Buckle up and join us as we take you on a family weekend trip through the stunning landscapes of Norfolk Forest, highlighting the Mazda CX-60’s impressive capabilities and our unforgettable experiences along the way. Whether you’re a nature enthusiast or just looking to unwind, this weekend trip is not to be missed.
As it was half term, a much-needed family weekend trip away was needed - somewhere which had lovely landscape for walks and of course a hot tub – non-negotiable. We decided on the lodge above in Thetford, Norfolk as it ticked all the boxes and was in an incredible location. The journey took a tad over 2 hours and we started with a full charge on the car and £40 worth of fuel in the tank.
We had a slow start to the first day, just how it’s meant to be when on holiday. After a tasty breakfast at the woodland retreat, we set off on a walk into the woodlands. The woods were a patchwork of pines, heathland and broadleaves that welcome refuge for a variety of animal and plant life. Naturally, we had to have many juice and snack stops along the way, along with some exploring for creepy crawlies and bugs upon Adalyn’s request.
All the driving which we did while we were there virtually didn’t cost us anything due to the free charging point at the site. It was super easy to charge, we just downloaded the appropriate charging app and plugged it into the charger with the provided cable, taking only 1hr 30 minutes to get to a maximum charge. This was ideal for when we decided to go on a day trip away from the lodge site, to Banham zoo. This was Adalyn’s first trip to the zoo, so it was magical watching her point at all the animals and do her very best to copy saying what each one of them was called. As the day came to a close, we headed back to the lodge on the remaining electric range, popped the car on charge and went back up to the lodge for dinner with the addition of a cuddly toy cheetah.
The boot was a good height for loading all of our bags into especially for sliding the pram into without having to bend. With the pram, there was still plenty of space for everything we needed for the weekend for the family. It was fantastic being able to put everything we needed for the weekend into the boot without having to store bags behind the front seats etc. I also found it very useful that the rear doors of the car open almost 90 degrees, meaning it’s easy to slide Adalyn’s baby seat into the car with her in it, as that seems to be the only way to get her in the car without a battle at the moment.
When it came to making our return journey home, we charged up the car, ready to go with 39 miles of electric range. Once home, the electric charge was mostly used up, but as a result we’d used minimal fuel – great news considering current fuel prices.
When I saw the Mazda CX-60, I was slightly worried at the size of it, because initially it looks like quite a big car. Usually I drive a hatchback, so this was quite a bit bigger than what I use on a daily basis. The 360 cameras on the car are crystal clear, and makes it a dream reversing the car into electric charging spaces. Admittedly the bonnet is quite long but the camera shows you exactly where all corners are the car are in relation to other vehicles and obstacles.
Overall, I would highly recommend taking a family trip the woodlands lodges when you need a break from everyday life and need to recharge. The Mazda CX-60 was the perfect companion for this weekend as the drive felt extremely safe with the high driving position and powerful engine, it was economical, saving us money on fuel costs and was ideal for all of Adalyn’s luggage and baby seat.