A beautiful wicker basket packed with fizz and crustless sandwiches or a glorified packed lunch with mountains of Tupperware and sausage rolls (guilty!). Fear not, our Muddy guide to lovely picnic spots in Bucks and Oxon will at least ensure the location is perfect.

Abingdon Lock, Oxon

The water meadows around this lock are gorgeous, and you can take a wander to Abingdon Bridge (above), which was originally built of stone in 1416. Also not far from the lock lies Andersey Island and medieval Culham Bridge. Numerous spots to put down your picnic blanket and enjoy the meadows and life on the water as the boats pootle by.

Black Park, Wexham, Bucks

A ginormous lake with designated picnic areas with tables, so you don’t have to get all down and dirty on the grass. With over 500 acres of woodland, heathland and open spaces, it’s a great spot to exercise the children and get a nature fix. Plus, you can hire bikes and pootle about the beech woods for hours. Bonus – it’s a free day out (except for parking costs).

Blenheim Palace, Woodstock

At the heart of the pretty Cotswold market town of Woodstock, the World Heritage Site is the only non-royal country house in England to hold the title of a palace – so, yeah, it’s a pretty big deal. Go for the stunning Baroque architecture and stay for a posh picnic in the expansive grounds. (Tickets to the park and gardens are £31 for adults, £15.00 for kids 3-16yrs).

Burnham Beeches, Bucks

Soooo pretty here, Muddy’s kids absolutely love it. Many of the trees are several hundred years old, and it’s no wonder this ancient woodland is a nature reserve. There are plenty of picnic tables, a café and many pathways through the woods. It’s also a favoured Pinewood filming location for Harry Potter, Goldfinger and the like, so keep your eyes peeled for a film crew.

Cliveden, Bucks/Berks border

Plenty of space to sit and enjoy your own picnic and admire the parterre, formal gardens and woodlands that surround this Italian mansion. If you want to save money on Cliveden’s entrance fee, you can stay near the park entrance and set up camp – it does mean you’ll miss out on takeaway ice-creams and the opportunity to roll down the parterre slope, though.

Coombe Hill, Bucks

The highest point in the Chilterns is a great place to picnic on a summer’s day on grassland teeming with wild flowers and butterflies. (In the winter, be prepared for a blast of fresh air that will knock your socks off). There’s a gentle one-mile circular walk with panoramic views across the Aylesbury Vale and Chequers, or if you’re feeling really energetic, you can do a 10-mile walk taking in Whiteleaf Hill and a closer view of Chequers (bring binoculars).

Christmas Common and Watlington Hill, Oxon

There’s a great choice of circular walks starting at the National Trust car park on Watlington Hill through woodland, fields and hamlets around Christmas Common. Choose from 2.5-mile, 3-mile or 6-mile routes, or combine all three for a longer walk and end with a picnic on Watlington Hill with a glorious view over the Vale of Oxford.

Higginson Park, Marlow

Higgy Park ticks all the boxes for the stress-free picnic option. Lovely location by the river with plenty of grass for your spread, plus a large playground for kids (all free, but there is a parking charge). Once full up thanks to the ice-cream vans that take up permanent residence here in the summer, take a walk along the river path past Bisham Abbey and towards Henley and ogle the beautiful riverside mansions with their private moorings and boats.

Ivinghoe Beacon, Herts

Ok, so technically it’s in Herts, but it’s another high point in the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty to which we can lay claim. There’s a car park close by if you don’t fancy too much walking, and with nearly 360° views over Bucks, Beds and Herts, it has ‘picnic spot’ written all over it.

Kirtlington, Oxon

Canalside walks near Kirtlington offer numerous spots to picnic in the beautiful Oxfordshire countryside, watching the narrowboats glide past, but it’s the old quarry that is Muddy’s favourite. Now a nature reserve, there’s a large open flat area that’s ideal for picnics, plus plenty of pathways through the wooded areas where you can scramble around with the kids/dog/on your own and feel at one with nature.

Magdalen Bridge Boathouse, Oxford

Hire a punt from £32 per hour and, fingers crossed, you can watch your husband mess up with the pole and fall in the water (oh, just me?). South from the boathouse, you’ll glide gently past the Botanic Gardens and through Christ Church College Meadows before a choice. Either you take the river-fork left, past St Hilda’s College gardens under the miniature white bridges and back past the Botanic Gardens to the Boathouse. Or continue south towards the Isis, along the entire Christ Church Meadow, to where the river opens up. If you decide to travel north from the Boathouse, you get to drift past Magdalen College Tower and up past the Angel and Greyhound meadows, past Magdalen College gardens and into the countryside. Bring a picnic and stop off when you see a lovely spot. Pure Brideshead Revisited.

Stonor Park, Oxon

A beautiful setting with designated picnic areas, this lush parkland has three gardens: a 17th-century Italianate pleasure garden with ponds and fountains, an old kitchen garden, and an arboretum. The open parkland is home to an ancient herd of fallow deer that have provided venison to kings and queens for generations, so watch where you place your picnic blanket. Tumblestone Hollow (you’ll pay a bit extra for entry) is an extensive adventure playground with plenty of picnic tables to keep the kids entertained. Adult tickets from £8.50, children 2-15 from £9.50.

Upton House & Gardens, Banbury

There are heaps of prime picnic spots at this honey-coloured country house. Muddy’s favourite spots are under the 300-year-old cedar trees on the south lawn (ideal for sunny days); the bog garden by the fish pond (prettier than it sounds!); and the Quiet Orchard (very peaceful). If you’re with a rabble of kids, head to the Sunken Garden where there’s plenty of space for them to bomb about, plus it’s close to the loos and changing facilities.

Wendover Woods, Bucks

Great for wooded walks, but there are also some open areas where you can picnic. Cycling and treetop climbing (run by Go Ape) are also on tap if you want to work off the meat fest.

White Horse Hill, Uffington, Oxon

hero uffington white horse English heritage landscape art — ©English Heritage

A druid hotspot in midsummer, the ancient white chalk horse carved into the hill is a breathtaking sight. Next to it is Dragon Hill, the mythical location (one of many) of the slaying of the dragon by Saint George. As legend has it, the dragon’s blood was so poisonous that the grass on the top of the hill has never grown back. A more plausible explanation is that it was a site of pagan ceremonies involving fire and sacrifice. The only time Muddy has walked up Dragon Hill was on a New Year’s Day with a hangover and no sleep, but the views made up for it and my kids loved the stories. Boom – a magical spot for a picnic.

Willen Lake, Milton Keynes

Fancy getting active with your picnic? Willen Lake has numerous watersports and land-based activities like tree climbing and archery, as well as areas to picnic. The lake is free to visit, but you’ll need to pay to park. Remember to wait 30 mins after eating before hitting the water!

Wittenham Clumps, Oxon/Berks

Round Hill and Castle Hill make up the clumps, which are steeped in history (Roman, Bronze and Iron Age) and an inspiration to poets and artists such as Paul Nash, who painted them many times. You can ramble up and around them and take in the ancient trees, wild flowers and spectacular views before finding the perfect spot for your picnic. In an otherwise flat part of the Thames Valley, they’re also great for sledging in the winter.

Pack a hamper! 17 perfect picnic spots in Bucks and Oxon

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