Although we’ve lived in Somerset for almost 6 years, I often forget how close we are to the sea! Early last month, when we had a (small) glimpse of sunshine before the storms, I took the girls on a little day trip to Burnham-on-sea/Highbridge, to visit Apex Park. The weather may have taken a chilly turn and the Not So Tiny One may have been in a teething grump but the park was so great that we refused to let our enthusiasm wane and pushed on through (for a long as we could, anyway). I’m so glad we did as there is so much to explore there. We’ll certainly return on a sunnier day when all of our party is in more favourable spirits!

So, what’s there? Free parking for starters, right on site. There are also toilet facilities and a small kiosk serving snacks that’s open in high season (the kiosk wasn’t open on this occasion but the toilets, thankfully, were). Adjacent to the car park is a beautiful large lake with lots of ducks and swans (and, I hear, plenty of other wildfowl in warmer weather). There’s a tarmacked path that runs round the whole diameter of the lake – it’s accessible for prams and, although it says “no cycling,” we took the Little Big One’s balance bike and she scooted alongside us and had a great time. I’ve mentioned before that I’m always on the lookout for great places to take the bike and this was ideal.

The play park is fantastic. There’s an enclosed area for pre-schoolers which kept my girls entertained and there’s a larger park aimed at slightly older children complete with scramble nets, climbing frames and a slide that’s big enough for 2 or 3 kids to go down at the same time (or 2 kids and a mummy!!) There’s also a skate park, so something for all ages.

The best bit about this park is the variety. We took the lakeside circular walk which takes in the lake, the ducks and the play park. There’s also a woodland trail, a wildflower area and the piece de resistance – a waterside walk (again accessible for prams and bikes) that leads along the river Brue to the southern end of Burnham sea front (by the sailing club). That’s right, you can see the sea! For us, who had basically been in hibernation since early December and were feeling starved of fresh air, this was a real coop. I can only imagine that a trip in the spring/summer would be delightful!

This excursion was part of a wider research project to find the best parks around Somerset/Wiltshire so keep your eyes peeled for another park-based blog post coming soon.