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Visiting Ardress House with Family

A family of visitors looking at a gold-framed painting at Ardress House
Discover and Learn at Ardress House | © National Trust Images/Arnhel de Serra

Find out everything you need to know about visiting Ardress House with kids. From feeding the chickens in the farmyard to borrowing balance bikes and essential information on where you'll find baby-changing facilities, bringing a picnic and more.

Autumn Highlights

Ambling among apple-laden trees are a sure sign that autumn has arrived. One of the seasonal highlights at the Ardress House is to visit its orchards on one of the apple-picking Sundays which mark the start of the apple harvest.

Apple Sundays at Ardress House

6, 13, 20 October 2024

Set in the middle of orchard county, this is the ideal location to hear all about Armagh's famous apples have some family fun. Have a go on the apple press, and taste some local cider. You will also have the chance to pick some apples from the local orchard (limited availability)

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Planning your family visit

  • Children must be supervised at all times as there are old farm machinery and uneven surfaces on site.
  • Balance bikes can be borrowed free of charge during the summer months, just ask at Visitor Reception when you arrive.
  • Baby changing facilities are located in disability access toilets in visitor reception.

Apples in the orchard at tenant farmer Mac Ivors Cider Co. at Ardress House, County Armagh
Apple Tree at Ardress House | © National Trust Images/Trevor Ray Hart

Farmyard

Have a go on our ride on tractors in the farmyard. Meet our resident chickens, goats and donkey on your visit. The farmyard is accessed through visitor reception and you can get up close with our chickens when feeding them, please wash your hands when leaving the farmyard.

Balance bikes

Balance Bikes are the perfect way to help your future cyclists learn how to ride in the safety of the great outdoors. Cycling is an important life skill and a healthy way to explore outdoors. We want to help the next generation’s cyclists learn to ride, starting their lifelong love of cycling in beautiful natural surroundings. That's why we are delighted to offer free-to-hire balance bikes to our visitors.

The balance bikes and helmets are available to hire from visitor reception. You don’t need to book anything, and the balance bikes are free to use - just turn up and get going. (only availabe Summer months)

50 things to do before you’re 11¾

Are you ready for your next wild adventure? Springhill is the perfect place to explore outdoors and tick some fun activities off the National Trust’s '50 things to do before you’re 11¾’ list.

Here are just some of the activities you can conquer with family and friends at Springhill. How many can you do on your next visit?

  • No. 1 - Get to know a tree
  • No. 18 - Create some wild art
  • No. 34 - Discover wild animal clues
  • No. 44 - Watch a bird
  • No. 50 - Take a friend on a nature adventure

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