WITH THE KIDS: PUZZLEWOOD

Just a stone’s throw away from the River Severn is Puzzlewood. An enchanting woodland that will have you occupied for hours.

I hadn’t heard of Puzzlewood until literally the day before we went. Like with a lot of things these days, it was thanks to a thread on Facebook. With the threat of more sunshine, I thought this would be a great place to visit and get out of the sweltering sun whilst still being outdoors.

Arriving nice and early, the full extent of Puzzlewood wouldn’t be revealed until we’d entered the wood. Although one thing was certain, there would be lots of walking!

Once past the entrance, my kiddies were immediately drawn to the sandpit and playground, like most children. Which was closely followed by the mini maze. However, the biggest challenge was yet to come. Puzzlewood itself.

Personally, I think Puzzlewood is a well-kept secret. It is an ancient woodland that does allow your imagination to run wild. It is made up of a series of meandering pathways that you could quite easily get lost in. However, there are many things to look out for to keep you going and keep you intrigued.

We set up off searching for dead ends, lookouts, bridges and obviously the way out. To keep us motivated and to explore the entire woodland we downloaded the app so that we could collect the 10 Roman coins. This was definitely a winner with my two.

We also knew that the wood had been the host to some famous films. Lea loved this. Especially as some of the recent Star Wars films had been filmed here. She kept on asking where the filming actually took place.

I must admit, there was a point when I thought we might be lost in the wood forever. However, just as I was about to give up, and let hubby take over, we found the way out. I was just a little relieved.

By this point, it was definitely lunchtime. We settled down in the indoor picnic area to take sheltered from the sun. However, there is also the option of a café.

Having refuelled our tanks, it was time for a play. So, we headed for the indoor maze. I even joined in. This is a simple maze made up of chipboard corridors and doors to find several images. However, my two used it as an excuse to play hide and seek!

Having had a good run around and noticing it was getting late, it was definitely time to go. So, we only had a little time left to go and see the animals. Before saying goodbye to an amazing day out.

Prices for Puzzlewood are £7.00 for adults and £6.00 for children (aged three to 16 years). Children under three go free. Visit www.puzzlewood.net for more details on prices and discounts.

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