Newly remodelled and busy with lots of kids. Toddler area is fenced. Jesus Green stretches around…read morefor good running and playing. There's a skate park nearby too. Daddy need to play too? The Fort St. George pub is just down river.

A great place to spend a beautiful sunny spring day! I'm amazed that I've been living in London for…read more3 years and somehow managed not to find this place until now even though I've driven to Stansted at least half a dozen times. D'oh! Parking costs a £5 for the day and about half that if you're arriving after 5pm. It's free for National Trust members. Don't worry if you've forgotten your sticker, just show them your card at the gate and you'll be issued with a little paper ticket. There are at least 3 car parks I can think of off the top of my head. One right at the entrance, one near the lake and one by the cafe. I'd drive right in and stop by the cafe as it offers the most central location, allowing easy access to all parts of the forest. There are lots of trails, open fields as well as forested areas so a bit of everything. I saw quite a few signs of bushcraft so if you're into that then this is a great place to put in some shelter building practice.

A great day out, couldn't recommend it highly enough…read more Lots for kids of all ages to do here, there's a large lake for fishing, an area for feeding geese and ducks, loads of tree's to climb, plenty of wildlife, and best of all LOADS OF SPACE! Great to ride to and around on a bike, the cafe does a great range of homemade pies that really are worth the trip alone. There's numerous sturdy picnic benches that seat up to 8, and at easter/xmas that do a little treasure hunt for the young uns, which my lot love. Get down there pronto, but if you are going to drive, please have the decency to pay to enter the car park. For years there have been loads of people parking on the road and entering for free, so finally double yello lines have been painted on. Sad but necessary.

This was such a lovely park! Lots of space for roaming around, equipment for kids of different…read moreages. Quiet. Open space for kicking a ball around or picnicking. Paved trails. Beautiful spot to visit and burn off some energy.

Most famous for being the home of the annual Cambridge Folk Festival, Cherry Hinton Hall is a…read morelovely park and often overlooked. It's especially good for toddlers, as it has a nice play area, a duck pond, lots of mature trees and squirrels, and in summer there are two paddling pools. When the weather is good, a very charming Italian gentleman rolls up in his equally vintage ice cream van, I remember him from when I was a kid myself! The Hall itself is now a school, but has some nice gardens around it which are good for picnicking. There's free parking and no entry fee. The toilets can be a bit gross in summer.

Just a quick drive from the centre of Cambridge and you come accross Wandlebury. A great park and…read morevery popular all year round. A lovely place to go for a long walk or even to take the family out for a pic nic in the countryside. It will cost £2 to park your car but there are no time restrictions as such on that - you will have plenty of time to go about enjoying your day and not have to worry abou the car park cost, something quite unique for Cambridge!

This park is a real hidden gem, it's a couple of miles outside Cambridge and is a family favourite…read moreof ours all through the year. It's owned by the Cambridge Preservation Society, who do a superb job of managing this estate. Briefly, there's a Stone Age ring which once fortified a village. It now encircles a group of cottages with gardens, a barn and a pond. There's 110 acres of down, woodland, pasture and orchards to explore. It's great for foraging for nuts, fruit, fungi and mushrooms. You can see birds, foxes, deer, bats, badgers (if you're very early). They have some great educational events here through the year and it's free. The car park costs £2 but if you're skint, you can park for free in the lay-by a bit further down the A1307 or you can walk over from Magog Down, just over the road.

I came here multiple times for gorgeous scenery, Sylvia Plath vibes, and clear air for my mind &…read morebody. At every angle, it looks as though a postcard popped out in real life. Grantchester is amazing for walking, reading, socializing, and snacking at The Orchard, which I'll write a separate review for. Grantchester is where I practice my embarrassing biking skills, walk my worries away, and pray my heart out to God. Grantchester is a very special place for me and I'm so glad it exists. P.S. there's a lot where you can park your bike. You can enter into the Meadows through there. It's hard to find but it's there :) good luck!

Grantchester Meadows is a number of things; firstly a short street in the Newnham district of…read moreCambridge, perhaps more famously a track by Pink Floyd and finally - and most relevantly to Qypers - it is a series of meadows owned by one of the Cambridge colleges leading from Newnham, just outside the city centre, to Grantchester about 2 miles away and bordered by the river Cam (or Granta). Pleasant and occasionally idyllic, rather than dramatic, a stroll through Grantchester Meadows is a great way to entertain the kids (there is a path that is suitable for cycling) or show a different side of Cambridge to visitors who are "college-ed out". On a good day, you should find plenty of picnic spots by the river, usually some punters to watch, roaming cattle and trees to climb. In August / September, there are plenty of blackberries to pick, but get there early before they are all gone. Grantchester itself has several characterful pubs, but our destination is always The Orchard for scones, coffee and juice with a straw for the little ones. For an even longer day out, Lammas Land park with its extensive play area is very close to the north end of the meadows.

Beautiful property that even the Queen visits some times during her travels in the UK. I did not…read morehave time to see the inside of the property unfortunately, however the outside is beautiful and it has amazing gardens. They even have a train going around one of the gardens for children. It is open longer hours in the summer and you can spend 2-3 hours here.

This is a fantastic day out for young kids, my 1 year old and 3 year old loved it. Audley House…read moreitself and the grounds are spectacular, and there is a car park right next to the train station. Tickets for the trains are very reasonably priced, and the trains go roughly every 20 mins. The 1.5 mile trip is great, the engines are wonderfully maintained and there are lots of teddy bears dotted around the wood that the kids love pointing out. Crucially you need to check the opening times before planning a trip here. For the 2012 season the railway was only open at the weekends and school holidays, and even then only from 12 noon to 4.45pm (with the last steam train departure at 4pm). It's also the sort of venue that suits decent weather. The train carriages are covered, however there is also a large open 'Picnic and Play' area beside the terminal that has great play equipment, but would be much less pleasant in rainy weather. Other nice touches are the cafe and the guided Fairy Walk that kids can take through the woods. Overall a fantastic afternoon, just make sure to check the timetable and weather forecast.

Really cute and quaint little suburban park, complete with stand up paddle boards, walking trails…read moreand proximity to the River Cam.

Lovely and peaceful! Great for kids too.read more

This has to be one of North London's best kept secrets! I can't believe I had never heard of this…read moregarden (even my dad had not heard of it and he grew up near here.) I assume the lucky locals would like to keep this as a secret treasure, but it is too good not to share with yelpers!! The Pergola and Hill Gardens are hidden between Hampstead Heath and Golders Hill Park. The Pergola half of the garden is essentially a long raised walkway, under a long pergola made from wood and stone, covered in gorgeous smelling roses and other climbing plants. The other half of the garden has a large square pond full of lilies, sculptured hills and nice soft grass to sit on and have a picnic. I have a feeling it could be very busy on nice days...but when we visited it all seemed far quieter than Golders Hill Park - even though it is so, so much nicer. Practicalities: - If you don't want to walk, just take the 210 bus and get off at Inverforth House, you can see the signs to the garden. - It's free (!)

This place is beyond beautiful. I'm always surprised when I find places like this in London that is…read moreopen for the general public with no fee. Tucked away on the smaller side of Hampstead Heath, in between Hampstead Heath and Golders Hill Park is this little Gem. Because it's hidden away it's less busy than both the known green spaces. The pergola goes on and on with hidden entrances to the gardens. The gardens all have walk ways for you to meander through them. I can imagine that this place will get used for many photoshoots. You have to be careful you're not walking into someone else's shot. None of the photos or reviews will EVER do this place justice. Trust me and go see for yourself.

An idyllic destination a short drive from London, Painshill Park is a great place to spend a day…read moreenjoying the beauty of the English countryside. Created by the eccentric Charles Hamilton, the park was created as a "romantic landscape". Both organized and naturalistic, the park offers many vistas, perspectives and experiences. Created with a variety of follies dotting the landscape, the park offers panoramic views and interesting scenes. Views from the Gothic Temple and the Turkish Tent are breathtaking. While exploring the man-made grotto (which is currently undergoing renovation) you can't help but be in awe of Hamilton's vision while at the same time thinking "This guy must have been totally out there to build stalactites with lathe and plaster and then cover them in pieces of crystal!". Whether walking the grounds, bringing a blanket and a book and enjoying the solitude, Painshill Park is a wonderful place to visit. Be prepared to walk, as the park is large and very hilly. It's a good climb to the top of the Tower as well. Would definitely recommend this if you need a relaxing afternoon away from the hustle and bustle of London.

A grade 1 listed park, much renovated over the last 25 years, by the trust that owns it…read more Created by Charles Hamilton ,in the mid 18th century, after his 2 (obligatory) Grand Tours, he wanted to create an idyllic natural setting, around a lake, with water diverted from the river Mole. He was very succesful in this, and created a number of follies, a Grotto, and the unusual Turkish Tent. Many of the plants are of American origin, and were just becoming fashionable at the time. It's worth remembering it's a park like setting rather than a garden like Wisley. Reasonable cafe near the entrance, and the ever present gift shop. Worth chcking their website for offers, currently free entry on Wednesdays in November, children free at weekends, and A special Santa event. The Grotto is only open at the weekends. A great place for a walk on a sunny day, great views across the lake and Surrey.