Perfil de travelnwork

In our quest to continue investigating all the various parks and in the area we live we gave Stanmore Country Park a walk-through. This park is not as well developed as Stanmore Commons, with young woods spotted with aged trees from era when the land was more grassy than now. That being said, it is an excellent pedestrian route between Stanmore Tube Station (Jubilee Line) and Dennis / Wood Lane.

The terrain is mostly gentle sloping and would seem suitable for those seeking a moderately difficult walk. It is possible there are other areas we did not cover, but having entered from the Kerry Avenue Entrance on the south and exited out an unmarked exit half-way up Dennis Lane this is certainly for the able bodied. While the terrain is certainly not challenging -- mainly gentle slopes; the pathways can sometimes be muddy, bumpy grassy knolls or bridges crossing streams.

The trails are not marked well. I had looked on a map prior to our start, however we meandered on some of the smaller trails and never fully regained our place. There were a few markers on post that identified the "London Loop ", but it didn't help since I didn't know what that was. A little investigation reveals this is a nearly complete pedestrian route around the outer edged of London. The signs we saw linked the London Loop with Stanmore Station. The maps available suggest that maybe signage and more clear maps would benefit this initiative

The sound of traffic from nearby roads was still audible in most parts of the park. Particularly as one walks further north in the park, the constant hum from the M1 became more distinct. That being said, the beautiful tunes being shared by a variety of birds is more the theme. The only other wildlife we saw on this family walk were a few bumblebees enjoying the just blossoming flowers. The colours were just beginning to erupt from the landscape with the first green shoots sprouting from the trees. Wildflowers spotted the grassy patches and a few trees had new flowers.

Overall, those who have made this park possible have done an appreciable job. However I can't help the feeling that I was in the woods behind someone's home rather than in a park. Thus far I would rather frequent Bentley Priory or Stanmore Commons as they seem to have stronger air about them as quality outdoor spaces, however there is still much too explore in the Stanmore Country Park before drawing a hasty conclusion.

We enjoyed a family dinner here with some friends on a cold winter Saturday night. The atmosphere was excellent. We occupied a corner table next to one of the fireplaces -- not gas -- real wood. Even with all the noise the children were making on this occasion we didn't feel as though we were really disturbing other pub goers because of the layout. The staff were extremely kind and friendly towards us...sometimes babies help this cause.

The food was average. The steak burger my wife ordered was lacking hope of flavour, but the house Merlot was excellent (I didn't catch the name). The lasagne contained real chunks of beef, but the pasta was cooked quite right. The rocket on the side was wonderfully spicy. They brought out a special plate of plain noodles on the side for our girls. When they brought out the wrong side, beans, for the children's meal they seemed shocked they got it wrong, however they were quick to correct it and bring out peas. Some of their other special for evening meal included venison, sea bass and moroccan lamb.

It cost about 38 pounds for 2 main meals, 1 childrens meal, 1 side, 1 desert, 2 alcoholic beverages and 1 bottle of apple juice.....which I believe is fairly average.

I would consider coming here again, though maybe next time we might stick to a drink and dessert.

This is the little boutique cousin of the main store on Oxford Street. Three floors packed into a small footprint contain clothing, odd bits for the home and fun little gadgets and stationary. There are some cute gifts and storage accessories for very reasonable prices. As we were pushing a pram it was a bit challenging in the tight space and with only a stair connecting the floors. Overall we were a bit disappointed. We wanted to see more, so next time we'll spend our time in the Oxford Street location. Besides, its just around the corner.

On a recent visit to the Hunstanton area we had a family outing for both a lunch and a dinner to the Restaurant at the Heacham Manor Hotel.

The initial impression is overwhelmingly positive, benefiting from a curving drive along a pebble road beside the pond in the front garden. The main stone building is lovingly restored with a automatic sliding glass entry door that seems of a different age as it disappears into the side as you approach. The lobby is warm and comfortable with a calm sense of luxury. Dining guests can arrive early and enjoy the bar before being seated.

For lunch we were seated in the light filled conservatory that overlooks the golf course. Our party of ten was seated quickly along the windows, which had been open to benefit from the breezes. Unfortunately it had also covered our table and cutlery with a fine layer of dust. While the bread plates were replaced upon request, the rest remained. The menu was varied including pigeon, duck, steak, chicken and venison. The service was ok, but the server seemed irritated by a few special requests.

Our dinner took place in the side dining room as we were told the conservatory was fully booked. Oddly enough while we were there 6:30-8:30 pm. on a Saturday the conservatory remained no more than half full, so we weren't sure why we were relegated to the side. It seemed like we were relegated to second class service as well. We ordered drinks at the beginning which only arrived about 45 minutes later, about half way through our dinner after several follow up requests. From the time we receive the dessert menu until the food came was over 35 minutes. In general there seemed to be sufficient staff, but were not much interested in our party of 10. The menu remained unchanged from the previous week as well.

The overall food quality -- fantastic -- among the best we enjoyed in the area. In spite of the dodgy service we would consider returning for a lunch in the conservatory to enjoy the view, atmosphere and food.

This was an excellent choice for a fine family meal, although I would necessarily call it a family restaurant.

There are two sections, both a pub (with outdoor seating as well) and a restaurant. We’ll focus on the restaurant because that is what we enjoyed.

We arrived at about 5:30 on a Wednesday…not exactly peak time, however it took about 5 minutes before any of the staff even acknowledged our arrival. Eventually we were guided to a seating area which was well suited for us. It was in corner out of the way and the cushioned chairs had full sides so the children couldn’t slide off. Even though there is quite a lot of seating capacity in the restaurant it is well laid out so that there are lots of smaller groupings of tables divided into alcoves, raised platforms and open areas.

The service continued to be quite slow as we got going in placing our orders. We asked for a spoon and it seemed to be forgotten. The server’s mind seemed quite distant from where we were so we tried to win her over with kindness (lots of please’s and thankyou’s) and in the end mostly succeeded by the time we left.

The food was EXCELLENT. We started off with a plate of nachos and toppings that was just enough to get our mouths watering. My wife and I ordered the 12 oz. portion of sirloin steak (one well done and the other medium) and it was cooked to perfection. The side vegetables -- mushrooms, greens and a unique onion roll-- were all quite tasty. Our two little ones shared a plate of pasta and sauce, but were most impressed by sharing some of our chips. We were all to filled to fancy a dessert.

The children were well behaved which made it a delight, especially since there were no activities-- crayons, etc.--provided to entertain them with.

In the end the service was questionable, the food and atmosphere were both excellent. Overall, we felt it was good value for money.

I’ve driven past the edge of Stanmore Common on the way from Stanmore to Watford many times, but on the warm bright and sunny weekend I finally took the initiative to take the family for walk. It was a winner from the start.

The terrain is mildly hilly with a variety of trails depending upon your level of adventure. With three young children we kept mostly to the main paths with a few side diversions. The girls enjoyed chasing after a peacock butterfly, with its fabulous colour display. It seemed to glide across the grasses growing up to soak in the sun.

Wearing our sneakers, we were able to avoid most of the mud. However, considering it hadn’t rained in some time and still some areas were quite damp, a good pair of boots would certainly be appropriate. There are several small streams that run through the woods and heath with beautiful stone pebbles rounded through time.

On one large open grass area we let the children just run and play. What a joy it is to see them picking blades of grass, imagining and even talking to a bumblebee! Then in the distance we spotted a well located and still strong tree swing. We all gave it a go and laughed at ourselves.

If you are looking for a day out with the family and the opportunity to relax closer to nature without venturing too far from the city, consider Stanmore Common. We spent about 1 1/2 hours slowly walking the trails. Next time we may bring our lunch and spread a picnic over a grassy area.

We were looking for lunch and our little girls were asking for pizza. The pizza hut on Cockburn Street and Pizza Paradise on North Bridge were both closed on the Sunday after Christmas, so our options were limited. It worked to our advantage. Located at the intersection with High Street about halfway between Edinburgh Castle and Holyrood Palace, it is an excellent stopping point if you are making a day of walking the 'Royal Mile’

Our family of 5 was taken in immediately and given a seating area where there was space for our pram as well as a high chair. The children were given place mats to color on and do activities.

Two of the girls shared the pizza meal off the children’s menu. This came with vanilla ice cream and when they served it each child received a full portion. They were elated and took all the time they needed to finish it off.

My wife and I shared a Bruschetta and then a vegetarian pizza with all the fixings. The glass of Pinot Griggio washed it all down very nicely. Our window seats gave us the opportunity to people watch in between tending to the children.

I really enjoyed the way the server did not rush us. He gave us the time we needed to get through each stage of our meal. With three young children we tend to move at a different pace. The one down side is the location of the toilet rooms-located 1 1/2 stories down. It makes it a bit difficult with small children, especially babies.