Great for your more expensive outlets. Designer clothes, shoes, food and household. Although all designer still cheaper than in the Cities etc. Not too busy as visited on a Monday. Great shopping and great food.

Fun place for shopping at good prices, lots of options for any budget. Many places for lunch as well! We liked it and recommend to visit!

Great place to visit for big brands and save some money. Plenty of parking across the road but it does have a 6 hour max parking limit. I know this is plenty of time but if you spend the day here shopping, eating and using the cinema or swimming pool, you could easily be here longer than 6 hours. So just be conscious of time. There are disabled and parent and child spaces available. There was some building work going on in the car park today so a lot of the parent and child spaces were inaccessible but this will only be temporary. Plenty of restaurants to choose from in the retail park side and there are a few in the village too. There are some smaller vans/cafés inside the shopping area too. Only knocked off a star because there a quite a few empty units and it's really noticeable. Definitely needs some other shops opening up soon. Overall it's a great place that I'd recommend any time.

Not overly busy on a Monday lunchtime. Parking spaces are a bit tight, especially for the larger vehicles.

This place is fantastic for shopping, offering a diverse range of items. The best part? Parking is free for the first 6 hours! I couldn’t get enough of the Nike store, where you got an amazing 50% off all footwear I'll definitely be returning soon.

Great shopping outlet with plenty of both high street and designer shops so you can buy pretty much anything. There are also numerous restaurants so everybody is catered for. Ample parking and easy to get to. The shops are all outdoors so remember a coat in the winter! Will definitely go back.

I have visited this outlet location after a long time. Some stuff deserve attention but overall it's not as cheap as you expect to be for an outlet. Good vibe , a place to go out for an afternoon especially during the weekend. Avoid places like Nike outlet or any other over hyped brand, being packed with people messing everything shelved or displayed. Coffee is coffee, sweets are sweets, parking your car and getting out need skills, energy and time. If you're local, great, if not.....

Lovely place for kids and dogs. Car park charge is a little bit on the dear side, £4.2 for 2h, but I guess they need to spend a lot on the maintenance of the site.

Lovely country park to have a picnic, go for a walk, sit quietly round the lakes or picnic benches. Lots of open spaces for people, dogs, children to run & enjoy the outside. Parking bit expensive. Biggest issue is cafe not only open at wkends!? Ridiculous! Toilets open till 4pm. Thoroughly enjoyed out time there meeting family, walking dogs. We were lucky with we had glorious weather but no shelter if it rains.

Really nice park, clean and well kept. Easy parking and easy to pay when you leave. Didn't walk too far but I think there are a few trails you can walk around. Took a picnic The sky ropes are brilliant, decent for the kids Good few hours.. 👍

Great day out for kids, lots of entertaining things to play with and explore as you walk or cycle round. Nice little cafe as well.

Perfect size park with different kinds of playgrounds spread across the whole park which makes the experience even more fun for the kids. It's not 5 stars because the cafe was closed during the bank holiday, sky rope was also closed and the football pitches were only available after paying quite expensive fees. Car park fees were not cheap but reasonable, especially if you plan to stay more than 4 hours. Worth the visit.

Parking is terrible as payment is by app only and there is little to no mobile signal at the park making it very difficult to pay. I happily use parking apps normally but the owners need to make sure it is actually possible to use mobile payments. Conversely the cafe is cash only. The park itself is fairly well maintained with good paths though a lot of the play equipment is out of order.

Despite there being a toddler area marked on the plan, in reality there wasn’t much for very young children, not even a toddler swing. Looks really good for older children though. Fortunately my granddaughter liked the sand.

This is really worth a visit. It's not a huge site but the barns are really interesting with lots of information of their history,they are well presented and cared for. The walled garden is pretty and well managed. The tea room is modern and busy, very popular. We only had coffees but the food looked good.

We have been to the Helen Rollason Vintage Day twice. Good display of vintage cars, some of them are for sale. There is a tea room on site (NOT dog friendly inside although the grounds and walled garden are) and plenty of parking on the field for events. They do artisanal shopping fairs here in the autumn as well.

Great place and free to visit, cafeteria and toilets on site. Great way to spend a relaxing few hours.

Very interesting buildings. We actually attended a Christmas Fair. The site was well organised and had lots of interesting stalls. It was also dog friendly, so we were able to have our dogs by our side as well as avoid the rain outside. Everyone was helpful and friendly. I'm taking home a very contented dog thanks to all the stallholders offering her treats. Thoroughly enjoyable.

We had a lovely visit with my parents. The grounds, walled gardens and barns are beautiful with lots of interesting information to read. We were lucky to stumble across a camera club taking photos of an owl in flight which an additional bonus. Had a coffee in the cafe and bought some Tiptree jam. A lovely day all round.

Donation Based Visit. 26.09.2023 This place is steeped in history the barns are very interesting especially the roof construction and the walled garden is beautiful. The cream tea in the restaurant was so tasty. The loos are clean and tidy. Well worth a visit if you're in the area.

Visited the Christmas market here for the second year running. It is extensive and varied with a range of food, craft and gift stalls, not just focused around Christmas. Some stalls are housed in the historic barns which adds to the Christmas atmosphere. Parking is adequate with lots of marshalls to ensure everything runs smoothly. Definitely worth a visit.

Just got home from the music festival in the gardens excellent day with excellent bands and lots of food stalls of all varieties and lots to do for the kids a really great day

This park is small but intentional with benches scattered around allowing people to choose what scenery they prefer. There is a park for kids, a tennis court and a pond. The pond in August has lovely lilies a fountain and a picturesque little bridge. The sound from the fountain and weir are calming.

A beautiful and peaceful spot right in the heart of Braintree. The gardens are well-kept, full of lovely flowers, and perfect for a relaxing stroll. It’s not just a great place for families and picnics, but also has a really romantic feel – an ideal setting for a quiet walk with someone special. A hidden gem that’s definitely worth visiting!

I didn't know what to expect from this park. The coffee shop was lovely, but the park itself was super busy for a small play area. It did have a trampoline, which the kids loved. The real jewel of this park is the wooded area at the back. It's obviously looked after by a skilled team of gardeners. The pond is lovely and the trees and plants are very well kept and thought out. My kids loved running around the whole area for far longer than they played in the play area. A real hidden gem.

Stunning little known oasis in the middle of Braintree. Lots of events throughout the year and an idyllic setting for a stroll round the gardens. Tennis courts, insect hotel, wildlife pond, and a myriad of plants and shrubs for the gardeners.

Absolutely Delightful! We went to the Annual Car Show which was really good but the real beauty was actually the gardens! We had no idea they were so lovely and definately recommend a visit. They are so tranquil and the variety of trees amazing. We intend to visit at different times of the year I'm sure Autumn will be splendid with all the colours of the leaves. So glad we went!

Lovely gardens. Walk down to the pond and it's so peaceful. Beautiful blooms out now. Great cafe too.

Brilliant place for mums and toddlers. Good food fair prices. Kids can play safely whilst you can have a coffee and a catchup

AMAZING! this is an incredible place for anyone with little ones under 5. There is a wide variety of toys, though sadly some were not replaced when broken. It was well laid out. Shoes off at the door is a great idea for cleanliness and noise control. The variety and care taken in the food available is brilliant. My friends children are wheat, gluten and dairy free and there was such a good selection for them. Staff and other visitors were so friendly. Outside there are animals to visit and a play area. I would go at least once a week if I lived closer! Such a thoughtful place to create....

We had a little ones birthday party here today. It was amazing! So clean and lovely. The children had a great time. Brilliant food and cover any allergies. The staff were amazing, friendly and so helpful

Excellent venue for a trip out with babies and toddlers! I was so impressed with this place. We were given such a friendly welcome from the staff. There is so much for babies and toddlers to play with. Food was yummy and fairly priced and there is even a baby menu with weaning trays and purées. All in a peaceful location. Loved it!

The Owner of the barn is a very cheerful helpful lady. Good selection of food especially for any children with allergies. Well designed lay out. Babies&toddlers on the lower floor. Play equipment for older children on the upper floor. Parties are catered for. 👍😊

The way the nurture barn is run is a great idea, however, not enough seating space, and a tad overpriced for my liking. £3,20 the entrance for over 6 months seems a bit much, especially since between 6 months and 1years old children don't do much as such. But otherwise it is quite nice

Whilst I'm sure at the Nurture Barns beginning the concept was very good, a few cracks are starting to show. Whilst the inside decor is good, the toys are very shabby, outside space an absolute mess and sadly in need of a huge overhaul. Unfortunately the nurture barn has become just another cafe that supplies toys for the children - yet hasn't cottoned on to it - and still charges a comparatively high price to play. Food is very pricey compared to similar, and whilst the menu does cater for many with allergies it lacks variety. Overall, this place no longer stands out from the crowd.

Lovely history of Braintree and of the main businesses that were and are in town. The old schoolroom is evocative of the past. Currently there is a dinosaur exhibition. Free on Saturday's.

What once was a school is now a museum that details the history of Braintree and it's a thoroughly engaging affair. The museum itself is largely geared towards kids/families, but there's a surprising amount to learn here for anyone interested and it's all concise and certainly keeps your attention. Be sure to look out for the model recreations of the various species of dinosaurs (again, fascinating reading), as well the classroom complete with tables and chalkboard - a far cry from what a typical classroom looks like today. Entry is usually £5 but Saturdays nets you free entry and with the usual café and souvenir shop, you'll have plenty to digest here. If you have kids and are looking for something a little different then Braintree District Museum may tick some boxes for you.

Absolutely fantastic Beaver Scout sleepover at the museum! Robert & Jenny were friendly, interactive with the children & went above & beyond to ensure the children had the right amount of fun & learning. The museum is packed with information, clean & child friendly. Learning about John Ray was a highlight for me. Highly recommend for Beaver/Cub/Brownie groups.

My Niece really loves it their .

This is such a lovely child friendly museum with such well thought out exhibitions which change every 6 months. Very interactive for children. Thank you. We love our visits.

Gorgeous little museum. Very interesting local facts and lots for the children as well

We visit this museum yearly, during the six weeks holidays when they host their themed events. My family and friends love it. The staff put in alot of hard work to transform the museum to meet the theme. My children never get bored as it is always changing. We always book in to do a workshop whilst we are there. The volunteers who run it are always attentive and friendly, they look after the children so well. It is a real hidden gem and worth a visit!