Project 365 #02: Aldenham Country Park

Adventure Playground nets at Aldenham Country Park

It’s a terrible photo – its blurry, the light wasn’t great under all the trees, and if you look closely, I’m squinting. But I was pleased with myself, because I’d just climbed right to the top of a series of climbing nets, and we’d missed the rain. So the smile was genuine.

Discovering Aldenham Country Park in Elstree

After our centrally heated over-indulgence at Christmas we were keen to get out and see friends, so on the final inset day before the return to school, we arranged to meet at the bowling lanes. So did everyone else. We tried soft play – they were all there too. Looking at the clouds we spotted a glint of sun, and decided to risk it. We had the park to ourselves.

Aldenham Country Park is a 100 acre parkland around a huge lake. Just off the M1 near Watford, you’d never know it was there if you didn’t know it was there. We’ve visited before (on recommendation), to wander through the 100 Aker Wood, mingle with the farm animals, and get physical on the adventure playground, but it’s not a regular haunt.

It was cold, so we were grumbly. But it turned out to be exactly what we needed. The puddles just added to the thrill of the drop from the apparatus, and pretty soon lethargy upped and scarpered as we remembered how to play.

Adventure at Aldenham Country Park

Adventure at Aldenham Country Park

Animal Farm at Aldenham Country Park

What we’d never seen before was the Woodland Adventure. Tucked away near the exit is a proper Faraway land of dens, climbing nets and rope swings. We didn’t need asking twice, and it wasn’t long before we proved our mothers wrong and made it to the top of the nets.

Adventure playground at Aldenham Country Park

It blew away the cobwebs, and reminded us that heading out for adventure – even when it’s cold – is sometimes much more therapeutic than heading for the sofa with a hot chocolate. And besides, what better excuse for a hot cheesy fish pie at the Battle Axes pub nearby? With hot chocolate, of course 😉

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We’ve also had a go this week at improving our photography using the tips on Love All Blogs’ Better Photo Project. This week they’re asking us to play with Picmonkey, and I’ve used the Boost, Yestercolour, and Film Grain effects to turn what was a fairly dark and colourless image into something slightly better. Bear with me, I’m learning…

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TheBoyandMe's 365 Linky

33 thoughts on “Project 365 #02: Aldenham Country Park”

  1. The Woodland Adventure looks fantastic! It must have been great fun climbing to the top of those nets 🙂 It’s so true, getting out even when it’s cold, makes you feel so much better. Although, I did admit defeat when it hit -20C here…! #CountryKids

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  2. To me that sounds pretty much like the perfect day-well worth over coming the grumbling initially too! My two would love to visit somewhere like that, it looks fab.

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  3. Loads of fabulous photos, and that Woodland Adventure looks brilliant. And topping it all off with a cheesy fish pie and hot chocolate – sounds perfect 😉 #CountryKids

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  4. Wow great job on the nets! Looks like a great escape and glad to see the smiles even with the wet and cold. #365 and #Countrykids

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  5. GG looks so grown up and so pretty and i love her stripey leggings/tights i wish i could get away with wearing what she is.
    her and Bug seem to be having a brilliant time at the park – sounds and looks like a wonderful family day out. and how cheesy pie afterwards sounds really good! x

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  6. i need to just start with …. I LOVE THOSE TIGHTS!! .. how cool are they! secondly well done on getting up there i hate hight!

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  7. GG looks so grown up in these photos. Maybe it’s those snazzy boots and awesome leggings! The woodland adventure looks like so much fun. There’s nothing better than blowing the cobwebs away 🙂

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  8. Looks like fun! My boys would love to visit here to explore the faraway land of dens. You look very happy in your photo, well done for getting to the top x

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  9. Looks like you had lots of fun! Her tights/leggings are absolutely amazing 🙂

    I love places like that, you can have endless fun in adventure parks and woodland – I am looking forward to when the kids are a bit older and we can have creative adventures in the woods.

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  10. Looks like a great place. I love the picmonkey filters and sometimes overdo the dusk one on the blog! I’m also thinking I wish I could get away with stripey tights and denim shorts – oh to be young again 🙂

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  11. Great photos mummy!
    So nice to be out and about again isn’t it. You look very high up there in that netting. Not sure I could have done that :-/

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  12. I think that first photo is gorgeous – such a happy girl. That looks like an amazing place, you have taken some lovely photos

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  13. Ah lovely photos. We live just round the corner from here…. it’s a nice place to visit isn’t it? Love your little girls tights and body warmer 🙂 x

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  14. What a wonderful looking place, especially the nets! I’m putting that on my list of places to go this year but may wait for warmer days – I’m a wuss!!

    Photo is great! xx

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