Thetownend.com

I have a week off in September so looking for some things to do within the country. Just some day trips maybe an overnight stay.
Must be suitable to do with a baby and preferably within an hour or 2 drive.

Longleat is on the list already.

Any nice beaches to check out if the weather is good?

Don't ask me. I'm going to Coventry on holiday next week.

PARDON!?!

I was on course in Coventry the other week. There were no naked ladies on horseback.

Whoah, steady on now Batch.

Coventry? Why? There is nothing there but the roads that take you away from it

Yes, thank-you.

You know those secret hotels that you can work out the name from the amenities. Well I didn't, and so I kind of missed Statford on Avon. The reason for Stratford in the first place is boring.

Anyway, booked a holiday in Tenerife during October half term to compensate

 My advice  if you have a baby, is to do stuff that you and the missus like, baby won't really appreciate what is going on, and in a couple of years when it does, you can do all the kiddy stuff then.

 Beaches...I suppose Severn Beach is the closest, assuming that the Cotswold Water Park isn't considered proper. Then of course Weston, and the others down the Bristol Channel, like Clevedon, Brean, Burnham. personally not a great fan of any of these.....I'd go on round to Watchet, Minehead area and play on the West Somerset Railway.

 If you travel more or less exactly due south from Swindon, you hit the English Channel at Mudeford, which is on the edge of Christchurch, doable in about 2 hours, but it's via Sarum, Fordingbridge, Ringwood, so A roads.  It's very built up down there, but being out on the edge of the Bormuff conurbation, doesn't feel built up and fine for a day trip.

Nice little quay/harbour at Mudeford. My step dad usually launches his boat from there.

I've got the grandchildren for the week
Going to Cheddar Gorge, Wookey Hole and Paultons Park.

Not that expensive really.

Ah, the Devil's Cauldron

The last time I went to Cheddar Gorge, it was when the foot and mouth epidemic was on, that was a funny old thing, no mistake.  I can never remember the year, but the advantage was it was pretty much empty, disadvantage, you had to keep wandering through loads of disinfectant.

There's lots of nice places around Coventry so you'll be fine.

Warwick Castle Batch https://www.warwick-castle.com/ (https://www.warwick-castle.com/). A really good day out, whatever age you or your family are. Seriously good fun. The trebuchet fire launcher at dusk is awesome.

Oh and have a meal in the Kings Head just down the hill. I used to stay there when I was contracting, really nice Italian landlord and home cooked (well pub cooked!) food http://www.thekingsheadwarwick.co.uk/ (http://www.thekingsheadwarwick.co.uk/)

Thank TT,

We had Warwick Castle on the list,  so that's a great shout for the Kings Head. May well end up there after.

Went to Warwick Castle once when they had a jousting tournament,  it was superb. Get some footy in batch!

Chubbs, what about the new forest for a stop over, you're then not far from places like Lymington etc.

It's not the travel time that's really the issue it's the distance as my car has a range of about 225 miles.

Warwick castles a good shout.

They have petrol stations all over now.  :)

Cheeky fucker... You know what I mean.

 :D. To be honest my ST was good on a longer run. Well, I could get 29mpg instead of the usual 22.5.

Could have a kick avout in the Ricoh, assuming the grass isn't too long. Also noticed Swindon Speedway are in Cov on Monday...now to pitch it to Mrs Batch...

Coventry was the home of The Eclipse which was one of the best rave clubs in the country, if not the best. For that I will be eternally grateful.

As for days away, Swanage with a trip to Monkey world included is a good day trip.
 

I like Swanage, but I can never do it in anything under 2 hours, usually a bit more, and Chubbs specified 1-2 hours driving time. Swanage has also got the railway to Corfe Castle  :)

Went down that way with the missus after Bournemouth away the season before last. Corfe castle was good, and there's a gem of a pub called the square and compass with cracking views up the road in worth matravers

If you venture to the new forest, Bucklers  Hard is worth a visit.