The 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.

The Adventure Play Area

The much larger Frimley Lodge Adventure Play Area is about a five minute walk away.

Sports Facilities

In the woods by the Woodland Play Area is a trim trail.

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.

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. There is a car park next to the Woodland Play Area. To find it from the entrance, drive as far right as you can. 
Cost of Parking: Free

Information Written: April 2016
Information Checked: May 2021

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 Adventure Play Area

Large trees surround the play area, giving it a shady, peaceful feel. The play equipment includes:

• a slide
• various climbing frames
• swings
• toddler swings
• a swinging basket
• a seesaw
• a ground level trampoline
• a zip wire
• scramble nets
• a climbing wall
• balance beams.

Sports Facilities

There are also plenty of places to play sports:

• a table tennis table (bring your own bats!)
• a street snooker wall and court (a cross between football and snooker)
• tennis courts
• a football pitch
• a cricket ground.

Normandy Common

Normandy Common is a wooded area with an orchid meadow, pond, orchard, woods, various sports areas, and a small adventure play area.

There is a map in each of the car parks that shows you where everything is. The three main areas we visit are below but there are other little areas you can discover for yourself!

The Stream and Pond

The stream flows through the play area next to the car park on the main road. It can flow quite quickly in wet weather. Sometimes there are ducks on it.

The pond is at the end of the stream in the woods on the other side of the road. 

The Wispy Woods

We call the wooded area between the cricket pitch and the orchard the Wispy Woods because some of the enormous fir trees look feathered.

It’s a smallish patch of mature woodland with a wild feel. I find it an ideal place to let the children run around and explore. 

The Secret Orchard

The is a Traditional Orchard, a conservation area that is being preserved as a habitat for plants and animals. It is planted in grassland and managed in an organic way.

Nearest Town: Normandy, Near Guildford and Aldershot
County: Surrey
Nearest Postcode: GU3 2DB

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Bring a picnic.
Facilities: None but there some picnic tables.

How Long We Spent There: 2 hours
Buggies: Generally buggy friendly but some of the paths can be narrow.

Parking: There are two play area car parks on Hunts Hill Road. The first is on the corner with the main road (GU3 2DB). The other is further down Hunts Hill Road (GU3 2DB).
Cost of Parking: Free

Wildlife You Might See: Birds, butterflies, insects, slow worms, snakes, lizards, stag beetles, glow worms, newts, frogs, kingfishers and dragonflies.

Information Written: April 2023
Information Checked: January 2024

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

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

The Adventure Play Area

The adventure play area’s equipment is aimed at children of over 8 years old and includes:

• a huge, wooden climbing frame with wobbly bridges, a tube slide and another slide
• balancing courses
• obstacles
• climbing bars
• a zip slide. 

The Second Play Area

The second play area’s animal-themed equipment is aimed at younger children and has:

• toddler swings
• a balance course
• frog and sheep springers
• a large wooden cat with a fireman’s pole nose
• another two slides – one shaped like a spider and the other like a frog.

The Visitor Centre

The Visitor Centre is next to the play area and houses a cafe, a shop (where you can buy duck food) and a small, wildlife-inspired indoor play area with some unusual jigsaws, feelie box puzzles, brasses to rub and a fish tank.

This area was much quieter, probably because the weather outside was beautiful, and we spent an uninterrupted half hour playing.

The staff were lovely and when we ran out of paper for the brass rubbing they brought some more over without us needing to ask.

Thatcham Lake

The lakeside is often covered in wandering water birds. Ducks, moorhens, geese and swans were everywhere and seemed very used to visitors, some hardly moving when approached. 

The Walks

There are three walks signposted from the Visitor Centre that take 30, 45 or 60 minutes.

The paths are generally flat and firm with the occasional tree root.

Nearest Town: Thatcham
County: Berkshire
Nearest Postcode: RG19 3FU

Opens: Daily during the summer but closed on Mondays during the winter.
Cost: Free

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

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

Parking: There are a few car parks.
Cost of Parking: Free – donations are suggested but not required.

Wildlife You Might See: Ducks, swans, geese, waterbirds and insects.

Information Written: April 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

Paddle Steamers, Rainforests and Climbing Webs

The play equipment includes:

• a sand play area with buckets and pulleys and a water play area with chutes, taps, bridges and collection pool

• a two-storey paddle steamer climbing frame
• a lily pad balance trail
• a wooden climbing frame shaped like rainforest plants with ladders, bridges, spider webs and walkways
• two springers
• a barrel shaped roundabout
• a zip wire
• a tunnel and
• a playhouse.

There is also:

• net climbing frame
• a climbing wall and spider web
• an uphill balance course and wobbly bridge
• swings
• toddler swings
• a basket swing
• a centipede seesaw
• two huge slides set into a hill with easy to climb steps and
• a toddler-sized slide.

Woking Park

The play area is on the edge of Woking Park, which has gardens filled with trees, bridges and pathways, a duck pond, stream and a multi-gym.

We find this a calming place to be, which is useful after all the excitement of the play area.

Leisure Facilities

Also within Woking Park are some leisure facilities including Pool in the Park, tennis courts and mini golf.

The tennis courts and mini golf can be pre-booked.

Nearest Town: Woking
County: Surrey
Nearest Postcode: GU22 9BA

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Bring a picnic or eat in the one of the cafes.
Facilities: Cafe, toilets and accessible toilets in the leisure centre by the park.

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

Parking: Large pay and display car park.
Cost of Parking: Free for the first two hours. 

Wildlife You Might See: Ducks and squirrels.

Information Written: October 2016
Information Checked: October 2022

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

This playground is said to be suitable for children to the age of 13 years old.

Inside the enclosed junior area are:

• toddler swings
• a seesaw
• a snail springer
• a spinning climbing frame made of rope
• puzzle boards
• a multiplay with a slide and easy to climb stairs, a bridge and a tunnel.

Scattered through the trees are:

• a wooden frog and grasshopper
• a metal spinning cup
• two giant-sized swings
• a huge, rope climbing area that hangs like spider webs.

Nearest Town: Ascot
County: Berkshire
Nearest Postcode: SL5 8TQ

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Bring a picnic and a blanket. 
Facilities: None

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

Parking: There is no car park but we were able to park on a road near to the play area. 
Cost of Parking: Free

Wildlife You Might See: Insects and birds.

Information Written: February 2017
Information Checked: July 2022