Wendover Woods

Website: http://www.forestry.gov.uk/wendoverwoods

Weather: We've been here on the kind of winter's day that turns your lips blue and your soul black and we've done it in weather so good small birds would alight on our shoulders like in a Disney film - so we've seen Wendover Woods at the best and worst of times.

Logistics: Just off the A41 and well signposted. The site itself is compact and easy to navigate. The car park ticket machines take cards, as they all should in this day and age.  It's not too expensive to park, which is nice. 

Activities: There is a Go Ape activity centre here, but mine are too small and I am too cheap to pay for that so you'll have to form your own opinion on that. The woods are lovely to wander through but, as I have two small goal-oriented humans to corral, the Stick Man Adventure Trail suits us very well. Also, you get to meet this guy at the end of the trail:

There's a sign requesting you don't climb on him, but quite frankly what else are those purple prickles for? No child can resist scaling a gruffalo.

You can pick up the a pack to go with the trail for £3 in the cafe which gives you everything you need to keep the wee ones entertained for a walk of approximately 3/4 mile. The activity pack is lovely, both our four and seven year old could engage with it. Mind you, its reliance on sticks in an area that has been effectively cleansed of them by hoards of under 10's over the years means you may have to clamber through the wilderness to actually find some, but then that's part of the fun isn't it? You can build your own stick man and add him to the family tree at one point, though when we got there in the Summer so many children had done this the tree looked like something from the Wicker Man, more creepy than cute - which is just how I like my days out. Bravo.

If you look carefully you'll see tens of stick figures lurking in the branches... waiting to pounce

There are areas to explore which, whilst near the trail aren't strictly a part of it - sculptures, a den building area etc.; you can spend as long or short a time as you wish doing this trail. In winter we took about 35 minutes, in summer about two hours. 

Playground: The playground is great - really big - with equipment catering for all ages.  There's a trim trail, three different types of swing, a few climbing frames, all in a large clearing in the wood. It's also in the shade, which is reassuring in the rare bursts of sunshine we get these days, and the trees also help keep the rain off in more typical weather. I like the unusual bits of equipment, like this massive harp type thing with a carving of a Native American on the front, for reasons that are entirely unclear to me. 

No idea

Coffee: The coffee is pretty good here - I only had it to help thaw out my hands but was pleasantly surprised at how good it was. 

Food: We have only stopped for snacks here really - Wendover is far enough from our house that I actually commit to the concept of day trip and manage to chuck a picnic together if we're going. But I do want to eat all of the cake whenever I'm there. If it tastes as good as it looks then I recommend it. The ice cream is pretty good too. The cafe also has a large box of toys for kids to play with, which makes me love them just that little bit more - if you can keep my children entertained without draining the battery on my phone I'm yours forever. 

Grounds: The cafe is small but well formed, it never seems to get too busy but obviously does plenty of business and the picnic benches are dotted around near the cafe and throughout the woods. There are also glades with BBQs in that are available to hire, if you're a cock-eyed optimist who expects to get good weather, against all the evidence of this year so far. The woods are very well maintained and there are some gorgeous views that you can look at whilst your smallest child plunges headfirst into a ditch, as they are wont to do. 

Accessibility: The paths are well maintained and there were a few wheelchair users exploring the woods. The playground clearly only has children with no physical impairments in mind, the terrain would be quite tricky for anyone using a mobility aid and none of the equipment is adapted to be accessible. Wendover Woods is very safe with the playground well away from the car park, so if your kid is a runner you should be able to catch them before they cause your blood pressure to spike. 

Overall: Wendover Woods is well worth a wisit... sorry, visit. A relaxing way to spend a day and even if the weather is rubbish the kids will crack a smile or two when they meet the gruffalo.