You know some days when you get it into your head that you want to go to a certain place, that you’ll have a nice casual stroll. The birds will be singing and the wind will gently ruffle the fur on your hooded coat. When in reality you get there, the wind feels like ice slapping you in the face and you continue to slip on little patches of snow that are still on the floor.

That’s what happened the other day when we took Poppy to Saltwell Park.

Saltwell Park is a gem. Nestled right in the thick of it. A secret garden type place filled with bowling greens, various gardens and little nooks. 

I love Saltwell Park. It is one of my favourite places to go for a little walk. I love the massive lake filled with ducks and swans, and I never tire of gazing at Saltwell Towers all proud and tall looking over the grounds.

I’ve been coming to this park ever since I was a little girl, and even though I'm older now, I don’t play on the swings or want to go and see the rabbits, it’s still a magical place for me. I love the rose garden in summer and the sloping paths that lead to the streams, catching the odd squirrel running in front of you is always a treat too.

I think Saltwell Park is one of Poppy’s favourite places to go. She continuously pulls on the lead for the full duration of the walk, sniffing various patches of grass and wagging her tail when dogs approach. We normally don’t let her off the lead in case she runs away but she made a friend with a collie called Sam. It was great watching them running around and playing together.

Despite the cold weather I still managed to take a few pictures. Plus after you’ve walked around for a bit you start to warm up. It didn’t even dampen our spirits when it started to rain.

I can't wait for summer time so I can put a picnic together and spend an afternoon lying down and reading on the grass. I'd love to take a boat around the lake too. It's been years since I did that. I'm sure now though they are white plastic swans that you peddle. (might still be fun though.)

There are lots of spaces for parking near Saltwell Park and it's on a bus route. It's easy to get to and you could definitely spend a good few hours just walking around and taking it all in. A great free day out for all ages.

When were you last at Saltwell Park?