins. Building new happy memories is a very tough call when you are grieving as well but in years to come they will look at those pictures and remember what fun it was. I will be thinking of you all particularly on Thursday. May the spring sunshine shine down.
The sadness in your face also reflects the love in your heart – a broken heart, yes – but that same love, will, bit by bit, bind the broken pieces of your heart together again. Even with sadness in your face, I see a truly beautiful woman, inside and out. xx
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