Family-friendly things to do at Lytes Cary Manor

Three visitors playing croquet on the lawn at Lytes Cary Manor — Playing croquet at Lytes Cary Manor | © National Trust Images/James Beck

Learn about the wildlife around the estate, the carved characters and creatures you may spot in the house, enjoy seasonal activities and the great outdoors.

Natural play area

The wooded White Walk at Lytes Cary Manor is a popular route for familiies, with a natural play trail to discover. The trail includes a large hammock swing, rope traverse, giant bug, and stepping logs and boards, all built along a winding route through woodland and with plenty of benches to give adults somewhere to pause while kids play.

Planning your family visit

Baby-changing facilities
Pushchairs welcome
Outdoor natural play area in the woodland
Small children's scooters and balance bikes (non-electric) are allowed on garden pathways. They must be used with the safety of others in mind.
Tricycles and bicycles are not allowed, so please leave these at home.

A father and daughter hold hands and walk out over flagstones through an old wooden doorway — Leaving Lytes Cary Manor along the Screens Passage | © National Trust Images/John Millar

Things to look out for in the house:

The Great Hall is one of the oldest parts of the house. If you look up you can spot the angels at the bottom of each of the rafters – they each carry a shield decorated with the Lyte coat of arms.
‘The Good Companions’ are a pair of leather figures standing c.three feet high. They are also sometimes known as ‘fireside companions’ and their purpose has long been a subject of discussion. One idea is that they were brought to the table if there were only 13 people for dinner, as this was seen as bad luck.
What animal you can spot in the Screens Passage of the Great Hall?

Family-friendly things to do on the estate

If you venture off the beaten track, you'll discover a woodland play area and three waymarked trails that take you out onto the estate through open fields and woodland. The trails are all between a mile and a mile and a half, so suitable for little and long legs alike.

Things to spot on the estate walks:

Kingfishers
Dragonflies
Butterflies
Wildflowers
Bumblebees (keep a special look out for shrill carder bumblebees, one of the UK's rarest)
Orchids

You might also catch the ranger team working hard carrying out some footpath maintenance or monitoring butterfly species.

For any adventurers working through the National Trust’s ‘50 things to do before you’re 11¾’ list, you’ll be able to tick off quite a few. Get to know a tree, create some wild art, make friends with a bug – whatever the time of year, you'll find lots of possibilities.

Visitor foraging for blackberries at Lytes Cary Manor, Somerset | © National Trust Images/James Dobson

Picnic at Lytes Cary Manor

There are lots of picnic spots at Lytes Cary.

Just past the entrance, the turning circle is one of our favourites, as you get the best of both worlds with a view of the Apostle Garden and house on one side, but on the other the circular water tower built in imitation of the ancient dovecote at Avebury. You'll find quite a few benches here.

There’s also a large picnic table under the trees at the start of the White Walk. The ranger team have routed the shapes of leaves from native trees into it, so you can always test your leaf knowledge while munching sandwiches.

If you’ve forgotten anything, a selection of snacks and drinks are available from the tea-room.