This is a lovely place - the colours are beautiful and the cafe is a very high quality…read more The paths are well marked and generally very accessible. The staff here are very knowledgeable too - if you need information about any of the species, they are happy to help. The gravel car park is suitable even in wet weather - although it is much nicer to visit in the sunshine and see all the lovely colours. It can get busy though, and with lots of children running around, it isn't quite as serene as it can be. Take plenty of time to visit this venue - it really is worth it.

Fatastic every thing you could won't from an educational visit to a lovely winter walk, or a summer…read morepicnic. The specimens of the trees and plants are secnd to none, they also have a falconary centre which is great too. A coffee shop so you could make a whole day and have lunch.

You know those amazingly warm and sunny weekends? Well we don't get them too often and when they…read morehappen I get the urge to do something quintessentially English. So last one day recently saw a much needed drive out of Brum and into the countryside. I'm not a National Trust member but I am starting to wonder why? Our visit to Packwood House was fantastic. You can go into the house and even have a tour but we wanted to experience the gardens, herbaceous borders and huge yew topiaries up close. The house is originally 16th century and features several gorgeous blue and gold sun dials - so check your watch against them and see which are still set to GMT. The gardens are beautiful and kept in stunning condition. Mostly they are comprised of some very distinct and large yew topiaries. The highlight has to be walking up the helter skelter style border to reach the top of The Mound which is adorned with a large yew tree. From there you can take in the views, enjoy the cool shade and benefit from some much needed peace. The rest of the gardens are a mix of wild and wonderful plants and the look must change considerably throughout the year. Don't miss out on walking around the back of the house to catch the very unique sun dial monument. A great day out even if you are not a National Trust member - stunning!

Packwood is another National Trust property right on the doorstep and one that makes me so glad…read morethat we got membership for a Chrismas present. The gardens are the usual lovely mixture of more formal with some stunning yew trees to admire, plus the broader park land. The formal area is very children friendly and there's a lovely little raised mound right at the back that's lots of fun to run up. The pak land has a great walk and there's a large pond/small lake with ducks. It's a good place to explore and there's the usual wooded area to wander around too. The National Trust is so much better at welcoming families and Packwood now has so much more to offer children such as outdoor games and family activities during holidays. Picnics are welcome too. There isn't a cafe or restaurant although you can get coffee and snacks from the reception area. The toilets are in the car park.

This is a great indoor play area for kids with lots of space for them to run around as it is…read morebasically a big warehouse! Two large trampolines, climbing frames, slides, ball pits etc. They also have a soft play area for very young children and an indoor basketball/football area. They have two party rooms which are quite small and the party packages are overpriced. It is a great place to take younger (pre school) children for a run around, but the toilets are very small and cramped. The communal coffee area for parents is often grubby and dirty. Snacks and drinks are very expensive and poor quality. Security is not great so keep an eye on your purse! It is also down to you to keep an eye on the children. General entry prices are pretty reasonable, but the whole place always looks like it needs a good clean!

we've taken our son here a number of times & have found it to be a great facility…read more nice surroundings for adults & children. cafe good. comfortable. & the little 'un really enjoys it. which makes it easier for us.

This is a lovely place for a walk; a nature reserve with a difference. While it is not…read morestereotypically the most picturesque place, you feel that you are really in nature at its rawest. However, if memory serves correctly, these areas are slightly disrupted by telephone pylons and electricity pylons, which although necessary, slightly take away from the natural scenery. There is a small gift shop which has a lovely collection of things and they obviously seem to offer a great schools programme since there are education rooms and areas decked out for large groups, including parties. Worth a walk if you are bored.

Brandon Marsh Nature reserve is lovely. It is a really nice place to go for a walk and chill out…read more It has some great wildlife to spot and it's a really peaceful place to be. As you walk round there are always birds singing. there are a number of hides where you can sit and watch the birds on the pools. There a number of different pools and different birds.

Visited here today, 18 Feb, because I wanted to see something 'typically British' and this was one…read moreof the few 'stately homes' open in winter. They opened the gates at 10:30 am, but the main house doesn't open til 11:30. If you want to do something similar make sure to check hours on the websites! We enjoyed walking around the gardens for roughly an hour before going inside the house. Despite it being winter, the grounds were really green and the light was wonderful. There is a kind of 'ring path' around the periphery - perfect for a long walk - but bring your wellies! It was too muddy for us to walk into the lower areas near the river. There were tons of deer all over - very nice to see bucks and doe all mixed together - and not spooked by people. On the grounds you can get snacks at The Orangery - but be prepared to wait - we tried to get in twice and both times the line was out the door and every table was taken. But inside is lovely with lots of artwork showing the home and grounds throughout the seasons represented in different mediums (block prints, photos, watercolors). And there is also outdoor seating, which would be really nice in warmer weather. There's also the Tea Garden with beverages and snacks on the other side of the house, but it's all outside. The home itself is really grand. The front hall, dining and living areas, library, pool room and ladies chambers, all on the first floor, give insight into how people used to live - and it's quite something. Only a small portion of the second floor is open to the public via staircases and the place does not appear to be accessible by people with special needs. Overall a very enjoyable experience! And a place to return to season after season to see the gardens, flowers in bloom and exhibits. And don't miss the kitchen and shops!

Really pleasant place to visit, great grounds, see full review…read more http://www.kevinsimon.co.uk/?p=513

Santa's Magical Steaming…read more Every year, at Buckinghamshire Railway Centre they do a magical train journey on Thomas The Tank Engine, where Father Christmas rides along with you and gives a present to the kids. From the website it looks like a great day out, unfortunately in reality it's not quite so. Don't get me wrong, the kids (mostly) enjoyed the experience but the weather and the route that the train takes means if you've travelled a long way to get there you may feel a little cheated. On arrival, I'll give the centre it's due credit, Thomas is sitting on the platform (and he really is a great Thomas steam train), steaming away, with Christmas lights strung along above him. When the kids see him they do go nuts which is lovely to see. You have allocated seating on the train, and as we went with another couple and their kids we had a compartment all to ourself. The weather was cold, raining and windy. This meant the windows were not only all steamed up but rain covered too. You might not think this is a big deal but the route the train takes is forwards and backwards. Several times. No corners, no inclines, no speed. Outside there are opportunities to see other carriages and engines, and James also puffs along pulling a sleigh full of presents. The kids seemed to enjoy it all though, and when Father Christmas arrives to give them their presents they light up! When you get off you are treated to a complimentary mince pie and mulled wine, and after being outside in that kind of weather they are most welcome! There is also hot food like Chips available, plus tea, coffee and juice etc., all relatively cheap. Inside the 'station' there is a set of carriages made up to look just as they would have been in the 20's which does at least hold some interest for the adults. There are also shows to attend; the day we went there was a magic show by a man who looked and sounded exactly like Rod Hull. I say magic, but use it loosely. I say show, I use that loosely too. Even the kids were completely bored so we walked out halfway through. There is a miniature railway too although with the weather being what it was, and the fact that there seemed to be no other way to reach it than over a stepped bridge across the tracks (not easy with two pushchairs) we decided against it. Then we began the long trip home, and almost wished we hadn't bothered. I'd only recommend this if you are completely selfless or live nearby. It may be more enjoyable with nicer weather but as you're going to be there in November or December anyway I wouldn't hold my breath if I were you.

The old Oxford Railway Station was taken down from its original site and rebuilt at Quainton and…read moreused as part of the museum buildings. This means you have have tea in the old station café and see Churchill's train standing at the platform under the graceful Victorian metal and glass building. There are plenty of trains to see and lots of restoration work being done. They also have steam days. Check the website for details. Quainton is a very cute oldie English village. It even has a windmill. So it is worth having a wander round while you are in the neighbourhood.

A racecourse that's kept it's rural identity, & not sold out to the big commercial bookmakers; this…read moretruly is a great day/evening out. Free entry (except on Boxing Day & Easter Sunday), good facilities, lots of space, great views The food is excellent quality, but is a litle pricey. & the queues are usually very long We use Towcester racecourse 3-4 times per year, taking our 10 year old son who always enjoys the excitement of it all Evening racing is especially good toward the end of the season (May/June) when we take a picnic which we always enjoy with many others in the extensive car park (field) This is a national hunt racecourse, so there's no racing in the summer months Massive investment has gone into the grandstand in recent years, & although I haven't yet made use of this impressive new facility, I understand the quality of what is available is 100%. Try to approach the racecourse from Brixworth/Stoke Bruene, as the A5 gets very congested NB I never win!!!!!!

Great place to take the kids…read more Staff; very friendly, and helpful. Parking is a bit tight. Great value.

Ball pit, soft play area. Having Worked as a nursery nurse…read morefor 7 years and an NVQ childcare Assessor for 5, I have seen almost every single kids activity place in Coventry, so when a new one pops up I had to check it out! I think its been open about a year now. I went armed with my sister, her 3 year old and her 4 month old. All I can say is how impressed I was. They have a secured gate to let people in and out. Its massive, not like the rest of them, the seating area for the parents is clean, plenty of space and plenty of seats to choose from, including sofa's. There are different areas as usual for different aged children but you're not 'told off' if your child decides they are old enough for the bigger area. One bit has the 'coupe' cars going round it like a circuit, there is also a part to play basket ball. Definately enough to keep the children entertained. They also have a cafe, which is reasonably priced, they have a range of hot and cold food for adults and children, including chips and jacket potatoes, the food is nice and cooked on site. They have socks you can buy incase your children are not wearing them! My Nephew loved it (the 3 year old) we actually spent 4 hours there! There is a small padded area for babies and my other nephew got to lie next to another and smile! They have baby gyms available to them. My advice for parents of children not yet in school is to go in term time, they can play for as long as they want and its very quiet, completely different story in half term its chaos! Overall it was clean and bright, definately worth the trek up there.