Dorchester Upon Thames

Dorchester is about 20 minutes drive from Didcot. To get to there, drive along the Abingdon Road towards the village (through Clifton Hampden, Burcot and left into the Dorchester - the sailing club will be on your right). Take a left turn onto the Oxford Road, then the immediate right turn. The park is a little further on. There is space for a couple of cars immediately outside the gate. The car park next door is only for fishermen with permits.

Find this park on the google map I made for you. 

My children very much enjoyed this park and we stayed for a good hour. It has equipment for both small and big children.

There are climbing frames for bigger children...

Dorchester is one of my very favourite places to visit. It has everything: free parking, with public toilets located right next door. There is a passage to the river, too. All this is within sight of the Abbey. The High Street has everything you could need for a short visit: a co-op, should you feel the need for an ice-cream break, a pub (with its own parking), a restaurant. Unfortunately the post office is now closed. 

We visited the Abbey yesterday and it is magnificent. Entrance is free. It has a children's corner with activities. My daughter decided she liked the look of the colouring page for the story of 'Daniel in the Lions Den'. My son is now so used to these visits to churches he actively points them out and goes looking for the font...brain washing is a subtle thing, haha! I know, I'm a cruel Mum:)

We visited the museum today. Although it is very small this is good  - there isn't so much the children get bored. They had a teacher's gown which my daughter enjoyed dressing up in, and a gas mask my son thought was superb, along with an assortment of other artefacts - civil war cannon balls, sculpture from the Abbey, old school desks, Romano - British archaeology (roof tiles - I was excited I could identify what these were from my  limited excavation experience of Gatehampton Roman Villa in Goring with the South Oxfordshire Archaeology Group) etc.

Right next door to the museum, in the same building, is the tea room, which also sells cake, scones and tea loaf. Tea: 60p for the first cup, 40p for the second and 20p for the third, and free thereafter. Brilliant should it be raining. Orange and lemon squash is 30p (I think, but certainly inexpensive). It is open Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday 3-5pm (seasonal opening - check the website). 

We shall definitely visit again. 

Pictures: 

Lovely roses.













Lots of nice stained glass windows

Some very old ones. This one is c.1225 - nearly 800 years old! Amazing. 














The museum and the tea room...

Woodcote Church

Woodcote is about a 20 minute drive from Didcot. Take the first turning signposted into Woodcote, which is on your right as you're travelling on the A4074 along the road to Reading. You will turn into the B471, which is the Oxford Road. Take the first left into Tidmore Road. You will see a village hall and the park which is immediately behind it. The school is on the other side of the fence to the park. 

Find this park on the google map I made for you. 

There's plenty of parking, as you can see (above). 

Woodcote Park has absolutely everything - except any shade. We visited on an extremely hot day last week, and it was sorely missed. Consequently we didn't stay for as long as we usually do in a new park. 
Our trip was made more pleasant, however, by the presence of the Post Office which sells everything. 

Probably the oddest piece of equipment ever! You hold on to the bar. It rotates. 

The park has equipment for children of all ages. The (above) piece is suitable for very small children. 

These swings are the total opposite to the extremely low ones found in Steventon Park!

My children had a fantastic time on this climbing frame. 

However, they were decidedly unimpressed with the zipwire, which they called the 'world's slowest'! 

Woodcote park is set in a large recreation field. There is a pub and a restaurant on the opposite side of the road. It appeared to me that the village hall was usually opened, but was having repairs, so the loos were out of action. 

Here's the usual picture of totally unrelated things: 

Woodcote Church (St Leonard's) stained glass. 

Nettlebed Park

Nettlebed is about 20 minutes drive from Didcot. It's on the way to Henley on the A4130, the High Street. Drive past The White Heart on your left and take the next left into Watlington Street. The park is a little way further up on your right. There is a specific car park.

Find this park on the google map I made for you. 

This park has the most shade I have seen. Lovely. And conveniently placed benches.

The longest monkey bars I have ever seen!

We spent two hours in this park. It isn't huge but my children really enjoyed themselves.

Afterwards we went to The White Heart. The children's main menu is good value - £5.00 - and my children ate the lot. I had a George Osbourne Special - a great gourmet burger with some fantastic wedges. It is a lovely pub, quite busy, but good service. The staff also let my son have a toilet break from the park - nice people. 

There is a school in Nettlebed, a few shops. 
Fans of James Bond will know Ian Flemming's family home was here. 

There is every chance we'll go back to Nettlebed park, perhaps on the way to/ from Henley. 

Culham Park

Culham park is extremely easy to find. Turn into the village from the Abingdon Road. If you're coming from the Sutton Courtenay side, it's the next on the left from the car park for the lock. Take the first right - signposted 'school'. Drive up to the top of this road and you'll see some double gates. There's a little bit of parking space along the approach to the park. 

Find this park on the google map I made for you. 

Culham park has an enormous recreation ground. 

Some good swings, very high off the ground!

Nice slide...no worries about falling off from a great height!

The bizarre tubular thing appears to be some sort of basketball post. 

Assault course provided some entertainment for quite a while. 

We probably spent about 30 minutes in this park. It was not busy, we shared it for about 20 minutes with another family.

It is apparent that some work is due to be done on the park. There were two large bags of some sort of plastic material waiting to be laid. We shall visit again soon to find out. 

The only other thing in the village (apart from the pub on the corner and of course the Lock) is the church.

Steventon Park

You can get to Steventon park several ways. You can drive along the A34 link rd (the one with McDonalds and M&S on near the roundabout), taking the second exit towards Steventon, or you can drive out of Didcot along the Abingdon Rd, turning left towards Appleford, through Sutton Courtney and Drayton and taking a left at the roundabout at Drayton (the right turn takes you towards Abingdon).

We parked in the village hall car park, which is next to the large village green. It was only when we returned I noticed parking is reserved for the users only. There is a long road adjacent to the Causeway, but I have an aversion to parking outside people's houses. 

Find this park on the google map I made for you. 

To get to the park, cross over the road and walk along the Causeway: 

It looks a long way but it's really only about 400 m. The school is down the same road so you could just follow the signs for the school. 

The park has a few things for smaller children: 

And a large climbing frame for older ones, incorporating lots of activities, including monkey bars, a fireman's pole, a beam (about 6 feet off the ground), a climbing wall, a slide and a wobbly bridge. 

My son is rarely intimidated by anything and had a good go with most of the equipment...However, the fireman's pole defeated him. It was an intimidating good 5.5 feet off the ground. We didn't go near the monkey bars.

Bizarely, the swings are incredibly low, leaving little room for feet to swing underneath. Actually, they were so low it was impossible, at least without scrapping leather off trainers or hurting feet in sandals. This applies to both the smaller children's swings, and the older children's which were set at the same height. 

This park doesn't really know who it's for. Yes, there is equipment for very small children, but the bigger activity frame is really quite intimidating for those children who are too big for the little children's things, and the swings not very practical at all, for anyone. 

It's a shame that such a lovely village, with so many amenities, has such a strange unco-ordinated park.  

There are quite a few businesses in Steventon. A lovely, friendly printer, a take-away and a co-op, as well as a couple of pubs.

St Michael and All Angels, has some lovely stained glass: 

Harwell Park

View of the rec from the mound. Wasted many an hour sitting atop here!

Aka 'the rec'. I spent a considerable part of my childhood in this park and until very recently it remained the same, only about 100 times more tired looking! I was extremely glad to see how much it has improved. My kids loved it so much that we stayed for nearly two hours today. I can't think what this park doesn't have. I must replace some of the photographs that were here. 

Jess said this reminded her of a Hobbit Hole!

Find this park on the google map I made for you. 

Coming from Didcot, that is driving all the way up the Broadway and on to the Wantage Road then the High Street towards the Reading Road (or as it's called on the map, the London Road - A417, the same road Upton, Blewbury and Aston Tirrold parks are off). Continue past the bus stop - on your right - and take the next  right turn into Westfields. Then take the first turning on your left into the car park. There is tonnes of parking. You'll see the Harwell Bowling Club and the British Legion Club. The playground is behind the rugby changing rooms, which are on the left of the car park. 

More coming later...pubs, shop and village hall info. Keep a look out...

Other stuff...

I walked past this church every day.

Some nice views from the church yard. 

Upton Park

Upton is the first village down from Harwell on the A417 and the village before Blewbury. 

This is another brand new play area that is also just off the London Road, along Station Road. Beeching Close - I'm sure there's no pun intended (not marked on the map) -  is the first on the left, the park is the second on the left. 

Find this park on the google map I made for you. 

We spent a good 1.5 hours in Upton Park on Sunday. The village hall is also located in the grounds and as such there's a lot of parking space, so no worries there. We have been to parties in the village hall and it is ideal. Coupled with the (enclosed) little play ground for smaller children it is a great place for a party. 

The new equipment in the grounds is amazing. We saw several children, of differing ages. Thomas (4) was able to use everything, although he is fairly brave and quite tall. He managed to climb up the ladder and walk along the single trunk (below) before getting onto the slide. I think that perhaps it is designed for an older age group though, and I did hover underneath, much to his annoyance!

I have never seen an assault course like the one here. My children really enjoyed playing on it.

Really lovely button swing. 

And a bike course - looked like a lot of fun!

There are no swings for the smaller children in the bigger play area - these are in the enclosed area next to the village hall, here: 

No fireman's pole but a really great zip wire.

Although there is no village shop, there is a pub, The George and Dragon, along the main London Road on the right hand side. The landlord is very family friendly but does not like dogs in his pub. 

Upton park is a really nice one and we shall be visiting again!

Other things: 

The really attractive church, St Mary's - but no stained glass windows in this one. 

Long Wittenham

Long Wittenham park is not easy to find. We spent some time looking for it, even attempting to go to the shop to enquire - but were informed that the shop had closed down about five years before, shows what I know! I will spare you the effort of hunting it down for yourself. Driving away from Didcot, along the High Street, take the road to your right that goes off towards Little Wittenham (There is a sign saying 'Little Wittenham 1 mile' on your right hand side just before the High street bends around heading towards Clifton Hampden). Take the immediate left and it is next to Cotsmill Garden Offices - the large green space on the map:) Warning: the track is in an extremely bad state of repair. 

Find this park on the google map I made for you. 

This park is probably more suited to children a bit older than my 4 year old. But Thomas did enjoy the swings - they go really high. 

The usual assortment of climbing equipment. There are a couple of pubs in Long Wittenham, on the main road through the village, as is the school. 

There is another recreation field in Long Wittenham but there is no playground equipment. It's a grassy area with football goals, a small cricket area and basketball nets. Not really for small children. It's on the left hand side of the High Street as you walk into Long Wittenham via the footpath that starts in the Ladygrove. The mobile home site is opposite and Pendon Museum is a tiny bit further down on the left. 

The Plough allows children to use their w/c. 

Irrelevantly...

There is a church in Long Wittenham - St Mary's. Here are some stained glass windows. 

Aston Park

Aston Tirrold recreation ground  is off the same road that Blewbury park is on, the A417. To park you have to go all the way down Chalk Hill (you will see the park on your right) and take the first right, turning into a small lane. There are two entrances to the recreation ground along this lane. There is no car park but room enough for two cars or so, much like alongside East Hagbourne park. 

Find this park on the google map I made for you. 

We discovered this ground last year when I was getting my car MOT'd at the Chequers Garage. It is in the corner of the field and almost camouflaged. 

This play areas has only recently been refitted/ refurbished/ renovated - now I've started this blogging about parks business I'm probably going to have to become au fait with the terminology! - and is about 1,000 times better than the old park.

As you can see, there is plenty of shade.



New equipment: The essential fireman's pole. 









...for younger children












...and older children

The all-important zip wire.

The recreation ground has a basketball court, football posts, and a cricket pitch.  

The village has a community pavilion and a hall (next to All Saints Church). Both can be hired out. I am reliably informed that the parish council is eager to do this more often. 

I am taken with the Astons' Cafe myself. I visited on the 25/04/13 between 10-12 and was greeted by some very hospitable ladies equipped with a large tea urn and delicious home made cake. There are some toys and a small play area for small children.

The Sweet Olive is the restaurant in Aston's local The Chequers Inn. I know a lot of people like it very much. I have only been there once and that was about seven years ago now so I can't comment. However, it is just around the corner from the recreation ground.

There is no school in Aston Tirrold. 

Irrelevances

Stained glass windows from St Michael's Church.