The Steamer Inn is situated on the Shanklin sea front and on our second night we had a lovely family meal there. It’s a really lovely pub and has a great menu. We went out for dinner here on our second evening, sitting inside the pub, before the England v Columbia football match so there was quite an atmosphere out on the veranda. It was a pub that came highly recommended when doing a quick Trip Advisor search and then having a browse of the menu. We saw that it was the sort of food we would really enjoy and had a walk down there from Landguard holiday park.
Walking down to the seafront is a good half an hour or so walk however it was a lovely warm evening and the sea breeze made it easier. It was also mostly down hill which meant I wasn’t struggling so much with the trek being 28 weeks pregnant. The walk along Shanklin sea front is really lovely and we got a chance to see what there was to do so that we could plan the next day down at the beach. Evie spotted the amusements and little fun fair as well as finding a soft play area that was actually open during our time on holiday so it was really useful to get our bearings. We did get a taxi back to the holiday park for £5 which was a pretty fair price for the distance.
The Steamer Inn is easy to find and has a lovely outside seating area which I imagine would be perfect in the evening with a Gin and Tonic however, I’m not really a fan of eating meals outside and happily the inside of the pub was nice and quiet with plenty of seating. This was relatively early at around 5pm though so I imagine this place gets really quite busy, especially during the summer holidays when there are more tourists around.
Food at The Steamer Inn
The food was really delicious and we all had a great meal here. The menu is extensive and features a lot of great flavours and options from starters and light bites to rich main meals. There is a great range of seafood available too including a pretty special Lobster seafood platter. The children’s menu had plenty of options too although Evie went for her standard chicken nuggets.
Adam loves getting a nice curry when we go out for a meal and I opted for a premium burger with red onion chutney and goats cheese. It was so delicious and really rich!
For pudding we shared an After Eight mint chocolate chip ice cream sundae which was delicious! It was a great size for us all to share as you can see!
The Steamer Inn is a lovely family friendly pub and a great place for a meal out when on holiday on the Isle of Wight. I would really recommend a visit to here if you’re in Shanklin or one of the sister pubs if you’re elsewhere on the Island. Later on in the week we headed into Ventnor and went to The Spyglass Inn for lunch. With it’s nautical theme you can tell they’re linked together and the food was just as tasty here. Again it’s located right on the sea front with a lovely big veranda and gorgeous views of the beach and sea.
Travelling when pregnant can be really quite tough. We have just come back from a lovely holiday to Landguard on the Isle of Wight which was a four night, five day break. I think too much longer without my home comforts would have been quite tough and I think holidays in the later stages of pregnancy wouldn’t have been enjoyed as much. We are non drivers and so doing a lot of walking when pregnant can be really tough. As well as relying on public transport and the no guarantee that you’ll get a seat on the train to your destination.
To get to our holiday park on the Isle of Wight we had two short walks to and from train stations, three train journeys and a ferry to catch. This in itself is a long process and can be really uncomfortable. I get hot really quickly too and find I need to dress in light, comfortable layers that can be removed easily. Wearing dolly shoes or flip flops help a lot to keep me cool as I don’t need to be wearing socks for this. I also opt for dresses and leggings which keep me relatively cool.
For the actual holiday I find having plenty of rest breaks and staying out of the sunshine helpful. I also think it’s important to stay active during pregnancy so have done a lot of walking and swimming during out holiday. Some places have gyms and exercise classes as well if that’s something you frequently attend during pregnancy. However, remember it’s also time to get away from the daily grind and recharge your batteries. This has been our last holiday as a family of three too so it was really important to me to just spend a bit of quality time together.
I also think picking a place of familiarity has been helpful as we’ve been to Landguard before. We knew how to get there, what to expect and how to get to local attractions. This made planning the holiday so much less stressful.
Top Tips for Travelling When Pregnant
Stay hydrated. Have a big bottle of water with you and sip throughout the journey to remain hydrated. This may mean extra stops to the loo but your body needs it.
Bring healthy snacks to munch on.
Pack layers of clothes, especially when having a UK holiday. You naturally run warmer when pregnant and you will want to be able to cool down.
Take your maternity notes. Just in case. In fact, you should probably just take these everywhere you go in the third trimester of pregnancy anyway.
Have plenty of rest breaks. If you need to sit and put your feet up for a few moments then do so. A family holiday won’t be any fun if you’re in pain and exhausted.
Have rest days in between active days. The journey itself can be uncomfortable and tiring so having a day of rest before getting out and about to explore is important.
Take a pregnancy pillow with you. I got a small portable one to make sleeping in a caravan a little easier.
Reserve seats on public transport whenever possible. If someone is in your seat, tell them to move. Don’t be afraid of confrontation, especially when you’ve booked for comfort.
Can you travel out of term time? We did because being pregnant with lots of crowds wouldn’t have made for a happy time for us.
There are so many beautiful destinations in the world and what better way than to visit somewhere exotic than on your honeymoon. I’ve never wanted a big wedding and if Adam and I ever do decide to get married it will likely be a quick registry office and minimal guests. I have no desire to have any reception or party because I’ve always believed that marriage is about the couple, not providing everyone else with a good time. I’ve been to some truly beautiful weddings where every guest was catered to and I just don’t know how people do it! I would much rather spend any money on an amazing honeymoon for us to escape normality and focus on what’s really important; our lives together and our little family.
This has often got me fantasising about the beautiful destinations we could explore together. One of those being the absolutely stunning Maldives in the Indian Ocean. The islands look so beautiful and the whole ideal of the Maldives makes me think of romance, luxury and relaxation. Destination2 Maldives Holidays showcase some truly beautiful parts of the islands and the exotic location is perfect for honeymooning couples. I love the idea of swimming in those beautiful waters and enjoying all that the Maldives have to offer honeymooners.
I am keen to visit the Caribbean at some point and St Lucia is another place I’d love to visit. The gorgeous sea and sands just make me think of a luxury couples holiday or honeymoon retreat and there are some truly stunning hotels to stay in too. I’d love to cruise around all of the islands if I could but St Lucia has been one of those destinations I’ve always wanted to visit and, to me, is the ideal place to visit in the Caribbean. I’d love a chance to zipline through the rainforest and see all those beautiful waterfalls.
Cancun is another place I would love to visit. I’ve heard so many amazing things about Mexico as a holiday destination and being home to the worlds second largest Barrier Reef it would provide so many things for us to see and do together, relaxation and trying something new.There are also things like whale shark encounters which is just a once in a lifetime opportunity and something I would really love to do. Not to mention seeing the Mayan temples and ruins which I imagine would just be absolutely breathtaking.
Lastly on my list of exotic honeymoon destinations is Bali, Indonesia which just seems like absolute paradise and a long haul flight that sounds so worth it. It has the perfect mix of tropical climate, relaxation and water sports so would be an ideal destination for many couples. I’d love to see the water temples and do one of the amazing sea walks. It sounds like the perfect place for adventure and so many beautiful things to see too. There’s also zoos and aquariums which just make me think it would be a lovely family holiday too if we wanted to take the kids!
One day I’ll get my exotic dream honeymoon but for now, at least, I can daydream. Did you have a long haul or exotic honeymoon? Where would you recommend?
Our new Leesa Mattress has been amazing over the last month where we’ve been testing it out, especially as the weather has been pretty hot to handle. With pregnancy comes so many discomforts and I knew I was going to have trouble sleeping and getting comfortable in the night so when I was offered a chance to review a Leesa Mattress I was so excited. Ordering the mattress was really simple and took a few minutes on the website. There was no charge for delivery either which was brilliant. We needed to order a king size Leesa Mattress for our bed and were told delivery usually took around seven days. I ordered late on the Monday evening and the mattress was with us on Thursday. When ordering mattresses before they have taken weeks to arrive so having this come to our door so quickly was just amazing. I was so excited to unbox, unroll and inflate, however, we waited until the Friday when Adam was home from work.
I will say that the Leesa mattress is heavy. I know that sounds a little strange but, well, mattresses aren’t light and Adam was quite surprised with how heavy it was getting it up the stairs and into our flat. I suppose, the size of the box didn’t really make you think of heavy because it comes so well rolled up. Once we had stripped off our bed and removed the old mattress we were ready to roll out. We did find getting it out the box a little bit challenging with not much room to move around but it didn’t take us long to get the mattress out of the box and onto our bed frame where, with the first unroll, you could see the mattress begin to inflate to it’s true size. There was a large amount of plastic wrap around the Leesa mattress too which needed to be removed. I would say position the mattress in the right place at the top of the bed and rolling it down to the bottom was the easiest way for us and made removing the plastic at the same time easier. Once unwrapped there was a bit of a musty smell that did take a bit of time to go so I would suggest leaving the mattress un covered to fully expand for the whole day if possible and then put the sheets back on at night. Leesa also have a sheet suitable for the mattress if you want the matching set.
All About Leesa Mattress
The Leesa Mattress is made here in the UK and is exclusive to being ordered online. Sizes start from a standard UK Single at £399 and go up to a UK Super King at £769. We went for the king size which is valued at £699 however, you can take advantage of a 100 night sleep trial and at any point during those first 100 nights you can have the mattress picked up and returned, for free, with a full refund. If possible Leesa will donate the mattress to a charity in your community or arrange collection with a recycling partner. You don’t have to roll it back up either. Leesa do recommend that you try the mattress for at least 30 days so that your body can adjust to the new mattress. I think providing extra time after this 30 days is really generous and the recycling scheme is fantastic. Leesa also recommend that the mattress is set up on a stable, rigid base. The Leesa mattress is made up of three different layers to provide ample comfort and support during the night and has a ten year warranty which is ideal for a decent mattress. The three layers are a dense core support of foam, a 5cm layer of memory foam and a 5cm Cooling Avena foam top layer to provide air flow and help keep you cooler during the night.
One thing I really love about the Leesa mattress is the social and community support. For every 10 mattresses sold in the UK one is donated to homeless shelters, refuges and crisis centres. As someone that once lived in a women’s refuge I can’t tell you how much this means to me and makes me really passionate about this company and wanting to share them with my readers. Any UK charity registered with the Charity Commission or OSCR can be considered for a donation. Every customer is also given a 100 night free trial and if at any time you decide the mattress isn’t for you, Leesa will arrange collecting the mattress and if it’s in a good, usable condition will donate it to a charity or refuge in the local area. If they can’t donate it they they will organise having it recycled. So far over 26,000+ mattresses have been donated.
What Do We Think?
I am so happy with our Leesa mattress and I have slept really well over the last month whilst we have been testing the mattress. I was starting to suffer on my hips during the night with my pregnancy but since swapping to our new mattress I have had virtually no discomfort when waking in the morning. The mattress is lovely and thick and quite high from the bed so getting out of bed as a pregnant lady is not particularly glamorous, however, waking up pain free and feeling well rested is amazing. I was a little concerned about the heat as so many people told me memory foam gets really hot however I haven’t experienced this at all and I think that’s down to the cooling layer as well as keeping our room as cool as we can. I really love the mattress and those first few nights sleep were absolute bliss for me. I am still waking up in the night but without cramp or pain which is just amazing. Getting a good night sleep in pregnancy can be really hard and our new Leesa mattress has made this really easy.
I am so impressed with the quality of the mattress, how comfortable it is and just so relieved that in this heat wave I have been sleeping so soundly. A decent mattress really does make a world of difference. Leesa have agreed to give my readers £100 off a Leesa Mattress using the code CANDYFLOSSDREAMS
Disclaimer: This post is in collaboration with Leesa Mattress, of which I received a mattress for the purpose of this feature, however, all opinions remain my own. You may find affiliate links in this post which means if you decide to click through and purchase a Leesa Mattress I may make a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Landguard Holiday Park is a Park Dean Resorts caravan park in Shanklin on the Isle of Wight. Its next to a larger holiday park, Lower Hyde, and staying at one or the other enables you to use the facilities of both parks. This is the third time we have stayed with Park Dean Resorts after our trip to Mullion Holiday Park, Cornwall last year.
We first came to Landguard in October 2014 as our first holiday as a family of three and thought it would only be appropriate to have our last holiday as a family of three here now I am pregnant. Shanklin itself is a beautiful town and one I can’t wait to bring my baby boy to in the future.
Getting To Landguard Holiday Park
We arrived by public transport and the Wightlink FastCat Ferry service which was very simple. I believe booking a holiday on the Isle of Wight through park dean resorts can also get you free ferry returns for a car but not for foot passengers. If you are going by train and on foot like us, I would recommend purchasing your tickets straight through to your destination as this then includes FastCat ferry from Portsmouth Harbour. We booked our tickets a month in advance using a family and friends railcard which cost us £108 for a return including our ferry crossing. This was from our home all the way down to Shanklin rail station which is an absolute bargain.
From Shanklin rail station you can cross over the road to the map and then down the stairs on the right. This will bring you in front of Lower Hyde park. To continue on to Landguard holiday park keep walking right and across the zebra crossing outside Lidl. There is a public footpath and bridle way just next to turning to Lidl and you can walk down here to access the holiday parks. It’s approximately twenty minutes walk from the station to Landguard holiday park reception which isn’t far but when the path is not really suitable for wheelchairs or prams. Sometimes there are taxis outside the train station or you can book one. A taxi ride from Shanklin sea front to Landguard is around £5 so I imagine from the train station to Landguard holiday park the taxi fare is around the same price.
Check In at Landguard holiday park
Check in is from 4pm however you can arrive early and start using the facilities. You can leave a mobile number with reception who can give you a call if your caravan is ready early. We arrived around 3.30pm and we were able to collect our caravan keys straight away which was great. There are car parks available to use close to the park entrance and further on in for some of the other holiday homes as well as near the lodges. There is a pitching and touring area too and a separate drive and reception just to the left of the main holiday park entrance.
Check in at Landguard holiday park was straightforward and we were given a pack of information, a map to our caravan and a key. We also arrived in the heatwave of early July 2018 and we were able to hire a fan for a £10 deposit. This was brought over to us around an hour after checking in however we did find keeping the doors and windows open helped cool the caravan down really quickly. The staff at reception are friendly and really helpful.
Our Hazel Caravan at Landguard Holiday Park – new for 2018
We like having a little extra space in a caravan and often paying a bit extra can really make a huge difference. We paid around £250 for our four night break in a Hazel Caravan at Landguard which is brand new for 2018. We were all really impressed with the comfort, stylish and spacious caravan which included all the things you would need for a family break. I’ve written a more in depth post about our caravan and included a video tour in another post.
Food and Drink
As we were only having four nights at Landguard holiday park we decided to not to a big food shop and instead got a few snacks and basic essentials for the caravan. I was trying to look for the menu online but struggled to find it so took a few photos to help others. I like to know the cost of the food on site and the type of food offered. The menu is, of course, likely to change but as of summer 2018 this is the menu on site at Landguard holiday park.
The first night after a long day of travel we went to the Boathouse restaurant on site. Sadly, the meal was really disappointing for the £40 we paid. We ordered a sharing platter as a starter however this ended up coming with our main meals which was fine as we were looking happy to share anyway. However, this resulted in my main meal being missed. The food wasn’t very appetising and really put us off eating there for the rest of the break.
We did, however, try again on the Wednesday night as there was a curry night option. This was a curry and a Cobra beer or soft drink for £10.95. Again, for the quality of the food, it wasn’t perfect but it was better. We both had a beef madras curry and Evie had a chicken mayo wrap for £2.95.
Landguard Holiday Park Entertainment
I love holiday park entertainment and I was so impressed with the availability of entertainment for children and adults. On the first night we walked up to Lower Hyde for the evening and just stayed for the children’s part of the entertainment before walking over to Lidl for some snacks and then heading back to our caravan.
On the second night we headed into Shanklin for dinner and then got a taxi back to Lower Hyde for the evening entertainment only to be told that it had been replaced by the football as England were playing. Now, I don’t really mind that it was changed but I wish we had been told before hand as we probably would have stayed down at the seafront. The park troupers children entertainers were offering to take the kids out to the multi sports court for a game whilst parents watched the foodtball however with Evie being under 8 one of us would have had to go and watch. Evie didn’t want to play so we ended up spending a bit of time in the arcade before heading back down the hill to Landguard holiday park.
We then went to the entertainment lounge to watch the football whilst Evie joined in with the arts and crafts going on and played in the park as we could see her easily from our table. I usually can’t stand football and this is the second time I’ve been Pregnant during a World Cup. Adam isn’t a supporter either (thankfully!!) but we both got caught up in the atmosphere during a really tense game between England and Columbia. I even found myself spontaneously cheering along.
After the match we stayed on to play the Retro Game Show in which we won first prize. However, being pregnant I exchanged my bottle of bubbly for another prize and Evie got a signed certificate from her favourite bunny from the starland krew Sparkle.
For the third night we stayed at Landguard holiday park for evening entertainment where Evie played some games with Pipsqueak the mouse before heading outside to the park again with some friends. We took part in the TOP 5 quiz game and again won first place with 65 points. It was good fun and we walked away with some headphones. We then stayed on for a bit of a sing along before walking back to the caravan and getting to bed.
For our last night we decided to stay put at Landguard holiday park again for the evening. This time the Park Live event was from sleight of hand comedy magician Mark James and he was really great. It was nice to see something a bit different on our last evening and he gave us all a great laugh. I love seeing comedy shows when I’m on holiday, they’re great entertainment and offer something completely different than the usual singing and dancing. It was a great atmosphere in the room with everyone laughing along.
Landguard Holiday Park Facilities
Landguard holiday park is quite small however being able to use the facilities of both parks at no extra cost gives you a lot of choice. We mostly used what was on offer at Landguard because the walk up hill to lower Hyde was a bit much for my seven month pregnant self to handle every night. There is an inside and outside swimming pool, on site shop, laundrette, restaurant, show lounge and two play parks for children. It’s around a 30 minute walk down to the seafront or £5 by taxi where you’ll find plenty of things to do in Shanklin.
One of the Pools at Lower Hyde holiday park that guests at Landguard can use
Overall we have really enjoyed our week away and have come home feeling refreshed. A week away was just what we all needed to recharge and spend some quality time together as a family. Hopefully over the summer holidays we can get out for a few days but this has been a great break away as our last holiday as a family of three.
Here’s a little holiday vlog of our week on the Isle of Wight and staying at Landguard Holiday Park in Shanklin
