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Strathclyde Country Park (Lanarkshire, Scotland)
by angelboouk Strathclyde Country Park is located between Motherwell and Hamilton in Lanarkshire, Scotland. It is accessible from Bellshill, Hamilton and Motherwell and is just off the M74 motorway at junctions 5 and 6. The park is set within 400 hectares of countryside which surround Strathclyde Loch. The Loch used to be a village many ... years ago (as far as I know!). The park is surrounded by woodland and offers many attractions which I will briefly discuss. Parking is free and located at various points around the park. No buses service inside the park but do stop out on Hamilton Road at the Motherwell entrance. ~Attractions and Things To Do~ There is plenty to entertain those of all ages in Strathclyde Country Park. ~Water sports Centre~ Located at the Hamilton side of the park, the water sports centre features a state of art gym. They offer a wide range of water sports which are carried out by trained professionals. This includes rowing, speed boat rides, canoeing and many more. They provide the necessary safety equipment. They also hire out bikes. Prices are reasonable and calculated by the hour in most cases. You can hire a bike for a few pounds but must provide a deposit. The sports centre features a cafe with snacks at low prices and also toilets and vending machines. ~Accommodation & Catering~ As well as offering a camping site near M&Ds (from £11.20 per night), there are 2 on site hotels. The Alona is located next door to M&Ds and offers 51 luxurious bedrooms, conference and fine dining facilities. Along near the motorway from Bellshill, there is a Holiday Inn Hotel (3star) with over 100 bedrooms. A Toby Carvery is located next door offering a varied menu and of course a carvery and bar. Other catering within the park (excluding the hotels, water sports centre and M&Ds includes a burger type snack van at one of the parks and a rather expensive ice cream van at another. ~M&Ds~ M&Ds is Scotland's largest theme park and is located a 10minute walk from the Holiday Inn. This park features a huge indoor centre with bowling, a play area, amusements, a food court (Burger King, Noodles etc), a cafe, a family restaurant and bingo. Outside, the amusements extend to various rollercoasters and rides for all ages. There are traditional rides such as dodgems and water slides, trampolines and swings and also go karts. There is a fish and chip shop outside and various stalls offering donuts, drinks, ice cream and sweets. There is also a mini golf and charges do apply as standard. Wrist bands can be purchased and vary in price from £11.00. You can also buy individual tokens. M&Ds is also home to Amazonia which is an indoor, tropical rainforest featuring various tropical animals and experiences. Prices are from £4.20. Special deals are regular allowing you to purchase family tickets or various attraction tickets at a reduced cost. Please see www.scotlandsthemepark.com for the latest deals. ~Play Parks and Picnics~ There are 3 children's play parks dotted around the park. One is located at the Motherwell entrance and is minimal with a long chute and small climbing frame. There are a few picnic benches and a grassy area at this end. Further around the park, you will find a larger area with a small, sandy beach and picnic areas. This area features 2 climbing frames with chutes and poles. A few minutes walk from M&Ds brings you to the largest of the play parks which offers a bit more variety and unusual swings, tyres and zip lines. There is a small area for younger children and also lots to do for older children. Picnic and normal benches are dotted around the full park as are bins and doggy bins for your convenience. ~Walking and Cycling~ The pathway around the park is set near the Loch most of the way around and is completely surfaced almost all the way. There is a cycle path present around one half of the park. The path carries on around the whole park and is approximately 3.75miles. ~Special Events~ Strathclyde Country Park holds regular sporting events which are held on the Loch. On Bonfire Night every year, a huge fireworks display is held where fireworks and a bonfire are lit in the middle of the loch. A few rides, food carts and music is played on the night and it does get really busy. ~My Thoughts~ Having lived in Motherwell all my life, I have been a frequent visitor to Strathclyde Country Park. It used to be serviced by a bus which was handy but the lack of transport limits our use of the park now. Whenever we visit with the intention of using the parks or walking, we get a bus to the entrance and head in from there. If we are going further in to M&Ds, we catch a lift or go by taxi which is quite expensive due to the location! When the boys were in the buggies, we would think nothing of walking around the full park and have done so several times. The park is quite nice with the trees providing a decent shade as you walk around though the midges coming off the water are a nightmare! The water is rather icky looking but I won't be swimming in it so that doesn't bother me. I have spotted some children in it around the "beach" area yuck! The water is home to some gorgeous ducks and rather scary geese and swans which think nothing of coming up on to the grass to pester you. We once walked around when dark and trust me, I won't be doing that again as I was scared stiff! We like to go walks on nice, fairly sunny days but the park does get really busy. The park is reasonably clean with the odd bit of rubbish here and there. It does seem to attract runners, dog walkers and those out with buggies trying to shift the baby weight! The walk is satisfying and as long as I have my trainers on and something to drink, I can walk around with a few stops for a rest! The paths are even and although flat most of the way around, do raise and dip in the heart of the forest. As well as the ducks and swans and of course those pesky midges, we have spotted some frogs in a swamp type pool further around the park but can't say we have seen much other wildlife. We often take a picnic down and park our bums at the first play park though won't be doing this again as they have removed the toddler swings. They really do need to do that park up! We usually walk around to the second park and if Ryan is tired, that is as far as we go on a regular day. The other park is really good and keeps the kids entertained though the "beach" is rather manky and it smells sort of weird which is off putting! The bigger park is quite modern but is more for older children in my opinion. Ice creams bought at the van are extortionate at nearly £2.00 a time. Walking around the park offers great exercise and with a few stops, we usually manage to get around it in an hour and a half or so which isn't too bad really. It is pretty open except for the tree lined area and the walk is refreshing. Cycling seems popular though I do not own a bike nor have I rented one. The pathways are wide enough to accommodate buggies, wheelchairs and bikes with ease and providing you are with a friend, are perfectly safe. I wouldn't personally walk around the pathways alone though. ~Water Fun!~ We have used the water sports centre several times over the years and it is clean and well staffed. The cafe is nice and the toilets are acceptably clean. The water sports are varied and price lists are available. We once went out in the pedals boats which were fun but we went too far and got stuck! Luckily the rescue guys came out and helped us. The speed boat was exhilarating and fun for all the family in my opinion. I quite enjoy watching the boating races and recently witnessed yachts and canoe races. ~Money Money Money~ M&Ds is no Drayton Manor or Alton Towers but is still ideal to have locally. The prices are quite expensive unless you are taking part in special offers though the ride choice is decent. I don't bother with the rollercoasters now but tend to stick to the smaller rides which I can take my son on. We buy tokens so it is rather pricey. The golf is affordable and a good way to pass a while with its pirate theme! We have visited Amazonia once and found it to be interesting though not somewhere we would regularly visit. The amusements are good and open all year around though the bingo isn't open all the often now and has shot up in price. The play area is clean throughout but the toilets leave a lot to be desired. If we are eating in the park, we usually go to the family bar which has a wide range of traditional snacks and meals on offer. I would recommend the jacket potato and burgers though the roast beef Sunday meal isn't up to much. The food is cheap and on par with Wetherspoons and the likes. The sweet shop offers some delicious fudge treats! The bowling is fun and not too expensive. The staff around the park are young usually and look like they don't want to be there. The high season is April to October and providing that you can drive or get to the park daily, there is plenty of recruitment opportunities available. The park is an ideal way to spend some time though everything adds up and it can cost a fortune! If the weather is poor, the Carousel inside is so magical and Ryan loves it and it's only a £1 per shot. ~Conclusion~ Being so local to Strathclyde Country Park, I am happy to recommend it. I don't feel it is somewhere you would come a long way to visit but to walk around and visit M&Ds it is worth a recommendation. I haven't stayed in the hotels though have been to the Alona for a conference and it is beautiful inside and our. The Toby Carvery offers good, hearty food as well. We love going down on Bonfire Night as the atmosphere is amazing though far too busy for toddlers. If I didn't have any money, we could happily spend a few hours here walking around, having a picnic and playing in the parks and still enjoy ourselves. If I had limited money, we could try out the water sports. If I had lots of money, we could treat ourselves to dinner at M&Ds or Toby Carvery and experience the amusements. There is something for everyone in my opinion so I can thoroughly recommend the park. The only let down really is the transport options! Bring back the bus and the train that go around the park please! Thanks for reading :) Read the complete review |
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Alnwick Garden (Northumberland)
by pink_glitter I have wanted to visit the Alnwick Garden for some time, after seeing the Duchess of Northumberland (who created the garden) on the local news talking about it. Recently when my fiancé and I both had the day off work, we decided to go there for the day and I'm only sorry I didn't manage to go ... sooner! ~~Location~~ The Alnwick Garden opened ten years ago on what was derelict land next to Alnwick Castle. The garden is in central Alnwick (for some reason I had always thought it was in the middle of nowhere) and is well signposted when you get into Alnwick centre. It has its own car park - I would assume this is pay and display, but I can't confirm that as my fiancé insisted on parking in our usual spot in the town centre and walking along. ~~Our experience~~ When you arrive you have to go into a glass building where you can pay for your tickets before entering the garden. When we went there were ticket desks to both the left and right, but people were only queuing at the right hand desk, despite two receptionists being sat on the left hand desk. This made us think that perhaps the left hand desks were shut, especially since the receptionists looked over at us and didn't say anything. As we were waiting in the queue some other people asked the receptionists at the empty desks and were told they could pay there. This annoyed me really and didn't create a good first impression, as I felt they were basically sitting there chatting idly whilst a queue formed on the other side of the reception. You do have an option when paying whether to buy a ticket to just the garden or to the garden and Alnwick castle, but we decided just to visit the garden. Once paid, a man on the door scans your ticket and you can enter the garden. The first thing you see as you enter is the waterfall which is quite spectacular. Part of the garden is on a hill and the waterfall cascades downwards with jets of water that periodically spray upwards and side to side which is quite spectacular to watch. There are lots of things to do in the garden, but we decided to go around the maze first. I don't know why, but even at the age of 27, I find going into a maze really exciting! I suppose, it's not the biggest maze ever - the Hampton Court Palace maze has nothing to worry about - however it is still big enough to wile away some time trying to find your way out. It's actually called the bamboo labyrinth, and is partly covered at the top. I did note that some of the branches were a little overgrown and hanging down a bit so I did have to duck the odd time, despite being only five foot four! Coming out of the maze, the next thing we came to was the rose garden. This is home to over 3000 roses and as I am sure you can imagine it smells amazing! Of course it also looks very pretty and this section of the garden has a very 'English Country Garden' look about it. We did notice that some sort of a talk was going on whilst we were there, with a gentleman talking about the roses and people asking questions on how to grow them. I can only assume that this was one of the guided tours that takes place between 12:00 and 13:00 on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Roses are labelled and the ones that are offered for sale in the gift shop/mini garden centre attached to the garden are clearly marked. Next is the Serpent Garden, so called because it is based around a large topiary serpent. This part of the garden is home to many water features including one shaped like a giant cocktail glass. There is one water sculpture called 'Torricelli' and this one slowly fills up with water before jets of water spring from the ground - I remember there were lots of little children having fun running into the spray with this one! Moving on, we walked up to the back of the garden past the fountain (or grand cascade to give it its proper name) where we found the ornamental garden. This part of the garden is filled with flowers of all sorts of varieties and is very pretty and peaceful. There are little rivers running through the garden which join at small fountains. The next part of the garden is the cherry orchard. This is planted with hundreds of Taihaku cherry trees and six hundred thousand (yes really) tulips. Unfortunately we went too late in the year, so missed this, but I absolutely adore tulips and have been promised we can go back to see them next year. I believe the best time to go is between April and May. Finally we came to the poison garden which is arguably the most interesting part of the garden. You can't just wander through this part, you need to wait and be met by a tour guide - as the warnings on the locked gates specify 'these plants can kill'. A tour guide met us and guided us through the poison garden explaining the plants and what they could do. She described everything in a very over the top and dramatic way, but it was still entertaining and fairly interesting. From plants you often grow in your own back yard to more sinister ones that the garden has had to obtain a home office license to grow, you get to view plants here that you would never have the chance to see close up. Other features of the garden include a woodland walk, which unfortunately we didn't have time for, a 'roots and shoots' garden for children to try planting things and a large terraced café at the entrance. There is also the treehouse restaurant - which is as it sounds, a restaurant in a tree, which we saw and it looks spectacular. As far as I know however it is not only expensive but often fully booked. Details on how to book can be found here on the alnwick garden website http://www.alnwickgarden.com/eat/eat-in-the-treehouse There is also a gift shop at the front of the garden which has a little garden centre so you can purchase some of the plants you have just seen. Toilets are here too and they have the most spectacular sinks you have ever seen! ~~Prices~~ On the day the garden costs £11 for an adult. If you book online you get a discount, so it is only £8.50. Children under 16 can enter the garden for just 1p each. Should you want to visit the castle as well as the garden, it will cost £22 for an adult, £6 for a child aged 5-16 or 1p for under 5's. These prices are reduced to £17.85 for an adult, £5.10 for ages 5-16 and 1p for under 5's if you book in advance. Presumably prices are subject to change. ~~Opening times~~ The garden is open from 10am-6pm, during the summer months, which from what I can gather on the website means April through to October. ~~Overall~~ On the whole, I thought this was a great day out and it is somewhere I really hope to go again (next time fingers crossed the tulips will be in bloom). There is a lot to see and do and we had an absolutely fantastic day. If you are visiting Alnwick, then I would say seeing the garden is a must! *Also posted on Ciao under username pink_champagne Read the complete review |
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Duchess Park (Motherwell, Scotland)
by angelboouk Duchess Park is located in Motherwell, Lanarkshire. It is 10minutes from the main shopping area and can be accessed through several gates. There is access from Avon and Crawford Street as well as Airbles Road and Dalziel School. Buses stop out on Hamilton Road and are regular. You can safely park on the outskirts of the park. Airbles ... train station is across the road from the park. ~History Of The Park~ Back in 1917, the park and the area surrounding it was leased to the council by the Duke and Duchess of Hamilton. The park was then given the name Duchess of Hamilton Park. In 1919, an 18foot, granite memorial was erected to remember those who died in the war and this still stands today. From 1923 - 1965, a bandstand featured in the park but had to be demolished due to vandals ruining it. ~Today~ The park is set across 7 hectares. Foot paths run around the full park from every entrance and the park is lined with various sized trees. The park is split in to various sections. Near the school, there is a huge grassy area with benches dotted around. If you enter through the Crawford Street gate, you can follow a gravel path in 3 different directions. One path will take you towards the centre of the park to see the memorial and have a chance to relax on one of the many benches. Further on, the area where the bandstand used to be takes you to the centre of the park. There is stairs and ramps to allow you to go into the centre. This area is surrounded by unusual trees and various flower beds and bushes. There are some more benches before reaching another grassy area at the Airbles Road entrance. The centre of the park also features a play area for children. There used to be a swimming area (more of a splash area with shallow water) and toilets though these are no longer there. The park never closes and is of course, free to enter. ~My Thoughts~ Motherwell may not be the best place to live but it does have some lovely areas. I have visited Duchess Park over 100 times in the 23years I have lived in Motherwell but the history is amazing in my opinion. Walking to the park from the town centre is a great 10minutes in itself. There is a mix of old fashioned and new build houses that cost a fortune! The park is directly across from St Marys Church (where I attended Sunday school until I hit 15 - yes I used to be a good girl). My parents were married here 34years ago and had their pictures taken in the park. It still looks as beautiful as it did then. So why do we visit Duchess Park? Having a young family, we like to go walks and moreso when Ryan was in the buggy. My sister and I would take the kids down there to spend a few hours if we didn't fancy going to Strathclyde Park. The park is great for dog walkers, runners and families alike. Many of the paths have recently been resurfaced and are much more even though they do need to fix the flooding issue near the west side of the park. I will note here that we are happy to visit this park no matter what time of year it is. ~Pretty and Relaxing~ We normally enter and leave the park from the Crawford Street entrance. The full park is flat so easy access for buggies and wheelchairs. On entering the park from this entrance, it is beautiful and this beauty becomes more apparent the further into the centre of the park we walk. The memorial is beautiful and often covered in poppy wreaths. It is quite touching and we often spend time reading the names on it. We could happily sit at this area and take in the fresh air. I am no expert on flowers or trees but the blossoming flowers and trees (especially in the Spring) are simply stunning. This is probably my favourite area of the park as everything is so well cared for, well maintained and very eyecatching. The various flower beds and flower boxes are attractive and really brighten up the park. There is a little shaded area where we often sit and take in the gorgeous flowers. Even in the rain they look lovely! The grass around the park is a hit and a miss. Whilst it seems to be taken care of near the centre, the west side of the park could do with a spruce up in my opinion. If taking a picnic or some Greggs food down, we usually sit near the centre circle. I didn't realise there used to be a band stand there until I read it on a website. I think it would make a beautiful addition to the park and perhaps they could bring it back and change it to a seating area. There are bins dotted around the park and I rarely notice any rubbish around the park. It is very clean throughout. The benches are frequent though I wouldn't recommend the one next to the park as there is often broken glass there. The grassy areas are ideal for picnics, playing football or generally running about. There is so much grass that no matter how busy the park gets, you are likely to have your own space to play around. We take a ball and play around. There is a hill near the park which offers some shade if its hot. The park itself isn't amazing but it is ok. It is split into a few sections. There is a tyre swing, 2 sets of big swings and a rope slide (which hasn't worked in years). There is also a wood chipped area which offers 2 toddler swings and a climbing frame with chute, pole, bridge and frame to climb up. This is the area we usually use especially if the younger kids are with us. It is clean enough. The boys like the swings though we aren't keen on them going on the frame as it is quite high and hard to get up on..need eyes on the back of our heads! There used to be a bench in the park for parents to relax on but this seems to be gone now. The park hasn't changed much from when I was a child though I do miss the pool! I will say that with the high school being so nearby, during lunch time, the park gets very busy with rowdy teenagers as we discovered one afternoon. They swung the swings around and covered the place in litter (my sister told them off) so I would personally avoid visiting the park during this time! I can give dog walkers credit as they most tend to pick up any mess their delightful canines make and deposit in the bins provided. ~Lets Burn Some Calories!~ I love being out in the fresh air and walking. I find it rather theraputic and Duchess Park is ideal to feed my body with this air and relaxation! As i said before, we have visited the park in the height of summer (shorts, comfy shoes and a drink is a must - oh and sunlotion) and also when it is raining or cold (wrap up cosy). This was ideal when the boys were snuggled in their buggies though now we bring out the wellies, hat and scarfs and still have fun as well as exercising. On a good, dry day, we take our time walking around and from the Crawford Street entrance back around (without stopping for the park) it probably takes us an hour. It isn't huge really but relaxing to walk around so we take our time! Last year, we went down the park when it was snowing. It was light snow when we entered the park and quickly changed to heavy, deep snow! This was rather difficult to get around with buggies but oh my, it was simply stunning. Everything was covered in a white blanket of snow..crunchy and ideal for running through! This was my favourite time to visit the park as it looked so picturesque and the snow hung beautifully from the trees. Ideal for building snow men and having snow ball fights too! During the autumn, the leaves fall gracefully from the trees. So really, Duchess Park is stunning to visit anytime of the year! Walking around the park burns some calories so I can't complain. If you fancy something to eat though, either take some food with you, nip up to the town centre (McDonalds, Greggs etc) or head across the Airbles Road to the Electric Bar for some grub. The toilets are here too but you need to eat to use them! ~Conclusion~ It is free, has fresh air, offers a gorgeous walk and play for the kids. I can't really fault the park. It isn't very well lit at night though so not somewhere you would want to walk your dog at night. From experience (hanging around with friends as a teenager - not causing trouble though!) once it gets dark, you need to head out. On one occasion myself and my sister found ourselves in the park at midnight with torches. It's a long story but we were looking for someone who went missing so lights could have came in handy there! I suppose with the park being in a residential area, there are no lights through fear of disturbing residents. As I said before, the park is well maintained throughout and council vans are often seen with works fixing flowers, planting new ones and fixing the path ways. The bins rarely overflow (except when its lunch time and the school kids are out). Depending on the weather, we could happily spend several hours in the Duchess Park and not get bored. It is simply perfect in my honest opinion and hopefully will be kept that way for years to come. As you can judge by my review, Duchess Park comes with a 5 star recommendation from me. If you are in the area visiting, just pop by and take in the beauty of it. Thanks for reading :) Read the complete review |
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