With summer upon us, there?s nothing like a family picnic to soak up the sunshine and explore the nation?s green spaces while you do it. London and the Home Counties are filled with perfect picnic spots, so you won?t have to travel far to take in some spectacular landscapes.
Credit: Forestry England/Crown
[words by Tabitha Syrett]
From babbling brooks to quaint open heathland and lofty crags, find a lunch spot unlike any other as you pack up your picnic rug and sandwiches, leave your BBQ at home and choose from one of our top picnic spots from the nation?s forests, parks and green spaces.
Top Family Picnic Spots in & Around London for This Summer
Lodge Pond Trail, Alice Holt Forest, Hampshire
Lodge Pond Trail. Credit: Forestry England/Crown Get away from the hustle and bustle and enjoy a peaceful picnic at Lodge Pond, where you can explore Lodge Pond Trail as it passes through beautiful mixed broadleaf woodland and open mature pine forest.
There is an abundance of wildlife to spot, from moorhens and great crested grebes to roe deer, dragonflies and butterflies, plus picnic tables are available. And, for those amateur historians out there, Lodge Pond also has a fascinating history. It is believed to have been created as one of a series of fisheries by Medieval monks to breed carp which formed an important part of their diet.
National Pinetum, Bedgebury, Kent
Bedgebury Forest. Credit: David Jenner/Forestry England/Crown
Whether you choose to picnic under a giant redwood o...