Netley Park

Royal Victoria Country Park stands on the site of Netley Hospital, a vast Victorian military hospital that was the world’s longest building.

 

 

 

Today all that remains of the quarter of a mile long building is the central chapel, but by walking around the park you can get a sense of its enormous scale.

This photo was taken from one end of the hospital building – the chapel was the middle of the building, there was a whole other wing on the other side!

 

Southampton Water

The country park overlooks Southampton Water, which has a busy, slightly industrial feel – boats of all sizes regularly sail past and there is what looks like a refinery on the opposite shore.

 

 

 

The Beach

The shingle beaches are covered in little shells – we collected about thirty in ten minutes. There is a ramp down onto the beach for easy access.

 

 

 

 

The Story Trail

The Royal Victoria Country Park Story Trail is called “Time Trouble at Royal Victoria Country Park” and follows Professor Nutrino, a Time Agent, as she battles to fix a tear in time…with a little help from your children.

 

 

And There’s More

The park also has fields to play in, a miniature railway called the Royal Victoria Railway, a permanent orienteering course (course map available from the Visitor Centre) and family activities.

 

 

The Paths

The fields were dry and the paths were flat and easy to push a buggy along.  

 

 

 

The Adventure Play Area

The play equipment includes:

• swings
• toddler swings
• a basket swing
• a climbing wall
• a roundabout
• zip wires
• flower ‘telephones’
• a sensory garden
• a jeep
• a small multiplay with a slide and a wobbly bridge and
• a trampoline.

Nearest Town: Netley, near Southampton
County: Hampshire
Nearest Postcode: SO31 5GA

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Cafe or bring a picnic.
Facilities: Cafe, snacks, ice creams, picnic area, toilets and accessible toilets.

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

Parking: There are several, good sized, pay and display car parks around the park.
Cost of Parking: From £1.80 per hour to a maximum of £4 per day

Wildlife You Might See: Deer, ducks, seagulls, waterbirds and sea creatures.

Information Written: May 2017

 

The play equipment includes:

• a wooden obstacle course with ropes, balancing logs and climbing walls
• a multiplay with a small slide, a bridge and a net
• a larger slide
• swings
• toddler swings
• a wooden frog and dragonfly
• a zip wire at the top of the field
• seats.

 

 

Next to the play area is a basketball net and a football pitch. 

 

Nearest Town: Greatham, near Liphook
County: Hampshire
Nearest Postcode: GU33 6EY

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Bring a picnic. 
Facilities: None

How Long We Spent There: 1 hour.
Buggies: Buggy friendly.

Parking: Good sized car park. 
Cost of Parking: Free

Information Written: July 2022

 

The Assault Course

Suitable for those over 1.4m tall only, the assault course has 12 obstacles and a 250m run.

 

 

 

 

Each obstacle has an instruction board

 

 

 

 

 

to guide you as you go up

 

 

 

 

 

 

under

 

 

 

 

 

over

 

 

 

 

 

and through! 

 

 

 

 

 

From the Visitor Centre, the assault course is either a 5 minute drive or a 15 minute walk uphill.

 

 

 

 

Juniper Adventure Play Trail

Next to the assault course is a smaller obstacle course, which is part of the Queen Elizabeth Country Park Adventure Play Area:

• a wooden multi-play with a tunnel slide, cargo net, ladder and bridge
• two log cabin climbing frames
• an obstacle course with ropes, logs, bridges, and cargo nets
• a zip wire and
• picnic tables.

 

 

A Pizza Oven!

There is also a brick pizza oven you can hire next to the assault course and adventure play area!

 

 

 

 

 

Queen Elizabeth Country Park

Queen Elizabeth Country Park has lots of activities to try, including walking, cycling and mountain biking trails, orienteering trails and nature areas.

 

 

 

It has a Visitor Centre, shop, cafe and a kiosk.

 

 

 

 

 

Butser Hill

Queen Elizabeth Country Park is at the bottom of Butser Hill National Nature Reserve.

 

 

 

 

Butser Hill is 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.

 

Nearest Town: Horndean, Near Petersfield
County: Hampshire
Nearest Postcode: PO8 0QE

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Eat at the cafe, hire a barbecue or pizza oven, bring a picnic.
Facilities: Cafe offering snacks and ice cream, a kiosk at the adventure play trail, shop, toilets and accessible toilets, picnic areas. 

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

Parking: There are several different car parks to choose from. 
Cost of Parking: From £2 per hour.

Wildlife You Might See: Insects, butterflies, ducks, geese and birds.

Information Written: February 2023

 

The Adventure Play Area

This area has newly installed adventure play equipment, including:

• a large castle with easy to climb stairs, three slides, climbing nets, and a little treasure chest
• another castle slide with a net bridge, fireman’s pole, a climbing net, easy to climb stairs, and another little treasure chest
• a seesaw springer
• animal springers
• a double zip wire
• a little house
• swings
• a basket swing
• toddler swings
• a roundabout
• spinners
• puzzle boards
• a sandpit
• a little running track with challenges
• seats.

 

The Hidden Woodland Play Area

This quiet little play area is in the woods and has equipment for children under the age of 10 years:

• a multiplay with a slide, fireman’s pole, nets, and a climbing wall
• two springers
• toddler swings.

 

 

Sports Facilities

Frimley Lodge Park has a trim trail, Parkrun course and a cricket pitch

 

 

 

 

football pitches and a pitch and putt golf course. 

 

 

 

 

Frimley Lodge Miniature Railway

The Frimley Lodge Miniature Railway weaves its way through the woods. The railway has public running days throughout the year. 

 

 

 

 

The Basingstoke Canal

The beautiful Basingstoke Canal runs along the top of the playing fields. It has ducks to feed and a towpath you can walk along.

 

 

 

 

The Basingstoke Canal Centre

If you turn right when you come to the Basingstoke Canal you can walk to the Basingstoke Canal Visitors’ Centre. This takes about 20 minutes.

 

Nearest Town: Frimley
County: Surrey
Nearest Postcode: GU16 6HY

Opens: Daily

Where to Eat: Bring a picnic or eat at the cafe.
Facilities: Picnic area, cafe, snacks, barbecues, toilets and accessible toilets. 

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

Parking: There are lots of parking spaces but it can become very busy.
Cost of Parking: Free

Information Written: April 2016
Information Checked: May 2021

 

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

 

There are two play areas next to the Visitor Centre, which are divided into the Adventure Area, which is for older children, and the Castle and Sandworks area, which is for younger children.

 

The Adventure Area

This has:

• a large slide with a climbing wall
• a climbing wall
• a climbing boulder
• a zip wire
• a basket swing
• a large rope climbing frame
• a huge wooden fortress with a long tube slide, tunnels and rope bridges
• rope swings.

 

The Castle and Sandworks

The equipment here includes:

• a multi-play with a slide and easy to climb steps
• another slide
• a large multi-play shaped like a house with a slide, fireman’s pole, climbing wall and ropes to climb on
• toddler swings made of ropes
• a wooden train
• mechanical diggers you can operate
• wooden animals
• an obstacle course
• springers
• spinners
• sand construction areas with buckets, chutes and pulleys.

 

The Play Trail

The fantastical Play Trail at Moors Valley Country Park guides you through the woods to a Tree Top Trail and 9 hidden play areas, including the Enchanted Forest, Snake Pit and Hawk House.

 

 

 

The Miniature Railway

The Moors Valley Railway rumbles through the park (with seasonal opening hours). This is a miniature railway that connects Lakeside and Kingsmere stations.

 

 

 

Everything Else!

Moors Valley is packed full of adventures – trails to try, trees to climb and games to play. 

 

Nearest Town: Ringwood
County: Hampshire
Nearest Postcode: BH24 2ET

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Bring a picnic or eat in the Visitor Centre cafe.
Facilities: Toilets, accessible toilets, ice creams, snacks, cafe, picnic areas.

How Long We Spent There: 4 hours
Buggies: Buggy friendly. Note that this is not wide enough for a buggy but there is a path that allows you to skip past it.

Parking: Large car park but it is very busy at peak times.
Cost of Parking: Various charges, from between £1.80 per hour.  Please see their website for full details.

Wildlife You Might See: Ducks, swans, birds and insects.

Information Written: April 2017
Information Checked: October 2022

 

The Play Area for Younger Children

The first play area is for younger children up to the age of 12 years and has:

• a sand play area
• toddler swings
• a basket swing
• a seesaw
• a play house
• spinners
• a roundabout and
• an entertaining multiplay with three slides, nets, a climbing wall, fireman’s poles, binoculars, a loud hailer and an easy access ramp.

 

The Play Area for Older Children

The second play area is for older children and has:

• various swings
• a basket swing
• an obstacle course
• a climbing pole
• a rope climbing frame
• a trampoline
• a much larger slide that can be reached by climbing ropes, a climbing wall or a ladder and
• picnic tabes.

 

Sports Grounds

Also at the park are football, rugby and cricket pitches.

 

 

 

 

Scooters and Bikes

A scooter track runs through the play area.

 

 

 

 

 

There is also a surfaced path that runs around the outside of the play area and past the lake, which you can cycle or scooter along. 

 

 

 

The Lake

Around the outside of the play areas is a fishing lake with ducks, swans and geese. 

 

 

 

 

Parkside’s Cafe in the Park

There are also picnic tables, public toilets and Parkside’s Cafe in the Park, a cafe run by a local charity.

 

 

 

 

Blackwater Valley Path

If you fancy a walk then head over the playing fields towards the River Blackwater and the Blackwater Valley Path where we found butterflies, ducks and caterpillars.

 

 

 

Aldershot Park is on Section 2 of the Blackwater Valley Path. 

 

Nearest Town: Aldershot
County: Hampshire
Nearest Postcode: GU12 4BP

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Bring a picnic or eat at Parkside’s Cafe in the Park. 
Facilities: Cafe, snacks, ice cream, picnic area, toilets, and accessible toilets. 

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

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

Wildlife You Might See: Ducks, swans and Canada geese.

Information Written: March 2017
Information Checked: May 2024

 

The play equipment includes:

• wooden climbing frames
• two slides
• a fireman’s pole
• nets  
• ropes
• wobbly bridges
• climbing walls 
• picnic tables
• seats to sit on.

 

Playwood Adventure Play Area is the second of Alice Holt’s play areas and is next to the cafe. It is about a five minute walk from Timberline Play Area.

 

 

 

It has play equipment that includes:

• a large wooden climbing frame with a slide, tunnels, towers with easy to climb stairs, nets, a fireman’s pole and ladders
• a smaller wooden climbing frame for younger children with a slide, a bridge, a fireman’s pole and easy to climb stairs
• a wooden hut with a rope
• swings
• toddler swings
• a basket swing
• an accessible roundabout
• picnic tables
• seats to sit on.

 

 

Alice Holt Forest

Alice Holt Forest is full of things to do – play trails, cycle tracks, table tennis, orienteering, adventure play areas and even story book characters like the Gruffalo…

 

 

 

Story Book Trails

Alice Holt Forest is one of the venues that hosts story book activity trails based on the books of Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler.

 

 

 

Trails have included The Gruffalo, The Gruffalo’s Child, The Highway Rat and Zog.  

At the time of writing, there is a Superworm Trail.  

 

 

 

The Timberline Play Trail

The 1km long Play Trail leads you past both adventure play areas

 

 

 

and hides huge play sculptures.

 

Nearest Town: Farnham
County: Surrey
Nearest Postcode: GU10 4LS

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Bring a picnic, hire a barbecue or eat at the cafe. 
Facilities: Picnic tables, barbecue hire, cafe, ice creams, drinks, snacks, toilets, accessible toilets.

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

Parking: There is a large car park.
Cost of Parking: Various, starting from £3 for one hour. 

Wildlife You Might See: Ducks, geese, woodpeckers, hedgehogs, tadpoles, frogs, birds, insects and the odd story book character.

Information Written: November 2022
Information Checked: February 2025

 

Your Mission…

Can you creep through the tunnel without waking the fox and badger, who have both fallen asleep on guard duty?

 

 

 

What’s the best way to run the gauntlet and escape the clutches of the giant jumping spider?

 

 

 

 

How quickly can you scale the eagle’s tower?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Is it possible to defend the swamp fortress at each of its many entry points?

 

 

 

 

The Adventure Play Area

Little ones will probably need some help with the equipment, which is for children to the age of 14 years old and includes:

• swings
• toddler swings
• a basket swing
• slides
• a seesaw
• a zip wire
• a tunnel in the hillside
• a spider and web to climb on
• a fort with rope bridges, climbing walls, ladders and nets
• an obstacle course
• a wobbly bridge
• a trim trail with bars, ropes and beams
• a picnic table
• seats.

 

A Surprise Second Play Area

Farnham Park also has another play area called Farnham Park St James Play Area, which is a more traditional play area aimed at younger children.

It is about a ten to fifteen minute walk from the adventure play area.

 

 

Farnham Park Itself

Farnham Park is a 320 acre medieval deer park with a rural feel.

 

 

 

 

It’s a beautiful spot to go for a walk across rolling fields, through wooded areas and over hills with views.

 

 

 

 

We found plenty of places to play hide and seek, find secret dens and hunt for mini-beasts.

 

 

 

 

Paddling and Ponds

There are also some small streams you can paddle in and some wild ponds.

You can find a map of Farnham Park on the local council’s website.

Nearest Town: Farnham
County: Surrey
Nearest Postcode: GU9 0AU

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Picnic tables and a cafe. 
Facilities: Toilets.

How Long We Spent There: 2.5 hours
Buggies: Buggy friendly. The main paths are well surfaced and there are smaller paths over the grassy fields.

Parking: There are two car parks both of which are on Folly Hill – the main car park is near Farnham Castle (GU9 0AU) and the second, smaller car park is called Farnham Park Rangers Car Park and is a little further up Folly Hill (with Farnham and Farnham Castle behind you) and on the right. 
Cost of Parking: Free

Wildlife You Might See: Ducks and other birds, butterflies and other insects.

Information Written: June 2017
Information Checked: February 2023

 

Boats

There are boat trips from the quay, including the Mudeford Ferry, which will take you across Chichester Harbour

 

 

 

 

and to the beach opposite the quay on Mudeford Sandbank and Hengistbury Head Nature Reserve.  

 

 

 

 

The ferry only takes cash and sails at various times during the year so be sure to check their website before you go. 

 

 

 

 

Crabbing

People fish for crabs from the quayside using lines and bait bags, which can be bought on the quayside.

You are asked not to use hooks.

 

 

 

Places to Eat

Along the quay there are a couple of places to eat

 

 

 

 

and also to buy crabbing supplies.

 

 

 

 

 

Muedford Quay Beach

Mudeford Quay Beach is next to the car park and is a small stretch of sandy beach that overlooks Christchurch harbour. 

 

 

 

This beach is a good place to launch a boat, kayak, paddle board etc or to play in the sand.

 

 

 

 

It’s not really somewhere suitable to paddle or play in the water as it is muddy.

 

 

 

 

Avon Beach

Avon Beach starts next to the car park, where it is a mixture of sand and shingle.

Further along the beach it becomes sandier. 

 

 

There is a track running alongside the beach that you can use to find the Avon Beach facilities, which include a shop, cafe and toilets.  

 

 

Mudeford Quay Play Area

Next to the quay and car park is Mudeford Quay Play Area, a small adventure play area dominated by a huge ship to plunder. 

 

 

 

The play equipment includes:

• a swing
• a toddler swing 
• a wooden ship climbing frame with a slide, nets, a rope bridge and a climbing wall
• a spinning cup
• a seesaw
• a roundabout
• two wooden springers
• a little zip wire
• a sand play area with chutes
• seats and
• a picnic table.

Nearest Town: Christchurch, near Bournemouth
County: Dorset
Nearest Postcode: BH23 4AB

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Bring a picnic or try one of the cafes. 
Facilities: Ice creams, snacks, cafe, picnic table, toilets and accessible toilets.

How Long We Spent There: Full day.
Buggies: Buggy friendly.

Parking: Large pay and display car park
Cost of Parking: From £1.70 per hour.

Wildlife You Might See: Seabirds, crabs and other sealife.

Information Written: July 2022