Wicksteed Park Recieves Grant To Restore Lake

Congratulations to the award winning Wicksteed Park on being awarded a £1m grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund to restore the fantastic lake that it has.

It was created between 1919 and 1921 and has got to be the biggest and best attraction that Northamptonshire has to offer!  People from all over the UK come to this fantastic Park that is about to get even better thanks to the Heritage Lottery Fund's grant.

It was a childhood favourite of mine and I still visit the park to this day - in fact I was there only 2 weeks ago!

One thing a lot of people don't realise it that Wicksteed Park is actually a charity.  No 'fat cats' here, as much money as possible (after wages etc) go straight back in to the upkeep of the park which offers a large Free play area, some great short walks and if you purchase some tickets you can even get a ride on the train that goes around the lake that is going to be restored!

A great day out for all the family.  More details here:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-northamptonshire-18739909

http://www.wicksteedpark.co.uk/

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Kelvedon Hatch - Secret Nuclear Bunker (A138 Essex)

SSssshhh!  Don't Tell Anyone Where It Is!

If you drive down the A128 in Essex you will come across an intriguing sign that openly indicates that there is a Secret Nuclear Bunker nearby!  If curiosity gets the better of you and you decide to follow the sign you will end up going down a single track road through a farmers field.  The road meanders round the field until you eventually end up at what appears to be a bungalow...

Entering The Secret Nuclear Bunker

If you park up near the bungalow you will soon realise that this is the entrance to the now decommissioned  Secret Nuclear Bunker.  On entering the bunker you have the opportunity of picking up a 'wand' which will be your guide.  There are numbers on the walls as you go around the bunker that if they are entered in to your 'wand' will give you some information on where you are and will give you directions around the underground bunker.

What Can You See?
As you leave the guards room and wander down a long corridor you are told on the 'wand' that it could withstand the force of a nuclear bomb!

You can then spend then next few hours (I spent over 4 hours there if I remember correctly), wandering around the bunker looking at where the government of the day would have fled to in the event of a nuclear attack!

It's as if one day someone had simply said "right, that's it we're now closed and everyone can go home", as all the rooms still have all the desks in place with all the computers, telephones and even newspapers that they would have used on them.  Nothing is behind any glass like a typical sort of museum so you can even sit down at a desk that would have been used by someone top secret!!!



Top Secret!
The tour takes you in to every single room including the stationery cupboard which was laden with note paper that had TOP SECRET and ON HER MAJESTY'S SERVICE written on it - James Bond or what?!

You get to see everything from the BBC Television/Radio broadcast studio that would have broadcast to the nation if we were under attack, to the room where the then Prime Minister (John Major) would have slept in!

It was build in 1952 and was decommissioned in 1992 which is why the general public can now visit it.
Where Can You Find Out More Information?

For further information on the Secret Nuclear Bunker please visit the following web site:

www.secretnuclearbunker.com