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There is no better place to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee than in the great outdoors. In this week’s issue, we'll share with you some activities at Dinton Pastures Country Park and California Country Park during the coming weekend and beyond.
 Dip into the water to beat the heat
Open water swimming
Open water swimming has just returned to Dinton Pastures with the National Open Water Coaching Association (NOWCA). Swimmers will have full access to changing rooms, toilets and warm showers at the new activity centre, the borough’s first net zero carbon building.
On Saturdays, you can relax in our café after your swim. Enjoy drinks and food with 10 per cent discount if you show your NOWCA wristband and say "WET, WET, WET". Book an open water swimming session on the Love Open Water website.
Doggy paddle
If you are coming along with your four-legged friend, why not try out our exciting and fun “doggy paddle” in July and August at Dinton Pastures? Our experienced coach will first familiarise your pet with the paddleboards or sit-on-top kayaks floating on the water before heading out for a tour of the lake.
After that, you and your dog will be given treats that make the whole experience even more delightful. You can book a session of the Doggy Paddle on the Dinton Pastures website.
Paddling pool
For the young people in your life, we will have the paddling pool at California Country Park, in Finchampstead, re-opening on 16 July. Each session lasts for 1 hour 45 minutes. Booking for entry can be made online now. Tickets cost £2.60 for all ages entering the water and £1 for adults who need to enter the pool area to supervise children but not go to the pool itself.
 Explore nature with children this half term
Plants and animals are now thriving in our country parks. Bring your children over and see if you can find Bird's-foot Trefoil and Banded Demoiselle, both of which are easy to identify in our parks and open spaces near you in this season.
Just a little about them….
Bird’s foot Trefoil (pictured above) is known as “eggs and bacon” due to its clusters of deep, yellow flowers tinged with red. It is named “bird’s foot” because of the shape of its seed pods. It is a food plant for many creatures, such as caterpillar species.
Branded Demoiselle is a large metallic damselfly with fluttering, butterfly-like wings. It is mainly found along slow-flowing rivers, ponds and lakes. Female banded demoiselles lay their eggs by injecting them into plant stems under the surface of the water.
 New children’s menu at Dinton café
After all that fun with your little ones at Dinton Pastures, you may wish to chill out a bit with them before heading back. Our Coffee House has recently launched a new children's menu, offering some favourites, such as pork sausages, chicken goujons and cold bites. Meat-free options are also available.
The Coffee House at Dinton Pastures is now managed by the multi-award winning caterer Cleverchefs. They hand roast their own coffee blend, which is ethically sourced. All food in their main menu is freshly cooked from the kitchen on-site for eat-in or takeaway.
 Coming up....outdoor cinema and running events
Dinton Pastures Country Park has just seen the first of the Gocinemas' outdoor screenings and Barnes Fitness Dinton Summer races completed with overwhelming support from residents.
Don’t worry if you have missed one or both of them!
Outdoor cinema
The next outdoor cinema night will be on 30 July when The Greatest Showman will be shown. Live music will be on from 7:15pm until 8:45pm before the movie starts. Book the upcoming screenings on the Gocinemas website.
Running events
The Barnes Fitness Dinton Summer series, a friendly series of 5 and 10km runs, will be continuing on 6 June, and subsequently on 14 July and 11 August. Now in its 10th year, the series takes place on a lovely off-road, traffic-free route around Dinton Pastures. Runners of all abilities are welcomed. Sign up with Barnes Fitness now.
Marvellous Festival
Exciting enough? There's still more. The Marvellous Festival, much-loved by music lovers, will return to Dinton Pastures on 23 and 24 July. This year, the music extravaganza will feature some stunning rock and pop acts for all ages to enjoy. Tickets are now available on the Skiddle platform.
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