CHILDREN ACTIVITIES AT THE ANCHORAGE

There are many things for children to do at The Anchorage. From the big lawn in the garden a woodland trail leads up the side of the valley to Fort Sandy – formerly a small rock quarry. This is a popular play place, a good camping spot for children (with parents and toilets below). Its also a great place for a campfire and BBQ at night. At the height of summer, fires should not be lit if the adjacent field if full of wheat or other inflammable crops. The upper part of the garden has unlocked gates as there are some private allotments there, but visitors are permitted access to the whole. Another woodland trail leads along the top of the valley from Fort Sandy and a terrace with standing stones or menhirs are available for play and BBQ.

One of the most popular children activities can carried out at low tide on the footbridge across Sandy Haven inlet just below the house. Here every year parents and children gather with buckets, lengths of string and bacon pieces to fish for crabs. Usually a bucket full can be gathered in a few hours and if returned when the tide returns can be caught again the next day when looking for their daily bacon ration. Sandy Haven beach on the other side of the tidal inlet has large numbers of shells especially large limpet and cockle shells. Children like to collect them and painting them indoors on a wet day is a popular activity, for they also make nice holiday gifts. Shells can be taken from the flower beds of The Monks Garden. They have been put there because the soil is acid and by adding the shells it is hoped to counter this. The local farmers spray their fields with lime for the same reason. For teenagers, Sandy Haven tidal creek with its tree lined edges, sand banks and bird life is an ideal boating or canoeing pond with the shore never far away in case up upturned boats.