5 Free (or cheap) Days Out in Gloucestershire...

A big thank you to Jamie from savvyjamie.co.uk, who has written a guest post about her favourite budget friendly, Gloucestershire days out. We haven't been to the sculpture trail yet, but can vouch for how much fun the other options are for families!

Entertaining little ones can get pricey, so here are my 5 favourite things to do in Gloucestershire for free.

1. Head to The Jet Age Museum

Your little budding pilots will LOVE a visit to The Jet Age Museum. With lots of aviation history from around Gloucestershire, full-sized planes in their warehouse-style museum, and small single-pilot planes that can be sat in. There is also a Hawker Siddeley Trident airliner that you can book a free tour of (older children here as there is a height restriction). The museum is free but does ask for a donation. There is also an onsite café and a small gift shop full of reasonably-priced plane memorabilia. 

2. Visit Museum in the Park

This eclectic museum sits right in the heart of Stratford Park in Stroud. The museum also has a traditional “walled garden” which is perfect for playing Peter Rabbit! The museum also has a small giftshop and a coffee shop. Once you are done browsing the museum, talk a walk around Stratford Park and take in the Sensory Garden, dance in the bandstand, or feed the ducks (food is available at the museum).

3. Explore the Forest of Dean Sculpture Trail

Download your free trail map and get ready for adventure. There are 16 sculptures to find and explore. The Forest of Dean Sculpture Trail is 4.5 miles long, but there are shorter routes too. Car parking is £3 and the trail is free.

4. Wander around Gloucester Docks

With the guarantee of seeing boats, who wouldn’t love a visit to the docks. With added excitement like watching the bridge go up, or seeing boats being repaired out of the water – the docks can be a great day out. It’s home to award-winning National Waterways Museum and the Soldiers of Gloucestershire Museum. There are also plenty of coffee shops and it’s located right next to the outlet shopping centre, Gloucester Quays. 

5. Check out St James City Farm

Who would believe that right in the centre of Gloucester is a sweet little farm?! Well, you better believe it. St James City Farm is home to rabbits, pigs, sheep, chickens, horses and more. Get up close and hands-on at this charity farm where entry is free!

Pump it up...

The first lockdown saw us exploring our town more than ever before. For the first few weeks, we stepped out of our front door and headed into the countryside, there were so many footpaths we had never walked before and so many beautiful views we’d never even glimpsed!

Alongside our walks, we also took to our local streets and cul-de-sacs for bike riding practise. Both children were confident riders, but most of their experience had been in parks, so we wanted to teach them to navigate crossing roads, watch out for pedestrians and negotiate other hazards. Once we were happy that they’d mastered those skills, we started to roam further afield, trying to stick to cycle paths where possible, but thanks to the quieter roads we could also teach them how to ride safely on the road, when we needed them to.

 

One of the best places we’ve cycled to in Cheltenham is the BMX Pump Track at Burrows Field in Leckhampton. Children and adults alike, can use the track to hone their bike skills, improve their fitness and most importantly, have fun!

Currently, there are social distancing reminder signs by the track, it’s the perfect activity for kids to meet up without the temptation of huddling together!

 

If you’re not up for cycling there, there’s a small, free car park at the edge of the field (next to Broadlands Pre school). There’s also lots of grassy space around the track, perfect for meeting up for picnics at a distance.

 

We arrived at the track at around 11am and as lunchtime came and went, it got quite a bit busier, so I’d suggest heading down there early if it’s your first time, giving your children chance to get to know the lay of the track. There’s a really helpful sign next to the entrance, explaining the skills you should master before taking on the track, as well as covering track safety and etiquette points.

 

As well as other newbies like us, we saw toddlers on balance bikes bossing the track, older children who had clearly been practicing for years and adults who effortlessly navigated the track. Despite the range of ages and abilities, everyone was polite and respectful, giving the smaller children space and nobody laughed or made comments when wipeouts inevitably happened. 

Both our children (4 and 7) had an awesome time and spent the cycle home planning their next trip!

If you fancy giving it a try, you can gain access to the track via Moorend Grove. The postcode is GL53 0HB.

Honey and Ace wear... Cycle helmets (don't get on a bike without one).

Pick your own...

When we arrived at Primrose Vale this morning, it wasn't looking good for strawberries. The weather over the last few days meant that the crop had taken a battering. Thankfully we managed to find enough survivors to fill a punnet, but they're now taking a little break to replenish their stocks. Don't worry though, as raspberries, loganberries, blackberries and more were all available in abundance and there's a blackboard on the front of the building letting you know what's available, along with prices and picking tips.

The picking areas are vast and really well organised. They are all labelled and there are plenty of staff members on hand to answer any questions you may have.

There is free parking on site and enough to keep you occupied for a couple of hours in my opinion. Honey absolutely loved the new play area, especially the clamber stack at the end of the wooden trim trail, but she was also pleased to see that her old favourites (the vintage tractor and the drainpipe slide) were still there!

There's plenty of space for you to bring your own picnics to eat on site, or alternatively there are plenty of delicious goodies available to buy in the farm shop. The ice cream menu looked amazing too, so we will definitely be heading back to sample it soon!

Honey wears... Pink shorts from Tu at Sainsbury's