Dorset - Sandford Park Day 10 - Arts & Crafts and Poole Pirates Speedway

Day 10 and another rare day where we actually stayed on site. The boys just sort of pottered around and played a bit more arcades, Holly had a day of arts and crafts with some sand art, some porcelain painting and a tie die t-shirt.

In the evening we had something quite special lined up. I found out that we were right on top of the Poole Pirates Speedway Stadium and there was an event on against Scunthorpe Scorpions. I think I have only ever been to Speedway once as a kid and our 3 have certainly never been. So I thought it was an opportunity which could not be missed.

We had an absolute blast of an evening and the Poole Pirates absolutely dominated Scunthrorpe over 15 races with over double the points. It was pretty much one sided from the 2nd or 3rd race. The racing is so exciting as it is short 4 lap sprints with load bikes, dirt flying everywhere and a really good atmosphere. The short format and excitement is reminiscent of dog racing and made me wonder just why Speedway isn't far more popular. Holly even managed to get her picture taken with the ride of the night Stefan Neilson.

The boys both enjoyed it so much the talked me in to buying them souvenir t-shirts having already spent a fortune on burgers, drinks, sweets, chips etc. It was no cheap night out!

Tina helping Holy do some sand art.

Holly's finished sand art picture of a show jumping horse.

Holly preparing her t-shirt for tie dying.

All scrunched up and ready to add the dye.

More and more colours are added.

Until it is finally ready.

Holly then starts painting a porcelain cup cake penny pot.

She does like her arts and crafts.

Holly proudly showing her work.

Whilst Holly is hard at work, the boys are also hard at working spending all my money in the arcades.

In the evening our special dinner / entertainment treat was Speedway at the Poole Pirtes Stadium.

The bikes all lined up in the pits before racing commences.

First race on the start line and ready for the off.

I'd forgotten how loud they were and the amount of dust and stones that get flicked up at the corners.

Poole had the red and blue helmets and Scunthorpe the white and yellow, so it was easy to follow the Poole riders and cheer them on.

How they don't make you wear eye protection in the crowd is beyond me, we got hit several times by stones and dirt. The kids found it funny.

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More action shots from the fast and frantic racing.

Initially we sat inside the pavilion but eventually moved out to the grandstand as the atmosphere was much better.

Holly in the grandstand.

When darkness started to set in and the flood lights were on, the atmosphere just got even better.

Another red (Poole Pirates) win coming in.

Holly gets her photo taking with rider of the night - Stefan Neilsen.

And somehow the boys conned me in to getting the Poole Pirates sourvenir t-shirts (they are nice though).

Dorset - Sandford Park Day 9 - Bournemouth

Day 9 and we headed in to Bournemouth for the day where we found a fantastic parking spot right on the beach which turned out to be our most expensive of the whole holiday coming in a nearly £16 for the day!!! Bournemouth was a little bit overcast in the morning but soon cleared and we had an absolutely lovely day.

We started off taking a walk along Bournemouth Pier where Holly and Brandon did the zip wire from the end of the pier to the beach. Apparently this is the only pier to beach zip wire in the world. Holly was literally just tall enough and needed a 2kg weight jacket to go on the zip wire, but I was so pleased she could as she was gutted that she couldn't do the one at Blue Water a few weeks back.

After the zip wire we grabbed some pasties for a lunch snack and then headed on to the beach for a few hours. Bournemouth again has a lovely sandy beach and pretty nice blue waters as well. After the beach we booked some tickets to go around the Oceanarium which was really cool as I think it as Holly's first time in a shark tunnel. After the Oceanarium it was time for a nice ice-cream and then the journey home. And if you thought the parking for the day was expensive - a round of ice-cream for us all was coming in at £17 as well.

A little overcast at first, but Bournemouth has a lovely big sandy beach that stretches for miles.

We started our day with a walk along the pier to find out about the zip wire for Holly.

View of the beach from off the pier.

Holly and Brandon all geared up for a pier to beach zip wire.

The tower at the end of the pier with Holly and B perched on the edge ready to go.

And down they come, Brandon taking a lead with the extra body weight.

All the way down to the landing pad over on the beach at the side of the pier.

All smiles, I think she enjoyed it.

Whilst waiting for lunch Brandon showed us how he can weirdly twist his feet around!

Oh yes, more pasties for lunch.

Once the sun came out the kids were keen to get in the water.

Holly heading our for some body boarding.

Once again not many waves today.

So she opts for just floating and kicking her legs.

Having fun in the sea.

Brandon catching a little wave.

Holly tried to stand up and surf on a body board and failed.

Not enough waves for Joshua to even try the body boarding today.

Brandon discovered that beach game we all play where you try and out run a wave.

Love seeing them having fun in the sea.

Brandon getting fed up with pictures and trying to soak me and the camera.

It was definitely starting to get hot in the afternoon.

Cooling off in the Oceanarium where we were greeted with some piranha's.

Great picture of Holly with a ray.

And another.

This is an odd looking turtle.

Some smelly penguins that weren't too interested in going in the water today.

This one thought about jumping in for a millisecond.

Holly getting sassy with a giant penguin.

Looking out at the beach from the Oceanarium balcony.

In to the shark tunnel we go.

That's a weird looking shark.

Loads of reef black tip sharks which were very active.

Once again trying to get a family pic and once again Joshua looking as miserable as ever.

This picture doesn't do justice to how big this turtle was.

It was bloody huge.

Which looks happier, the shark, or Josh?

Holly and Tina watching the sharks swim by.

My two ladies in the shark tunnel.

Holly and Brandon looking out for penguins.

The other side of the shark tunnel and watching the moray eels.

And more of the sharks. You can never get enough sharks.

Holly with the shark and the moray eel.

Finishing a lovely day at the beach with an ice-cream.