Family activities at Dunstable Downs

A family visiting Dunstable Downs, Bedfordshire | © Lisa Manning

There are loads of different family activities designed to help you explore and discover Dunstable Downs. However you choose to spend your day with us, your adventure starts here.

Festive Families

Trail: Mystery Mail with the Elves

15 - 23 December | 10.30am - 3.00pm | £3 per trail*

Santa’s lost a letter! Embark on a quest to assist his elves find and recover its missing pieces.

Every day between 15 and 23 December. Booking isn't required, simply turn up at the visitor centre anytime between 10.30am and 3pm.

Breakfast with the Elves

2 - 23 December |9.00am - 11.00am | £5.95 per child, £9.50 per adult*

Another magical Christmas season awaits as the elves return for breakfast at the View Café! Join in the festive fun, meet the elves and complete your Christmas colouring whilst enjoying your meal with winter view.

Booking is required.

*Car parking charges apply, free for National Trust members.

Festive Evenings

15 and 22 December |5.00pm - 7.00pm | £6 per person*

As darkness descends on the Downs, see us light up the courtyard for a cosy evening of music, wreath making, late night shopping and night time version of our family trail.

Booking is required.

*Car parking charges apply, free for National Trust members.

Children visiting Dunstable Downs, Bedfordshire at Christmas. They are outside so wrapped up warm and a Christmas tree is visible beside them. — Family moments they'll remember forever this festive season | © National Trust/Lisa Hopkins

Kite flying

The elevated position of Dunstable Downs makes it a perfect location for flying kites. You can bring your own or you can purchase one from our shop with kites priced from £8 each.

Balance bikes

You can borrow a balance bike from our visitor centre free of charge. Perfect for pre-school children learning to ride a bike.

Build a den

Venture into Chute Wood and tick off no. 4 of our '50 things to do before you’re 11¾' at our new den building area! Castle, cave or pirate ship... let your imagaination run wild and build the hideout of your dreams using an array of specially placed deadwood!

Try geocaching at Dunstable Downs

Up for a challenge? We have hidden six camouflaged geocaches across the Downs, taking you to places you may not have visited before. Geocaching is a high-tech treasure hunt which you can take part in using one of the free geocache apps, including one at geocaching.com. It will guide you to within a few metres of the geocache hiding place and once there, you will need to use your eyes to seek out the cache.

Get your free geocaching account and start hunting today.

Try Geocaching at Dunstable Downs with our geocaches hidden on the downs. Waterproof camo boxes with note pads, pencil and other knickknacks in — Try Geocaching at Dunstable Downs | © National Trust / Fiona Partridge

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