A family-friendly day out at Gunby Estate, Hall and Gardens

A picture of the front of Gunby Hall, surrounded by spring greenery — The house at Gunby is surrounded by greenery in springtime | © National Trust

There are lots of things for the whole family to do at Gunby Hall. Get competitive with some outdoor games on the lawn or join a trail, explore the garden to reconnect with nature or find a perfect picnic spot and relax.

May half term at Gunby

From 20-31 May

Follow a family-friendly trail around the garden and grounds. Suitable for 3–14-year-olds, you’ll be discovering facts about insects and having fun at each of the different activity stations.

Make your own Worker bee mask, build an insect sculpture, create a bug hotel, or help your bees. Trail cost £2 and are available from the welcome shed or tea-room.

Event details

Three women and two children walk in the garden at Gunby Hall, Lincolnshire — Visitors in the garden at Gunby Hall | © National Trust Images/John Millar

Get involved with some '50 things to do before you're 11¾'

There are lots of '50 things to do before you're 11¾' activities you can tick off at Gunby. Here are a few recommendations to get you started:

No. 31 Make friends with a bug: You can find all sorts of creatures lurking at Gunby. You'll need to be prepared though: looking for bugs is fun, but you might need to be fast, and some creatures like centipedes and millipedes move quickly so you'll need to keep your eyes peeled like a real nature detective if you want to see them
No. 33 Go cloud watching: On a warm summer’s day, find a patch of grass, lie back and watch the clouds go by. With a little imagination you can create whole worlds from the shapes you see in the clouds. Do they resemble anything, like animals, trees or cartoon characters?
No. 44 Watch a bird: Birds can be shy or timid. You will need to be as quiet as a mouse while you keep a look out for our feathered friends. What birds will you see?

Roam the estate

While you are welcome to roam free in the garden, there are also a number of trails you can follow in the wider estate. The short walk to the Ice House Pond will take you past St Peter's Church and provide you with a lovely view of Gunby Hall in the distance on your return. A longer walk to the remains of Bratoft Manor takes in the historical lumps and bumps of the former Medieval village of Gunby.

Family walk in the winter countryside | © National Trust Images/James Dobson

Planning your family visit

Here's the information you need at a glance to make the most of your family day out at Gunby Estate, Hall and Gardens:

Unisex baby-changing facilities are available on request, please ask a member of the team
There are some areas in the garden with uneven cobbles and gravel paths
The tea-room in the courtyard serves sandwiches, snacks, hot/cold drinks and ice cream
Picnics are welcome throughout the garden and grounds