Page 49 - Phonebox Magazine April 2016

The Weather is Warming Up
Castle Ashby Gardens
find many beautiful buildings in Stowe Gardens, including The Buckingham Lodges, The Corinthian Arch, The Cook Monument, The Gothic Temple, and the stunning Pebble Alcove. If you take a stroll to The Grecian Valley in the Gardens, you will also find the Temple of Concord and Victory, a beautiful building built from stone between 1747 and 1749.
Salcey Forest
Originally a medieval hunting forest, Salcey Forest boasts a tree top forest walk, constructed in 2005. There are public footpaths through the forest, with some of the veteran oak trees believed to be over 500 years old! During World War Two, elephants were used to fell trees in the forest, and you will still find the aptly-named Elephant Pond in the forest today, used in the early twentieth century by elephants who used to bathe in it and cool off at the end of the day.
Irchester Country Park
This former ironstone quarry has a children’s play area, plus long and short walking trails through over 80 hectares of woodland. The Park is open all day, every day, offering free admission to all. With Muntjac deer, hedgehogs, stoats and many squirrels at Irchester Country Park, there is a lot to see and do. They also offer orienteering packs and have a café and picnic area suitable for families.
Harrold-Odell Country Park
This Park is in a beautiful location, surrounded by lakes, river meadows and a nature reserve. The Park itself has a rich history of human activity, which was uncovered in various excavations prior to the mineral extraction. One of the most interesting findings was the remains of an Iron Age farm, which dates back to the first century AD! There are two main pathways around the Park but visitors are free to find their own way around using other pathways. The path around the main ‘Grebe’ Lake takes about an hour to complete and is usable all year round.
Sywell Country Park
Open all day, every day with free admission for all, this Park is perfect for lakeside walks, exploring the meadowland and even has a heritage trail to guide you around. There is an amphibian pond, which is home to dragonflies, frogs, and newts (and offers pond-dipping); a butterfly garden with a low-lying sun trap and butterfly-friendly planting; and children’s play areas offering sand and water play, indoor soft play and shaded areas. Originally the site of a drinking water reservoir built at the turn of the 20th century, this is a great place to explore with family and friends.
Campbell Park
Based in central Milton Keynes, this Park is a quiet, pretty place to walk, cycle or run. Named in honour of the first chairman of Milton Keynes Development Corporation, Lord Campbell of Eskan, the Park stretches from the Theatre end of the Centre down to the Grand Union Canal. The hill in the Park is great for kite-flying too!
April 2016 | Phonebox Magazine 49