Claire’s story: Travelling with a toddler

Without a doubt my daughter Anna is the most well travelled toddler that I know. Following a cruise in the Middle East and helicopter transfers in St Lucia, she can now add campervan travel to her memories.

As a child, my earliest travel memories involved Mum and Dad’s trusty trailer travels throughout the UK and Ireland – memories of the beautiful sights so close to home that I want Anna to share.

So last weekend, we decided to do something a bit different and hired the 6-berth ‘Grande’ camper from UK wide company Bunk Campers. Complete with a full kitchen, WC and shower, 2 double beds and bunk beds, it was sure to delight any child as we headed up to the North Coast of Northern Ireland for a few days!

Having done a supermarket shop, we filled the kitchen with all the essentials. With a 3-burner gas hob, oven, grill and fridge, it wasn’t the typical sandwiches and crisps to eat. This was great news for Anna as she loves her cereal with hot milk and the abundance of storage meant everything had its place – down to emergency toys and wellie boots!

For a mother with a toddler, the convenience of having everything you need at your finger tips is fantastic and being able to park up for nap time or potty stops is invaluable.

One of the most memorable points of the trip was definitely stopping for lunch in Portballintrae. The summer weather may be long gone, but it was in fact very beautiful and enjoyable. Sitting at the table, we enjoyed a gourmet lunch of cheeses, pates and chutneys while watching the waves crash on the rocks. The occasional paddle boarder even braved the cold! This was much to Anna’s delight as one in particular found the conditions quite difficult and kept falling off – each time Anna’s laughter was infectious!

Despite the weather, we bundled up in hats and coats (as mentioned it is great being able to pack up everything that you may need) and over the few days we visited everywhere around the Northern Coast. From the historic Mussenden Temple to the waterfall at Daffodil Gardens in Coleraine. Autumn in Northern Ireland is really beautiful with its crunchy leaves and vibrant colours!

Further along the coast nestled in the cliffs of Downhill there is a fantastic campsite for families called Benone Tourist Complex. With facilities open to both residents and day trippers, there was an abundance of things to do. We spied an outdoor splash pool and decided we will definitely have to make a trip back in the summer!

All in all, the convenience of the Bunk campervan made our mini break a real treat – Anna had an absolutely fantastic time and saw the beauty of places right on our doorstep. Looking forward to our next trip away in the near future!