Once a grand stately home, Witley Court is now a shell of its former splendour. Ravaged by fire in 1937, the remains are open to the elements but that doesn’t stop it being any less awe-inspiring or fascinating; scraps of ornate plasterwork adorn the walls, signs of the grand staircase remain and the huge conservatory, now missing its glass domed roof, is still impressive.

Arriving early, the woodland gardens were cool and lush, and we wandered around the edge of lake, which was glassy in its stillness. The newly built children’s play area proved very popular, especially the outdoor musical instruments and the tree house. The formal gardens that wrap around the house are impressive in their manicured precision, but we preferred the wilderness area that is covered in a mass of waist-height ox-eye daisies and other wild flowers.

I can’t write about Witley Court without making mention of the fountain – the feature my two-year old was most excited to see. A huge Victorian statue of Perseus and Andromeda, it is said to shoot water over 90ft into the air. We settled ourselves under a large, shady tree to eat our picnic and awaited the 12 o-clock fountain display – it didn’t disappoint.

Images by Helen Mackinnon

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Just a few miles along a winding lane leading out of Worcester lies the Knapp and Papermill Nature Reserve. A little secret slice of wildlife and woodland.

It was spring and our wander began in the old apple orchard where we saw trees laden with mistletoe and encrusted with sage green lichen. Robins darted from branch to branch, while butterflies visited the piles of apples carpeting the floor beneath each tree.

From here, we walked to the daffodil field (so called because it was previously used for commercial daffodil growing), which is now covered in wild flowers and grasses. Edged with woodland on one side and Leigh Brook on the other, it’s a peaceful spot. All we could hear was the background rush of the weir, the distant hammering of woodpeckers and the buzzing of sleepy bees drawn out by the spring warmth. With the sun on our faces, it was a great way to spend a Sunday morning.

The path continues along the winding brook, through woodland, past the site of the old mill, and back down to the orchard again. There’s plenty of space for little ones to explore and run about, plus the added lure of spotting the various birds and animals that frequent the reserve.

We didn’t walk the full trail as little toddler legs were getting tired, but now it’s summer, we’re looking forward to returning to see the orchids in the wild flower meadows and to try and spot kingfishers. And this time we’ll go armed with a picnic as there’s a lovely picnic area just before you reach the orchard.

Images courtesy of Paul Lane on Flickr

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I love living in the southern suburbs of Birmingham, so much so that it’s all too easy to stay put! But recently a group of friends and I packed a picnic and headed out of town on our bikes, determined to explore the beautiful Midlands countryside that surrounds our bustling city.

We set off towards Belbroughton, twelve miles away! We travelled through beautiful Frankley, past the reservoir and alongside the Frankley Beeches – which are in the care of National Trust. The journey was hilly, but what goes up, must come down and whizzing downhill with the cold air rushing past my face was such an amazing feeling and definitely my favourite part! When we reached Belbroughton we sat on the village green under a big tree (perfect for climbing, we later found) and shared our picnic, feeling rather smug about the distance we’d achieved.

On the way home we went up through the beautiful Clent Hills. The views were amazing. Then it was downhill, with the last four miles taking us through many South Birmingham parks. It wasn’t easy cycling all that way on my creaky Raleigh, but it was such a nice feeling being out in the fresh air on an adventure. Venturing into the countryside is definitely going to become a more regular thing!

Image courtesy of Chris Hudson Photographs on Flickr

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There’s a little island in the River Teme near the ruins of the romantic and ghostly Witley Court. It’s surrounded by tall bullrushes but in the middle there’s a tiny, hidden bay where you can lie in the grass in total privacy apart from the odd inquisitive duckling. It’s the best cloud-watching place ever. All you can hear is the babbling of the water and the birds singing. Jaffa Cakes and champagne as a picnic, and you’ve found your own private little island paradise.

Photo courtesy of Michaelday_bath on Flickr

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