Royal Victoria CP Adventure Play Area

The play equipment is for children to the age of 14 years old and includes:

• a large wooden fort with slides, tunnels, nets, a wobbly bridge and easy to climb ramps
• swings
• toddler swings
• a chair swing
• a basket swing

• a climbing wall (but there were no hand or foot holds when we visited)
• a roundabout
• zip wires (but they were not there when we visited)
• flower ‘telephones’

• a sensory garden
• a jeep
• a musical wall
• a small multiplay with a slide.

The Beach

Royal Victoria Country Park overlooks Southampton Water and has a shingle beach and seafront walks.

There is also a story trail called “Time Trouble at Royal Victoria Country Park”, and a permanent orienteering course

a miniature railway and a fairy garden.

The Cedar Rooms

Next to the play area is the Cedar Rooms, a restaurant and cafe with a large outdoor seating area. We had a delicious, wood fired pizza.

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
Information Checked: July 2025

Our visit to Royal Victoria Country Park Play Area in Netley, near Southampton, is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

Locks Ride Play Area

Much of the play equipment is built over sand and includes:

• climbing nets to scramble over and under
• a spider’s web net
• a rope bridge
• a balance beam
• a slide set into a hill
• a basket swing

• a sand pit
• swings
• a toddler swing
• an accessible swing
• a trampoline
• a double zip wire.

Locks Ride Beach Area

The beach area has picnic tables and barbecues that must be pre-booked. 

Beside the play area is a multi-gym, two football pitches,

a cricket pitch and a pavilion.

Locks Ride Splash Pad

The Locks Ride Splash Pad is open from mid-May to mid-September. It’s lots of fun, especially on a hot day but can be very busy.

This has jets of water set into the floor and also overhead buckets, which gradually fill with water and then suddenly spill down onto the people below. 

Nearest Town: Winkfield Row, Bracknell
County: Berkshire
Nearest Postcode: RG42 7NJ

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Bring a picnic or eat in the cafe.
Facilities: Cafe, toilets, picnic area, barbecues.

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

Parking: Car park and they can open additional spaces for busy times.
Cost of Parking: Free

Information Written: October 2016
Information Checked: July 2025

Our visit to Locks Ride Recreation Ground Play Area in Winkfield, Bracknell, is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

Runnymede Pleasure Grounds Play Area

The play area equipment includes:

• swings 
• toddler swings
• a climbing multiplay for older children
• a multiplay for younger children 

• a roundabout
• a springer seesaw
• a traditional seesaw
• seats.

Runnymede Pleasure Grounds Splash Pad

This paddling pool is for children of up to 11 years. 

Boat Trips 

Various boat trips are available up and down the River Thames.

The Runnymede Memorials

The water-meadows of Runnymede are where King John sealed Magna Carta in 1215. 

There are a number of interesting memorials to discover in the meadows and woodland.

Nearest Town: Old Windsor, Egham
County: Surrey
Nearest Postcode: TW20 0AE

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Bring a picnic or eat at the cafe. 
Facilities: Picnic area, toilets, accessible toilets, cafe, ice creams.

How Long We Spent There: 3 hours
Buggies: Runnymede Pleasure Grounds is buggy friendly but the walk to the Runnymede Memorials is trickier and takes you over grass and uneven paths.

Parking: There is a large car park. There is another National Trust car park at the other end of the meadows.
Cost of Parking: Pay and display. The National Trust car park is free for members.

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

Information Written: May 2021
Information Checked: July 2025

Our visit to Runnymede Pleasure Grounds in Egham, near Windsor, is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

Jocks Lane Recreation Ground Play Area

Jocks Lane Play Area has a range of equipment including:

• toddler swings
• swings
• a place for a tyre swing (but no tyre when we visited)
• a swinging seesaw
• a multiplay for younger children with a tunnel and a slide

• game boards
• musical pipes
• a fire engine with little tunnels
• a roundabout.

Equipment for Older Children

There is also equipment for older children:

• a climbing frame obstacle course
• a spinner
• swings that spin
• a zip wire.

Jocks Lane Splash Pad

We spent most of our visit playing with the water jets in the Jocks Lane Splash Pad, which is surrounded by benches, sun umbrellas and a cafe giving it that holiday feeling. Further details can be found in the Jocks Lane Recreation Ground post.

The Recreation Facilities

Jocks Lane Recreation Ground also has numerous other things to do, including tennis courts,

mini golf

and a miniature railway, which operates on certain days of the year.

Nearest Town: Bracknell
County: Berkshire
Nearest Postcode: RG12 2BH

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

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

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

Parking: Car park
Cost of Parking: Free

Wildlife You Might See: Butterflies and other insects.

Information Written: June 2017
Information Checked: July 2025

Our visit to Jocks Lane Recreation Ground Play Area in Bracknell is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

Playwood Adventure Play Area

Playwood is next to the cafe and 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
• a wooden shipwreck climbing frame 
• swings 
• toddler swings 
• a basket swing 
• an accessible roundabout
• picnic tables
• seats to sit on.

Timberline Adventure Play Area

Timberline Adventure Play Area is a five minute walk from Playwood and is a huge, circular obstacle course with slides, ropes and climbing frames.

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 is also 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 Habitat 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

Our visit to Alice Holt Forest and Playwood Adventure Play Area in Farnham is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

Timberline Adventure Play Area

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

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

Our visit to Alice Holt Forest and Timberline Adventure Play Area in Farnham is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

The Basingstoke Canal Centre Play Area

Next to the Canal Centre is a small wooden play area with:

• toddler swings
• a springer
• a balance course with nets, tightropes, log stumps, a climbing wall, balance beams, and rope swings.

The Frimley Lodge Park Play Areas

From the Basingstoke Canal Centre you can walk for about 20 minutes to the well-equipped Frimley Lodge Park, which has another two play areas.

Nearest Town: Mytchett, near Farnborough
County: Surrey
Nearest Postcode: GU16 6DD

Opens: The canal is open daily but the Canal Centre has seasonal opening hours. Please see their website for details. 

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

How Long We Spent There: About 2 hours.
Buggies: I use an all terrain buggy as the tow path is generally even but has quite a few stones on it, which can be bumpy with a normal buggy.

Parking: There are two car parks, one just through the entry barrier and another tucked away past the Canal Centre. 
Cost of Parking: Free

Wildlife You Might See: Ducks, swans, Canada Geese, coots, moorhens, birds, butterflies and insects.

Information Written: March 2017
Information Checked: June 2024

Our visit to Basingstoke Canal Centre and Play Area in Mytchett is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

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.

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 Aldershot 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

Our visit to Aldershot Park and Play Area in Aldershot is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

Petersfield Heath Play Area

The play equipment includes:

• swings
• toddler swings
• a tyre swing 
• a rocking horse 
• a slide built into the hill 
• a roundabout 

• springers 
• a multiplay with a slide and binoculars 
• a sunken pirate ship sand pit 
• a tunnel
• a wooden climbing frame obstacle course with a slide and climbing wall.

Next to the play area are picnic tables 

and The Plump Duck cafe.

Petersfield Heath

This is ancient heathland with a large pond 

boat hire 

and a circular trail. 

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

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Bring a picnic or eat at The Plump Duck cafe. 
Facilities: Cafe, snacks, ice cream, picnic area, toilets, 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: Lizards, insects, ducks, swans, geese, kingfishers and other birds.

Information Written: July 2022

Our visit to Petersfield Heath and Play Area in Petersfield is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

King George V Playing Fields Play Area

The play equipment is said to be for children up to 14 years and includes:

• swings 
• toddler swings 
• a basket swing 
• a tyre swing 
• an accessible roundabout
• a climbing frame for older children 

• equipment that spins, springs and slides 
• a rope climbing frame
• a multiplay with a small slide and bridge 
• an accessible multiplay with a slide
• a bendy slide with easy to climb steps and a climbing wall

• a seesaw springer 
• a cup spinner
• a slide for younger children shaped like a cannon and with easy to climb steps 
• musical instruments
• a picnic table
• seats. 

Sports Facilities

Next to the play area is a multi-gym, toilets

and a field. An ornamental pond is only a short walk away. 

Nearest Town: Farnborough
County: Hampshire
Nearest Postcode: GU14 6RE

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Bring a picnic.
Facilities: Picnic area, toilets, accessible toilets. 

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

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

Information Written: July 2022

Our visit to King George V Play Area and Playing Fields in Farnborough is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

Broadwater Park Play Area

The play area is for children to the age of 14 years old. 

The equipment for younger children includes:

• a multiplay and slide a bridge
• a wooden climbing frame with a slide 
• a wooden play house 
• a sand pit with sand play equipment and mushrooms 
• a play house with seats and puzzle boards 
• a Simon says machine
• toddler swings
• a springer seesaw
• a car and motorbike springer
• a spinning cup.

The play equipment for older children includes:

• a climbing frame with bars and a climbing wall 
• a spinning ring 
• equipment to balance on 
• swings.

Broadwater Park Recreation Ground

Next to the play area are picnic tables

and a large field with cricket pitches.

Also Broadwater Park Multi Use Games Area 

and tennis courts.

Broadwater Park

This is a large park with fields, a tarmac path you can scooter along,

a pond next to the play area where you can feed ducks

and a huge lake with another picnic area. 

The Paths

The paths are generally flat and easy to walk on. Some are surfaced and others are muddy.

Nearest Town: Godalming
County: Surrey
Nearest Postcode: GU7 1HR

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Bring a picnic.
Facilities: Picnic area, toilets, accessible toilets.

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

Parking: Car park next to the park and near the play area.
Cost of Parking: Free

Information Written: July 2022

Our visit to Broadwater Park and Play Area in Godalming is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

Little Beaulieu Adventure Play Area

This fantastic adventure play area has equipment that includes:

• a tube slide
• other slides
• a basket swing
• toddler swings 
• an obstacle course
• climbing walls 

• a fireman’s pole
• a zip wire
• talking tubes 
• musical instruments 
• puzzle boards.

There is also a Toddlers’ Play Area for children of 5 years and under, which has equipment that includes:

• the Beaulieu open-topped bus with a slide 
• a wooden play house with a bridge, ladders and a slide
• a sand pit with chutes, buckets and pulleys 
• picnic tables.

Secret Passages and Paintings

Inside the castle there are secret passages to find and explore, including one that goes behind a bookcase 

and paintings with moving eyes…

Role Play

There are places to role play too, including a race car

a jeep

a tractor 

and a petrol station. 

Beaulieu National Motor Museum 

At the heart of Beaulieu is the National Motor Museum, which as you’d expect is packed full of cars 

including famous cars like Chitty Chitty Bang Bang 

Mr Bean’s mini.

The Monorail and Bus

Beaulieu is also home to the oldest monorail in England

and an open topped bus that drives you gently around the grounds. 

Nearest Town: Hythe, near Southampton in the New Forest
County: Hampshire
Nearest Postcode: SO42 7ZN

Adult Cost Range: Various – please see their website for details. 
Child Cost Range: Various – please see their website for details. 
Free if: Under 5 years

Opens: Daily

Where to Eat: Cafe and picnic areas.
Facilities: Ice creams, snacks, cafe, shop, picnic areas, 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

Information Written: January 2023

Our visit to Beaulieu National Motor Museum and Little Beaulieu Adventure Play Area in the New Forest is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

The Phillips Memorial Park Play Area

The play equipment includes:

• a multiplay and slide with nets and easy to climb stairs 
• a wooden climbing frame with a net
• an obstacle course 
• swings
• toddler swings

• a basket swing
• a little wooden slide for smaller children 
• a boat
• a spinning cup
• seats.

The play area is in a large field with a meadow, pond and a riverside walk. 

Nearest Town: Godalming
County: Surrey
Nearest Postcode: GU7 1HR

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Bring a picnic or eat in one of the local cafes, pubs or restaurants.
Facilities: Picnic table, toilets, accessible toilets, snacks, ice cream.

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

Parking: Crown Court Car Park is next to the play area.
Cost of Parking: From £1.10 per hour. 

Information Written: July 2022

Our visit to The Phillips Memorial Park and Play Area in Godalming is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

So Much to Do!

Hobbledown has an unbelievable amount to do, including:

Crystallite Mines  

A sandy play area mining town where you use water, buckets and chutes to pan for little green Crystallite gems. You can swap an ounce of Crystallite (about twenty gems) for a lolly.

Fairy Tale Castle Play Area

Complete with tube slides, walkways, tunnels, a dragon and a fairy to save! 

It also has a water pillow to tackle, which is one of the strangest experiences – like you are walking on water. 

Hobbledown Village 

An adventure play area that is home to the Hobblers and has towers, tube slides

more walkways and bridges

obstacles to climb and a network of tunnels.  

Here you can also fly on Rumpletump and the double zip wire.  

The Imaginarium

An area with reptiles and insects

water play 

and an interactive jungle. 

Courtyard Play Village

This outdoor sand and water play area with a huge ball run is one of our favourite areas.  

Can you fill the tanks using this Rube Goldberg water machine ?!

Indoor Play Barn

An indoor play are that has a wooden climbing section with ball turrets, climbing walls and role play rooms

a second soft play frame with tubes and slides (including an area for the under 3s) 

and a cafe with indoor and outdoor tables. 

Animals

Hobbledown is also home to animals, including sheep, rheas

goats and wallabies.  

Characters and Books

Hobbledown sells books about the characters its adventure areas are based on. Details of how these can be bought are on the Hobbledown Epsom website. 

Next time we visit, I will read these stories to my children beforehand so they know who and what to look out for. 

Nearest Town: Epsom
County: Surrey
Nearest Postcode: KT19 8PT

Opens: Daily

Adult Cost Range: From £11
Child Cost Range: From £11
Free if: Under 2 years.

Where to Eat: Cafe or picnic areas.
Facilities: Cafe, shop, snacks, picnic areas, toilets and accessible toilets.

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

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

Wildlife You Might See: Lemurs, armadillos, camels, meerkats, wallaby, prairie dog, otter, goats, maras, alpacas, rabbits, capybara, sheep, pigs, rheas and birds of prey.

Information Written: October 2022

Our visit to Hobbledown in Epsom is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

Kestrel Corner Play Area

Kestrel Corner Play Area is a wooden play area that is an easy ten minute walk from the house. 

It has equipment including:

• a wooden multiplay with a slide and musical instruments 
• a climbing frame
• an obstacle course with stumps, logs and a wobbly bridge
• toddler swings 
• swings 
• a basket swing
• a tunnel and 
• seats.

The House and Lawn

The house is picture perfect.

It has views over the surrounding hills, which you can enjoy from deckchairs. 

Natural Play Areas

Scattered along the trails are natural play areas to enjoy with stumps, logs, dens

and also a bird hide.

Nearest Town: Great Bookham, near Dorking
County: Berkshire
Nearest Postcode: RH5 6BD

Adult Cost Range: From £15
Child Cost Range: From £8
Free if: Under 5 or with National Trust membership

Opens: Daily (with some winter closures)

Where to Eat: There is a cafe, food vendors and you can bring a picnic.
Facilities: Snacks, ice cream, a shop, picnic areas toilets and accessible toilets.

How Long We Spent There: A full day.
Buggies: Buggy friendly.

Parking: There is a good sized car park.
Cost of Parking: £4 or free with National Trust membership

Wildlife You Might See: Butterflies, bees, insects and birds.

Information Written: April 2023

Our visit to Polesden Lacey and Kestrel Corner Play Area in Great Bookham, near Dorking is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

Longleat’s Adventure Castle

The play area’s centrepiece is a huge wooden castle with ramparts, walkways, nets, and slides galore.

I am not going to list out all of its equipment because it had almost everything you can imagine for children of all ages.

There is also an indoor soft play area for small children.

The Splash Pad

The splash pad’s jets of water activate when you press discs in the floor – some sprayed up, some sprayed down, some formed tunnels to run around. 

Nearest Town: Warminster
County: Wiltshire
Nearest Postcode: BA12 7NW

Adult Cost Range: Various – please see their website for details.
Child Cost Range: Various – please see their website for details.
Free if: Under 3

Opens: Daily during the summer but with seasonal closures.

Where to Eat: There are various cafes and you can bring a picnic.
Facilities: Cafes, picnic areas, snacks, ice cream, toilets and accessible toilets.

How Long We Spent There: A full day.
Buggies: Buggy friendly.

Parking: Large car park.
Cost of Parking: Free.

Wildlife You Might See: Zoo and safari park animals, including zebra, giraffes, camels, vultures, monkeys, an elephant, rhinos, deer, lions, tigers, cheetahs, wolves, insects, hippos, seals, gorillas, bats, anteaters, otters, meerkats and wallabies.

Information Written: July 2017
Information Checked: January 2024

Our visit to Adventure Castle Play Area at Longleat, near Warminster, is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

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 and The Savill Garden is the Obelisk Lawn toddler play area.

This has 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 and its tea rooms.

Obelisk Pond

In the other direction is Obelisk Pond, which has lots of ducks and waterbirds to feed as well as scooter and bike friendly paths.

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, Englefield Green
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

Our visit to Adventure Play at The Savill Garden in Virginia Water is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

Obelisk Lawn Play Area

The play area has equipment that it says is suitable for children from 2 to to 9 years old and 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.

There are also dens in the rhododendrons to the left and right of the play area.

Adventure Play at The Savill Garden

Next to Obelisk Lawn is Adventure Play, a huge adventure play area that is a collection of wooden huts, tree houses and tube slides connected by bridges, climbing tunnels, nets and ladders.  

Please note: Adventure Play has an entry fee and pre-booked time slots.

The Savill Garden

A short walk from Obelisk Lawn Play Area takes you to The Savill Garden and its tea rooms.

Obelisk Pond

In the other direction is Obelisk Pond, which has ducks and waterbirds to feed as well as flat scooter and bike friendly paths.

Walking to Virginia Water

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

It took us about fifteen minutes to scoot there, following the signs. 

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

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Cafe van next to the play area, picnic areas, restaurant in the nearby 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: 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: December 2016
Information Checked: September 2023

Our visit to Obelisk Lawn Play Area in Virginia Water and the Valley Gardens is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

Rushmere Country Park

Rushmere CP is somewhere to head out into nature and explore.  

It is covered with sculptures, play spaces

trees and dens 

and is criss-crossed with footpaths, 

cycle routes and bridleways.

The Fairy Trail

The fairies hide along the short Access for all footpath, which has smooth, easy to walk along paths. 

We spotted a fairy dinner party

 fairy doors

sculptures 

and a reading chair for a giant.

Woodpecker Trail

Following the longer Woodpecker Trail (which is bumpier with a steep hill you go up and down) leads you deeper into the park, 

down a hill

past Stockgrove Lake 

and several play spaces.

The Play Areas

There are seven play spaces scattered across the park.

This includes a play area for younger children (those under the age of 6) and has equipment that includes a playhouse, roundabout, giant snails and a sand pit with a static digger machine. 

Also scattered along the trails are other pieces if play equipment, like a wobbly bridge and balancing stumps. 

Treetops Cafe

Treetops Cafe perches high on the hillside with beautiful views over a lake where herons breed.

Along the viewing balcony are tables and also binoculars you can use to look at the herons and their nests. 

The Leighton-Linslade Children’s Trail

We visited Rushmere Country Park after trying the Leighton-Linslade Children’s Trail. 

Nearest Town: Heath and Reach, near Leighton-Linslade
County: Bedfordshire
Nearest Postcode: LU7 0EB

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Bring a picnic or eat in the cafe.
Facilities: Cafe, ice cream, snacks, toilets, accessible toilets, picnic area.

How Long We Spent There: 3 hours
Buggies: The Access for all path is buggy friendly. The paths along the other trails vary, although I did see people with buggies on each one. 

Parking: Large car parks.
Cost of Parking: Various – please check their website for details.

Wildlife You Might See: Adders, insects, common lizards, herons and other birds.

Information Written: February 2017
Information Checked: August 2023

Our visit to Rushmere Country Park in Leighton-Linslade is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

Leighton-Linslade Childrens’ Trail

We spent a magical morning following the Children’s Trail

past old buildings, up winding mews and along busy streets.

Parson’s Close Play Area and Splash Pad

You arrive at Parson’s Close Recreation Ground towards the end of the story trail.

The large playground has towers, slides, nets, swings and a huge multiplay. There is also a sandy play area

and a super splash pad with jets of water. 

Rushmere Country Park

If you would like to continue the story trail theme then visit Rushmere Country Park for some fairy tale fun in the forest.

Nearest Town: Leighton-Linslade, Luton
County: Bedfordshire
Nearest Postcode: LU7 1SD (or LU7 1HJ for the nearest car park)

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: There are cafes in Leighton-Linslade and places to picnic at Parsons’ Close.
Facilities: Toilets, accessible toilets, cafes and shops.

How Long We Spent There: 3.5 hours
Buggies: Buggy friendly

Parking: Hockliffe Street car park (LU7 1HJ), which is at the start and finish of the trail. It is a pay and display car park and was busy when we visited on a week day.
Cost of Parking: From £1 per hour

Information Written: July 2017
Information Checked: August 2023

Our visit to Parson’s Close Recreation Ground and Splash Pad in Leighton-Linslade, near Luton, is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.