By Helen @routesforlittleboots and Naomi @norfolkplayparks
Even if you love a good romp around the country paths with nothing but a great sense of adventure, having a playpark to unleash them upon at the end of the walk is always a winner.
With the restrictions easing over the coming months, we compared notes to provide a small selection of pretty walks with a playpark for your armouries.
Follow the links below which will send you to the relevant blog post by Helen or myself for more information on the walks and the play areas!
Swannington
Such a stunning area. There are numerous paths you can take (sadly, not great for pushchairs this one) and you can either loop back round through the woods or walk up near to ‘From Farm to Fork’ and back round with beautiful views across the Wensum Valley. My usual summer route along the stream is underwater at the moment but there are lots of alternative routes through the woods! https://www.routesforlittleboots.co.uk/upgate-common-swannington/
The play area is new and a great one! It’s just up the road from Upgate Common on Swan Lane and you can walk across the field or take a short drive up there after a walk and park on the side of the road. Great equipment including a zip line, climbing frame and nest swing, as well as picnic benches for you to have a rest. https://norfolkplayparks.wixsite.com/home/post/swannington-play-park
Castle Acre
Such an amazing area to explore. A quaint little high street with a lovely café for takeaways Fridays-Sundays. A Bailey gate, castle ruins, rivers and streams and priory ruins. Options to explore with or without a buggy and one of the best pooh sticks bridges in Norfolk down at the ford.
The playpark is just up Massingham Road, not far from the Castle Ruins. It’s new and full of great equipment like a zip wire, climbing frames and walls, swings, roundabouts and activity boards.
Trowse
Spoilt for choice here with two lovely walks: Trowse Woods and Whitlingham Country Park! Trowse Woods are great for a woodland walk and Whitlingham Park is a good one for the pushchairs (with the added bonus of a café open for takeaways). https://www.routesforlittleboots.co.uk/trowse-woods/
The play area is on The Street in Trowse and is huge! It has a zip wire, wooden train, climbing frame, assault course, swings amongst many more fab bits of equipment.
Saxlingham Nethergate
We discovered this last summer and absolutely loved it! Starting at the cricket ground (free parking), it’s not a long walk but again has several options. You can stay car park side and do a short walk round the meadow, or cross the road to discover St. Mary’s ruins. One mile round max. Sadly no facilities here – the nearest café are The Foundry which hopefully will open their facilities soon! https://www.routesforlittleboots.co.uk/saxlingham-meadow-ruins/
The playpark is just by the car park and is great – lots of equipment and we could have stayed there for ages.
Norfolk Play Parks has visited Saxlingham Nethergate but I’m yet to post a blog post.
Thornham
This is a great area, with options for little legs and pushchairs. Starting at the amazing Thornham Deli / Village Hall car park, you can either do an out and back along the Norfolk Coast Path with a buggy or do the Norfolk Trails Coastal Treasures walk (2 miles). Alternatively you can walk towards the Coast Path and loop back round, coming out near The Orange Tree. So many options. All lovely.
Outside the village hall is a fantastic, large play area, with sturdy equipment including an large climbing frame (with slide), assault course and climbing wall. https://norfolkplayparks.wixsite.com/home/post/thornham-play-park
Thank you for reading, we hope to bring you more content like this in the future!
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