Zebon Copse Junior Play Area

This is for children aged between 3 and 12 years and has:

• a multiplay with a slide, easy to climb steps, a cargo net, a climbing wall, and fireman’s pole
• a roundabout that you pedal around
• an obstacle course with bouncy mushrooms
• toddler swings.

Zebon Copse Adventure Play Area

This is for children aged up to 14 years old and the equipment includes:

• a basket swing
• swings
• a long obstacle course with scramble nets, swinging ropes, balance beams, wobbly logs and log stumps
• rocks with climbing walls. 

There is also a sport wall with a football goal and basketball net

and a large field.

A Circular Walk Along the Basingstoke Canal

If you keep walking past the adventure play area, through the trees, you will come to a little hill

with views from the top (currently of a housing development construction site – so don’t expect tranquility) and a seat.

Continue walking over the hill and down the other side and you come to a little road. Turn right and the Basingstoke Canal is just a short walk away.

Turn right along the canal and keep walking until you come to the swing bridge.

Cross the bridge and you pick up the main path through Zebon Copse Nature Reserve.

Zebon Copse Nature Reserve

From here, you can either go straight back to the car park and play areas by following the main path into the nature reserve and taking the first right.

Alternatively, you can take the first left, which leads you over the nature reserve’s wild-feel boardwalk.

This stretch of boardwalk is a loop that explores the pond and mire

before finishing back on the main path between the bridge and the play area car park.

There are maps on boards along the way to guide your walk.

Nearest Town: Church Crookham, near Fleet
County: Hampshire
Nearest Postcode: GU52 0ZE

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Bring a picnic. 
Facilities: None

How Long We Spent There: 2.5 hours
Buggies: Buggy friendly

Parking: There is a car park next to the play area.
Cost of Parking: Free

Information Written: June 2016
Information Checked: July 2025

Our visit to Zebon Copse Play Area in Church Crookham, near Fleet, is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

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 are ramps down onto the beach for easy access. In other places you have to jump!

Rock Pools and Crabbing

It might not look like it, but rock pools form amongst the pebbles along the beach.

If you look closely, you may spot a crab!

We managed to find quite a few.

Then let them go and watched as they buried themselves again.

Royal Victoria CP 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), family activities and a fairy garden…

…with a huge picnic table guarded by a wizard!

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.

The Paths

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

Some still show signs of the past.

Royal Victoria CP Adventure Play Area

The Royal Victoria Country Park Adventure Play Area play equipment includes things like:

• a large wooden fort with slides, tunnels, nets, a wobbly bridge and easy to climb ramps
• lots of different swings
• a roundabout
• a music wall
• a multiplay for younger children.

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

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: The Cedar Rooms cafe and restaurant 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 in Netley, near Southampton, is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

The House and Lawn

The house is picture perfect 

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

The Walks

There are various signposted walks around the gardens and wider estate.

Natural Play Areas

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

and also a bird hide.

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, an obstacle course, swings and a tunnel.

Special Activities

As for many National Trust properties, Polesden Lacey runs activities for various age ranges throughout the year, which are listed on their website. 

When we visited there was a trail through the grounds with activities at each station, including hide and seek, cars to drive and lawn games. 

The Paths

There are various footpaths around the grounds – some are surfaced, some gravel and some earth and grass. We did not have any access problems and used an all-terrain buggy.

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 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.

West Wittering Beach

West Wittering is an easy beach to visit with children. 

There is a very large car park next to the beach.  There are also a cafe, toilets and accessible toilets.

It can be very busy during warm summer days, with traffic blocking the roads to the beaches. 

East Head

At the very end of the car park is East Head, a wild spit of land managed by the National Trust with shingle and sand beaches, dunes and salt marshes.  

If you are very lucky, you may even spot a seal.

Nearest Town: West Wittering, Near Chichester
County: West Sussex
Nearest Postcode: PO20 8AJ

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

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

How Long We Spent There: All day
Buggies: Usual beach issues – some paths are uneven and others are sandy. 

Parking: There is a large paid for car park by the beach.
Cost of Parking: Varies with the time of year.  If you book in advance you receive a discount.

Wildlife You Might See: Sea life and seabirds

Information Written: May 2016
Information Checked: August 2023

Our visit to West Wittering Beach near Chichester is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

Lepe Country Park

If you need an energy busting day then plan on paddling, sand castles and fossil finding before the tide comes in and then fairy door hunts, adventure play and a nature walk.

Or if you just want somewhere to relax, just sit back and enjoy the view.

Meadows

Alternatively, walk towards the east end of the beach past wild flower meadows on one side and the sea on the other.

This is a buggy friendly route that leads you to the beach, Lepe Point and Stansore Point, where the path becomes much sandier.

Lepe Point Nature Reserve

Lepe Point Nature Reserve, is a protected area of woodland and meadows with a boardwalk, pond and bird hide.

Stansore Point

Stansore Point is a good place to sit and enjoy the view, whether you want to watch huge ships cruise The Solent or gaze across at the Isle of Wight.

D-Day Remnants

There are D-Day remnants near Stansore Point, including pier heads, construction platforms and slip ways.

You can see pictures and find further details on the New Forest Remembers website.

Fossil Finding

At Stansore Point it is also possible to find fossils of shells, plants and mammal bones, including mammoth bones. I understand it is best to look when the tide is out and to bring wellies in case the clay is exposed.

Have a look at the UK Fossil Collecting website for full details.

You can also have a look at the western end of the beach where you can find fossil shells and corals. 

Dinosaur Footprint

Inside the Visitor Centre is a dinosaur footprint, which was found at Lepe. It is on the floor on the right of the desk by the window.

Fairy Door Trails

There are two trails to choose from – one through the Sensory Garden and another across the wild flower meadows and cliffs. 

The doors are marked on a map and are each in a different type of tree with a little explanation about the kind of fairy living inside. 

Lepe Beach

There is a family beach area, which is a very short walk from the car park. 

Further down the beach, low tide reveals a spit of land where we found crabs amongst the rocks, dug holes to catch the sea, built up huge sand castles and found interesting stones, including one of the bone shaped ‘fossils’ mentioned above.

Lepe Country Park Adventure Play Area

The Lepe Country Park Play Area is a wooden adventure play area with equipment that includes:

• a swing
• a toddler swing
• a basket swing
• insect shaped springers
• a seesaw
• play houses
• a double slide with easy to climb stairs
• an obstacle course with logs, stumps, ropes and nets
• a wooden climbing frame
• a snake balance trail
• picnic tables
• seats.

Nearest Town: Exbury, New Forest
County: Hampshire
Nearest Postcode: SO45 1AD

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

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

How Long We Spent There: 4 hours
Buggies: There are some pathways that are buggy friendly along the seafront.  The beach itself can be hard to push a buggy along because it is divided by wooden posts, many of which have rotted to near sand level and are splintered in places.

Parking: There are two pay and display car parks – one next to the play area and fairy trails and another next to the beach, Visitor Centre and cafe. These are connected by stairs that lead down to the beach but we drove between the two because we were using a buggy. We parked easily in both but it must be very busy at peak times.
Cost of Parking: For April to September start at £2.50 for one hour and an all day ticket costs £9.50.

Wildlife You Might See: Seaside wildlife, seabirds and other birds, butterflies and other insects.

Information Written: September 2017
Information Checked: May 2023

Our visit to Lepe Country Park in Exbury in the New Forest is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

Sandhurst Memorial Park Play Areas

The play equipment is divided between two areas, one for younger children and another for older children.

The enclosed area for younger children has:

• toddler swings
• springers
• a seesaw
• a roundabout
• a sand play area with chutes and pulleys

• a swing for wheelchair users
• a small multiplay with a ramp and a slide
• a multiplay with ropes to climb, a ladder and a slide
• a larger multiplay with a slide, steps, a fireman’s pole, a bridge and a little house
• boards with games and puzzles
• a zip wire.

The area for older children has equipment including:

• a long slide set into a hillside
• climbing rocks
• a basket swing
• swings
• spinning swings
• a wooden climbing frame
• an obstacle course.

Sports Areas

Dotted around the park are football pitches, tennis courts, cricket facilities, a basketball court and a skate park.

Near the skate park is a cafe with a seating area that serves refreshments and ice creams.

The Pond

Behind the play area is a picturesque pond covered with ducks, swans, gulls and coots.

Go Wild in Sheperd Meadows

Sandhurst Memorial Park also has some wild areas. In the corner is Seeby’s Copse, an area of ancient woodland, and at one end is Shepherd Meadows, a beautiful nature reserve with fields full of wild flowers and butterflies as well as the River Blackwater.

To find the Shepherd Meadows, take the path to the left of the play area and follow it past the pond, where you will pick up signs to the reserve.

Pick a Car Park

There are two car parks. The first is next to the play area (GU47 9BJ).

The second is on Marshall Road (GU47 0FJ – will take you past the car park, which is on the opposite side of the road than the residential houses). This is the car park for Shepherd Meadows and it is about a twenty minute walk to the play area.

Nearest Town: Sandhurst, near Camberley
County: Berkshire
Nearest Postcode: GU47 9BJ

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

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

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

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

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

Information Written: May 2017
Information Checked: April 2023

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

Juniper Adventure Play Trail

This is the Queen Elizabeth Country Park Adventure Play Area and has:

• 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.

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

The Assault Course

Suitable for those over 1.4m tall only, the assault course is hidden in the woods to the right of the adventure play trail and has 12 obstacles and a 250m run.

Dog Activity Course

Near to the Juniper Adventure Play Trail is the Forts and Fleets Dog Activity Course. It is 200 metres long and has 8 obstacles designed for dogs. 

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.

The Dragon of Butser Hill

There is a Hampshire County Council Story Trail called “The Dragon of Butser Hill” that tells you a story about knights, damsels, giants and dragons as it winds around the hilltop.

Other Activities

There are lots of other activities at Queen Elizabeth Country Park, including walking, cycling and mountain biking trails, picnic and BBQ areas, orienteering trails and nature areas. 

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

There is even a brick pizza oven you can hire!

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: July 2016
Information Checked: February 2023

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

Bracklesham Bay

Bracklesham Bay is a beach a little to the East of the better known West Wittering beach.

Finding Fossils

Fossils can be found all over the beach. The best time to start to look for fossils is from about an hour before low tide when the sea starts to roll back, revealing the sand. 

There are lots of different types of fossils you could discover, including shells, shark teeth and ray teeth.

No Equipment Needed!

You don’t need any special equipment to find these fossils. It is a good idea to bring some towels, containers, and kitchen roll to keep them safe. 

Other Things to Look For

As well as fossils, you can find bits of driftwood, seaweed, shells, crabs, and hermit crabs.

The Beach

We always round our trips off with a visit to The Beach, a relaxed, child-friendly beach restaurant and cafe. 

Watch the Sunset

Billy’s has recently been named as one of the top 25 places in the world to watch the sunset – listed with places like Florida, Bora Bora, and Mexico!

Access to the Beach

The car park is next to the beach so access is generally easy but it can be difficult with a buggy because you have to climb down a steep, stoney slope. 

Access is easier from the slipway next to Billy’s.

The Tides

Be sure to check the tide times before you visit. The beach is a sandy expanse (with shingle) when the tide is out

but the sand disappears quickly as the tide comes in. 

Nearest Town: Bracklesham Bay, near Chichester
County: West Sussex
Nearest Postcode: PO20 8JH

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Bring a picnic or eat at Billy’s on the Beach. 
Facilities: Picnic tables, cafe, snacks, ice creams, toilets, accessible toilets. 

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

Parking: There is a pay and display car park. It can be very busy on warm days.
Cost of Parking: Various

Wildlife You Might See: Sea creatures and seabirds.

Information Written: January 2017
Information Checked: February 2023

Our visit to Bracklesham Bay beach near Chichester is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

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.

Mudeford 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

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

Highcliffe Beach

The views from the clifftop are spectacular. You can see along the coast for miles in both directions and out to the Isle of Wight and The Needles.

Cliffhanger Cafe

The Cliffhanger Cafe is a child-friendly cafe next to the car park. On arrival the staff gave us a highchair, a colouring book and some crayons.

Double High Waters…

At low tide, the beach is an expanse of sand and shingle. 

At high tide the beach all but disappears.

Be sure to check the tides when planning your trip – I have been caught out on a number of occasions by the unusual ‘Double High Waters’ here. 

Finding Fossils

Along the beach we noticed some lumps of clay lying on the beach that were full of small, grey shells and tubes. Some were visible on the outside of the clay and some were hidden inside. 

In about fifteen minutes we managed to collect 7 fossils. 

They were whole and quite small – most were less than 2cm long.

The Cliffs

The cliffs can be unstable so we do not look for fossils on or near the cliffs. They are also made of clay so you can get very muddy when you visit.

To Reach the Beach

The are two routes from the car park down to Highcliffe beach. 

There is a path down the cliffs, which has a sea view but is steep with some stairs. 

There is an easier route that can be accessed through a green gate on Waterford Road (by Cliffhanger Cafe) at the entrance to the car park. It doesn’t have any stairs and has a smooth and less steep surface (at the bottom left of this photo).

Highcliffe Play Area

If you find yourself waiting for the tide to change, or just fancy a play, then have a look at the nearby Highcliffe Play Area.

Nearest Town: Highcliffe, near Christchurch and Bournemouth
County: Dorset
Nearest Postcode: BH23 5DG

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Bring a picnic or try the Cliffhanger Cafe. 
Facilities: Ice creams, snacks, picnic tables, cafe, toilets and accessible toilets.

How Long We Spent There: Full day.
Buggies: Buggy friendly if you use the easier route to the beach (detailed above).

Parking: Large car park
Cost of Parking: Various depending on the season.

Wildlife You Might See: Sealife and seabirds.

Information Written: November 2016
Information Checked: July 2022

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

Frimley Lodge Park 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 tucked away 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

Our visit to Frimley Lodge Park and the Frimley Lodge Park Adventure Play Areas in Frimley are summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

Basildon Park House and Grounds

The house is surrounded by formal gardens and 400 acres of parkland and woods where you can build dens, have a picnic,

fly kites or even look for the remains of Nissen huts used during the Second World War for tank training.

The Walks

There are various signposted walks around the parkland. These routes are marked on the Basildon Park Map, which is on the National Trust’s website. 

Natural Play Areas

Along the routes are natural play areas to enjoy with stumps, logs and dens.

Special Activities

Basildon Park runs activities for various age ranges throughout the year, which are listed on their the Basildon Park website. 

The Ball Runs

During our visit there were two activity trails on. The first led you to ball runs hidden throughout the woods as well as a game where you knock over skittles with a ball on a string.  It was fantastic fun and we used the ball runs over and over again.

Art Boxes

The second was a trail of Art Boxes hidden around the grounds that were full of art equipment you can use to create pictures for entry into an exhibition in September. 

The Paths

There are various footpaths around the grounds – some are surfaced, some gravel and some earth and grass. We did not have any access problems and used an all-terrain buggy.

To reach the house from the car park, we walked for about 10 minutes through a small wooded area with a gravel path and up the driveway. 

There was a gentle flight of stairs on the way into the woods but I was able to bump the buggy up. We did not go inside the house.

Nearest Town: Pangbourne, near Reading
County: Berkshire
Nearest Postcode: RG8 9NR

Adult Cost Range: £15 to £19.99
Child Cost Range: £5 to £9.99
Free if: Under 5 or with National Trust membership

Opens: Daily.

Where to Eat: There is a cafe and you can bring a picnic.
Facilities: Snacks, ice cream, 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: Free with entry or with National Trust membership

Wildlife You Might See: Cattle, butterflies, bees, insects and birds.

Information Written: July 2017

Our visit to Basildon Park in Pangbourne, near Reading, is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

Sand Lizards

If you are lucky you might spot a sand lizard in the sand dunes or fossils in the stones.

Fossils

Fossils can either be found in the pebbles on the beach or in the chalk and flint pebbles exposed at low tide. Many of the larger pebbles, and most complete fossils, can be found at the end of the beach nearest the car park – no long walks required!

We found this fossil, which we think is a flint cast of the inside of an ancient sea urchin (but would be happy to hear otherwise). It is about 2 inches in diameter and has clear markings. The children were delighted. 

Beachcombing

It is not surprising that Littlehampton West Beach is a protected Nature Reserve. We found all sorts of treasures from sharks’ egg cases to cuttlebones.

We even saw a little egret wading in the shallows.

Littlehampton Fort

After leaving we discovered that behind the car park is Littlehampton Fort, which is over 150 years old and was built to protect the entrance to the River Arun from attack.

West Beach Cafe

Next to the car park are public toilets and West Beach Cafe, which serves refreshments and also has breakfast, lunch and dinner menus. From here you can see the River Arun and the contrasting Littlehampton East Beach, with its theme park, promenade and amusements.

Access

The beach is only a short walk from the car park but to reach the sea you have to climb down a steep, stoney slope. 

Nearest Town: Littlehampton
County: West Sussex
Nearest Postcode: BN17 5DL

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Bring a picnic or try the West Beach Cafe. 
Facilities: Ice creams, snacks, toilets and accessible toilets.

How Long We Spent There: We spent about five hours at West Beach.
Buggies: There is a steep slope down to the sea but I used an all terrain buggy without any issues.

Parking: Good-sized car park
Cost of Parking: From £0.60 in the winter and £1.50 in the summer.

Wildlife You Might See: Sea life, seabirds and sand lizards.

Information Written: June 2017

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

Butser Hill

At the very top of the hill is a wide open space with grazing sheep, an Ordnance Survey triangulation point and a large aerial mast and station (although you cannot go inside). 

Queen Elizabeth Country Park

At the bottom of the hill is Queen Elizabeth Country Park, which has play areas, orienteering trails, nature spots and picnic and BBQ areas.

Reaching the Top

You can either walk up Butser Hill from Queen Elizabeth Country Park or drive up from the A3. 

I considered walking but the Visitors’ Centre staff advised against taking a buggy on the walk.

From the Butser Hill Car Park

It only took us fifteen minutes to walk from the car park on Butser Hill to the top of the hill (at a toddler’s pace). The paths were covered in rough, clumpy grass but there were paths mown through it. 

Beware the Dragon of Butser Hill 

The Butser Hill Story Trail runs around the top of the hill. The story trail is called “The Dragon of Butser Hill” and tells you a story about knights, damsels, giants and dragons as it winds around the hilltop.

Hampshire CC’s Story Trails

This is one of Hampshire County Council’s Story Trails. These are walks with interactive stories to read along the way, which are told by a cute character called the Story Snail.

Each Story Trail is about one mile long and divided into numbered sections. Numbered markers prompt you to read the sections of the story along the trail.

Find a Story 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 copy of 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, near Petersfield
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 very lucky!

Information Written: February 2017

Our visit to Butser Hill near Horndean, near Petersfield, is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

Bognor Regis West Beach

These rocks are at the western end of the beach, near the beach huts. They are visible at low tide. We had read that these rocks are full of fossils and that under the right conditions, the sea also sweeps away the sand to reveal fossil-filled clay underneath.

The Fossils

Unfortunately, when we visited sand was covering the clay and we did not find any loose fossils. We saw a few tiny fossils (1 or 2mm wide) that were embedded in the hard rocks.

Sandcastles and Swimming

 At low tide, West Beach is a great place to build a sandcastle but we suspect that the submerged rocks could make paddling and swimming difficult. 

Access to the Beach

The land is protected by stones so bring a buggy that can cope.

Nearest Town: Bognor Regis
County: West Sussex
Nearest Postcode: PO21 2FZ

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Bring a picnic and a blanket, cafe and refreshment stands.
Facilities: Cafes, ice cream, toilets near the pier. 

How Long We Spent There: 1 hour
Buggies: You need to bring a buggy that can handle the stony slope and sand. 

Parking: There are parking spaces on the road by the beach.
Cost of Parking: Free when we visited (the machines were covered so we could not see when charges apply).

Wildlife You Might See: Sealife and seabirds.

Information Written: January 2017

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