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An adventure for the teens in the house. Up at 4.30, back in bed by 8am. All their own idea, looking for adventure on their doorstep, they got up in the middle of the night and cycled down to the river to watch the sun rise with their Ordnance Survey London Parks PACMAT. Breakfast on Millennium bridge. Have you ever seen it empty enough to picnic on? Simply changing the timing can make it all the more exciting. Late or early. And of course, loving the empty roads for cycling.   

We have absolutely loved cycling around London during lock down. Although our London Parks have been packed to the brim, the roads in central London have been blissfully quiet. Perfect for a picnic cycle ride.  

What better thing to do on a very wet day, but to get even wetter?! Rainy days are made for wild swimming, hot chocolate and ponchos.Our plan had been to enjoy a sunny afternoon around a wild swim spot, but the weather looked a bit grey for sitting around so off we went on a walk, much to Basil, the dog's pleasure. It was wonderful to explore the area. Such variety in scenery and weather. As we returned to the river, where we'd parked, the kids jumped in. A quick few dips (jumping in from the bridge) before finally admitting to...

We have really enjoyed exploring new places recently. There are so many areas, near by, we've never got to know because we've been busy travelling further afield. The last sunny weekend we headed to a place in Essex, reviewed for it's wild swimming. What a beauty. We walked along the river bank, admiring the horses and church on the other side, found a great place for a picnic and slithered into the water for a refreshing swim. What a wonderful English summer's day it was.  

A great thing about the lock down is that it's forced us to look closer to home for escapes from the city. The Essex Way is a long cycle or a short car journey away. It's the quickest place to get into rural England from our home... and worth the effort. A proper woodland walk and open fields. Good for the soul after work.