Veteran caravan tourists, the Meek family, set out to conquer Europe
After one year of touring through Britain as a family, the Meek family has their sights set on another year-long trip, this time throughout Europe.
This is neither the first, nor the second time that the Meek family has made headlines. The family first came onto the scene two years ago when parents Tim and Kerry Meek challenged their daughters Amy, 12, and Ella, 10, to ditch their television screens and complete 100 outdoor activities.
With that challenge accomplished, in September 2014, the couple, who are originally from Arnold, Nottingham, quit their jobs, sold their home, and took their daughters out of school with one radical notion in mind. The couple embarked on a 12 month adventure throughout the UK, citing that nothing would be more educational for their daughters than to experience history and life firsthand.
Since beginning their adventure, the Meek family have covered 13,000 miles, visiting historical sites, natural habitats, museums and exhibitions, etc. all the while packing in dozens of daily learning activities.
As the couple travelled from Nottingham up to the North of England and the Scottish borders, back down to London and across to Norfolk, the family of four saw some incredible things.
Among the many locations seen by the family are the Wind Farms in Derbyshire, a dormant volcano in Scotland, and Bletchley Park which is home of the Second World War codebreakers. Meanwhile, they’ve enjoyed paddle boarding, sand yachting, and cycling.
Since the first trip was such a success, they are extending their plans for another year and taking their caravan across Europe. Tim and Kerry hope that the continuation in their ‘ed-venture’ will allow the girls to hone their French and learn much more about the Second World War.
Mr. Meek, 46, a primary school teacher, said: “It has been a brilliant year – and we have got more from it than we even thought we would. It has encouraged the girls to not just have a love of learning, but a love of life.”
The family hopes to begin in Northern Ireland and the Republic, moving to France, Scotland, the Netherlands, and finally through Germany
Find out more about their adventures on the Meek family’s website where you can also read about the daughters’ experience on their blog! If that isn’t enough, the Meek family have also documented their adventures in their book “Learning Outdoors with the Meek Family.”
