Claremont Gardens.

On Friday we discovered a gem! Claremont Gardens in the heart of Claremont, I drive past there often and very near to it every day during term time.

We used to go there as children from time to time but it is probably most famous for it's use as a wedding photograph venue.

On Friday after Holiday Club Lisa and I took the kids there for a picnic and discovered that it is a gem right under our noses.

Although there was the odd vagrant, there were also security guards on duty and lots of people just soaking up the winter sun and feeding the ducks.

Why have we not done this before?

The kids had a ball and LOVED this tree with enormous roots - they climbed and played there for ages.

There are lots of ponds, they probably all interlink, and lovely bridges over the water, it really is very pretty.

(If you're wondering why Niave is not in the top picture, it's because she was on another bridge doing a different thing, bottom left! We did get her to be in a group picture but that is on Lisa's camera.)

We will definitely be going back, I sometimes need a spot to wait between fetching Niave and Abs from school and this is perfect. It is in walking distance but we'll definitely drive!! A few minutes to feed the ducks may just be what we need midweek during a busy term.