| Grandude, grandkid suggestions - attention people on the Ipswich to MK axis 23:52 - May 21 with 1172 views | Lord_Lucan |
Looking for suggestions or advice etc.
Myself and Lady Lucan are taking the grandkids to Woburn safari.
The plan is to drive to a hotel in MK on day one, stay over, visit safari on day two and then drive back to Silly Suffolk.
Simple you scream - however, kids shouldn't be in car seats for too long and why waste the drive by just driving.
We are looking for suggestions for a Grandude stopover between Ipswich and MK on the forward and back journeys. This doesn't need to be some mega spectacle. Just a nice spot for a picnic by a lake is good, anything is better than a sanitised service station.
All suggestions welcomed and appreciated.
Thanks in advance. |  |
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| Grandude, grandkid suggestions - attention people on the Ipswich to MK axis on 00:14 - May 22 with 1097 views | StNeotsBlue |
Quite near the Woburn end of the journey but pop into Chicken George Jr in Bedford for quite possibly the finest best Fried Chicken in the UK. Won lots of awards and is fantastic, Tavistock Street so easy enough to get back on the A421 from there. |  | | |
| Grandude, grandkid suggestions - attention people on the Ipswich to MK axis on 01:52 - May 22 with 1039 views | jontysnut |
If you're passing St Neots - Wyboston Leisure Park. It's a water park but I think you can go in the cafe/restaurant. |  | | |
| Grandude, grandkid suggestions - attention people on the Ipswich to MK axis on 07:04 - May 22 with 872 views | ADStephenson |
Wimpole farm just off the A428 is a lovely national trust place. Beautiful on a sunny day. |  |
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| Grandude, grandkid suggestions - attention people on the Ipswich to MK axis on 07:08 - May 22 with 864 views | Ftnfwest |
Well I would say come for a cuppa at my gaff but lady F and myself are off to Norfolk for the weekend tonight. Slightly off the route by 8-10 miles but saffron Walden not bad for a quick stopover, there are a couple of play areas there plus audley end. Or wrest park a bit further on, only a mile or so off route (both historic England places I think) |  | | |
| Grandude, grandkid suggestions - attention people on the Ipswich to MK axis on 07:13 - May 22 with 839 views | itfcjoe |
Audley End house is really nice, big gardens and a lake out the front - not sure if you have to pay to sit there opposed to going in as only driven past it but wife has been there |  |
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| Grandude, grandkid suggestions - attention people on the Ipswich to MK axis on 07:17 - May 22 with 820 views | Churchman |
Cambridge is nice. Got Duxford nearby with plenty to see, but the grandchildren may be too young/disinterested for that.
Enjoy Woburn. Odd fact: my father did the planning work for the safari park when it was first put together back in the late 60s/early 70s. |  | | |
| Grandude, grandkid suggestions - attention people on the Ipswich to MK axis on 07:38 - May 22 with 783 views | ArnoldMoorhen |
Depending on whereabouts in Suffolk you are setting out from...
Nowton Park, Bury St Edmunds is about half way from Lowestoft to MK, and would be perfect. It has a maze, which is quite rare for free to access parks!
https://www.westsuffolk.gov.uk/leisure/Parks/nowton-park.cfm
I've used it as a stopover for coach parties with families.
If you live in Ipswich then Cambridge is half way. There are huge greens to run around on, but parking is very difficult.
If you live near Bury St Edmunds then Bedford is halfway. The river and Embankment have lots of green space around, and there are lots of ducks and swans to see on the river. The town centre, with usual chain food options, is nearby. Bedford has a significant Italian population (post-WW2 prisoners of war who stayed to work at London Brick nearby and brought their families over) and so also has some of the oldest established independent family-run Italian restaurants and pizzerias in the country.
Or divert ever so slightly and go to Bromham Mill, excellent home made cakes, a small park by the river and a children's play park which has a fairy house trail. Then really easy access to two different A road routes to MK, depending on where your hotel is.
https://themillcoffeeshop.co.uk/
Thinking about it, I would say that is a better option than Bedford. The Mill does lighter meals as well as tea, coffee and cakes, or The Prince of Wales pub has decent parking and is 3 minutes away by car. Solid pub grub.
https://www.princeofwalesbromham.com/index [Post edited 22 May 7:45]
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| Grandude, grandkid suggestions - attention people on the Ipswich to MK axis on 07:42 - May 22 with 766 views | RedWhiteAndBLUE |
| Grandude, grandkid suggestions - attention people on the Ipswich to MK axis on 07:13 - May 22 by itfcjoe |
Audley End house is really nice, big gardens and a lake out the front - not sure if you have to pay to sit there opposed to going in as only driven past it but wife has been there |
I second Audley End. You do have to pay to go to the gardens though. There is also a miniature railway for the kids. |  | | |
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| Grandude, grandkid suggestions - attention people on the Ipswich to MK axis on 12:45 - May 22 with 610 views | Argyle_blue |
Think you’ll go pretty much straight past Milton country park. Nice places to sit and have a picnic - play areas for the children and a good cafe. |  | | |
| Grandude, grandkid suggestions - attention people on the Ipswich to MK axis on 19:50 - May 22 with 503 views | Lord_Lucan |
Thanks everyone. | |
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