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It had been a hot, steamy week in London. A group of us from Hackney decided to treat the kids to a refreshing wild swim. A day of mucking about jumping and splashing at Meadway, Kent. Known for it's easy access swimming and a bridge for the kids to jump off. We made a base with, of course, a lot of PACMATs. The cows took great interest in the Ordnance Survey Game Mat. First one, then a whole crowd came to see.   After a lot of dipping, playing ball and lounging in the shade we headed back into the heat of...

With lock down easing and things starting to open up again we jumped at the chance to rebook a very overdue orthodontist appointment. Normally we would make the trek to Barking by tube. It's a horrible journey. But because we'd prefer to stay off public transport at the moment if at all possible we decided to cycle. I had no idea it was going to be so easy. Basically through the parks and onto the green way. Lovely. We were in a bit of a rush on the way there, so steamed ahead, but on the way back we treated ourselves...

This year, National Picnic Week is 22-28 June. So grab your PACMATs and get outdoors for a good old picnic. We kicked off the week with a father's day family picnic walk in Ashdown Forest, Sussex. A wonderful place with far reaching, refreshing views. The kids and dogs especially had a great time, walking, splashing, jumping and nature trailing (the dogs had to be kept on leads near livestock, of course). And granny had her PACMAT Patch with her so that she could have her very own picnic spot with social distancing. "Originally a deer hunting forest in Norman times,...

How many London Parks can you get in one walk? Heading off from our house on a sunny Saturday afternoon for a dog walk, I couldn't quite decide which of our local parks to go to, so Basil and I thought we'd try a few on a circular walk. Each park has its own personality. All, well most, are very popular and busy. So we started off heading to our nearest park, London Fields. This was packed. I didn't dare let Basil off the lead. On hot weekend days there's a definite festival feel. It's quite a young crowd and gets...

      Epping Forest, just a short journey from urban East London, where it's possible to lose yourself (and your worries) in the dark, deep forest. Basil just didn't know which squirrel to chase. A wonderful walk through the woods for a picnic lunch. And back to our desks in the afternoon, feeling refreshed.