Family-friendly things to do at Acorn Bank

Planning your family visit

• Baby-changing facilities are located just off the courtyard
• Pushchairs and baby back-carriers admitted
• The second-hand bookshop in the Drawing Room of the house has plenty of children’s books.

Family-friendly things to do on the estate

Geocaching

Have a go at geocaching, with six caches hidden across the parkland at Acorn Bank, each with a small treasure to find inside. Can you locate them all? Some may not be immediately obvious – so you’ll need to keep your eyes peeled!

'50 things to do before you’re 11¾'

The woodland around Acorn Bank and the garden are perfect for ticking off a few items from the '50 things to do before you’re 11¾' list.

• No. 1 Get to know a tree: we’d recommend the ‘Twister Sister’ – the huge copper beech tree on your right as the house and café courtyard are on your left – or the magical Dalston Oak out on the estate
• No. 35 Discover what’s in a pond: a perfect one to tick off whilst you’re newt spotting
• No. 34 Look out for wild animal clues: whilst you’re down at the watermill – otter tracks can often be seen in the soft mud next to the beck.

Borrow a nature toolkit

Discover more about nature here in the gardens and out on the estate by borrowing a free toolkit available from the Shepherd’s Hut when you arrive. Toolkits include a variety of spotter sheets, magnifying glasses, mirrors to look underneath things, tape measures and clickers.

Beepot garden trail

Follow the pots around the garden to find out which plants help out our fuzzy friends the most, and which you might be able to grow at home.

Things to do on a rainy day

There are lots of fun things to get stuck into even if the weather isn’t on your side.

• Head down to the watermill on Saturdays and Sundays to see live demonstrations
• See what you can spot from the shelter of the bird hide in the woods
• Browse in the second-hand bookshop
• In the Dovecote, listen to a a soundscape of nature recordings taken on the estate

Alongside these regular activities are seasonal events - please keep an eye on our Upcoming events page for the latest information about what's on when you visit.