Lyd Well

Lyd Well bubbles with surprising force,

 

 

 

 

 

pumping water through the surrounding fields. 

 

 

 

 

Somehow it’s still easy to miss, hiding in a clump of trees,

 

 

 

 

behind a dry stone wall and a pool of water during wetter months

 

 

 

 

but not during others.   

 

 

 

 

 

This is a seasonal spring so be careful with the timing of your visit. It is magical when bubbling but less impressive when dry. 

I have found it flowing in March

 

 

but not this August, even though it’s been such a wet summer.

 

 

 

 

 

Trewsbury Mead

If you continue along the path from Lyd Well, over the fields,

 

 

 

 

across the A433

 

 

 

 

 

and through a gate

 

 

 

 

 

you will eventually come to a meadow known as Trewsbury Mead

 

 

 

 

and the Source of the Thames marker.  

 

 

 

 

 

The Source of the River Thames…

This source is marked with a stone

 

 

 

 

and a sign post – only 232 miles to the sea!

 

 

 

 

 

…Or Is It?

The ultimate source of the Thames is disputed with some saying the source furthest from the mouth of the Thames is Seven Springs in Gloucestershire.  

If you take Seven Springs as the source, it adds a further 14 miles to the length of the Thames. 

 

Seven Springs is a compact and easy place to visit for a paddle. It also flows throughout the year.

 

 

 

 

Old Father Thames 

In 1936, a statue of Old Father was placed in Trewsbury Mead to mark the source of the Thames.  

Sadly, it was vandalised and moved again to St John’s Lock, where it can still be found today. 

 

 

The Paths…and Stairs!

The paths leading to the source of the Thames are easy to walk on but are not surfaced and can be a little uneven

 

 

 

 

and very muddy.

 

 

 

 

 

There is a steep flight of stairs that you have to go up to cross the A433 crossing.

I have taken a double buggy up these stairs but would not do it again.  

 

 

 

The stairs are very steep and lead straight on to the A433, which runs along the top.  

This isn’t a very busy road but it is fast – the cars fly past – and it’s not somewhere you would want children to stand around while you fiddle with a buggy.  

Nearest Town: Kemble or Coates, near Cirencester
County: Oxfordshire 
Nearest Postcode: GL7 6BS or GL7 6NZ

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Bring a picnic, eat at the Thames Head Inn (GL7 6NZ) or The Tavern Inn (GL7 6AX).
Facilities: None. 

How Long We Spent There: 3 hours
Buggies: I wouldn’t take a buggy because of the steep flight of stairs next to the fast road.  

Parking: Lay-by on the A429 – as you leave Kemble heading towards Cirencester, look out for a lay-by on the left and right of the road on a bridge over the river (GL7 6BS takes you roughly there). Alternatively, have a meal at the Thames Head Inn and then walk from there.
Cost of Parking: Free

Information Written: March 2017 and August 2023

 

Odiham Castle

Odiham Castle is one of only three fortresses built by King John.

When construction finished in 1214, it boasted an octagonal keep, walls finished in stone, solid wooden doors, a lead covered roof and protection from the River Whitewater, moats, banks and fences.

 

The Ruins

Despite all this, by 1605 the castle lay in ruins. Today all that remains are the flint cores of the walls.

 

 

 

 

You cannot climb on these but can walk around the ruins and go inside the keep, where there are information boards about the castle and Magna Carta.

 

 

 

 

 

Basingstoke Canal

The castle can be reached on foot by walking along the beautiful Basingstoke Canal towpath, either from North Warnborough or Greywell village (see below for details).

 

 

 

We walked from Greywell and saw ducks, moorhens, grey herons and a huge, white bird that turned out to be a great white egret.

 

 

 

Henry the Forgetful

There is a story trail available to download called “The Story of Henry The Forgetful”, which you can follow from Greywell village to the castle and back again. You can read about our walk along the Odiham Castle Story Trail.

 

 

 

 

The Paths

The Basingstoke Canal tow path is generally wide and level but can be quite stoney.

There are no barriers between the path and the canal.

 

 

 

Where to Park

I’ve found two options for parking, either Tunnel Lane in North Warnborough (RG29 1HQ) or Greywell village (RG29 1BY). 

 

From Tunnel Lane

The Basingstoke Canal goes across Tunnel Lane so is easy to find.

 

 

 

 

From Greywell Village

To reach the towpath from Greywell village, take the footpath that starts on Deptford Lane (RG29 1BS), which is the road opposite the Fox and Goose pub.

 

 

 

This path is narrow and there is a short hill down to the towpath but this did not cause us a problem and our double buggy went through without issue. Please note that there are no pavements on either Deptford Lane or Hook Road.

 

Hampshire County Council’s Story Trails

*These are basically walks with interactive stories to read along the way, as told by a cute character called the Story Snail.

Each Story Trail is about one mile long and is divided into numbered sections that you read out as you reach number markers along the trail.

 

Getting the Story Trail

To follow the Story Trail you need a free pack that you can either borrow from a specified place (with a Hampshire Library card and a £20 returnable deposit) or download the story trail from the internet in written or audio form.  

Each pack has a map to follow and the trail itself is marked with arrows and/or pictures of the Story Snail.

 

Nearest Town: Odiham
County: Hampshire
Nearest Postcode: RG29 1HQ or RG29 1BY (see above).

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Bring a picnic and a blanket. 
Facilities: Picnic table.

How Long We Spent There: About three hours.
Buggies: Buggy friendly.

Parking: I’ve found two options for parking, either Tunnel Lane in North Warnborough (RG29 1HQ) or Greywell village (RG29 1BY). Please see above for full details of parking. 
Cost of Parking: Free

Wildlife You Might See: Ducks, moorhens, herons, birds and insects. 

Information Written: February 2017

 

Adventure Play at The Savill Garden

Adventure Play is a paid for adventure play area.

All adults and children aged 2 to 17 years must pay to enter. Children under 2 years old enter free but cannot use the equipment.

 

 

The equipment includes a huge series of wooden huts and tree houses with climbing walls,

 

 

 

 

nets, tunnels, slides and ladders,

 

 

 

 

 

rope bridges, wobbly bridges, balancing logs and poles as well as all kinds of slides,

 

 

 

 

a zip wire for toddlers and a village with a post office, puzzle boards, tunnels and more slides.

 

 

 

 

There is also a sand play area with another slide

 

 

 

 

 

and a water play area with a water pump,

 

 

 

 

 

picnic tables and a covered seating area.

 

 

 

 

 

Obelisk Lawn Play Area

A very short walk from Adventure Play is the Obelisk Lawn toddler play area, with equipment for children from 2 to to 9 years old that includes:

• toddler swings
• a seesaw
• a springer
• a covered sand play area
• a multiplay with a slide, a bridge and easy to climb steps
• game boards
• fun house style mirrors and
• a partially sunken wooden ship with climbing nets, a steering wheel and a crow’s nest.

 

The Savill Garden

A short walk takes you to the Savill Garden in one direction or the Obelisk Pond in the other.

There are lots of ducks and waterbirds to feed.

 

 

Walking or Scooting to Virginia Water

A longer walk takes you through the beautiful Valley Gardens to Virginia Water Lake and the Totem Pole.

The children and I scooted there in ten to fifteen minutes. 

 

Nearest Town: Virginia Water
County: Surrey
Nearest Postcode: TW20 0UJ

Opens: Daily

Adult Cost Range: £10 to £12 for two hours
Child Cost Range: £13 to £16 for two hours
Free if: Under 2 years old

Where to Eat: Cafe next to the play area with indoor and outdoor tables, also a restaurant in the Savill Garden Visitor Centre.
Facilities: Ice creams, snacks, picnic area, toilets and accessible toilets inside the nearby Savill Garden Visitor Centre.

How Long We Spent There: 2 hours
Buggies: Buggy friendly

Parking: Large car park.
Cost of Parking: Included with your tickets (normally from £3.10 per hour in the Savill Garden car park.)

Wildlife You Might See: Butterflies and other insects, squirrels, lots and lots of ducks and water birds.

Information Written: September 2023

 

The Old Palace

The Old Palace was originally called the Royal Palace of Hatfield and was used by Henry VIII as a nursery for his children.

 

 

 

 

The Royal Palace was originally a quadrangle built around a central courtyard.

The building you see today is one wing of the quadrangle. The courtyard is now a manicured garden.  

The rest of the Royal Palace was demolished after Elizabeth I died and the bricks used to build Hatfield House.

 

 

Hatfield House 

This was closed when I visited because of Covid restrictions but I was reliably informed that it has secret doors used by the servants to disappear when necessary! 

 

 

 

As well as the Tudor connection, Hatfield House has rolling parkland, ancient trees,

 

 

 

 

and little robots that mow the lawns! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Elizabeth Oak

This is said to be the spot where Princess Elizabeth was told she had become Queen in 1558.

The original oak tree she was sitting under died about 100 years ago. Elizabeth II planted this replacement tree in 1985.

 

 

The Grounds

The grounds of Hatfield House roll down to the River Lea and include parkland and woodland to explore. Everywhere you look there are twisted trees that look like they are about to stand up and walk away.

Some areas are busy and others feel isolated. I had a picnic in a spot that was so peaceful a deer walked right past me.

 

 

The Trails

There are a few marked trails to choose from. I tried the Red Walk, which is a little over 3 miles and takes you into the woodland, along the River Lea, past Elizabeth Oak and then back through the parkland.

The paths were easy to walk on, with some hills. Lots of families were using buggies without any trouble.

 

 

The Guides

I visited in connection with another project and would like to say a huge thank you to Dermot and Alan, two of the guides who made my visit extra special.

They were both very knowledgeable and helpful and went out of their way to explain the history of the Old Palace.

Nearest Town: Hatfield
County: Hertfordshire
Nearest Postcode: AL9 5NQ

Adult Cost Range: Various depending on where you want to go.
Child Cost Range: Various depending on where you want to go.
Free if: Under 3 years old. 

Opens: Various depending on which parts you want to visit.

Where to Eat: A shop, a cafe or bring a picnic.
Facilities: Snacks, cafe, ice cream, picnic area, toilets and accessible toilets.

How Long We Spent There: 4 hours.
Buggies: Buggy friendly.

Parking: There is a large car park.
Cost of Parking: Free

Wildlife You Might See: Insects, ducks and other birds and deer.

Information Written: July 2020

 

Southwater Country Park 

At the heart of the park is a lake with a beach and swimming area. 

Please note that the beach operates a booking system during the summer holidays – please see their website for details.

 

 

Activities

It has an orienteering course and the map is available to buy from the Southwater Country Park Visitor Centre.

There is also a water sports centre where you can kayak, canoe, sail and paddle board.

 

 

Dinosaur Island 

Dinosaur Island Adventure Play Area is a dinosaur-themed adventure play area, where adventure awaits…just follow the footprints!

 

 

 

This is jam-packed with equipment, including swings, slides, things to climb, aerial walkways and a zip wire.

 

Nearest Town: Horsham, near Crawley
County: West Sussex
Nearest Postcode: RH13 9UN

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: At the cafe or bring a picnic.
Facilities: None

How Long We Spent There: 3 hours
Buggies: Buggy friendly

Parking: Good sized car park.
Cost of Parking: From Various depending on when you visit – please see their website for full details.

Wildlife You Might See: Ducks, swans, geese, lizards, butterflies and dragonflies.

Information Written: January 2017
Information Checked: October 2020

 

The play equipment includes:

• a wooden obstacle course with ropes, tyres, walls, balancing logs and log stumps
• a basket swing
• a wobbly disc
• picnic tables
• seats to sit on.

 

Next to the play area are rugby and football pitches and a flat track that is great for learning to ride a bike.

 

Nearest Town: Petersfield
County: Hampshire
Nearest Postcode: GU31 4EP

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Bring a picnic. 
Facilities: Picnic tables

How Long We Spent There: 30 minutes
Buggies: Buggy friendly

Parking: There is a large car park. 
Cost of Parking: Free

Information Written: July 2022

 

 

Butser Hill

The trail leads you around the top of Butser Hill National Nature Reserve, which is one of the highest points in Hampshire with beautiful views towards the Isle of Wight and the South Downs. It is also an ideal spot for kite flying.

 

 

Reaching the Top

You can either walk up the hill from Queen Elizabeth Country Park or drive up from the A3. We considered walking but the Visitor’s Centre staff advised against taking a buggy.

 

 

The Paths

It only took us fifteen minutes to walk to the top at a slow pace. We did not find the hill steep to climb and my toddler walked with me.

The hill is covered in rough, clumpy grass but there were paths mown through it.

 

Queen Elizabeth Country Park

From Butser Hill you can easily reach Queen Elizabeth Country Park by car, where there is a cafe, play areas for a range of ages, orienteering trails and picnic areas.

They also host family friendly events, which are listed on the Queen Elizabeth Country Park website.

 

Hampshire County Council’s Story Trails

*These are walks with interactive stories to read along the way, as told by a cute character called the Story Snail.

Each Story Trail is about one mile long and is divided into numbered story sections that you read out as you reach number markers along the trail.

 

 

Find a Pack

To follow the Story Trail you need a free pack that you can either borrow from a specified place (with a Hampshire Library card and a £20 returnable deposit) or download a story trail from the internet in written or audio form. Each pack has a map to follow and the trail itself is marked with arrows and/or pictures of the Story Snail.

Nearest Town: Horndean
County: Hampshire
Nearest Postcode: GU32 1QR

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Bring a picnic. 
Facilities: None

How Long We Spent There: 1.5 hours
Buggies: We used an all terrain buggy without any problems.

Parking: Near the top of Butser Hill is a pay and display car park with lots of spaces.
Cost of Parking: From £1.80 per hour

Wildlife You Might See: Sheep, butterflies and birds, maybe even a dragon if you are lucky!

Information Written: June 2017

 

Intricate Details

Amongst our favourites were the enormous viaduct

 

 

 

 

 

the beautifully detailed cottage gardens complete with vegetables and flowers

 

 

 

 

 

and the relaxing outside the pub.

 

 

 

 

 

Audio Tours 

You are guided round the musuem with an audio guide and the staff are very friendly and well informed.

 

 

 

 

Family Trails

There are also family trails for older children and drop in modelling sessions for older children.

 

 

 

 

We found the museum family-friendly but note that it is too small to accommodate buggies.

 

 

 

 

Modelling

We were really impressed by Pendon Museum. My children left inspired to have a go at modelling themselves and, as they love trains, we do expect to return.

 

 

 

Didcot Railway Centre

If you are interested in trains, consider combining your visit to Pendon Museum with a trip to Didcot Railway Centre, which is about a ten minute drive. 

Nearest Town: Abingdon, near Oxford
County: Oxfordshire
Nearest Postcode: OX14 4QD

Adult Cost Range: £5 to £9.99
Child Cost Range: £5 to £9.99
Free If: Under 5

Opens: Various times throughout the year. Please see their website for details.

Where to Eat: Small cafe at the museum or the local pub.
Facilities: Toilets and accessible toilets.

How Long We Spent There: 1 hour and 30 minutes
Buggies: Cannot be accommodated.

Parking: There is a small car park and some spaces along the road to the museum.
Cost of Parking: Free

Information Written: December 2017

 

The Outdoor Adventure Play Area

The equipment is for children aged to 11 years old and includes:

• a satellite
• a house that walks – where would you go with it?
• Hootah’s spaceship with a tunnel, ladders, a house and two slides
• a space base
• musical equipment
• a mud kitchen
• birds hidden around the gardens
• tables and chairs for adults.

 

Nearest Town: Stratford
County: London
Nearest Postcode: E15 4QZ

Adult Cost Range: Various – please see their website for details. 
Child Cost Range: Various – please see their website for details. 
Free if: Under 1

Opens: Daily

Where to Eat: Bring a picnic and eat at the picnic tables, try the cafe or try a cafe on the High Street.
Facilities: A shop, cafe, ice creams, picnic area, toilets and accessible toilets.

How Long We Spent There: 4 hours
Buggies: Buggy friendly

Parking: There are car parks around Stratford but the Story Centre does not have one of its own.
Cost of Parking: Various depending on where you park.

Information Written: June 2022

 

 

 

 

The Fairy Doors

The fairies could be anywhere. We found them hiding in tree stumps, amongst flowers and under bridges.

To date we have only found about half of the fairy doors scattered throughout the gardens!

 

 

How Many Will You Find?

To add to the excitement, there are so many hidden fairy doors that you are unlikely to find them all! Some are marked on the map but many are not, making each visit a fresh adventure.

 

Did you spot the fairy door in the main photo?

 

 

 

How about now?

 

 

 

 

There it is – it’s Ken’s Tiny Potting Shed!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Can You Guess Who Lives Inside?

Many doors are named, with some hinting at the type of fairy living inside – Ken’s Tiny Potting Shed, James’ Tool Shed, Beetle Bar, Tulip Treehouse, and The Little Furzey Potting Shed.

 

 

Each door is unique, many with delightful details – tiny green wellies outside, a kennel and bone, a cat flap, a potting shed with plant pots, or The Furzey Fairy Ferry Company’s door that lists sailing times and rules next to a tiny boat.

 

 

Write to the Fairies and Receive a Reply!  

Inside the Furzey Gardens’ Gift Shop, you can buy a card to send to the fairies using the Fairy Post Box. Collections are made at 2am.

 

 

 

Once the fairies receive your letter they will write you a response. My children loved this interaction and were thrilled to receive their letters in the post.

 

 

 

 

Gorgeous Gardens

Even without the fairy doors, Furzey Gardens would be a spectacular place to visit. Paths wind and twist around the gardens, which were bursting with character and colour.

There is a pond, bridges and a recreation of Furzey’s gold-winning Chelsea Flower Show Garden. 

 

 

The Paths

The gardens are ideal for a walk with children – not too big, with plenty of variety and different areas to explore.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Easier Access Path

There is an easier access path marked on the map of the gardens, which you can either pick up at the gardens or download from the download the Furzey Gardens map from their website.

 

 

 

The Play Area

The Furzey Gardens play village has wooden equipment, including thatched huts with ladders and tunnels to explore, two swings, a wooden climbing frame and a play boat. 

 

 

 

The Alpacas

There is also a wildflower conservation area grazed by alpacas.

 

 

 

 

Minstead Trust

To top it all off, Furzey Gardens is run by a charitable trust that supports and helps people with learning disabilities, some of whom work in the gardens.

 

Nearest Town: Lyndhurst
County: Hampshire
Nearest Postcode: SO43 7GL

Adult Cost Range: Suggested donation from £8
Child Cost Range: Suggested donation from £4.50
Free if: Under 5 years

Opens: Daily

Where to Eat: Cafe and picnic areas.
Facilities: Ice creams, picnic areas, shop, toilets and accessible toilets.

How Long We Spent There: 3 hours
Buggies: Buggy friendly.

Parking: There is a good-sized car park but it can be very busy.
Cost of Parking: Free.

Wildlife You Might See: Butterflies and other insects, llamas and birds.

Information Written: April 2017
Information Checked: May 2022