Biddy on the Newbury Giant Easter Egg Hunt

A fine Bank Holiday Easter Monday … and I lured the husband into Newbury with the promise of breakfast before we hit the Giant Easter Egg Hunt trail.

Breakfast sitting outside in early April in England? Yes indeed – and at the Teashop by the Canal there are few finer spots. Fuelled by a full English with a side order of black pudding (for him) and a bacon and egg sarnie (for me), accompanied by tea in a proper teapot (leaf tea at that) and a good Americano we were fired up and ready to hit the town.

We collected our form from the special Easter Zone in Parkway (you can also get them from the Visitor Information Centre in the Market Place), where lots of children were enjoying activities and having their faces painted. Then off we went on the hunt for those Giant Easter Eggs. 

I must say it was good fun deciphering each of the 15 clever cryptic clues (most of which were not too difficult, thankfully) to find the eggs and, very importantly, the special letter displayed alongside each one. 

Without wanting to give too much away, the trail takes you all around the town centre, and follows a logical route so you don’t need to backtrack on yourself. 

The clues aside, the giant Easter eggs themselves are works of art and include a fabulous golden one, a stylish black and white one, a pretty rainbow one, even one that looks like a circus Big Top. However, there were a couple that I liked best of all. One was in … oooh I can’t tell you but it is big and yellow and covered in smaller eggs, cut out and coloured in by children, with my particular favourite being a drawing of an Easter bunny. The other was very cleverly and beautifully decorated in a découpage style, all pink and blue and pretty … the only clue I’m going to give you is: it’s on the bridge.

So … give me a C – C!  Give me a G – G! And that really is all the help you’re getting … if you want to find out what the other letters are that will help you crack the code you’ll have to go and hunt for them. There’s still plenty of time as the competition runs until Saturday 18 April, all through the school holidays, and is a great way to while away a morning or afternoon.

And as you could be in with a chance of winning a fabulous prize – a £250 John Lewis at Home voucher, a Hotel Chocolat hamper or a giftcard from The Entertainer toyshop – it’s a bit of fun that’s too good to miss.

Happy hunting!

Biddy x 

Biddy in Victoria Park

Thank heavens for green open spaces, even if they are in the middle of town. Or perhaps that should be especially if they are in the middle of town. And one such area in Newbury brings a welcome relief after a busy morning shopping. After an essential coffee at Café Rouge, I stepped over the road and into Victoria Park (or Vicky Park if you want to be more casual about it). What a lovely spot to get away from it all, for a quiet stroll, some thinking time, or just a place to sit awhile, and a haven for dog walkers, joggers, and parents with pushchairs.

The avenue of trees as you enter the park from Parkway is a pretty scene at any time of year, and there are plenty of seats to rest and watch the world go by. (I am also impressed by the number of bins, so no excuses for litter or doggie-doos to spoil it for everyone else.) The flower beds are always tidy – with a changing array of flowers depending on the season, but even in the coldest months they look smart with rose bushes pruned and the promise of things to come. Thank you to the council for making them so.

The park’s namesake stands in all her glory in red sandstone at the far end of the park, with the modest inscription ‘To the great and good Queen Victoria 1819–1901’. Although originally in the Market Place, the statue has been in the park since 1966 and dear old Queen Vic has much to look out on, with the tennis courts before her and skateboard heaven off to her right. Here too is a younger children’s area with climbing equipment and things to ride on and a slide with four ways to get to the top and two routes to slide to the bottom. And, of course, my particular favourite – the swings: I am not averse to kicking up my heels and flying through the air on one when no one is watching. (Ssssh! Don’t tell!) There’s a sandpit too, great fun for little ones.

The lake is a focal point and a great attraction to the swans – and indeed seagulls: close your eyes and you can almost believe you are at the seaside. Of course it’s from May to September that the park really comes to life with entertainments such as boating on the lake, refreshments at the café, music at the bandstand and a host of events taking place – funfairs, the carnival, the Crafty Craft boat race and so forth. All lovely on a fine day. But for me, on a bright winter’s day, a solitary stroll back along the avenue of bare trees is an absolute pleasure and a lovely break before I head back to the car and home.

Biddy x