Autumn leaves and fiendish fun
Ellie Cox
activities
It may feel as if the children have only just gone back to school but already it’s time for half term. So, if you’re in need of some ideas to amuse them and save your own sanity, read on…
This time of year may be the season of mists and mellow fruitfulness, but it’s also the time for ghostly goings-on when things go bump in the night and you can’t help bumping into a pumpkin or two!
There’s a whole week full of pumpkins at Secretts at Hurst Farm, Milford from October 22nd to 29th. Pop along and pick your own to take home. They’re priced by the diameter so bear that in mind when tempted to go for the biggest. Pick up an activity sheet and join in a scavenger hunt. If the fleshy orange squash is to your taste, then tuck into the pumpkin menu of soup, curry or a slice of spicy pumpkin cake.
In the lead up to Halloween, RHS Wisley invites you to delve into the world of deadly plants and bugs. With fun family activities from Saturday 22nd to Sunday 30th. Follow the trail around the garden to explore how everything from cacti to centipedes defend themselves and their habitats. Meet all kinds of bugs and get stuck in with craft and planting workshops. Design a deadly bug or start growing your own carnivorous plant at a workshop and find out more about the wicked plants and wildlife who make Wisley their home.
Magic and mischief abound on The Watercress Line this Halloween with spooky fun galore to keep the kids entertained. Travel on the Wizard Express steam train, walk in Harry Potter’s footsteps over the railway footbridge and explore the Harry Potter style coaches in the siding at Alresford. Get up close to hairy, scary creatures, take part in a broom making demo and much more. As well as unlimited train travel between stations. And why not dress up as a spooky character for the chance to win a prize?
There’s a week of spooky make and take craft activities at the Rural Life Centre, Farnham from Monday 24th to Sunday 30th. With the popular pumpkin carving on Saturday and Sunday. Pre-booking essential for this.
If you’ve ever accused your children of being air heads let them revel in this at Brooklands Museum this October half term, at their Air Heads extravaganza where you’ll find all manner of activities to keep them entertained. Join in the Build a Paper Aircraft Family Workshop and watch it fly. Pedal planes will run from the paddock for under 5s. Become a detective and solve clues, decode messages and search for hidden objects to claim a prize.
Fairy Doors will be in the Painshill landscape from Saturday 22nd until November 13th. Discover the secret series of doors hidden around the woodlands and lake. As you wander the route you will see the best spots for autumn colour. Enjoy some stunning trees, collect autumn leaves and celebrate the season. Keep your eyes open for the fairies!
A new after dark trail awaits visitors to Polesden Lacey from October 20th to November 6th with IGNITE. Visitors can enjoy a walk through the gardens at night guided by flickering flames and glowing tunnels of trees, with magical illuminated installations along the way. Nestled in the Surrey Hills, the Edwardian gardens of the estate are the perfect setting for this exceptional after-dark experience.
An autumn stroll through the ancient woodlands and parkland at Hatchlands Park is a joy at this time year. The beech woodland creates a delightful haze of gold and yellow and the native wild service tree, with its vibrant red leaves glows against the sky. There are various way-marked routes to follow and if you need a little help to get around, book an all-terrain Tramper personal mobility vehicle.
There’s a weird, wacky, and wicked Halloween trail to follow at Winkworth Arboretum in Godalming. From Saturday 22nd to Monday 31st where you can uncover the spookier side of trees on a haunted trail around the arboretum. Did you know fungi is closer to an animal than a plant? There’s a tree that smells like candyfloss? Or that some trees can grow fingers? Discover all this and more…
Take part in an autumn colour hunt throughout the month at The Vyne. Search for reds, golden yellows and rusty browns hidden in the grounds using the autumn colour hunt key. Intrigue and curious conundrums are part of the Halloween riddle trail from Saturday 22nd to Sunday 30th when little ones can also hunt for witches, wizards, cats and toads exploring the gardens with the aid of trail sheets. A chocolate treat awaits at the end.
Spot the pumpkins hidden across the Pleasure Garden and have fun strolling through crunchy leaves at Petworth from Saturday 22nd to Sunday 30th. Search out seasonal colours and different leaf shapes at Petworth that are marked on the colour catcher chart. Collect what you find, then help create deer shaped wild art installations by attaching your leafy collections to the animal models.
Gin lovers listen up! Did you know there’s an award-winning distillery in the beautiful village of Ripley? Distillers Of Surrey are a family run business on the picturesque Papercourt Lake, Polesden Lane. If you’re yet to discover this hidden treasure, check out their opening times at www.distillersofsurrey.com or book one of their popular distillery tours where you’ll be welcomed with a G&T and enjoy an interesting tour. Younger ones aren’t forgotten with spooky Halloween craft to enjoy on Saturday 29th.
Discover dog-friendly venues in Newbury
Round & About
activities
Newbury Business Improvement District are launching a new Dog-Friendly Trail Map in time for National Dog Day
The handy pocket Dog-Friendly Trail Map has launched online in advance of National Dog Day on Friday, 26th August, to help raise awareness of Newbury’s dog-friendly venues in the town centre.
The guide also supports the national and independently owned cafes, coffee shops, pubs, and eateries.
Copies of the map are due to be distributed in matching display boxes to all 20 independent businesses and some of the national brands featured, as well as at the 48 independent businesses included on the Independent Retail Map, launched in July.
There will be a further map in late summer / early autumn, this time sporting a vegan-friendly theme
The Dog-Friendly map includes a brief description of each venue and is set to become a useful resource for dog owners to discover the best dog-walking routes within walking distance of the town centre, while signposting to dog-waste bins in and around the area to encourage keeping Newbury clean and tidy. View the map online at: visitnewbury.org.uk/maps.
The themed maps produced by the BID are the second in a series of town centre maps for Newbury under the umbrella term ‘Newbury Town Trail Maps’.
Newbury BID, the not-for-profit organisation behind the Visit Newbury brand will also be releasing a further map in late summer / early autumn, this time sporting a vegan-friendly theme. This map will promote 59 vegan-friendly businesses extending from hospitality to retail and hair and beauty venues across the town centre.
The aim of our beautifully illustrated pocket guides and online interactive Town Trails is to help support our local businesses and raise the profile of our wonderful town centre
Kirsty Lemberger, Marketing Manager at Newbury BID, says: “We’re so pleased with our dog-friendly trail maps and hope the handy pocket-sized format will encourage dog-walkers to use the map on a regular basis to locate dog waste bins in the town centre and enjoy exploring new dog-walking routes in the area.
“The aim of our beautifully illustrated pocket guides and online interactive Town Trails is to help support our local businesses and raise the profile of our wonderful town centre. Launching our dog friendly map in line with the nationally recognised National Dog Day will help to increase awareness further while supporting a cause important to dog-lovers in West Berkshire and beyond!”
Maps are available to collect across the town centre at most businesses featured on the map, and from Newbury Library, West Berkshire Museum, and in the Old Town Hall.
If you run a business in Newbury Town Centre and would like to be included on an upcoming map, please email: [email protected].
To find out more about what’s happening in Newbury, please visit: visitnewbury.org.uk/newburys-calling.
Happy 5th birthday to The Lexicon
Karen Neville
activities
Bracknell’s fabulous shopping centre is celebrating and you’re invited to join them
Celebrate The Lexicon’s fifth birthday with forest giants, seedling sprites, night forest theatre and a special birthday proms taking place in the town centre from August 24th to September 4th.
The Bracknell Giants, so popular last year, will return with two new friends. Bracknell Forest Guardian Elderma and the adventurous Will Wildwood, boasting an integral slide.
Also new for this year is The Night Forest theatre show, where younger visitors and their families will meet five fabulous forest creatures. Using holographic technology, these characters will appear to come to life as part of this interactive show. Places to attend The Night Forest Show can be pre-booked, with all proceeds going to The Lexicon Charity Fund.
Younger visitors and their families will meet five fabulous forest creatures
There’s also a Seedling Sprite Trail to follow, pick up a trail sheet and unlock the secrets for the chance to win some wonderful prizes, a host of fun entertainers, giveaways, a special birthday Proms taking place on Saturday, 3rd September and much much more.
The birthday proms will feature performers giving away birthday badges, tote bags and cupcakes.
From Monday, 5th September The Lexicon will be giving away five fabulous prizes donated by Beaverbrooks, Pandora, Marks & Spencer, Wagamma and Primark so keep your eyes on their Facebook page!
They will also reveal which local community groups have been awarded £5,000 each from The Lexicon Charity Fund.
Bracknell Forest Council and The Lexicon have teamed up to create the Bracknell Forest Festival so make sure that you put a note in your diary now.
Find out more
Find out more by visiting www.bracknellforestfestival.com
What’s your favourite local park?
Round & About
activities
Love Parks Week runs from today until Friday 5th August, organised by Keep Britain Tidy.
The charity wants us all to enjoy our green spaces, whether it’s walking the dog, picnicking with friends, or pushing our little ones on a playground swing.
There are lots of events going on and the week is also set up to celebrate and support the efforts of the volunteers who maintain and protect our green spaces.
Buckinghamshire has so many wonderful parks to enjoy, including Guildford’s Loseley Park, Frimley Lodge Park in Camberley, Lightwater Country Park and Gostrey Meadow in Farnham… Which is your favourite? Make sure to share it on social media #LoveParks
We’ve also teamed up with Keep Britain Tidy to call for dog-owners to bag and bin their pooch’s poop!
What’s your favourite local park?
Round & About
activities
Love Parks Week runs from today until Friday 5th August, organised by Keep Britain Tidy.
The charity wants us all to enjoy our green spaces, whether it’s walking the dog, picnicking with friends, or pushing our little ones on a playground swing.
There are lots of events going on and the week is also set up to celebrate and support the efforts of the volunteers who maintain and protect our green spaces.
Surrey has so many wonderful parks to enjoy, including Guildford’s Loseley Park, Frimley Lodge Park in Camberley, Lightwater Country Park and Gostrey Meadow in Farnham… Which is your favourite? Make sure to share it on social media #LoveParks
We’ve also teamed up with Keep Britain Tidy to call for dog-owners to bag and bin their pooch’s poop!
What’s your favourite local park?
Round & About
activities
Love Parks Week runs from today until Friday 5th August, organised by Keep Britain Tidy.
The charity wants us all to enjoy our green spaces, whether it’s walking the dog, picnicking with friends, or pushing our little ones on a playground swing.
There are lots of events going on and the week is also set up to celebrate and support the efforts of the volunteers who maintain and protect our green spaces.
Hampshire has so many wonderful parks to enjoy, including Eastrop Park in Basingstoke and Bramshot Farm Country Park in Fleet… Which is your favourite? Make sure to share it on social media #LoveParks
We’ve also teamed up with Keep Britain Tidy to call for dog-owners to bag and bin their pooch’s poop!
What’s your favourite local park?
Round & About
activities
Love Parks Week runs from today until Friday 5th August, organised by Keep Britain Tidy.
The charity wants us all to enjoy our green spaces, whether it’s walking the dog, picnicking with friends, or pushing our little ones on a playground swing.
There are lots of events going on and the week is also set up to celebrate and support the efforts of the volunteers who maintain and protect our green spaces.
Wiltshire has so many wonderful parks to enjoy, including Langford Lakes Nature Reserve and Penn Wood in Calne… Which is your favourite? Make sure to share it on social media #LoveParks
We’ve also teamed up with Keep Britain Tidy to call for dog-owners to bag and bin their pooch’s poop!
What’s your favourite local park?
Round & About
activities
Love Parks Week runs from today until Friday 5th August, organised by Keep Britain Tidy.
The charity wants us all to enjoy our green spaces, whether it’s walking the dog, picnicking with friends, or pushing our little ones on a playground swing.
There are lots of events going on and the week is also set up to celebrate and support the efforts of the volunteers who maintain and protect our green spaces.
Oxfordshire has so many wonderful parks to enjoy, including Oxford’s Shotover Country Park, Radley Lakes, Abbey Gardens, The Ridgeway and Stonor Park…Which is your favourite? Make sure to share it on social media #LoveParks
We’ve also teamed up with Keep Britain Tidy to call for dog-owners to bag and bin their pooch’s poop!
What’s your favourite local park?
Round & About
activities
Love Parks Week runs from today until Friday 5th August, organised by Keep Britain Tidy.
The charity wants us all to enjoy our green spaces, whether it’s walking the dog, picnicking with friends, or pushing our little ones on a playground swing.
There are lots of events going on and the week is also set up to celebrate and support the efforts of the volunteers who maintain and protect our green spaces.
Berkshire has so many wonderful parks to enjoy, including Wokingham’s California Country Park, Windsor Great Park, Reading’s Forbury Gardens and Beale Park near Pangbourne… Which is your favourite? Make sure to share it on social media #LoveParks
We’ve also teamed up with Keep Britain Tidy to call for dog-owners to bag and bin their pooch’s poop!
