Mindful Trails

Tag: Nature Play

  • Wild Water Play in Surrey & Hampshire: Streams, Rivers, and Hidden Paddling Spots

    There’s something timeless about playing in water, whether you’re a child splashing through a shallow stream or a parent trailing your fingers in the current. It’s free, fun, and grounding. In the spirit of slow family adventures, here’s a curated selection of streams and rivers around Surrey and Hampshire that are perfect for a paddle, a picnic, or a peaceful moment by the water.

    Frensham Great Pond, Surrey
    A popular Green Flag Award winning site with sandy shores and calm waters. Great for younger children. Early mornings are quieter. There are clearly defined designated bathing areas.

    Waggoners Wells, Hampshire
    Woodland paths, interconnected ponds, small streams, and a wishing well make this spot feel like a fairy-tale forest. Ideal for small-scale adventures.

    Gostrey Meadow, Farnham, Surrey
    Right in the centre of Farnham, this park features a shallow stream running through a landscaped meadow. Perfect for quick visits, with a playground nearby and lots of space to picnic.

    Abinger Hammer, near Dorking, Surrey
    A classic Surrey spot with a shallow stream, grassy picnic areas, and a gentle current ideal for barefoot paddling. Watch out for ducks and a great little ice cream shop!

    Bonus: A Little Further Afield – Wowo Campsite, East Sussex
    If you’re up for a short trip beyond Surrey and Hampshire, Wowo Campsite in East Sussex is well worth a night away. This family-friendly site features a shallow stream running right through it, offering hours of water play, mini bridges, and muddy fun. Combine with campfires and woodland walks for a full slow adventure.

    🧺 Tips for Mindful Water Play

    • Go early or midweek for a quieter experience
    • Bring a towel, a change of clothes, and water shoes
    • Pack a picnic and stay a little longer than you think you’ll need
    • Let children lead the way, they’ll find magic in the smallest ripple

    These spots can become mini adventures with minimal planning. Wherever you go, take your time, tread lightly and leave no trace.

    📍 Know a stream we should add to the list? Add it to the comments below.

    Happy splashing!

  • A Mini Mindful Adventure at Winkworth Arboretum

    We set off on a warm, golden day with no real expectations, just a simple family walk, a designated route to follow, and a shared aim to spot butterflies as we wandered. The air carried the scent of trees baked in the recent heat, and the path led us through tall foxgloves, ferns reaching skyward, and butterflies dancing ahead of us.

    As we descended toward the lower paths, the trail followed a gentle stream that weaved through patches of wetland. Eventually, we came to a small opening where the light poured in and the water glimmered through the trees.

    Our children quickly claimed it as their own, “the magical lagoon” they called it. They paddled in the stream, climbed over mossy logs, and let the stilled air wrap around them like a cocoon. Meanwhile, we found ourselves caught in a familiar parenting rhythm: the pull to move on, to stick to the route, to complete what we’d started.

    But then we caught ourselves.

    We paused, dropped the need to continue, and joined them. The reward was a rare kind of stillness. We watched beautiful blue damselflies hover, then land gently on our hands. The water, the soft sounds of the woods, and the joy of letting go. This became the heart of the walk.

    From then on, our pace slowed. We stopped more. Looked more. Let the children lead. The walk became something else entirely. Not a checklist to complete, but a presence to sink into.

    We left Winkworth later than planned and completely unbothered by the fact.

    🧭 Notes for Fellow Explorers:

    • Winkworth Arboretum is a National Trust property, but we used a free family pass. These are occasionally available through offers and promotions, so keep an eye out. We’ll share any we see. You could of course decide to join as a member. Click here for more information.
    • Winkworth Arboretum is well known for its gorgeous yellow, orange and red foliage in autumn and stunning bluebell carpets in the spring.
    • The walk can be adapted for all ages, and there are multiple route options depending on your energy levels.
    • Bring a change of clothes if your little ones like water, they’ll likely want to stay in the “lagoon” for a while.

    ✨ Reflections

    Any simple walk like this can become a mini mindful adventure : a way to reconnect with nature, presence, and each other. Sometimes all it takes is letting go of the route and sinking into the moment.