Dorset - Sandford Park Day 4 - The Blue Pool

Day 4 and we took a short drive out to another little haven of Wareham known as The Blue Pool. Basically the Blue Pool is a nature reserve and tearoom which dates back over 400 years and has an inland lake which is 30ft deep in it's deepest part and known for its spectacular array of colours (especially when the sun shines down on it).

Today was also National Middle Sibling Day and so me and Brandon played on this to the best of our abilities getting everyone to wait on us hand and foot and treating ourselves to a nice drink and cake in the tearoom. We enjoyed a lovely walk around the nature reserve and even saw a sika deer as we was leaving the reserve.

Even Tina was starting to participate in our glamping badminton.

Holly on the spiders web in the Park Dean play area.

More of Holly in the play area.

The boys off exploring the Blue Pool - unfortunately no swimming here.

It wasn't super sunny but the lake still looked beautiful.

More of the Blue Pool.

And another scenery shot.

This pictures captures some of the colours in the Blue Pool in the shallower areas.

The sun was trying to break through.

Holly exploring the nature reserve.

Brandon looking for things to thrown and kick.

Exploring the nature reserve.

And Brandon finds some little pine cones to kick in to the lake.

Holly in the woodland.

Brandon giving Tina kittens climbing this bank which is a lot steeper than the picture makes it appear.

Brandon trying to find an impossible route around a part of the lake.

Time for a chill and to take in the views of the lake (whilst grumpy Josh avoids another picture).

Trying a family selfie with my old school camera balanced on the ground.

More of the Blue Pool.

View from the tearoom end of the lake.

For this selfie I wedged the camera on a tree branch. Not a bad photo considering.

A view through the trees.

Holly found some fairy doors on the nature trail.

And some even smaller fairy/pixie doors.

There was a small play area depper in the woods which Holly and B played on.

View from the tearoom balcony.

Me and B celebrating National middle sibling day.

Middle siblings at the Blue Pool.

Back at base Brandon found this really cool driving simulator to play on.

I think he now wants to upgrade his PS4 set-up to something like this (not gonna happen!).

Dorset - Sandford Park Day 3 - Poole Quay

 Day 3 of our holiday and we took a short drive in to Poole Quay where we spent the morning enjoying the sunshine with a bit of crabbing on the harbour wall and also took a boat ride around the 5 islands that surround the harbour. Some of the islands are incredible and owned by single individuals who have build large Canadian log cabins on them with separate accommodation for their staff on the opposite side of the island (how the other half live!). Then the cruise took us past one of the most expensive places to live in the UK which was Sandbanks where the likes of John Lennon and the Redknapps own properties.

After a spot of lunch we headed over to Sandbanks Beach which was again an absolutely stunning location and a beautiful sandy beach on both sides of the road. So the kids were in heaven as more often than not we end up on stoney UK beaches. At Sandbanks we basically just enjoyed the sun, sea and sand with a nice little ice-cream to finish off the visit before heading back to our glamping tent. The only negative from the day was that I overinflated Holly's unicorn beach ring with my own lungs (no pump) and made it go pop (woops!).

Looking back on Poole Quay as we setoff in a mini cruise around the 5 islands.

This big old ferry was anchored up in the harbour.

The captain of our cruiser was getting a bit annoyed with a local sailing club.

Tina and Josh.

Holly pestering the captain!

Seems like a bargain to buy an island for £2.5M.

Holly stealing Brandon's sweater to keep warm.

One of the islands has an oil refinery in the middle of it, the only evidence visible is this dredger on one side.

Holly still pestering the captain and Joshua still looking as happy as ever!

Now that's not a bad little place to have!

Some of the stunning villas on Sandbanks.

Oh I like that one.

Me and Josh at the back of the boat.

Our little cruise around the harbour.

Then it was back to the Quay for a spot of crabbing.

The morning's left over bacon worked a treat and it wasn't long before Holly and Josh were reeling them in.

Holly is a very competitive crabber with her brother.

But she still won't touch the grabs or tip them in to the bucket.

Chilling for some lunch at Poole Quay.

Me and Brandon took an exploratory walk around the RNLI museum.

I cannot decide if this building is obscene or artistic?

The viewing platform at Poole Quay.

Yeh, beautiful sandy beachs and blue sky at Sandbanks in the afternoon.

It didn't take long for all 3 kiddies to be playing in the sea.

Action shot of Holly body boarding.

And another.....

Nice warm blue waters to play in.

But not too many good waves for body boarding.

No arguing and fighting for once, the 3 of them playing together in the sea.

My little beach princess.

Woops, a dead unicorn float where I blew it's head up (literally).

Joshua using my hot tub lounger to soak up some sun.

Brandon trying his best to get on the remains of the unicorn.

.....and failing.

I would definitely recommend a trip to Sandbanks beach if you are in the area.

With no waves for body boarding we resorted to a game of catch with a rugby ball.

Don't ask why Joshua needs a snorkel mask to play catch.

Lovely clear waters.

Holly's turn.

Joshua jumping for the catch.