Ruislip Lido on Mother's Day, is this a terrible idea?

[Needcoffeeimmediatley]

Just as the title says really....

DS has been pestering the shit life out of me to go to the beach, really don't want to drive 2+ hours on Mother's Day to nearest beach.

Is Ruislip Lido any good and will it be rammed on Mother's Day?

TIA

[Ftumch]

If the weather is like today it will be very busy. One thing to consider is that you aren't really allowed in the water because of some kind of algae or parasite or something. Anyway - theres signs everywhere saying "No Swimming!".

[jellybeanteaparty]

I find most child focused places are not busy on mother's Day e.g Legoland had less than usual people mainly Dads with kids giving mum a break!

[polarpig]

If it's got blue-green algae then you'd be extremely foolish to go swimming there.

[SandyY2K]

I've been there before. It's not really a mother's day treat for you though is it.

I'd go in the Easter holidays instead, but busyness depends on the weather really.

I would imagine most mum's are treated at home or taken out for lunch.

[Needcoffeeimmediatley]

Ah thanks for the replies!

I've already told him that there will be absolutely no going into the water if we go.
He just wants to play in the sand and have a picnic.

Haha no, it's not really what I fancy doing but I did get handed some money and sent off shopping today so I'm happy to compromise for tomorrow.
I've also seen (although I'm pretending I haven't) that I have a gigantic cake, flowers and a card which I'll be getting in the morning.

[Userisi]

Are you just doing the beach or the carvery? Either way I think if you get there comfortably by 12 you should be ok, we used to always go Mother's and Father's Day and only had a bit of difficulty leaving! That said we moved away a few years ago so it may have gotten worse!!! I remember making the monumental mistake of going on a bank holiday.....never did again!

[TeenTimesTwo]

Wow does that still exist? I'm sure we used to go occasionally when I was little (and I'm in my 50s).

[Needcoffeeimmediatley]

We were thinking just the beach and forest.

Thanks for the timing advice.

DS has ASD so eating out can be a bit of a hit or miss experience!

[Needcoffeeimmediatley]

It sure does!

[sidsgranny]

Wow, that's a blast from the past! I grew up in Harrow and a trip to Ruislip Lido was a regular thing. They used to have a little train ride but I think it was shut as someone was killed on it. Many happy times there though - it felt like a real beach!

[Needcoffeeimmediatley]

From what I've seen on the website, the train ride is still there.
Hopefully Health and Safety has improved since then!

[CatToddlerUprising]

The carvery is horrible. Parking is an absolute nightmare unless you’re lucky enough to get in the small car park really early. One part of the car park is for the people who eat in the carvery and fines are dished out like sweets. The majority of the surrounding roads are double yellow or permit parking only- most of which has been done recently. If the weather is like it is today then it’ll be rammed.

[AprilSpring]

Yeah go, it’s a nice day out (but for children rather than mums) lovely train ride, fun in the sand. Then head to zazas on Ruislip high street! Yum! Get there before 12 as others have suggested and you’ll be fine.
One of the places I miss now we’ve moved.

[CatToddlerUprising]

Sorry, that sounded so negative! It is lovely to visit still but unless you use public transport it is a pain in the backside

[Standstilling]

@sidsgranny Someone was killed on the little train?

I grew up near there and remember many lovely days paddling. Once got in the way of the big rocking horse thing in the playground and it whacked me under the chin. I still remember the pain. And the ice lolly it earned me.

[Standstilling]

I've done a bit of digging: inlanding.wordpress.com/2013/04/28/london-waterways-series-ruislip-lido/ This article says several people were injured, leading to the closure of the line. But it looks great now it has been redone and reopened. Will make a trip there next time I'm in the area.

[AprilSpring]

CatToddlerUprising you’re right the carvery is gross, and the parking is rubbish. But you can park elsewhere and walk through the woods and there are other nice places to rat.

[Needcoffeeimmediatley]

I'm grateful for the advice from everyone, thank you.

Just want to take him somewhere where we don't spend most of the day in the car but passes as a beach, minus the swimming of course (too cold anyway!)

I think we'll go for it and get there around 11, hope for the best with the parking.

[AprilSpring]

To eat not to rat

[Userisi]

Ah we used to love the carvery. It's a Crown so it's cheap as chips, a rare treat that area of the country! No it wasn't 5* but there wasn't many places you could take your family out for Sunday lunch for around £20, the soggy cauliflower cheese and burnt potatoes bring back good memories :)

[CKCSQ]

If the beach isn’t totally necessary I’d opt for Rickmansworth Aquadrome over the lido any day. The cafe there is gorgeous, more parking, lovely walks around the water, plenty of birds and sometimes boats to look at and a great playground, which from memory has a beachy-type area.

[ALongHardWinter]

Ruislip Lido on ANY day is a terrible idea...... Don't get me wrong,I have many happy memories of the place from my childhood. But,unless it's drastically improved since I last went there (about 4 years ago),I wouldn't bother. The carvery was a dead loss,parking was awful,the lido lake itself was covered in green algae,and when we sat outside,there was goose/swan shit everywhere.

[Userisi]

The geese are pretty homicidal too from memory 😂

[Brownpigeon]

I don't live far from it. I seem to be the only person who hates it. It was dirty and you can't swim there.
Like a pp said, Ricky aquadrome is good.

[mogtheexcellent]

We do the Santa train sometimes. I used to go to the lido a lot as a child.