Go for a paddle at the V & A

We all like a bit of culture, but in weather like this you occasionally need a break, to be outside and, if facilities permit, have a a bit of a paddle. At the V&A's John Madejski Garden, you can combine all three, but its mostly about the paddling.


Opened in July 2005, the garden, designed by Kim Wilkie, is in the impressive surroundings of the V&A's Italianate central courtyard, and features at its centre a stone-paved oval, with surrounding steps and water jets, which is either filled with water as a paddling pool, or drained for displays.

Thankfully when your author visited at the weekend it was firmly filled, and is an excellent use of the £2m given by Mr Madejski, specifically to create the new garden at the heart of the Museum.

For more, see http://www.vam.ac.uk/about_va/garden/index.html