3 Perfect Parks For Picnics In And Around Bucks

With the promise of a sunny weekend ahead of us, it’s time to dust off those tartan blankets, dig out the cooler box and get your picnic on! There’s nothing the Nexus gang enjoys more than spending a lazy Sunday afternoon recharging our batteries in a local park, surrounded by nature. Here are our three of the best to get you started.

Windsor Great Park

Most parks don’t come with a royal seal of approval, nor do they have a Ranger in the shape of HRH the Duke of Edinburgh, which is why Windsor Great Park is a must for your next outing. Boasting 4800 acres of ‘sweeping parkland, award-winning gardens, ancient woodland and forest trails that are just waiting to be explored’, this place has something for everyone.

The park recommends Queen Anne’s Ride and Stag Meadow as the ideal area for picnicking families who are looking for wide open natural spaces to enjoy. As you settle down to your sandwiches, surrounded by wild flowers, you might also catch Windsor & Eton Football Club in action as the team often play there at weekends.

But be warned – you might find you don’t even have time to unpack your picnic basket. Active members of your party can cycle up hills and through fields, whilst others can explore the park’s historical monuments, ancient forests and stunning horticultural displays. And the rare wildlife, fungi and plants are an Instagrammer’s dream.

Cliveden

The National Trust’s Cliveden in Buckinghamshire is another park with a whole lot more on offer than just open lawns. Encased by glorious gardens overlooking the River Thames, this great estate is celebrating its 350th anniversary this year, so you are sure to find lots to do on any given day. Aside from the special events, there’s a giant yew tree maze, Storybook Play Den, flower trails and row boats for hire (in a nod to the children’s classic Wind In The Willows, inspired by this stretch of the River Thames). Rather helpfully, Cliveden has clearly marked its picnicking locations on the welcome leaflet you’ll receive on arrival and shares the best locations for peace and quiet, shade, or for playing football, cricket or rounders. Recommended as its ‘family favourite’ are the picnic tables in the Captains Field, amid the oriental Water Garden. Here you’ll be in easy reach of the story-book-themed play area and Maze, as well as the Doll’s House toilets.

Black Park

Home to the pine woods that give its nearby film studios their name, Black Park is well-loved by locals for its serene setting and centre-piece lake. Walking to the designated picnic areas is made easier thanks to over 10 miles of well-surfaced tracks. Although there are segways and bikes for hire, as well as a tree top adventure from £25 for those wishing to embrace their inner Tarzan, there is also a free woodlands play area suitable for young children.

Black Park is less than ten minutes from Nexus HQ in Gerrards Cross and as you pull up to the entrance, it’s like entering Narnia – you’d be forgiven for forgetting you are surrounded by bustling towns or a busy motorway. We recommend taking a good book, turning your phone off for a few hours and just sitting back and relaxing.