Skip to content

Family-friendly things to do at Clumber Park

Boy in autumn leaves
The joy of autumn leaves | © Arnhel de Serra

Clumber Park is an ideal spot for families on an autumn day. With 3,800 acres of parkland and the Discovery Centre for some indoor respite, there is an endless amount of fun to be had and plenty for kids to explore.

Planning your family visit

  • The Woodland Play Park is open every day from 10.00 - 17.00
  • The Cycle Hub is open from 10.00 - 17.00 on Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays, at weekends and during Nottinghamshire school holidays. Last hire is at 14.30.
  • The den building area in Leaping Bar is just at the top of the main car park
  • Baby changing facilities are available in the Turning Yard and Discovery Centre in the main visitor facilities as well as next to Central Bark and in the walled kitchen garden
  • The Changing Places facility can be found in the Turning Yard within the main visitor facilities. It is accessible with the users radar key and users are asked to bring their own strap for the hoist
  • Powered mobility vehicles are available to hire free of charge from the Information Point, subject to availability. Booking is advisable. Monday - Friday, please call 01909 476592. During weekends, please call 01909 511039, or speak to a member of the team.


Christmas at Clumber

Shaun the Sheep is coming to Clumber this Christmas. We're collaborating with BAFTA® award-winning production studio, Aardman, and global art producer, Wild in Art, to bring one of Aardman’s best loved characters to Clumber Park this winter.

Shaun the Sheep: Find the Flock is a ewe-nique art adventure that the whole family can enjoy. From 18 November - 7 January, twelve uniquely designed sculptures of Shaun the Sheep will be positioned at iconic locations across Clumber for visitors to find.

Clumber will also be hosting Christmas markets, Victorian fairgrounds, musical events in the Chapel and new year Lantern Walks, as well as welcoming Father Christmas every weekend from 25 November.

To see what activities and events are happening during your visit, head to our upcoming events page here

Natural Play

As you explore Clumber Park, you'll discover lots of natural play areas to keep children entertained. Whether it's den building in the woods, discovering mini beasts in the leaf litter, coming across a fallen tree or splashing in a muddy puddle, wrap up against the elements and enjoy nature at its best.

Boy adding a branch to a den he has built in the woodland
Den building | © James Dobson

Cycling at Clumber

Getting out on two wheels is the perfect way to explore the parkland, woods and lakeside views of Clumber Park. Accessible routes and woodland paths cover over 20 miles of beautiful trails through a variety of landscapes, offering routes for all ages and abilities to enjoy.

Our Cycle Hub has a large selection of bikes for adults and children as well as accessible cycle equipment, including a side by side bike and a wheelchair platform bike. Hire is available on a first come, first served basis, pre-booking is not available. For opening times and prices, click here

Ready to ride? Balance bikes are a great way for children to find their feet before progressing to a pedal bike. Let your little ones keep up with you on family outings by hiring one from the Cycle Hub.

Discovery Centre

Take a break and head inside to the Discovery Centre. It's a great place to learn more about Clumber Park's history, our amazing array of wildlife and get involved in fun, seasonal activities. The Discovery Centre is also home to our pondlife exploration tank, where you can spot water beetles, water snails and try and spot the stick insect.

Wildlife at Clumber

The parkland, heath and woodland are home to an abundance of wildlife for you to discover, observe and enjoy in spring. Our circular lakeside walk is the most popular visitor route and looks especially stunning on a bright, sunny morning.

Bring your camera if you're a keen photographer and keep a look out for birds such as buzzards, great spotted woodpeckers, jays and woodlarks. Find squirrels and deer in the quieter parts of the park, and longhorn cattle in the heathlands.

Don't miss the busy Bird Hide, off the beaten track by Cow Pastures, where you can enjoy some quiet time in nature.

A great spotted woodpecker on the branch of a tree
Great spotted woodpecker | © Steve Bradley

50 things to do before you're 11¾ activities

The National Trust's ‘50 things’ list was created to encourage families to play in nature together and build a connection with the natural world. It's a lot of fun too! Below is some of the activities you can enjoy at Clumber. Find out more and see the full list here

No. 4 - Build a den
What will your den be? A meeting place for spies, a pirate hideout or maybe a fairy castle for the night? Start by looking for a sturdy tree with lots of nooks and nobbles, or a low branch. This will help keep your sticks in place when you start building.

No. 11 - Explore on wheels
Whether you’ve got a bike, scooter, wheelchair or skateboard – you’ll explore further and faster on your wheels at Clumber Park, and it’s also a fun way to exercise.

No. 18 - Create some wild art
When it comes to creating wild art, the only limit is your imagination. Try and find things that vary in colour and texture so that you had even more choice and can pull together something really wild.

No. 31 - Make friends with a bug
Ladybirds, spiders, caterpillars, woodlice – there are all kinds of minibeasts hiding at Clumber Park. Great spots for searching include under stones and wood, the branches, bark and leaves of trees and in long grass.

No. 33 - Go cloud watching
On a dry day, find a patch of grass, lie back and watch the clouds go by. With a little imagination you can create whole worlds from the shapes you see in the clouds. Imagine being a bird and flying through the clouds - what do you think it would feel like?

No. 44 - Watch a bird
Our feathered friends can be found anywhere and everywhere, but to see something a little out of the ordinary, head to the Bird Hide by Cow Pastures. Be as quiet as you can, sit tight and record what you can see.

A circle of wild art created using twigs
Wild art created at Clumber Park with local artist James Brunt | © James Brunt

You might also be interested in

Christmas tree in the Turning Yard
Article
Article

Christmas at Clumber Park 

Meet Father Christmas, find Shaun the Sheep, have fun with our vintage fairground rides and enjoy the magic of the season with our Christmas market. With free crafting sessions in the Elves Workshop, festive delights being served in the Elves Eatery and live music in the Chapel, there is so much for the whole family to enjoy this Christmas at Clumber.

Autumn view of the Ornamental Bridge at Clumber Park as the suns going down
Article
Article

Visiting Clumber Park 

With 3,800 acres of parkland to explore, there's so much to see and do at Clumber Park this autumn.

A lady and gentleman walking their black dog in autumn leaves
Article
Article

Visiting Clumber Park with your dog 

Clumber Park is a three pawprint rated place. Exploring the 3,800 acres of beautiful parkland with your dog by your side is one of the best ways to see Clumber Park.

Looking up a path to the glasshouse with plant borders down each side
Article
Article

The walled kitchen garden at Clumber Park 

Discover how Clumber Park’s walled kitchen garden is maintained using traditional gardening techniques and is one of only a handful of its kind in existence.

The Chapel at Clumber Park
Article
Article

Visiting the Chapel of St Mary the Virgin at Clumber Park 

The 19th century Chapel of St Mary is a must-see on a visit to Clumber Park.

Family cycling in autumn
Activity
Activity

Getting active at Clumber Park 

From lakeside runs to woodland rides, Clumber Park has 20 miles of trails for cyclists, runners and walkers to explore.

A scone cut in half, on a  white plate, covered with jam and cream
Article
Article

Eating and shopping at Clumber Park 

Whether looking for food, drink or the perfect gift, Clumber Park has something for everyone.

Children playing on the zip-line at Nostell Priory, West Yorkshire
Article
Article

What’s ‘50 things to do before you’re 11¾’ all about? 

Discover how and why we created the ‘50 things to do before you’re 11¾’ list to help children connect with nature and the natural world.