Whilst looking for somewhere new to explore within a safe distance, we came across Popes Meadow in Binfield just outside of the main town, Bracknell in Berkshire.
Covering 13.7 acres of quiet parkland, Popes Meadow was once part of Popes Manor and was named after the local poet who lived there, Alexander Pope. The private manor grounds are only opened to the public once a year, but Popes Meadow is free to access all year round.
On arrival in the car park, you’ll spot the fab new play area designed for toddlers up to 8yrs. Its clean and modern making it very inviting. My boys had a great time exploring what was on offer – including the duo swing which they had a lot of laughs with. There are also regular swings, two climbing apparatus – one for younger children and one for slightly older and a small obstacle course with tunnel.
Just by the play park is a great large grassed area by the play park which would be ideal for sports and picnics.
We managed to coax the kids out of the play park to explore the parkland area. There are some set paths to follow but its not a particularly large space so you can take a route of your choosing. The paths are paved making them buggy and scooter friendly. If you have slightly older children, you could print off the orienteering map for Popes Meadow. This is a great way of letting them lead the way and exploring the area.
The boys loved discovering the pond which can be seen from the play park with its feeding platform. An ideal opportunity to spot any pond wildlife like frogs and dragonflies and for feeding the ducks. They do have pond dipping & bug hunting events so certainly one to keep an eye on. Something I know my boys would thoroughly enjoy. Details can be found on the website
The open wood area has some cute fairy doors hidden around to spot and is a gorgeous haven for wildlife. There are many wildflowers and inspects to discover. It was wonderful to walk around listening to the birds chirping away – forgetting you weren’t in the countryside but in a small local park.
With its free on site parking, its easily accessible for those with buggies and wheelchairs. It’s a great spot to find snowdrops in Berkshire early in the year too.
Binfield is easy to access from the M3 and M4 and is a cute family friendly village. There aren’t any toilet or refreshment facilities here but both Bracknell town centre and Binfield village are close by. I would highly recommend a short drive to Foxes Den café in Binfield village for refreshments which also has a toddler play park and play area.
