Toad Hall Adventure play is open 7 days a week and offers soft play facilities for children from…read morebabies through to juniors. There's a good under 3s section with a ball pit and 2-stage climbing frame (soft). There are some sit-on soft toys and some blocks. The floor is a bit suspect and there's a bit of an old smell to the area - nothing terrible but you do notice it. The play equipment appears safe but could be in better condition. The main soft play is a triple height affair with climbing, balls, slides and chutes. It's safe and in better condition than the toddler area. At weekends and after school this place can get packed but, during the day it's not too bad. A cafe facility is available serving teas, coffees, soft drinks and snacks. The prices are reasonable. Tables are kept away from the soft play being behind a low wall. They are OK but there's not a good view of the play area meaning that it's hard to have a coffee and take care of your child. For many parents this just seems to mean that they don't watch their child and so you do have to be careful that your child doesn't get set upon by unrully kids. It's not a particularly comfortable place but it's a good local option for a rainy day. Car parking is available.

My salsa friend Hilary and I headed out to Beepy's nightclub located at the Lakeside Leisure Centre…read morein Frimley on Friday for a salsa party organised by Renato of Salsa Esperiensa Heavy traffic on the M3 and A31 meant that we used my trusty sat nav to navigate us there on the back roads of Surrey. The Lakeside complex is huge with the leisure centre as well as hotel and large darts venue where they hold big dart tournaments Renato teaches salsa here regularly here every Monday but this party was a one off event with guest teachers for the bachata tango and advanced salsa classes as well as a performance by Laith Sami and the Diablo dance company There was a big dance floor but with great music all night, it was always full of whirling, twirling couples. Although the hall felt cold when we entered, it heated up fast with the dancing The classes were fun and we learned a lot of new moves in both classes. Though we didn't get home til 1.30am, it was a great night of dancing

Just off Marlborough Road - a country park with lakes. Lots of wildlife and lots of 'Ranger'…read morecourses take place here. Also Swindon Sailing Club meet here. A good place to walk - the walk around the lake is approx. 2 miles. Small cafe serving hot drinks and ice creams. A very small railway operates at weekends - good for the children - about 50p a ride. Swings and slides. Plenty of ducks to feed on the lake. Fishing. Crazy golf and pitch and putt - 18 holes.

Coate water is a great place to go for a family walk with the dog. It has a huge lake in the middle…read morewith a nature walk all the way around, which takes about a hour to get around. They also have a big golf course for the more serious golfer and a crazy golf course for some fun! There is also a paddling pool that is open in the summer months and a hut that sells chips/burgers/sweets and drinks! Every sunday during the summer there is also a little ride on train that goes round a little track for the kids! In August each year they do a night called 'Lanterns on the Lake' where people can come and make a lantern with a tea light and then they are all released onto the lake which is such a pretty view! - A must see!

Oxford Ice Rink Oxpens Road Outdoor skating may be the cool…read morething to do (couldn't resist the pun) but for real ice and a big space, go to the Oxford Ice rink. The surroundings are rather grotty and can't compare with Somerset House or possibly Oxford or Warwick castles (I've not been to the two latter but I imagine they are scenic) but it is bigger and size does (whatever men say) count. There is enough room to get up a bit of speed or just to get up a bit of confidence. It can get very busy at week ends and during school holidays. The disco music can be too loud for anybody except teenagers. Check with the rink before you go if you don't want to find yourself in the middle of an ice disco. During the week the early evening sessions are much quieter. It is run by the council so it isn't that expensive and you can get a discount card if you are a regualar visitor - you may also get special deals if you have a "Slice" card for the council run sports centres. Non-skaters can pay a pound to accompany their children.

Good old Oxford ice rink. It's a typical ice rink in that it's a bit run-down, a bit dirty and…read morerather ugly from the outside, but hey, you don't go there for the aesthetics. The rink is a fair old size and they run lots of great events such as ice dancing lessons, family discos and ice hockey training. Various teams train regularly there, although often late at night, and it's home to Oxford Alternative Ice Hockey (essentially ice hockey for amateurs, but great fun according to my friend who does it regularly). Entry is pretty cheap, although as others have mentioned, it's best to walk there if you want to avoid the parking charges. There are vending machines and lockers, and the staff are friendly and enthusiastic.

This is a perfect place to take young family members who like to run around and make noise!…read more I recently took a young niece here, and she absolutely loved it - an added bonus was that she was so tired out by the end of it her mum said she slept like a log! I remember going to something like this when I was really young too, it offers a ideal mix between being able to see and touch animals like rabbits and pigs, to an adventure playground with those big slides that probably aren't so big when your a grown up but are huge when your little that you sort of drop off almost vertically, with your bum hardly touching the slide! There's also a nature trail. The park is great in nice weather, not so good in the rain but there are still inside things to do. It is also quite reasonable priced - £7.00 adult and £6.50 child, check their website for special offers.

This is a large, leafy recreational area covering 50 acres just outside Bristol with an animal…read morefarm, riverside walks, playgrounds and picnic areas. With stacks to entertain children, it's also a pleasant space for adults, and even when it's sunny and busy there seems to be plenty of space for everyone. For kids, the play arena has trampolines, slides, rope climbing structures and go karts, plus mini golf and the Strawberry Line miniature train. The six or so shire horses kept at the park are a big attraction, and there are lots of smaller animals to see, and even handle (under supervision). The park has falconry displays at the weekends (and during school holidays), plus a nature trail along the river (with a junior assault course running parallel to it). Adults cost £7.50, children (and OAPs) £7, and little ones under 2 go free. The park's open every day from April - end of October, then the indoor play barn is open on weekends and school holidays.

When in Oxford go punting! During the final days of my trip to Oxford I had a difficult decision to…read morego to London or enjoy the afternoon in Oxford. Going punting was a great choice! In the beginning, my group was split in to 2 boats. Both punting boats had trouble staying straight. That's what he said. The boating system relies on a long stick pushing on the floor of the canal. Think of a gondola only with out the singing. The difficulty is using the pole to steer the boat. Against your instincts you must steer the tale in the direction you want to go and not the way you think it will go. Let's just say one boat was going in circles and the boat house owner didn't look amused. I got suck in a tree trying to avoid the other group boats. A tip don't fight the water let the water take you. Push it real good! We had some vary embarrassing moments captured on photos and instagram but it added to the fun on the experience. It was great for team building and nobody fell in. When all desperation was high and hope was lost. We pushed forward because our goal was to find a place to get drinks. The one person with some boat knowledge and paid attention during the punting instructions became our leader. We did get 2 large Pimms pitchers once we reached our destination. So worth it! Don't worry I was a designated punter so I didn't drink too much. Surprisingly after drinking and relaxing punting is a lot easier. Despite embarrassment we all had a great laugh and memorable stories to tell of our adventure. I highly recommend punting with friends if weather permits.

This is a must-do activity when in Oxford and I cannot recommend it enough!…read more Punting has a long tradition in Oxford and this boathouse has been connected to Magdalen college since its conception. This gives the place a rich history, and it can be seen as you travel along the river. this is actually the second time I have gone punting at this place this year, and both times we have had a wonderful experience. The staff at the boathouse are all very busy but always friendly and approachable. There is a high turnover of people getting in and off boats, but there is never the feeling that we are cattle being moved around and having money taken form us. There is still a personal element to it which is very nice. The owner of the boathouse has been working both days I have been, and he is an incredibly friendly man who recommended buying champagne and strawberries to enjoy the punting more. On the second time of punting he actually remembered us. This is a subtle yet very important point as he must see hundreds of customers a day but he remembered me 3 months later. That was a very nice touch. For those interested in punting, you have two options: Sit back and enjoy your own guide to punt you and your friends/significant other around the scenery. OR Punt yourself! We chose the second option and had such a fun time! I obviously was amazing at punting being a sort of veteran by now, but others just couldn't seem to nail the technique. Both outcomes led to a very relaxing float down the river in the figure of 8 loop mapped out. If it is sunny, and you want to treat yourselves to an hour or two of champagne and relaxation, come down here and get on the river!

What a delightfully fun day at this cute farm. Everyone was so happy to be out and about on this…read moresunny day. The atmosphere was super family oriented, kid friendly and very educational. There was a cute stand for food and hot drinks on this slightly chilly day. CARAMEL DOUGHNUT Fluffy doughnut with a delicious caramel glaze. It wasn't too sweet and it would be so easy to eat two of these without even blinking! FONDANT DOUGHNUT Fluffy doughnut with a sweet fondant glaze. This was tasty, but a little too sweet for me. My coffee helped wash this down for me. JAM DOUGHNUT Fluffy doughnut with a sweet and slightly tart jam filling. DELICIOUS. A perfect, classic jam filled doughnut. Could eat myself sick from these. Scrumptious! After having these delicious doughnuts, we walked around and fed the animals. This farm is so big on cleanliness and educating everyone about being friendly to all walks of earth. Absolutely loved learning more about farm animals, feeding them and seeing how well they are cared for. A great way to introduce children to learning so much about respecting animals and the environment!

What was meant to be a joyful experience started terribly when we were initially refused entry!!…read moreWhen staff were unable to scan our ticket we were informed shortly after that the ticket had been redeemed the day before at 2pm. This was utter madness to us as we live an hour away and the ticket was clearly dated with the date of our visit. I was informed that some visitors redeem their tickets earlier than their specified date that they choose when booking which seems odd to me if a venue needs to cap visitor numbers! We were made to feel that we were lying and we felt helpless with having to nothing to prove our innocence. It was made clear that we were not going to be allowed entry as they had no explanation for the mishap. My friend and her daughter were in great distress as a result. I ended up paying another £60 to avoid delaying our visit any further and risk missing activities for the day. The manager agreed to complete their investigation whilst we carry on with our day. We were later given a refund and gift card. Despite this, I would still like to share our experience incase this happens to someone else. I suspect their booking system is faulty. Odds farm WAS a special venue to me as I visited when I was young but this experience has tainted my view of the farm, as a result I will never return!

Great for a half-day trek down the Long Walk from Windsor Castle and Town Centre, preferably with a…read moregood friend because the road is dead straight and nothing much happens except when you sight deer or even rarer royalty. Or take a bicycle along the many roads that criss-cross the park, and watch a Polo match or one of the many other summer events. Kas73 is wrong, you can't drive through unless you live in the park, but you can ride up to a great little cafe/Post Office and even some swings if you take the kids. For a full day, add on a walk around the lake in the Valley Gardens, best for their rhododendrons and spring flowers.

Probably the single best thing about living in windsor you can be in beautiful meadows, exploring…read morewoodland, walking around lakes and all within 10 mins of the centre of town. great for picnics, cycling, running or just whiling away an afternoon walking around. Dont miss the copper horse, or the huge herd of deer.

An old church might seem like an odd place to have a climbing wall but it actually works…read moresurprisingly well. The high walls are perfect, with climbs in excess of thirty feet. The view when you get to the top is amazing as well; you literally get a totally different perspective on the building. Plus, it doesn't have that hot sweaty feeling that some climbing walls have - all the space means you can breathe a little better. All the space means the sound gets soaked up a bit too - sometimes gyms can sound like factories with all the machines going, but this place certainly doesn't. Usually the only sounds that will interrupt your thoughts are the echoes of whatever the receptionist has decided to put on the sound system. As well as conventional climbing walls there's a large bouldering area, with soft crash mats that have caught my body on the many occasions that my fingers have decided to give out. The atmosphere's great though, and nobody judges you if your new or just a bit crap like me. If you do want to improve they have excellent instructors on hand, who are very patient (they get a lot of school groups in here so they have plenty of practice. Bristol Climbing Centre is unique, a great place to learn to climb, and a wonderful environment to do it in.

it just never ceases to amaze me the wealth of exiting and slightly unusual things to do in and…read morearound Bristol. Set within an old church, god knows how much effort must have been put in to convert the building to a climbing centre, the South West's biggest Climbing centre - if you didn't know! There are all sorts of levels of walls and sessions available to accommodate for the real beginner (which is where I was) and the more experiences climber. 12 meters doesn't sound very high until you get half way up it and feel like you might be able to reach the clouds with your next step up! They run things like Easter courses so great for kids but also for adults.