Natural adventure area at Hatchlands Park

Grab a map from reception and head out into Great Wix Wood. As you enter the wood you'll find Wizard Wix's Willow Warren, our natural adventure area for children. This is the perfect spot to run around, get active and enjoy nature. Here are a few ideas for fun things to do when you get there.

Child playing in the natural adventure area

Balance beams and leaping logs

There's a row of balance beams running down one side of Wix's Warren. You can follow the willow tunnels to find the beams then balance your way along to the wizard sculpture. Head back along the other side leaping from log to log, how many can you do in a row?

Children playing on the tree house

Tree House

Let your imaginations run riot, it could fill the role of an enchanted castle, a haunted house, a secret hideaway, or just a dry spot to shelter on a rainy day. It's also be a real life lookout post where you can get up into the trees for a bird’s eye view through our beautiful woodland. We hope you enjoy your stint as the undisputed king of the castle when you visit.

Bug burrow at Hatchlands Park

Bug burrow

Since building the natural adventure area in 2012 we’ve already expanded it once with the addition of a magical tree house, now we’re concentrating our efforts closer to the ground with a brilliant Bug Burrow. We think it’ll be great fun for everybody, big and small. It could fill the role of a hobbit hole, a spooky cave or a secret hideaway. It’s also a real life opportunity to get down into the earth and up close to nature enabling you to watch the creepy-crawly world slither past on its way through Great Wix Wood.

Children building dens at Hatchlands Park

Den building

Underneath the trees you'll find a big pile of logs, branches, bark and leaves. You can play with them however you like but they're great for making dens. We've found that this is one of the most popular pastimes at Wizard Wix's - it's also one of our 50 things to do before you're 11 ¾.

Willow tunnels at Hatchlands Park

Tunnels and domes

We've made tunnels and domes out of willow wands, you can run through the tunnels and end up in the domes. There are some carved wooden stools in the largest dome next to the picnic area.

A family picnic at Hatchlands Park

Picnic area

Mums and dads feeling tired? We've added some benches where they can sit down and take a break whilst you carry on with the important stuff. Or if you've bought snacks then this is a great place to stop and eat them.

Children with wooden sculpture

Sculptures

There are loads of wooden sculptures all over the place. You'll find wizards, a falcon, a badger, a green man, mushrooms and more. The biggest ones are made from the trunks of old trees that used to stand here, but you can pick up some of the little ones and move them about. How many can you find?

Children in the adventure area at Hatchlands Park

Make your own adventure

But don't let us tell you how to have fun, we know you'll think of even more ways to enjoy this area, so visit us soon and spend some time in our woodland wonderland.