Hartsholme Country Park stretches over 200 acres, where visitors can enjoy Victorian landscaped gardens, a large reservoir, woodlands and grasslands, and wildlife watching. Even on a grey, rainy day, it's a peaceful place to wander. There is parking on site (53°12'55.5"N 0°34'55.6"W) with direct access to the grounds.
Northamptonshire is scattered with plenty of woodlands and pathways for walkers to explore, and Wakerley Great Wood (one of the oldest forests in England) is no exception. The wood, near Corby, is a part of the ancient Rockingham Forest, which used to spread right from Stamford down to Northampton, and is one of the forest's largest remnants. Now looked after by Forestry England, there are plenty of…
This 1,000-acre Country Park stretches down either side of the River Lee between Waltham Abbey (Essex) and Broxbourne (Hertfordshire) and has been transformed from old gravel pits. One of the best examples of semi-natural floodplain grassland remaining in Lee Valley Regional Park. Its mosaic of rivers, ditches and pools makes it a fantastic place to see a variety of wildlife throughout the year. Try and find…
A nice woodland for a quiet autumnal shroom-spotting wander, and a cup of tea, with my brother.
It's rare for me not to be happy with a waterfall, of any size.. but this one just didn't do it for me. Perhaps it was the smell of sewerage that put me off, perhaps the grey weather didn't help my mood, but I didn't feel any sense of satisfaction from our short stop here. To visit, we parked on Longford Road (51°40'18.2"N 3°49'46.1"W), just across…
Oxwich Bay has plenty of sand, sea and space for everyone, even on the hottest Summer day. The beach is popular with paddlers, bathers, high-speed boats, and jet skis alike, as the car park is directly on the beach front. Across the road from the car park is an entrance to the Oxwich Coastal Path, a lovely walk in the shady trees on a hot day.…
Rhossili Beach was Britain’s first designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It offers a three-mile stretch of clean, golden sands backed by dunes and the beautiful Rhossili Downs. Walk along the shoreline, listening to the Atlantic waves crashing onto the sand. At the southwestern end of the beach is Worm’s Head, a tidal island. At low tide, a long, narrow causeway is exposed - but check tidal tables…
Merthyr Mawr Sand Dunes are a Site of Special Scientific Interest. The largest dune at the site is known as The Big Dipper and is the second-largest of its kind in Europe, measuring around 200 feet (61 m). We may not have encountered the Merthyr Mawr Sand Dunes, on the edge of the Merthyr Mawr Warren, if we weren't visiting the ruins of Candleston Castle - but in fact, they may…
The river is a pretty place to walk along, whether in town, on the outskirts, or a little further downstream. We were also able to see it from a different perspective when offered to do some paddleboarding.
Thetford Forest is the UK’s largest man-made lowland forest. It was created after the First World War to provide a strategic reserve of timber, since the country had lost so many oaks and other slow-growing trees as a consequence of the war's demands. The creation of the forest replaced much of the typical Breckland environment of gorse and sandy ridges, ending the frequent problem of sand blows. I visited in early winter, and…
Another quick unplanned stop today. I bet this place is beautiful when the heather's all in bloom. Still, it provided a nice little wander. To get here there are two car parks, Sutton Heath Woodland parking (52°04'54.6"N 1°22'46.1"E) and Sutton Heath Picnic Area and Car Park (52°04'41.8"N 1°21'51.6"E)
Spent a day here just wandering aimlessly around. I managed to take the UFO trail completely backwards, only finding the UFO at the end of my walk, and I spent more time checking out the piglets next to where I parked than wondering if they really did see aliens, hehe, but it was a lovely day! To get here there are two paid car parks in…