Tuesday 28 October 2014

High Woods Country Park, Colchester + Baked Apples

Little children seem to have a lot of energy. My small toddler son literally can't sit still. He's like a Terrier at the moment, so today's challenge was to find somewhere to go for a thorough 'work out'. Since it is the school holidays and most places would probably be heaving, I ruled out the Zoo, the Park, the Swimming Pool, the Castle, the Coast and the Stuffed Animal Museum (really, this place has EVERYTHING a small child could want). Instead, and since it was such a beautiful day, I thought we could check out High Woods Country Park. Again, I think Colchester Council are missing a trick not marketing this place better, its great! And only 10 minutes from the High Street and even less from North Station. Another jewel in the Crown of the Worlds most modest Town...

The main entrance to High Woods is tucked away on Turner Road where you will find a decent sized Car Park, nice (clean) Toilets and a Visitors Centre. The Park is free to enter and covers woodlands, marshland, wild flower meadows and also has a lake where you can do coarse fishing (if you have the correct licence obvs). There are also 3 great play areas for kids of different ages ranging from a climbing wall for the older ones to a sweet little area for toddlers. It has Green Flag status (which I think means its very well kept) a Community Garden where you can learn about plants and bugs and other woodland shenanigans AND a Forest School. Wow.


Older children's climbing wall.


Little toddler play area. Very sweet.


Medium sized children's large play area.


Beautiful Woodland.


I am hoping this is part of the Forest School and not something more Blair Witch like.


Walk to the the lake.


The lake.


After all that exploring, ditch jumping, stick searching, leaf collecting etc etc we were both tuckered out, but before bedtime we made a little treat of baked apples. The easiest and cheapest of puddings known to man.

Baked Apples

Per Person:

1 x Cooking Apple
1 x Tablespoon Brown Sugar
1 x Tablespoon Dried Cranberries (didn't have raisins, actually worked out ok)
1 x Teaspoon of Almond Flakes
Sprinkling of Ground Cinnamon
Knob of butter



Preheat the oven to 180 (Fan)
Wash and core the apples. Place apples on foil in a baking tray.


Mix together the dry ingredients.


Put the butter in the bottom of the core hole (?) and spoon the dry mixture in.
Leave in the oven for 25/30 minutes or until the apple is soft and the sugar has melted.
Leave in the turned off oven while you eat dinner so its the perfect temp when you eat it.
*If you eat it straight from the oven, say 'Adios' to the top of your mouth*


Serve with Ice Cream/Cream/Custard. 
We had none of these, we won't make this mistake again.

Enjoy!

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