Carnfunnock Country Park, Larne.

1/2 hour from Belfast. Easy to find and well signposted from Larne town centre. Lovely drive up the coast road. Kids enjoyed the sea views, tunnels and light houses on the way. Plenty of parking once we had arrived. A number of different carparks became apparent once we had walked round a bit. The carparking was ample but it was out of season so there were very few people around. Out of season, it is free but you pay by the hour in season. The season starts from 17th March.

Very clean, no rubbish, no dog mess (which is a huge bonus when you have kids in tow). Wildlife galore, birds are very tame, nature ie. trees and plants are named for those who are into that.

Signs very descriptive for various gardens. The sundial garden could have been very interesting if there had been any sun! The walk were well signposted and took us well away from the main road. Kids enjoyed the freedom to run ahead and play.The maze was not open but has potential to amuse. Crazy Golf likewise. We didn’t tell the kids about the miniature railway or bouncy castle just in case of upset

The Adventure playground was a huge hit after the long wildlife/nature hike, although visibility seemed to be a bit restricted and some parents may not feel happy that they cannot see their kids all of the time. Generally there was plenty of seating, tables with built in barbeques and the ground was well-provisioned with rubbish bins. Views are outstanding from all areas of the park of the coastal countryside and views out over the Irish Sea. This trip was out of season as we have mentioned before. As a result, there was no cost and as an additional bonus, no crowds.

I would be very interested to visit again in season to compare the difference. The toilet facilities, even out of season, were excellent; clean and plenty of them with separate Disabled, Ladies, Gents and baby-changing facilities with child toilet and basin.

Official site info : Carnfunnock Information Page at Larne Borough Council

WOW Overview:

Kids Say:
6 year old: Enjoyed the day. Very keen on seeing the maze.
5 year old: Liked the views out to sea.
4 year old: Would love to be in the middle (of the maze, apparently)

Stress Level: 0
Fun Level: 3/5
Cost Level: 0

Adventure Island, Junction One, Antrim

Adventure Island is a welcome distraction from the retail paradise of Junction One. There are two sections, Indoors and Outdoors, which I’ll cover separately.

Indoors
The Indoor section upstairs is a “ball and tube park” much like others around the country. The first impression is that it’s always crowded. Walking into a crowded café/seating area where every table is festooned with the shoes and coats of the familes already present is a little depressing. If you’re attentive and sometimes quick, you can maybe secure a chair or table as there is no cloakroom provided. The toddlers area is separate and secure from the older kids but there was a lack of staff on the ground near the toddlers so supervision really has to come from the parents, which is entirely reasonable. Understandably, the larger part of the structure which has the older kids is better staffed. The staff at Adventure Island are very friendly and very good with the kids so no complaints there. The only concern is for those with younger children - much like other similar play areas, the older kids sprint around expending a lot of energy and the feeling that Adventure Island is cramped just increases the possibility that a smaller child would be bowled over in the rush. The café facilities are reasonable enough; a little too expensive for my tastes and very crowded.

Outdoors
Even with the bitter winds and spitting rain of a Northern Ireland summer, the outdoors were much preferred by the children. In January however, it’s a little colder but their enthusiasm for the park has not dampened.

The outdoor facilities are free, clean and provide plenty of seating for adults as well as very well maintained play structures. There’s a sheltered picnic area providing for seating in view of the play area and allowing use of the food and drink vendors in the Junction One complex. The flooring is made of soft impact synthetic material in case of trips and falls and the ship and castle are very approachable even to a toddler.

WOW Overview

Kids Say:
4 year old: Can we come back here tomorrow? Can I come here for my birthday? (Regarding the outdoors)
2 year old: I’m a pirate!

Stress Level (indoors) 4 (Visibility of older kids and lack of seating make this a little less stress free than it should be.)
Fun Level (indoors) 3 (The kids enjoyed it but were not pleased with older kids pushing them around.)
Cost Level (indoors) 3 (Café and entrance fee certainly add up. Add to this any shopping done by partners at the Retail Outlet.)

Stress Level (outdoors) 2 (Good visibility and the kids were really able to busy themselves.)
Fun Level (outdoors) 4 (Whether they just enjoy climbing or they get into the whole role-play of being pirates and princesses on the ship and castle, they had great fun.)
Cost Level (outdoors) 0 (Free is my favourite price. And it’s certainly as good as any outdoor parks I’ve been to in the province.)

First post!