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Can you recommend some trips out to the country (or somewhere picturesque) using public transport?

We have two small children and no car. Has anyone got any ideas for trips out to picturesque spots using public transport?
We have been up to Trent Country Park on the Piccadilly Line and to Kew Gardens, Walthamstow Marshes etc and Hampstead Heath on the train, but do you know of any other top spots to take the little 'uns this summer?

Tags for Forum Posts: child friendly, days out, public transport, summer fun

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I love how long ago this thread started!  Now that the overground is running from Highbury and Islington, it opens up loads of bits of South London as well - you might want to try heading to Forest Hill and the Horniman Museum www.horniman.ac.uk which is free, has beautiful grounds for picnics, a good musical instruments gallery and even a small but nice little aquarium (for the princely sum of £2)

 

It seemed like it was very child friendly too.

Thanks for the info re the trains, Pip - I didn't know that. The Horniman is great, I agree.

 

Which reminds me, you can get a Family & Friends Railcard for £28 with 10% off the price if you buy it online.

I'm amazed no-one on this thread has mentioned Leigh-on-Sea. You can get there in just over an hour on the Gospel Oak line, changing at Barking. There's a beach (imported sand, because the "seaside" is actually the Thames estuary i.e mud.) If you are there at high tide there's adult swimming, but at low tide they have created pools between the groynes(sp?) which stay full of water for children to use. And they adore playing in the mud anyway. Fish and chips, nice seaside pubs, fresh fish co-op, Rossi's ice-cream - what more could you want?

Went with a friend last weekend, no kids as they are too old to enjoy day trips with parents any more - we got off the train at Benfleet and walked along the coast through a country park. Then visited Two Tree Island nature reserve, a bird sanctuary to the west of Leigh. Beautiful!

Near Bayford is Celtic Harmony. It's got roundhouses where kids can make bread and make warrior bags plus they have archery demos. It has lovely woodland walks with lots of craft activities in the woods that you just kind of stumble onto. Has a small cafe picnic area and playground. If you get the train to Baysford from Harringay then call them they come and puck you up. 

We had a really great day out there last summer. 

Probably not good for the little'uns but thought it's worth mentioning the Saturday Walkers Club that started years ago in Time Out - lots of walks in the South East, all accessible by public transport, and kind of non-group group walks every weekend (they publish the weekends walk and you just turn up, there's no leader and you can be as social or as anti-social as you like).  The books are recommended too.  

http://www.walkingclub.org.uk/

If you don't want to go far, a trip to the Desert and Palm houses at Wolves Lane nursery seems like a good idea

Mountfitchet Castle is wonderful - http://www.mountfitchetcastle.com/

40 mins from Liverpool Street. Recreation of Norman village from about 1066. Animals too :-)

The River Lee Country Park is worth a try. (Below is a snap I took the other day). I'm pretty sure you can get there by pubic transport. If you're up to walking 1.5 miles through the park (and back, I guess), within the park is the kid orientated (that is as visitors, not as livestock!) Lee Valley Farm (which gets a good rating on Trip Advisor, I seem to remember).

Brussels is 1hour 59 mins on Eurostar for a lovely chilled day out - I'm not joking !

1. I suggest St Alban's. It has a fantastic Cathedral, Park, River and Verulamium Roman town. My late mother used to take me, my brother and two sisters there by bus from Arnos Grove tube stn. The bus now runs from Potters Bar - (route 84). Alternatively pop down to St Pancras and take a fast train to St Albans.

http://www.stalbans.gov.uk/leisure-and-culture/parks-and-green-spac...

2. Second suggestion is the City Farm at Vauxhall - Spring Gardens. My mother was brought up on a farm in Italy .. sadly she suffered a severe stroke... anyway ... two years ago I took her to the farm and I was amazed how well she responded to seeing all the animals. I am sure the farm smells brought back many memories too.

Very easy to get to... and there is a Starbucks and a Pret a Manger in Vauxhall too.

http://www.vauxhallcityfarm.org/

There are some nice walks around Chesham, which is in the Chilterns, and in Zone 9!

Depends how small your kids are, but Queen Elizabeth's Hunting Lodge in Epping forest (about 10 mins walk from Chingford station) is aimed at children.  Epping Forest is a good place for a picnic and also there's a pub next door to the lodge that caters to families and has a buffet.  I think it's called the Forest or the Royal Forest or something along those lines.  The lodge itself has a dress-up section with some boxes of things like Tudor-era neck ruffs and hats and a lot of plastic food on banqueting tables.  Nice view of the forest from the top floor.

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