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.

The Trails

Various trails criss-cross Alice Holt Forest. Some are easy access, others are wilder.  Some are flat, others have steep hills. They are all marked and there are free maps available.

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.  

You buy a map bursting with activities to try along the trail – drawings to colour, puzzles to ponder and woodland things to spot.  

Along the way you also come face to face with characters from the stories, including the Gruffalo, Stick Man and the Gruffalo’s child.

The Timberline Play Trail

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

and also hides huge play sculptures.

The Adventure Play Areas

Alice Holt has two adventure play areas.

Playwood Adventure Play Area is next to the cafe and has large wooden climbing frames, slides and swings.

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

Other Activities

Alice Holt also has an Activity Centre and Shop that offers cycle hire 

table tennis 

volleyball 

and badminton.

There is also orienteering 

Go Ape 

and lots of picnic spots to try.

The Cafe 

This is located next to the main entrance and Visitor Centre.  You can its picnic tables to eat food you have bought there or brought from home. 

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: March 2016
Information Checked: February 2025

Our visit to Alice Holt Forest and the Alice Holt Adventure Play Areas in Farnham 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.

Normandy Common 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.

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

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

The Hogmoor Inclosure Play Area

This has a mixture of natural play equipment and adventure play equipment that includes:

• a large tube slide with a covered rope bridge and long ladders that are broken into sections by wooden platforms
• a wooden climbing frame with nets
• tree stump obstacle courses
• stones to climb on
• a sandy area with sand play equipment 
• a wide slide with a ladder 
• a spinning disc 
• spinning cups 
• three tyre swings 
• a small castle tower with a ladder 
• a swinging basket 
• swings
• a zip wire.

We could not find any toddler swings.

In the play area there is also a little pond that children paddle in.

The Cafe

Cafe Hogmoor is next to the play area and the car park and sells snacks and refreshments. 

The Bee Hive

Between the Hogmoor Cafe and the car park is a little building called the Bee Hive. Next to it are:

• musical instruments 
• a scavenger hunt
• a brass rubbing area. 

The Trails

There are a few marked trails to try that lead you past different features, including gates, activity boards and the Sentinels. 

Nearest Town: Bordon
County: Hampshire
Nearest Postcode: GU35 9HN

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

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

How Long We Spent There: 2 hours
Buggies: Some paths are uneven and others are sandy. 

Parking: There is a car park next to the Inclosure’s entrance (GU35 9HN). It can be busy.
Cost of Parking: Free

Wildlife You Might See: Birds, butterflies, dragonflies and insects.

Information Written: October 2021
Information Checked: April 2023

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

The River Hamble Adventure Play Area

Barnfield has a wooden play area with a nautical theme and two ships to sail, capture, climb the rigging and walk the plank. 

It has play equipment including:

• a long rope swing
• a musical wall
• a larger ship with a wobbly bridge, nets, ladders and a chutes and pulleys system, 
• a smaller ship with a slide and a climbing wall
• a crow’s nest with a ladder.

River Hamble Country Park

River Hamble Country Park has trails, a story trail, Manor Farm, access to the River Hamble and a pontoon you can go crabbing from. 

You might also be able to spot the remains of Henry V’s flag ship, the Grace Dieu.  In 1439 she was struck by lightning, caught fire and burned to the water level.

The ship’s size is marked out next to the adventure play area. The mast of the ship would have been the same length!

The Trails

Waymarked trails criss-cross the country park, passing through woods, along the River Hamble and to a pontoon.

The path from the adventure play area leads you into the woods and along the River Hamble. 

The River Hamble

There are a couple of places along the path to the pontoon where you can access the river. You can also go crabbing.

Nearest Town: Bursledon, near Southampton
County: Hampshire
Nearest Postcode: SO31 1BH

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free but there is an entry fee for Manor Farm.

Where to Eat: At one of the cafes, rent a barbecue or bring a picnic.
Facilities: Ice creams, picnic areas, cafe, snacks, toilets and accessible toilets.

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

Parking: Several car parks. The ticket machines take cash but you can buy a car park ticket with a card at the Manor Farm Visitor Centre.
Cost of Parking: From £2.50 for the first hour but capped at £7.

Wildlife You Might See: Butterflies, birds, deer and maybe the odd fairy or two if you follow the story trail!

Information Written: June 2017
Information Checked: April 2023

Our visit to River Hamble Country Park Adventure Play Area in Bursledon, near Southampton, 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 adventure play area 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.

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.

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. 

There is even a brick pizza oven you can hire next to the adventure play area!

 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.

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.

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

Moors Valley Country Park Adventure Area

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 Play 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

Our visit to Moors Valley Country Park and the Moors Valley Country Park Adventure Play Areas in Ringwood is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

Moors Valley Country Park Play Trail

The Play Trail is a route that guides you through the woods to 9 hidden play areas and the Tree Top Trail.

You can explore a Giant Wood Ants’ Nest

wander the Enchanted Woods

make music at the House of Baba Yaga

crawl through the Snake Pit

brave the Bewlidernest

fly through the Hawk House

soar along the Tree Top Trail

sneak past the Spiders

pick your way through the infested waters of Crocodile Crossing

and scramble up Timber.

The Paths

The Play Trail is about a mile long and took us about 2 hours to complete with a lot of stopping and playing. 

The paths are clearly marked and I did not have any problems pushing an all-terrain buggy.

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!

There are other marked trails to try – fitness trails, walking trails, cycling trails, audio trails and even a Hawk Walk, which is a walk through the forest with free flying hawks (this needs to be booked in advance)!

Also on offer is Go Ape Tree Top and Segway Adventures,

an orienteering course, a golf course with Footgolf and a family activity area with pitch and putt and equipment hire. 

Where to Eat?

There is a cafe and two picnic areas – one next to the lake and railway and another between the Visitor Centre and the forest.

The latter has life-size sculptures of the Gruffalo and the Gruffalo’s child.

The Moors Valley Play Areas

The fantastic play areas are divided into the Adventure Area, for older children, and the Castle and Sandworks area, for younger children.

The Adventure Area

The Adventure Area 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 Castle and Sandworks has equipment including:

• 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.

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 £2 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

Our visit to Moors Valley Country Park and the Moors Valley Country Park Adventure Play Areas in Ringwood is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

Langdale Drive Play Area

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

The play equipment inside the enclosed junior area includes:

• 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

Our visit to Langdale Drive Recreation and Play Area in Ascot, which is also known as Blythewood Play Area, is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

Pinewood Activities Adventure Play Area

The play equipment is divided between two areas, Pinewood Adventure and another, more traditional playground. 

The adventure play area has equipment including:

• toddler swings
• basket swings
• a small multiplay and slide for the very young
• a long rope swing
• a wooden climbing frame

• a rope climbing frame
• spinners
• a balance course with bridges, logs and ropes
• a tunnel
• a zip wire.

The Railway Play Area

The second play area has:

• swings
• toddler swings
• a small wooden train to walk along 
• a large play train with a tunnel and carriages 
• a play house
• a seesaw

• a long slide set into a hill
• a trampoline
• a climbing frame with a climbing wall, nets and monkey bars
• springers 
• picnic tables.

The Cafe

There is a cafe that serves refreshments and ice cream.

Pinewood Miniature Railway

Next to the play areas is the Pinewood (Wokingham) Miniature Railway.

It does not run everyday so please see their The Pinewood (Wokingham) Miniature Railway website for details of their open days.

Sports Areas 

On the other side of the car park is a field with a football pitch and a trim trail with six equipment stations (all aimed at those over 12 years).

Pond Dipping

Dickie’s Pond is also nearby and has a pond dipping platform.

Pond dipping equipment (nets, information sheets, a tray and magnifying glasses) can be borrowed from the cafe by leaving a deposit of £5. Near the pond is a woodland walk, with sculptures of woodland animals.

Nearest Town: Wokingham Without, near Crowthorne and Wokingham
County: Berkshire
Nearest Postcode: RG40 3AQ

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Cafe and a picnic area. 
Facilities: Cafe, shop, ice creams, toilets, picnic area.

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

Parking: There is good sized car park.
Cost of Parking: Free

Wildlife You Might See: Ducks, birds, insects and pond life.

Information Written: July 2017
Information Checked: July 2022

Our visit to the Pinewood Activities Centre in Wokingham Without, near Crowthorne and Wokingham, is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

Lower Common Play Area

The play equipment is said to be for those under 12 years and is best suited to older children in that bracket.

It includes:

• a toddler swing
• swings
• an obstacle course with a wobbly bridge 
• a pyramid with climbing walls
• a zip wire
• a bird springer.

There is also a picnic area and a walkway through a copse of trees.

Nearest Town: Eversley, near Yateley
County: Hampshire
Nearest Postcode: RG27 0QR

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

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

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

Parking: You can park on the road by the play area. 
Cost of Parking: Free

Wildlife You Might See: Insects and birds.

Information Written: August 2016
Information Checked: June 2022

Our visit to Lower Common Play Area in Eversley, near Yateley, is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

Tumblestone Hollow Adventure Play Area

The equipment is said to be for children up to around 12 years old that includes:

• a huge, two-storey wooden village with climbing walls, nets, tunnels, ladders, rope bridges, wobbly bridges, balancing logs and a fireman’s pole
• two tube slides 
• a wooden climbing frame with nets and a balancing rope course
• toddler swings 
• swings 

• a treehouse with a slide, rope ladder and rope course 
• a zip wire
• animal springers 
• a spinning bowl 
• a tunnel through a hill
• a wide slide with a hut, net and ladder 

• a sand play area with chutes and pulleys 
• a water play area with a water pump, channels you can direct and a waterwheel
• a basket swing 
• picnic tables
• a covered seating area.

The Legend of Tumblestone Hollow

The adventure play area has been designed around a story book called The Legend of Tumblestone Hollow written by Amy Sparkes and illustrated by Steve Pearce. This book is available to buy at the Visitors’ Centre and will eventually be sold on Amazon so you can read it before you visit. 

The story is about a magical rock called the Glimmerstone and how it came to be at Tumblestone Hollow. 

Stonor Park

Tumblestone Hollow is in the grounds of Stonor Park, an old family house in the Chiltern Hills. 

The surrounding parkland has manicured gardens, woodland, a view point, an ancient stone circle and a herd of deer we encountered on the drive in. 

The Cafes

There are two cafes – one in the Visitors’ Centre and another in the adventure play area that is called The Rumble Hut and offers pizzas cooked in a wood fired pizza oven (but is only open on busy days).

Nearest Town: Henley-on-Thames
County: Oxfordshire
Nearest Postcode: RG9 6HF

Opens: Various times throughout the year – please check their website. 

Adult Cost Range: Various depending on when you go but generally between £5 to £9.99 
Child Cost Range: Various depending on when you go but generally between £5 to £9.99 
Free if: Under 92 cm tall

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

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

Parking: There is a car with lots of spaces.
Cost of Parking: Free with an entry ticket.

Wildlife You Might See: Deer, insects and red kites.

Information Written: June 2022

Our visit to Tumblestone Hollow at Stonor Park, near Henley, is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

The Look Out Play Area

The play area is divided into three sections, each aimed at different ages and abilities.

Ship Play Trail

This is an Infant Play Trail for ages 3 to 6 years that has:

• a galleon with nets, a wheel and a slide
• a second, smaller boat
• springers
• a trampoline
• a train
• a wobbly, wooden hut
• toddler swings
• wobbly bridges
• a climbing wall
• a balance course and
• wobbly balance boards.

Inclusive Area 

This fully inclusive area has:

• a wheelchair accessible roundabout 
• a swing 
• a cradle swing 
• an accessible slide 
• musical instruments 
• fun house mirrors
• a basket swing.

The Fort 

This is a Junior Play Trail for ages 7 to 11 years that has:

• swings
• climbing walls
• wobbly bridges
• ladders
• balancing logs
• hanging rings and
• a rope climbing frame.

Kiosk and Picnic Area

Next to the play area are lots of picnic tables and a kiosk that sells refreshments.

Swinley Forest

The play area is next to the Swinley Forest, with cycle routes and various trails.

The Look Out also has a permanent orienteering course and you can buy a map from the reception desk in the Discovery Centre for £1.

The Look Out Discovery Centre

Inside The Look Out Discovery Centre are over 90 activities including a huge marble run, a building site, an indoor stream, a reaction testing game and a range of hands-on science experiments, including a hot air balloon to launch and a globe that floats in mid-air. 

Nearest Town: Bracknell
County: Berkshire
Nearest Postcode: RG12 7QW

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Picnic tables and a cafe.
Facilities: A shop, toilets and accessible toilets.

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

Parking: There is a large car park but this gets very busy.
Cost of Parking: From £2 for the first four hours.

Wildlife You Might See: Birds and insects.

Information Written: March 2017
Information Checked: January 2022

Our visit to the adventure play area at The Look Out Discovery Centre Play Area in Bracknell is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

Hever Castle Adventure Play Area

You can roughly divide the play area into three sections.

Tudor Towers

This is a large wooden castle built like a castle and is for those aged 5 to 14 years. 

with tube slides, poles, tunnels, 

rope bridges, net tunnels, ladders and climbing walls. 

Outside there is a well hiding a secret passage, which eventually emerges through a fireplace. 

The castle also has musical instruments, a maze, hidden passages and games. 

Acorn Dell – Natural Play Area

This sandy play area has:

• a wooden climbing frame
• tree trunks and climbing logs 
• a tunnel 
• stones to climb on
• a tree house with a tube slide and a wobbly bridge 
• a willow tunnel
• and a musical instrument. 

The Wooden Play Area

This play area has:

• toddler swings (for under 5s) 
• swings
• a castle slide with easy to climb steps
• knights’ horse springers
• a swinging basket
• wooden climbing frames with nets and ropes 
• an obstacle course
• a zip wire.

Nearest Town: Hever, near Tonbridge
County: Kent
Nearest Postcode: TN8 7NG

Adult Cost Range: Various 
Child Cost Range: Various
Free if: Under 5 years or entry to the gardens can be free with RHS membership at set times.

Opens: Daily from March to December.

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: 1.5 hours
Buggies: Buggy friendly

Parking: The castle is a short walk from the car park, which has lots of spaces.
Cost of Parking: Free

Wildlife You Might See: Ducks and swans.

Information Written: May 2016
Information Checked: September 2021

Our visit to Hever Castle in Hever, near Tonbridge, is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

The Natural Play Trail

The Natural Play Trail include things like:

• a tree to climb through
• a see saw made of planks and logs 
• a fort with tunnels
• log balance beams 
• ropes to climb on 
• logs to edge along 
• areas to build dens 
• areas to climb trees

Box Hill

As well as the Natural Play Trail, Box Hill also has picturesque views, mini-beasts, a cafe, Visitor Centre and Discovery Zone. 

Box Hill Fort

The Box Hill Fort was one of a series of forts built in the 1890s to enable London to defend itself from invasion. It was used again during WW2. 

The Stepping Stones

The River Mole flows along the foot of Box Hill and can be crossed by jumping between the famous Stepping Stones. 

To find the Stepping Stones you can either walk down the hill or drive to the Stepping Stones car park (see below).  

From April to June the air is heavy with the unmistakable scent of wild garlic.

Nearest Town: Dorking
County: Surrey
Nearest Postcodes: Box Hill: KT20 7LB – note that his does not seem to work for all sat navs so follow signs once you start to see them. The Stepping Stones: RH5 6AE – keep an eye out for the car park as it is easy to miss. 

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Eat at the cafe or bring a picnic.
Facilities: Cafe, snacks, ice cream, shop, toilets, accessible toilets, picnic areas. 

How Long We Spent There: 4 hours
Buggies: The paths around the car parks are surfaced and buggy-friendly. The paths along the play trail are muddy and uneven in places but I used an all terrain buggy without any issues. 

Parking: There are different car parks to choose from –  a couple on top of Box Hill (KT20 7LB – can be unreliable so follow signs as soon as you see them) and another by the Stepping Stones (RH5 6AE). They all become very busy and are often full by mid-morning. 
Cost of Parking: Free for National Trust members; from £1.50 per hour for non-members.

Wildlife You Might See: Birds, butterflies and other insects.

Information Written: June 2018
Information Checked: June 2021

Our visit to Box Hill and the Box Hill Natural Play Trail in Dorking is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

Itchen Valley CP Play Trail

This adventure play trail has wooden equipment scattered along a woodland walk.

The play equipment includes:

• a musical tiger
• animals to climb on 
• a snail slide
• a tractor and
• wooden climbing frames with bridges, ropes and climbing walls.

High Wood Barn Play Area

Next to the cafe is a play area for children up to 8 years.

It has equipment that includes:

• a wide slide on a hill
• a tunnel 
• a wooden climbing frame 
• a wooden pirate ship
• a log balance course
• a jeep springer
• animal springers
• an obstacle course
• puzzle boards 
• seats to sit on.

Little Monkeys Play Area

About a five minute walk from the cafe is a second play area for children to the age of 14 years.

The equipment includes:

• a slide on a hill with tunnels
• a climbing frame of suspended baskets
• swings
• toddler swings 
• a wooden climbing frame
• climbing rocks
• a seesaw

• an obstacle course with wobbly logs, bridges, and rope swings (this is hidden in the woods next to the play area!)
• a spinning hoop
• a basket swing 
• a rope climbing frame
• a zip wire 
• seats to sit on. 

Other Activities

As well as playing, there are other things to try, including: 

• the Nature Detectives walk, which is a nature trail with information boards and brass rubbing spots. 

• a cafe that sells food and drinks and has an indoor play area with educational activities.  

• orienteering courses. Maps can be picked up from the Woodland Cafe or from the British Orienteering website.

• lots of trails. Have a look at the Itchen Valley Country Park Trail Guide for further details.

River Itchen

The strange thing about River Itchen Country Park is that you can’t actually get down to the river. You can stand on a bridge over the river though. To find it, leave the Woodlands Cafe with the play area on your left and follow the path.

Itchen Valley Nature Reserve

If you cross this bridge you can walk through water meadows during the summer and early autumn (it is flooded at other times). There are water voles, otters and lots of insects living here. 

Nearest Town: Eastleigh, near Southampton
County: Hampshire
Nearest Postcode: SO30 3HQ

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Eat at the cafe, hire a barbecue or bring a picnic.
Facilities: Cafe offering snacks and ice cream, 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 £1.50 per hour.

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

Information Written: July 2020

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

Lightwater Country Park Play Area

The playground has equipment suitable for children up to the age of 12 years, including:

• swings
• toddler swings
• a multiplay for smaller children with a slide, cargo net, fireman’s pole, ladders and easy to climb stairs
• a multiplay for older children with a slide, fireman’s poles, a climbing walls
• a rope climbing frame 

• a wooden climbing frame with cargo nets and ropes
• a balance course
• a spinning cup
• a basket swing 
• a musical instrument 
• picnic tables.

The Cafe and Visitor Centre

Next to the play area is the  Lightwater Country Park Cafe, which has some information boards about the Country Park.  

The Pond

A short walk from the adventure play area are three ponds with ducks and other birds to feed. 

Walking Trails

There are a few marked trails around the park. One takes you up High Curley Hill, which has a view point. 

We tried the Nature Trail, which has numbered markers that point out features of interest like a pond and different types of trees. 

 

Nearest Town: Lightwater, near Camberley
County: Surrey
Nearest Postcode: GU18 5RG

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

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

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

Parking: There are several different car parks to choose from. 
Cost of Parking: Free.

Wildlife you might see: Insects, butterflies, ducks, geese and birds.

Information Written: August 2020

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

Standen House and Gardens

Standen House is very unusual to look at.

We enjoyed exploring the gardens – every twist and turn of the paths revealed beautiful plants, hidden ponds and secret stairs, not to mention tulips bursting from every flower bed.

The Little Room Playroom

At the back of the house is an indoor playroom called the Little Room, which was designed by one of the original owners.

It is tucked away at the top of a steep and not very child-friendly staircase.

Inside the Little Room are fancy dress clothes and old-fashioned games, including a tea set, a Noah’s Ark, and puzzles.

The children loved this secret room and we stayed much longer than we had planned.

The Grounds

There are about 100 acres of grounds with woodlands and meadows that can be explored on several different walks.

The Natural Play Area

There is a natural play area called The Plantation, which has a small maze and mud hills to conquer,

a fort made of piled logs, tree stumps to jump on and wooden platforms to climb to.

The Paths

I visited with a buggy without any real problems but the gardens are built into a hillside and have slopes and steps to negotiate.

On several occasions, my path was blocked by a flight of steps but I often found stair-free access was available if you approached from another direction. 

Be sure to have a good look at the map before deciding which way to walk through the grounds.

Nearest Town: East Grinstead, near Crawley
County: West Sussex
Nearest Postcode: RH19 4NE

Adult Cost Range: £10 to £14.99
Child Cost Range: £5 to £9.99
Free if: Under 5 or with National Trust membership

Opens: Daily

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

How Long We Spent There: 2 hours
Buggies: I used a buggy without any real problems but keep an eye on the map to choose a route without stairs  etc.

Parking: Large car park.
Cost of Parking: Free with entry or with National Trust membership.

Information Written: April 2017