Kirby Hall, near Corby northants

Kirby Hall is located not far from Corby, Northants.  It is a little off the beaten track (my SatNav got lost the last couple of miles) but it's worth the effort finding.

It is now under the care of English Heritage - once owned by Sir Christopher Hatton, Lord Chancellor to Queen Elizabeth 1.   Part of the house has no roof, but much restoration work is in progress which you can read about on boards and the gardens are well-kept although a little bare I thought.

There are loos and picnic tables provided, but not somewhere you could spend a whole day at - but dogs are welcome on leads.

Whipsnade Zoo

Whipsnade Zoo is near Dunstable in Bedfordshire.   It's very big - really need to visit more than once to see everything.   They have a large selection of animals both large and small.  You can either park your car in the outside carpark and walk around or hop on the free double decker bus to go round, or you can opt to drive your own car around from parking lot to parking lot.   We walked around, I think that's best really as you get to see exactly what you want when you want, and stop at each enclosure at your leisure. Walking you can head in any direction to see what you want, whereas both the car route and bus route limit you as to what you can see (and you cant stop at your leisure).  There are several blocks of loos and cafes and drink/food kiosks dotted around too.

Summer Leys July 2011

Irchester Country Park, Northamptonshire

Irchester country park is a really nice place to take dogs for a walk although you now have to pay a couple of quid to park your car if you don't live near enough to walk there.   There is a railway museum open on sundays, and a cafe open 7 days a week in the summer months.  This area used to be a quarry, some of the tree lines you can see where they dug out the quarry and tipped the slag - its history goes back to the Roman times apparently.   The wooded areas are inhabited by Muntjac deer but you rarely see them as they are such secretive little things.