Family-friendly things to do at Nostell

Children in bright clothing running on the path in front of the Rose Garden and fountain at Nostell — Space to run free and explore the gardens and orchard | © Annapurna Mellor

Nostell is the perfect place for a family adventure. Spend some time zipping though the trees in the woodland play area, visit the wildlife on the lake, cycle through the woodland or build a den. Whatever you do when you visit, here's what to expect from your family day out.

Planning your family visit

The main car park is around 800 metres from the main entrance
There are baby-changing facilities and toilets in the courtyard
There are accessible paths and you'll find mostly even terrain in the gardens but, some of the parkland paths can be uneven and muddy in wet weather so pushchairs might struggle
Bikes and scooters are welcome in the parkland but we ask that you leave all bikes, trikes, balls and scooters at the garden entrance
If you have a dog, you might find this information useful.

Playground adventures and nature exploring

Jump, swing and slide in the woodland adventure play area. Feel the wind in your hair as you zoom between the trees on the zip wire - it's a whopping 30 metres long
Go nature exploring and spot the resident wildlife, including swans, herons and geese
Take an easy stoll down to the middle lake, following accessible route markers for mobility scooters, wheelchairs and pushchairs.

Explore the parkland on two wheels

Bring your bikes and enjoy a traffic-free adventure on one of our family-friendly woodland cycle trails. Head out into the parkland along the Carriageway path and up to Obelisk Lodge. You can turn left for the green trail, which is great for little legs, or right to whizz around a few more twists and turns on the blue trail. Both sections are for bikes only and are approximately 1km long. Find out more.

May half-term

Wildflowers and pollinators trail

25 May - 2 June, 11am - 5pm (last entry at 4pm)

Follow the trail as it winds through the gardens and woodland adventure play area to find out about the incredible work that our garden pollinators do. Pretend to be a bee on the zip wire and see if you can carry the pollen to the hive. Weave amongst the wildflowers and meet the leaf cutter, honey, miner and bumble bee along the way before buzzing off on your next adventure to the house to get busy with family craft activities.

Get snuggly in our cosy Children’s Book Nook in the Riding School with lots of books for little ones to read and then head over to the magical story machine and set imaginations free. Find yourself a pre-loved book or two to take home at the Bookstravaganza event.

The half-term trail is free but usual garden admission applies (under 5's are free).

A child holding scissors doing a crafts stood beside a volunteer activity assistant — There's always time for little artists to get busy | © Trevor Ray Hart

Discover the woodland adventure play area

Unleash your wild ones in the woodland adventure play area. Smaller children can climb and hide out in the wendy house on stilts and make their escape down the slide, get dizzy in the wonky spinners, balance on the wobble boards and swing the day away in the bucket swing. Older adventurers can test their adventurous spirit to climb the tower and abseil back down, charge around the rope bridges and wobble paths, bounce to new heights on the cantilever swing and zip through the trees on the 30-metre zip wire.

children playing in the woodland play area at Nostell — Bouncing and wobbling in the woodland play area | © Annapurna Mellor

Planning for a rainy day?

Avoid a passing shower with a swift retreat into the second-hand book shop or cosy up with a hot drink or sweet treat in the cafe.

The playground is under the woodland canopy which offers some shelter but, of couse, you can just bring your wellies and enjoy a good old splash in the puddles and stomp in the mud.