Padel at Oakhill

14/07/2025

Get Out in the Fresh Air With These Summer Activities

Make the most of the sunshine and nature with fun ideas for walks, getting fit or enjoying the perfect picnic.

By Nicky Rampley-Clarke

There’s nothing quite like getting outdoors in the summer, whether a planned al fresco activity at the weekend for the whole family or an impromptu outing by yourself after the working day is done.

It’s good for our mental and physical health, too. According to the NHS, those who spend more time outside are happier, healthier and more energetic.

Berkeley’s developments are surrounded by the beauty of nature with plenty of opportunities to make the most of being outdoors from wildlife spotting and getting your steps in to playing a game or lounging with a picnic.

Here, we round up five of the best activities to enjoy this summer that get you away from your desk and screen. And breathe… 

Challenge Yourself on a Fitness Trail

Swap the gym for push-up bars in the park. Doing an outdoors fitness trail can improve balance, coordination and strength, as well as offer a dose of nature and vitamin D. It’s praised for providing a holistic workout while being good for your mental wellbeing. Why not hit the 1.5km fitness trail at the country park in Abbey Barn Park in High Wycombe? Cleverly designed with exercise equipment at intervals in a circular loop, through an avenue of beautiful lime trees, for both walking and running, you can decide how long (or short) you want to keep things.

Take a Riverside Stroll

Just a 15-minute walk from Winterbrook Meadows in Wallingford, the Thames Path is the perfect excuse to enjoy a stroll on a sunny afternoon in the Oxfordshire countryside without having to navigate the crowds that congregate beside the Thames in the capital. There are plenty of boathouse-style pubs to stop for a refreshing ice-cold pint, too.

Follow the scenic Thames Path south between Wallingford and the pretty village of Goring. Explore both sides of the river to experience the historic Ridgeway National Trail. Or if you head north from Wallingford towards Benson, swing by the Waterfront Café where you can refuel on a signature homemade burger (be sure you bag a picnic table by the water’s edge). Alternatively, why not hire a self-drive boat from PureBoating to give your legs a rest and enjoy a day on the water instead? We won’t tell if you don’t.

Pack up a #picnicscape

The humble picnic has come on leaps and bounds from the simple packed lunches of yesteryear. They’ve evolved into stylish, sustainable events geared as much towards adults as children, from trestle tables laden with grazing boards – think cheese, charcuterie and crackers in a spectrum of shades – to themed DIY food stations where guests are encouraged to assemble their own creations (taco bar, anyone?). It’s no wonder #PicnicAesthetic and #Picnicscape are trending on social media.

Luckily, there are plenty of outdoor spaces for enjoying such picnic perfection at Berkeley Group’s developments, from Abbey Barn Park, home to a 34-acre country park and ancient woodland to the magnificent 70-acre country park with picnic areas at Hartland Village in Hampshire. While Spring Hill in Berkshire, once complete, will offer a top picnic spot for neighbours to meet at its Manor House Green, planted with fruit and nut trees.

Play a Game of Padel 

As the fastest-growing sport in the world – there are over 25 million players across 110 countries and counting – padel is the hottest thing to play right now. So, why not tap into the trend with a game (somewhere between tennis and squash) at Oakhill in Kent? Available to all residents, the private al fresco court – secreted away in the lush greenery of the 30-acre parkland estate – opened last year and is seeing more and more residents take to the enclosure.

At The Green Quarter in West London, there are three outdoor courts at the Parkside Padel Club open to the public, offering private and group lessons alongside free racket hire. Canopies were recently added to the padel courts, so rain won’t stop play. While at Spring Hill there’s Padel Maidenhead just minutes away. Getting you outdoors while giving you a full-body workout, it’s no surprise that this exciting, social sport is so popular. Game on.

Take a Walk on the Wild Side

Once belonging to the British Government to accommodate the Civil Defence and Civil Service colleges, historic Sunningdale Park has now been restored to its former glory with the doors thrown open to the public so Berkshire residents can enjoy its natural beauty. As Berkeley is committed to biodiversity net gain – leaving the natural environment in a measurably better state than beforehand – the country park is positively teeming with wildlife such as rabbits, bullfinches and song thrushes, as well as notable trees – including a 500-year-old sweet chestnut dating back to the era of Henry VIII.

Elsewhere, the 20-acre award-winning Cator Park at Kidbrooke Village in Greenwich – awarded the prestigious Sir David Attenborough Award for Enhancing Biodiversity – is a haven for the natural world with its hedgerows, wildflower meadows and waterways, home to birds, swans, ducks and more. Better dust off the binoculars.

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