The castle is lovely and grounds are absolutely stunning. Although the structure and landscaping…read moreare lovely, our tour guide felt the need to weave her strong political views into most topics. Examples would be regarding a pitcher/jug that is displayed in one of the glass cases. She said the pitcher "should not be here" and if she had her way "it would be returned" because it was "stolen from a masque." She also said when referring to Dr. Edward Jenner being the first to develop a successful vaccination for small pox that "it really is a question if he were the first." She said he barely beat Africa and Turkey in this world altering vaccine. To which doctors to whom was she referring to in Africa or Turkey? She made a comment of, " My grandfather always said, 'Whatever horrible acts done have been done have been done by the English first.' and I firmly believe this." She was also railing against the decisions of the monarchs before the addition of the parliament. Then she went on to say she wished she could get rid of the current government. A guide should concentrate on the facts and remove biases. It is quite distracting and unnecessary.

What can you say about one of the oldest inhabited castles in the world which is still owned by the…read moresame family from 900 years ago. You have to go. Its where Edward II was murdered with a red hot poker up his fundament .

Streamleaze road park is great for the little ones ,some swings ,a slide , rope climb etc all…read moreenclosed and gated

Gayle and I arrived at the very cool Broadway Tower as we hiked up from town and then on our way to…read moreChipping Campden. It was built in 1798 on the second highest point in the Cotswolds and a very cool scenic place to take it all in. It's also a folly - a building that looks like it has a useful purpose (in this case, a strategic lookout), but is really just for decoration or personal enjoyment. In this case, it was commissioned by the 6th Earl of Coventry as a token of affection for his wife Lady Barbara.

This place was great- we were just going to drive by and then were enticed inside where we found a…read moredelightful gift shop and cafe. We purchased cute greeting cards and two lattes- delicious. They can make one mean mocha! Cute holidays ornaments, builder sets & more. Outside there are nice tables and cute kids play toys like a teepee to go into etc 2nd cafe & shop had lovely clothes and bags... We ended up doing the loop hike and saw so many cute sheep and a herd of deer with a magnificent buck; many places to rest and take up a view of the valley on a comfy bench...the tower tour came w listening device with history..: view from roof was amazing. There's a small shop at the bottom of the tower stocked w similar to first shop. My 75 year old mom was a little tired going up some of the hills but crushed it; I was just as tired ha ha

Located on an industrial estate between a welders workshop and site for building materials, this…read moreperky lime green warehouse stands out a mile. Yummy mummies and their 4x4's stream in and out of the well guarded gates and high walls that lead to a sanitary paradise of indoor-outdoor adventure. Parc (Welsh for park) is marketed as an 'all weather playground' and it divvies up as two thirds indoors and one third out. The outdoor bit has a fantastic sandy 'beach' area, with large wooden boat complete with pirate flags. In-between the in and the outdoors there is a zip wire, water play area, two swings and a large slide. Inside there are two 'tube' slides, wooden adventure walkway with bridges and ropes and a toddlers area aimed at the 1-4's. The facilities include a cafe area, lots of seating throughout and toilets. I love the little touches such as the double-seater stripy deckchairs. In winter the heated cafe area, with clear views of the toddlers area, is the place to be. I have to admit it I've had my eye on this place from the outset. We live across the river from Parc and when I saw the sign go up wizzed over for a preview. I met the builders (our new, but temporary neighbours) and came back with a carboot full of wood offcuts for the burner. I thought - "a wooden playground on an industrial estate? I like!" ...And I still do, but as I mentioned earlier I do find this type of indoor 'gated' playground a little too sanitary for my taste and in many ways prefer taking my toddler to the beach or the park - But shock horror what if it rains?! A: I just let him get wet. Another small gripe, it seems that there is a small jump from toddler to confident child in terms of the equipment on offer. There could be more for the 3-6's here I feel. All in all well worth a visit, good place to hang out with your mummy mates. Bring your own picnic, sit down, chillax and have a natter...ok if you've got an under 5 that mayyy not happen! Opening hours: Weekdays 10am - 6:30pm last entry 5pm, weekends & school holidays 10am - 6pm last entry 4:30pm Cost: Adults £1.50 peak, £1 off peak. Children £5 peak, £3.50 off peak, reductions for more than 1 child. Note: Parties catered for - but pre-book. Also note: Visits are limited to 2.5 hours on very busy day (but that's about right anyway) Tip: As you can imagine it gets busy during school holidays and after school Tip: Free wifi Top tip: Walk , train it or cycle and get 50p off!

You'd think a place like this would be my idea of hell, but I have to admit I was really impressed…read morewith the facilities at Parc - it's too bad they didn't have play areas like this when I was a kid! I'd never be privy to playgrounds if it weren't for my beloved's two year daughter, who tires herself out by running endlessly from tunnel to slide and back again. I can't wait until she's a bit older so I can live vicariously through her as she tears through Parc on the zip wire... After chasing her around screaming for half an hour, I needed some sort of refreshment (I realised this is neither the time nor the place for a pint), but luckily, Parc has this covered as well, selling coffees and canned drinks, as well as hot dogs and even packs of Oreos (yes!). The best time to go is on a Sunday morning, where you'll pretty much have the place to yourself; otherwise get ready for an onslaught of families and hyperactive children, which isn't so bad, if you can be all Zen about it like the kind lady working the snack hut who simply says, "You don't even hear the screaming after a while - it's like white noise".

An excellent place for a half-day out. The Hedge puzzle is worth the entry fee by itself -- a great…read moremaze with an easy way out once you've found the middle, and with good viewing platforms so that you can laugh at other people struggling away. But there's all sorts of other things there as well: the proprietors are clearly into mazes and puzzles in a big way, and they've put together a very entertaining collection of such things to keep you (and/or the kids) occupied. We were made to feel very welcome when we went, with some zany staff making a good job of entertaining our two children. There's a Butterfly Zoo next door (qv) but we preferred the Maze -- a very good morning out.

This course is as good as the one in Bath, and a great leveller - the best and worst players won't…read moreget too far apart. Nine holes is always too small for me, and eighteen too much for children, so this twelve-hole course is great for families, and there are small clubs for infants. There are some crazy-golf novelties like the spiral, but the theming is more restrained than most. The design is original, with a Roman theme a bit like Pompeii and one particular feature which makes everyone smile (I won't tell you what!). The countryside around is lovely. The playing surface is artificial turf and I have seen wheelchairs on it. It's quite cheap, and half-price for extra rounds or if you visit the Wye Valley Butterfly Zoo or the aMazing Hedge Puzzle, which are both next door to it. Parking is free, which makes a change.

What a fantastic day out. This place offers a lot for family's…read more Great value for £8 per adult and £5 for children over two, under twos are free ! The grounds are fantastic lots of open space for the children to wonder and explore and also paths that follow through the trees and gardens. There's a big adventure playground full of lots to explore, zip wire, slide climbing frame etc. There were also blow up slides and a paddling pool. There was a separate area with Wendy houses, trampolines and a climbing frame for the smaller children which was in a really nice relaxing area. You can get up close with pigs, rabbits, guinea pigs and chickens in Pet's Corner. There is 66 acres of beautiful gardens and woodland walks, the views across the River Severn and Wales and spectacular ! There's also a cafe and shop. The cafe is really nice I had a caramel latte with a cheese and chutney sandwich came to £5.50 wich Is good value. Plenty of parking available. Overall a fantastic day out which was really enjoyed by all.

Old Down Country Park is not your typical stately home. It is a farm/zoo/park/house. Great for the…read morewhole family too. They have large lawn areas for picnics, a café for those who didn't pre-prepare food, and lots and ltos of animals. Expect to find your typical farm animals. Goats? Check. Pigs? Check. Sheep? Check. Ponies? Check. Wallabies????check!!! Entry is only a fiver and you can spend the whole day there (weather permitting) walking along the Victorian walls and cooing at all the cute animals.

This unspoilt woodland is a great place to walk the dog, and like all woodlands it changes with the…read moreseasons so you get a different experience each time you visit. You feel a lot further from the city than you actually are, and the various ponds, streams and springs mean you can spot lots of wildlife, particularly ducks (and ducklings, in the spring!). The woods are also full of wild flowers, especially in the spring, with more than 50 species recorded there. The area is also home to some interesting historical features such as the disused Radyr Quarry with a craggy rock face, and a spring that is associated with a 6th century hermit. There are noticeboards dotted about the woods pointing out things of interest.

A square of green, surrounded by terraces on all sides, St. Andrews Park is probably deserving of…read morethe 'green oasis' cliché. Big old conker trees at the top of the hill make lovely shade for reading. As you go further down, there's a bit more open space usually where people play football. As the land isn't flat here it's not perfect for sports, although I have enjoyed a few afternoons of Frisbee here. There's a kids park, which doesn't usually have glowering teenagers sitting on the swings, always a plus. They've also got a bowls green (so a lied, there is at least one small patch of perfectly flat land) tucked away for your granddad. Since its surrounded by housing it's unsurprising how popular it gets when the sun comes out. On a fine day in July or August it can be a challenge to find enough space to set your picnic and you can certainly forget about being able to play Frisbee. I don't blame the people for coming, this park offers a little lung for the surrounding area.

St Andrews park is great, it's a luscious green haven just a short walk from the hustle and bustle…read moreof Gloucester road. The park has lots of green grassy space, and trees to offer shade from the sun. The kids play area is at the top of the hill and hosts your usual park utensils, it also has a paddling pool which is open during the summer. This park offers something for everyone, it has a really chilled feel and during the warm weather has a real festival vibe. With groups of people having BBQs and enjoying a few beers in the sun. There's a small catering can that offers drinks and nibbly treats! The toilets are the only downside to this place, they are a little worse for wear and could do with a bit of TLC. I love this park and would definitely recommend you pay a visit!

The Munday playing fields, which was donated to Thornbury by Mrs Violet Mundy in 1937. It features…read morea children's play area and sports ground as well as a large open air paddling pool, it is the best place to go for free in the summer. The grassy bank slopes down towards the paddling pool so you get a great view of what your children are up to from the comfort of your picnic rug. It has toilets and usually an ice cream van but it is just off the high street so you can easily pop to the shops.

Very good park for kids and adults ,great paddling pool my kids love it even if it is a 20min walkread more