Pagebreak -The best family foodie half-term breaks

Cornwall

Best for surfing on the coast

Perfectly positioned on a clifftop overlooking Cornwall’s showstopping Fistral Beach, the imposing Headland Hotel is ideal for a spot of winter storm watching. It has cottages designated for this armchair-based adrenaline activity, while the ballroom has cosy fireplaces and picture windows from where you can watch Atlantic squalls roll in. If you like a bracing walk, step directly out of the hotel onto a sandy path leading to 250 miles of rugged north Cornish coastline.Meanwhile, inside the hotel, it’s just as atmospheric. You’ll soon see why this Victorian pile was chosen as the location to film an adaptation of Roald Dahl’s The Witches; think sweeping staircases, grand libraries, ballrooms and fireplaces so enormous you could step inside. Despite all this old-English elegance, there’s a modern heart to The Headland where staff display easy-going charm, rooms are cosy and comfortable, and the spa is a chic retreat.

Headland is a great base for multi-generational holidays; there are plenty of snug rooms with roaring fires and board games, along with activities for all ages. Archery, circus skills and foraging are all on offer, and the hotel is a 40-minute drive from the Eden Project. There’s an excellent surf and paddle-boarding school beneath the hotel that caters to children as young as five, at any time of year, if you’re game. Dogs are welcome on the beach, too.Home to two restaurants, Samphire is Headland’s grander offering, overlooking the surf and the sea vegetables after which it is named. This is where Headland’s hearty breakfast is served; order from the menu and help yourself to a generous buffet, too – children will be in their element. In the evening, Samphire serves a seasonally changing, Cornish inspired menu (two courses, £34) where dishes are works of art, but the chef also manages to let quality ingredients speak for themselves – such as seared venison, Cornish crab, local sardines and samphire. Sunday lunch is well worth staying for and is excellent value at £24.95 for three courses.

If you’re looking for something more relaxed, you’ll find cool cocktails, sky-high sandwiches and some excellent crab and chips at The Terrace, which forms part of the hotel. Off-site, Rick Stein’s Fistral is a short walk away, serving Asian food as well as traditional fish and chips. If you’re after aromatic comfort food, try the nasi goreng (£9.95). For drinks before or after dinner, head to Healey’s Cornish Cyder Farm or Skinner’s Brewery, landmarks of Cornish libation, both within day-trip distance.How to do it:Rooms at the Headland Hotel from £165 per night for a family of four sharing; storm-watching packages are available in the winter months, until March, and start from £90 per night, based on a three-night stay.

Review by Lily Barclay

Cotswolds

Best for younger children

Cotswold Farm Park is owned by Adam Henson (presenter of BBC’s Countryfile) and is all about educating children on where their food really comes from. The park is a real children’s paradise where they can get up close to the animals, feed goats, ride tractors, explore the adventure playground and zip wire and make the most of the huge bouncy pillows. The park is set in the heart of the Cotswsold countryside and has incredible views from almost every angle, and all of the outside children’s attractions have been sympathetically created for their surroundings.

The very well-run campsite, positioned within short walking distance to the park, has excellent facilities and has recently opened six beautifully designed and very comfortable eco lodges which sit in their own private field with views of the Cotswold countryside, you’ll find everything you need (including pots and pans, cutlery and champagne glasses) in a small but perfectly-formed scandi-style kitchen as well as a comfortable living room and luxurious beds, each lodge sleeps up to six people and one infant and comes with a barbecue and outdoor seating for warm evenings. Dogs are also welcome and you have direct access to long country walks straight from the lodge.

The Ox Shed restaurant is on-site and serves up hearty home-cooked breakfasts including sausages made from their own Gloucestershire Old Spot pigs, homemade cakes, brownies and good coffees, they also have a comprehensive children’s menu that should keep the whole family happy. You’ll also find good-quality bread, honey and locally-sourced meat and juices from the on-site shop if you want to make use of the kitchen or barbecue.

Eco lodges at Cotswold Farm Park from £180 per night and include free access to the farm park.

Review by Lily Barclay.

West Sussex

Best for cosy camping

Between Easter and the end of September there’s a very special campsite hidden away in a field in the South Downs National Park. Run by Griff and Stella, who advocate a lifestyle that leaves little impact on the landscape, Woodfire Camping is a quiet environment populated with tents, surrounded by nature (no electronic music, but guitars and the like are welcome).It’s a fantastic space for kids with no cars on site, showers housed in cute wooden cubicles (complete with mirrors) and fire pits for hire that light up the night. For those who prefer an easy arrival and departure, pre-erected tents are available. Our four-person Sheraton came with comfortable sleeping mats, hot water bottles, plus a table and benches, though we took our own bedding.There’s plenty for kids to do, with horses to admire, trails and paths to explore and a good-sized area for playing a spot of football. Just a short drive away you’ll find National Trust property Petworth House, and further afield, along the West Sussex coast, stop off at villages like Climping and West Wittering to visit antique shops and tea rooms, and stroll along the beach at Bracklesham Bay.

Most Thursdays to Sundays – and this is why you’ll really want to book – Griff cooks evening meals over a fire on the enormous iron grill, or a stew in a potjie (a cast iron pot), including veggie options. These come with delicious homemade flatbread, also cooked on the grill, with salads on the side. You need to order dinner in advance and prices range from £7.50-£12 for adults and £4-5 for kids. Eat at one of the communal tables or take away back to your pitch; either way you’ll need to bring your own plates and cutlery.If you haven’t sorted out breakfast, bacon and egg butties are often available in the mornings, along with tea and freshly brewed coffee, for a small fee. The meat is free-range and and vegetables come from the kitchen garden if possible, while other fresh ingredients are sourced locally. On remaining evenings, or for lunch, you can walk to the pub. Within easy reach are The Foresters Arms, The White Horse – a smarter option – and The Cricketers with dinner from 6pm, which is useful with kids in tow, plus it serves enormous portions.How to do it:

A Sheraton tent at Woodfire Camping costs £30 per night (for adults) or £10 for children 3-18 years, with a minimum spend of £60; there’s a two-night minimum stay at weekends, and three nights over bank holidays.

Review by Lulu Grimes

Dorset: Chesil Vista

Best for family caravanning

A stone’s throw from Chesil Beach, Chesil Vista is a family-friendly caravan park (open March-October) that makes the perfect base for exploring Dorset’s fossil-rich coastline. You’ll find comfortable, wellequipped caravans with large living rooms and decent showers – some also come with a generous terrace and sea views, and a handful of two-bedroom apartments have shared terraces. On site, there’s plenty of organised entertainment and games to keep children happy, including an indoor pool complete with flume slide.No trip to the seaside is complete without a visit to the arcade, and Chesil Vista’s will not disappoint, while other on-site facilities include a well-maintained soft play centre. Rise early and hire bikes (in advance) to make the most of the vast shingle bays with their crystal-clear waters, that are virtually on the doorstep. Look for fossils, visit the impressive Portland Bill Lighthouse, and stop off for freshly shucked oysters in one of the many seaside shacks.

If you’re looking for good food with a family friendly vibe, then try Billy Winters Bar & Diner. There’s house-smoked salmon, Fleet Lagoon-foraged seabeet, and oyster beds adjacent to the restaurant so you can enjoy briny bivalves straight from the water. The wood-fired pizzas (£11.50-15), and homemade cakes (around £3) are a hit with kids, and Billy’s makes a good classic cocktail, too (£7.50). The bar is set right on the beach with amazing views, which is ideal for some postprandial stone-skimming.If you’re looking for a more grown-up dinner venue, then the award-winning Crab House Café is a short walk from the caravan park. Renowned for its seafood, it’s recommended by tourists and locals alike, with mains from £14-£30, and children’s fish and chips for £7.50. For a relaxed, good-quality, well-priced meal on site, Chesil Vista’s Breeze Bar & Grill has friendly staff and a wide selection to choose from. Try the locally caught seabass with scalloped new potatoes and spinach (£13.95) and a range of classic kids’ dishes from a fiver, then grown-ups can round off the meal with artisan cheeses sourced from the Dorset Downs (£6.95). Kids will be delighted by the dessert menu. Indulge them with an ice-cream sandwich or sundae (£4.95) to fuel a bit more play before bedtime.How to do it:

Stay at Chesil Vista from £159 for a three-night break (Fri-Mon) based on a family of four sharing a Classic Modern Caravan.

Review by Lily Barclay